Study the Utility of Novel Drug Polymer Conjugates. The products likely to arise from the technology described in this proposal could have application in medical, veterinary and agricultural industries. It offers the potential to treat diseases that are at present poorly treated by enabling delivery direct to the diseased organ (e.g. eye - bacterial endophthalmitis). Completion of the project will also assist a fledgling biotech company transition to a development company with a multiple produ ....Study the Utility of Novel Drug Polymer Conjugates. The products likely to arise from the technology described in this proposal could have application in medical, veterinary and agricultural industries. It offers the potential to treat diseases that are at present poorly treated by enabling delivery direct to the diseased organ (e.g. eye - bacterial endophthalmitis). Completion of the project will also assist a fledgling biotech company transition to a development company with a multiple product portfolio, which will have a direct economic benefit to Australia both in terms of potential export earnings and as an employer highly skilled staff. The project will also provide research training and career opportunities for developing Australian based researchers.Read moreRead less
Multiblock copolymer synthesis for nano-engineered materials. This project aims to develop methodology for environmentally friendly and industrially applicable synthesis of new types of advanced polymeric materials comprising multiblock copolymers. Polymeric materials play an important role in society with applications from bulk plastics to advanced technological applications. This would enable the creation of advanced materials with specific engineering targets and applications ranging from nan ....Multiblock copolymer synthesis for nano-engineered materials. This project aims to develop methodology for environmentally friendly and industrially applicable synthesis of new types of advanced polymeric materials comprising multiblock copolymers. Polymeric materials play an important role in society with applications from bulk plastics to advanced technological applications. This would enable the creation of advanced materials with specific engineering targets and applications ranging from nanomedicine to materials science.Read moreRead less
New Polymers for Cellulose-based Bioplastics. We will design new cellulose derivatives by combining carefully engineered synthetic polymers to cellulose. We will explore the fundamental science underpinning the manufacture of these bioplastics, and apply the concept to the design of two new materials, with (super)hydrophobic and antibacterial properties. These materials have the potential to replace synthetic plastics, which comprise one of the major outputs of the chemical industry worldwide. P ....New Polymers for Cellulose-based Bioplastics. We will design new cellulose derivatives by combining carefully engineered synthetic polymers to cellulose. We will explore the fundamental science underpinning the manufacture of these bioplastics, and apply the concept to the design of two new materials, with (super)hydrophobic and antibacterial properties. These materials have the potential to replace synthetic plastics, which comprise one of the major outputs of the chemical industry worldwide. Plastic is present everywhere in human life, but its manufacture and disposal have a strong negative impact on the environment; the new materials manufactured in this project are viable alternatives to plastics, and are sustainable from a production and disposal point of view.Read moreRead less
New generation functional materials for 21st century applications: exploiting the properties of naphthalene diimides. This project melds the expertise of several research groups in the area of fluorescent material development. Based on a family of highly fluorescent molecules, the project will focus on designing new sensors, polymeric materials and molecular switching devices.
Roles Of Impaired Apoptosis And Differentiation In Tumourigenesis And Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$21,656,910.00
Summary
The ten scientific laboratories in this program have joined forces to investigate two ways in which tumours develop. Both are of particular interest, because they suggest new ways in which cancer might be overcome. Most of our tissues are continually renewed throughout life by production of new cells. Therefore many of the old cells in each tissue must die off to maintain the proper cell numbers. To eliminate cells that are no longer needed or have become damaged, the body has developed a remark ....The ten scientific laboratories in this program have joined forces to investigate two ways in which tumours develop. Both are of particular interest, because they suggest new ways in which cancer might be overcome. Most of our tissues are continually renewed throughout life by production of new cells. Therefore many of the old cells in each tissue must die off to maintain the proper cell numbers. To eliminate cells that are no longer needed or have become damaged, the body has developed a remarkable cell suicide process termed apoptosis. Unfortunately, however, occasionally a random accident to the genes in one of our cells prevents the machinery for apoptosis from being turned on. In that case, the cell will not die when it should and, by continually dividing, it may eventually give rise to a cancer. Since most cancer cells still retain most of the machinery for apoptosis, however, a drug that could switch on this natural cell death machinery would provide a promising new approach to cancer therapy. Identifying and developing such drugs is one major long-term goal of this program. The other focus of our program concerns stem cells. These are rare cells with the remarkable ability to generate an entire tissue. For example, one of our laboratories has identified stem cells that can generate all the cells in the breast. The almost unlimited regenerative capacity of stem cells has a built-in danger. If a stem cell acquires the ability to proliferate excessively, it can go on to form a tumour. Indeed, many cancer researchers now suspect that rare stem cells within a tumour cause its inexorable growth. If tumour growth is maintained by stem cells, it will be essential to develop new forms of therapy that target these rare cancer stem cells rather than merely the bulk of the tumour cells. This is another key long-term goal of our program.Read moreRead less
Strategies for the detection of designer steroids in greyhounds. Strategies for the detection of designer steroids in greyhounds. This project aims to develop strategies to detect designer steroids in racing greyhounds to safeguard industry integrity and animal welfare. These strategies include in vivo and comparative in vitro studies of steroid metabolism, mass-spectrometric elucidation of metabolite structures, and synthesis of putative steroid metabolites with different stereochemistries and ....Strategies for the detection of designer steroids in greyhounds. Strategies for the detection of designer steroids in greyhounds. This project aims to develop strategies to detect designer steroids in racing greyhounds to safeguard industry integrity and animal welfare. These strategies include in vivo and comparative in vitro studies of steroid metabolism, mass-spectrometric elucidation of metabolite structures, and synthesis of putative steroid metabolites with different stereochemistries and oxidation patterns as reference materials. This project will use major metabolites identified by these studies to develop analytical procedures to test for drug abuse at greyhound race meetings. The project will target twelve readily available designer steroid supplements that have significant risk of abuse.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology. The CoE in Convergent Bio-Nano Science &Technology comprises a multi-disciplinary team focused on research aiming to understand and control the interface of materials with biological systems. The Centre will exploit knowledge of the bio-nano interface to design materials that transport and deliver vaccines, drugs and gene therapy agents, and to design new diagnostic agents and devices. Nanomedicines are on the cusp of revol ....ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology. The CoE in Convergent Bio-Nano Science &Technology comprises a multi-disciplinary team focused on research aiming to understand and control the interface of materials with biological systems. The Centre will exploit knowledge of the bio-nano interface to design materials that transport and deliver vaccines, drugs and gene therapy agents, and to design new diagnostic agents and devices. Nanomedicines are on the cusp of revolutionizing diagnosis and therapy in many diseases. The CoE will be the focus of bio-nano research activity in Australia, uniting universities, research agencies, institutes and companies. The expected outcomes are better diagnostic and therapeutic tools designed via an enhanced understanding of the bio-nano-interface.Read moreRead less
Apoptosis And Stem Cells In Cancer Development And Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$22,852,198.00
Summary
To improve cancer therapy, we are studying two cancer hallmarks: enhanced cell survival and stem cell-like behaviour. As we discovered, cell death is often blocked in cancer cells. Hence, we are attempting to develop drugs that flip the natural ‘cell death switch’. Stem cells are rare cells that generate entire tissues, as we showed for the breast. Certain cancers may be driven by ‘rogue’ stem cells. If so, eradication of these rare cells within the bulk tumour may require novel therapies.
ADAM Metalloprotease Inhibition For Treatment Of Colorectal Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$770,925.00
Summary
Colorectal cancer (CRC) causes over 4000 deaths/year, typically from developing drug resistance and spreading to other organs (metastasis). These processes involve tumour cells called cancer stem cells (CSCs), which rely on specific cell surface proteins for survival and function. We are developing antibodies against one of these type of proteins, to test in mouse models of CRC. These already show promise in targeting CSCs and inhibiting drug-resistance and metastasis in mice.