Protecting cereal grain development at high temperatures. This project aims to investigate new temperature-responsive factors that regulate cereal grain development to protect grain production under heat stress. The new research will leverage international collaborations with access to cutting-edge genetic and technological resources, and refine novel X-ray imaging techniques in Australia, to observe how temperature affects flower structure and function in barley and rice. Favourable mutations t ....Protecting cereal grain development at high temperatures. This project aims to investigate new temperature-responsive factors that regulate cereal grain development to protect grain production under heat stress. The new research will leverage international collaborations with access to cutting-edge genetic and technological resources, and refine novel X-ray imaging techniques in Australia, to observe how temperature affects flower structure and function in barley and rice. Favourable mutations that optimise plant yield and fitness will be defined and explored in other, more complex, cereals such as wheat. Expected outcomes will be fundamental breakthroughs in understanding how plants respond to, and buffer, the effects of heat to lead to translational breeding strategies that bolster grain yield.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL180100139
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,973,547.00
Summary
Processes of plant growth that impact agriculture and horticulture. The project aims to discover the genes and processes that control plant shoot architecture, which is a major driver of yield in field, horticultural and forestry crops. Shoot branching is the result of the complex interplay of genes, environment and crop management. By investigating cellular processes governing growth and development, as well as physiology and molecular genetics, this project will enhance Australian capacity and ....Processes of plant growth that impact agriculture and horticulture. The project aims to discover the genes and processes that control plant shoot architecture, which is a major driver of yield in field, horticultural and forestry crops. Shoot branching is the result of the complex interplay of genes, environment and crop management. By investigating cellular processes governing growth and development, as well as physiology and molecular genetics, this project will enhance Australian capacity and multidisciplinary innovation. An improved understanding of shoot branching and how it may be manipulated will improve our knowledge of plant sciences that could contribute to agricultural expansion and food security in Australia and internationally.Read moreRead less
Structure of the essential Commander protein trafficking complex. This project aims to provide a fundamental understanding of the structure and function of Commander, a large protein complex that controls export and recycling of internalised receptors. Commander is highly conserved throughout evolution and is essential for maintaining the homeostasis of hundreds of transmembrane receptors required for cell function and survival, regulating processes as diverse as lipid metabolism and cell adhesi ....Structure of the essential Commander protein trafficking complex. This project aims to provide a fundamental understanding of the structure and function of Commander, a large protein complex that controls export and recycling of internalised receptors. Commander is highly conserved throughout evolution and is essential for maintaining the homeostasis of hundreds of transmembrane receptors required for cell function and survival, regulating processes as diverse as lipid metabolism and cell adhesion. Despite advances in the understanding of Commander function, little is known about how Commander is assembled and interacts with other essential proteins. This project will use multidisciplinary cellular and structural biology approaches to reveal the architecture of Commander at an atomic level.Read moreRead less
Lipid droplet membrane tethers at atomic resolution. Eukaryotic cells are distinguished by the presence of membrane-bound compartments called organelles. This project will use structural biology to determine how essential proteins called sorting nexins (SNXs) regulate membrane interactions required for lipid droplet formation. These interactions are essential for life, controlling protein and lipid homeostasis needed for cell survival. The major outcome of this proposal will be a fundamental und ....Lipid droplet membrane tethers at atomic resolution. Eukaryotic cells are distinguished by the presence of membrane-bound compartments called organelles. This project will use structural biology to determine how essential proteins called sorting nexins (SNXs) regulate membrane interactions required for lipid droplet formation. These interactions are essential for life, controlling protein and lipid homeostasis needed for cell survival. The major outcome of this proposal will be a fundamental understanding of how SNXs control this process, and the work will significantly strengthen our international collaboration in this emerging area. The knowledge has potential future translation in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders where dysregulation of these proteins is known to cause disease.Read moreRead less
The functional architecture of a unique family of lipid droplet proteins. Eukaryotic cells are distinguished by the presence of membrane-bound compartments called organelles. This project will use structural biology to determine how essential proteins called sorting nexins (SNXs) regulate membrane interactions required for lipid droplet formation. These interactions are essential for life, controlling protein and lipid homeostasis needed for cell survival. The major outcome of this proposal will ....The functional architecture of a unique family of lipid droplet proteins. Eukaryotic cells are distinguished by the presence of membrane-bound compartments called organelles. This project will use structural biology to determine how essential proteins called sorting nexins (SNXs) regulate membrane interactions required for lipid droplet formation. These interactions are essential for life, controlling protein and lipid homeostasis needed for cell survival. The major outcome of this proposal will be a fundamental understanding of how SNXs control this process, and the work will significantly strengthen our international collaboration in this emerging area. The knowledge has potential future translation in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders where dysregulation of these proteins is known to cause disease. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240101233
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$447,237.00
Summary
Developing the toolbox of compounds that target acid-sensing proteins. This project aims to examine the interaction between acid-sensing proteins and their modulatory compounds. Animals, including humans, must sense changes in environmental acidity to successfully interact with the surrounding world. Expected outcomes of the project include a better understanding of which regions of these proteins detect acidity, and to develop new compounds that modulate the proteins’ function. This would advan ....Developing the toolbox of compounds that target acid-sensing proteins. This project aims to examine the interaction between acid-sensing proteins and their modulatory compounds. Animals, including humans, must sense changes in environmental acidity to successfully interact with the surrounding world. Expected outcomes of the project include a better understanding of which regions of these proteins detect acidity, and to develop new compounds that modulate the proteins’ function. This would advance our fundamental knowledge in the physiological process of acid sensing. This expects to provide significant benefits, by aiding the potential development of agrochemicals and pain-relieving medications that regulate acid-sensing protein function, resulting in economic benefit to Australia via these new products.
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Autocyclases: A new class of self-cyclising proteins. The biotechnology sector is emerging as an important economic strength in Australia. While the improved efficacy and selectivity of biomolecules has seen them emerge as alternatives to existing chemicals in health and agriculture, the stability of biomolecules remains a major limiting factor. A general strategy for improving protein stability is by joining the ends of the peptide chain in a cyclisation reaction. While a wide range of cyclic p ....Autocyclases: A new class of self-cyclising proteins. The biotechnology sector is emerging as an important economic strength in Australia. While the improved efficacy and selectivity of biomolecules has seen them emerge as alternatives to existing chemicals in health and agriculture, the stability of biomolecules remains a major limiting factor. A general strategy for improving protein stability is by joining the ends of the peptide chain in a cyclisation reaction. While a wide range of cyclic peptides and proteins are being developed in Australia and around the world, the cyclisation reaction presents a significant challenge. In this proposal we detail a novel method for protein cyclisation as a general, low-cost and green production method for making a diverse range of biomolecules. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230101536
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$473,824.00
Summary
How does heme regulate blood vessel formation in the brain? There are more than 600 kilometres of blood vessels in the brain, all of which are lined by tightly packed cells that protect the brain from toxins. My research aims to investigate how these blood vessels are formed. This project expects to reveal the role that a critical signalling molecule called heme plays in this fundamental biological process. I will use cutting-edge structural biology and biophysical techniques to uncover the mole ....How does heme regulate blood vessel formation in the brain? There are more than 600 kilometres of blood vessels in the brain, all of which are lined by tightly packed cells that protect the brain from toxins. My research aims to investigate how these blood vessels are formed. This project expects to reveal the role that a critical signalling molecule called heme plays in this fundamental biological process. I will use cutting-edge structural biology and biophysical techniques to uncover the molecular mechanisms that allow heme to enter cells and regulate blood vessel growth in the brain. The outcomes of this research will enhance our understanding of the brain’s core infrastructure and will contribute to an understanding of how cerebral blood vessels grow and maintain integrity. Read moreRead less
Tuning the activating stimulus of voltage-gated sodium channels. This proposal aims to advance fundamental knowledge about how proteins (ion channels) found on the surface of neurons (brain cells and nerves) function as molecular conduits of cell-to-cell electrical communication. We aim to study how molecular probes and structural parts of these proteins affect the local chemical environment of ion channels, and how this leads to fine tuning of the ion channel's sensitivity to the stimulus that ....Tuning the activating stimulus of voltage-gated sodium channels. This proposal aims to advance fundamental knowledge about how proteins (ion channels) found on the surface of neurons (brain cells and nerves) function as molecular conduits of cell-to-cell electrical communication. We aim to study how molecular probes and structural parts of these proteins affect the local chemical environment of ion channels, and how this leads to fine tuning of the ion channel's sensitivity to the stimulus that activates them (cell membrane voltage).
The conceptual knowledge gained from this project would advance our understanding of a fundamental physiological process and facilitate the development of drugs that regulate ion channel function, such as anti-epileptics, analgesics and insecticides.Read moreRead less