I am a peptide and protein chemist principally engaged in the study of the structure and function relationships of insulin-like peptides and the development of their therapeutic potential.
Epigenetic integration of genomic and environmental information in honey bees. Environmental factors such as nutrition, drugs or childhood neglect alter gene activity without a change to the DNA code and may result in a range of conditions such as cancer, obesity and mental illness. Such epigenetic phenomena are driven by subtle and poorly understood modifications of the genome known as DNA methylation. Our aim is to study the link between DNA methylation and environmental influences. We aspire ....Epigenetic integration of genomic and environmental information in honey bees. Environmental factors such as nutrition, drugs or childhood neglect alter gene activity without a change to the DNA code and may result in a range of conditions such as cancer, obesity and mental illness. Such epigenetic phenomena are driven by subtle and poorly understood modifications of the genome known as DNA methylation. Our aim is to study the link between DNA methylation and environmental influences. We aspire to understand how environmental signals trigger the reprogramming of transcriptional control of genetic networks that lead to contrasting phenotypic and behavioural outcomes using the honey bee modelRead moreRead less
Removal of Perfluorinated Chemicals Using New Fluorinated Polymer Sorbents. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of highly persistent chemicals that are linked to a number of human diseases, however existing approaches for removal of PFAS are highly inefficient. This project aims to develop and evaluate novel, reusable polymer sorbents for effective PFAS removal. The polymer sorbents will enable efficient, selective and continuous sorption of PFAS, while maintaining excellent ....Removal of Perfluorinated Chemicals Using New Fluorinated Polymer Sorbents. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of highly persistent chemicals that are linked to a number of human diseases, however existing approaches for removal of PFAS are highly inefficient. This project aims to develop and evaluate novel, reusable polymer sorbents for effective PFAS removal. The polymer sorbents will enable efficient, selective and continuous sorption of PFAS, while maintaining excellent environmental stability for long-term implementation in practical devices. The project will develop novel polymer sorbents to revolutionize the remediation of PFAS with high technical, economic and environmental feasibility, creating a pathway to a PFAS-free world, and ultimately protecting the natural environment.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100480
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$445,237.00
Summary
Electrolyte design for high-performance, sustainable sodium batteries. This project aims to develop sustainable high-performance sodium batteries by investigating new non-flammable and safe electrolyte chemistries. The project will generate knowledge in materials chemistry for battery electrolytes that will underpin improvements in battery technology and help to move society towards a zero-carbon economy. The outcomes will provide materials suitable for prototyping reliable, safe and sustainable ....Electrolyte design for high-performance, sustainable sodium batteries. This project aims to develop sustainable high-performance sodium batteries by investigating new non-flammable and safe electrolyte chemistries. The project will generate knowledge in materials chemistry for battery electrolytes that will underpin improvements in battery technology and help to move society towards a zero-carbon economy. The outcomes will provide materials suitable for prototyping reliable, safe and sustainable batteries in Australia and enhance research collaborations with local and international industry partners. These advances will contribute to reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy storage systems, positioning Australia at the forefront of advanced battery research.Read moreRead less
The Molecular Basis Of Cytochrome P450 And UDP-glucuronosyltransferase Isoform Substrate Selectivity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$448,500.00
Summary
Drugs and chemicals (e.g. dietary constituents, environmental pollutants and industrial chemicals) are broken down in the body by specific enzymes, a process referred to as metabolism. Drug and chemical metabolism serves as a detoxification mechanism (since the end products of metabolism generally lack biological activity) and as a means of eliminating these substances from the body. Enzymes are highly specialised proteins made up from amino acids as the building blocks. There are two enzymes in ....Drugs and chemicals (e.g. dietary constituents, environmental pollutants and industrial chemicals) are broken down in the body by specific enzymes, a process referred to as metabolism. Drug and chemical metabolism serves as a detoxification mechanism (since the end products of metabolism generally lack biological activity) and as a means of eliminating these substances from the body. Enzymes are highly specialised proteins made up from amino acids as the building blocks. There are two enzymes in humans primarily responsible for the metabolism of drugs and other chemicals; cytochrome P450 (CYP) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT). Indeed, CYP and UGT are together responsible for the elimination of over 90% of metabolised drugs in humans. Both UGT and CYP exist as superfamilies of structurally related enzymes (called 'isoforms'). Approximately fifteen CYP isoforms are known to metabolise drugs, and a similar number of UGT isoforms also appear to have the capacity to metabolise drugs in humans. The separate CYP and UGT isoforms preferentially metabolise different types of drugs and chemicals, due to the fact each isoform comprises a different sequence of amino acids. However, which of the approximately 500 amino acids present in each UGT and CYP isoform that bind and metabolise specific drugs and chemicals is unknown. This project will identify the individual amino acids of several important CYP and UGT isoforms responsible for binding and metabolising drugs and other chemicals. A variety of techniques will be used, including modification of the amino acid sequence of the isoforms and computer modelling of their 'internal' structure. Elucidating the structural basis of how drugs and chemicals interact with CYP and UGT isoforms is fundamental to our understanding of these important enzymes and their function, and can be used to design drugs with better metabolic stability and decreased propensity for troublesome interactions with other drugs.Read moreRead less
Towards The Rational Design Of Calcium Sensing Receptor Allosteric Modulators For The Treatment Of Osteoporosis And Calcium Handling Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$741,390.00
Summary
Drugs that target the human calcium sensing receptor can be too strong or too weak, resulting in side effects or lack of efficacy. This proposal thus seeks to establish whether the strength of drug activity can be rationally altered and exploited to treat different disease states by fine-tuning CaSR activity in a disease-specific manner.