Identifying Key Players In The Spread Of Antimicrobial Resistance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$817,448.00
Summary
Antibiotic drugs are essential to treat bacterial infections. However some bacteria have genes that allow them to resist certain drugs, which can be transferred among bacteria to create 'superbugs' that can resist nearly all the drugs we have. This project investigates the transfer of drug resistance genes between Gram negative bacteria (common agents of food poisoning, hospital infection, UTI, etc) and aims to identify the bacteria and genes most important in the spread of superbugs in Australi ....Antibiotic drugs are essential to treat bacterial infections. However some bacteria have genes that allow them to resist certain drugs, which can be transferred among bacteria to create 'superbugs' that can resist nearly all the drugs we have. This project investigates the transfer of drug resistance genes between Gram negative bacteria (common agents of food poisoning, hospital infection, UTI, etc) and aims to identify the bacteria and genes most important in the spread of superbugs in Australia.Read moreRead less
ROLE OF RIP KINASES & IAPs IN MUCOSAL IMMUNE DEFENCE
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$631,168.00
Summary
Pathogenic bacteria are master manipulators of the inflammatory signalling pathways designed to thwart them. Understanding how they do this will allow us to develop drugs that limit their ability to infect. We have shown that pathogenic bacteria inject a protein called EspL into human cells to promote the destruction of a family of human proteins, called RIP Kinases (RIPK), that co-ordinate the inflammatory response and aim now to discover how EspL causes RIPK degradation and thereby promotes in ....Pathogenic bacteria are master manipulators of the inflammatory signalling pathways designed to thwart them. Understanding how they do this will allow us to develop drugs that limit their ability to infect. We have shown that pathogenic bacteria inject a protein called EspL into human cells to promote the destruction of a family of human proteins, called RIP Kinases (RIPK), that co-ordinate the inflammatory response and aim now to discover how EspL causes RIPK degradation and thereby promotes infection.Read moreRead less
Multi-Targeted Inhibition Of An Essential Tetrameric Enzyme From Drug -Resistant Streptococcus Pneumonie.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$534,313.00
Summary
Streptococcus pneumoniae is an significant human pathogen which causes several diseases including pneumonia and meningitis. Treatment of infection involves the use of antibiotics such as penecillin, however, resistant strains are now emerging. This project will address the real need to develop new antibiotics targeting this organism. This is essentially a drug discovery project which exploits a novel means to target Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Targeting Hypermutable ‘superbugs’ In Chronic Respiratory Infections By Optimised Antibiotic Combination Dosage Regimens
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$697,731.00
Summary
Many bacterial ‘superbugs’ can increase their mutation rate, i.e. become hypermutable, and thus rapidly become resistant to multiple antibiotics. Chronic lung infections with hypermutable bacteria cause increased ill-health and death in patients and current treatments do not work well. We will develop improved treatments using combinations of available antibiotics. This project will provide guidance to doctors on how to treat infections more effectively and minimise emergence of resistance.
A specialised set of T lymphocytes called Mucosal Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells react against bacteria and yeast, and reside at mucosal sites where the body's immune defences are most easily breached, e.g. respiratory tract and intestinal mucosa. This study investigates the role of MAIT cells in both protection and pathology in bacterial infections. Controlling MAIT cells could help in treating these conditions.
Design And Engineering Of Adnectins For Diagnosis And Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$803,152.00
Summary
This project aims to engineer a naturally-occurring human protein, called an adnectin, to produce molecules that are able to bind specific targets in the human body, and as such may be used in the diagnosis and therapy of a range of diseases.
Combating Bacterial ‘superbugs‘ By Innovative Dosing Strategies That Combine Available Antibiotics To Prevent Resistance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$547,694.00
Summary
As resistant bacterial ‘superbugs’ are among the 3 most serious threats to global health and as new antibiotics are lacking, innovative strategies to prevent bacterial resistance are urgently needed. This proposal will yield molecular insights on optimal combinations of current beta-lactam antibiotics to maximise bacterial killing without resistance. This project will provide guidance to physicians on how to optimally combine available beta-lactam antibiotics to prevent bacterial resistance.