Epigenetic Regulation By PKC-theta In Human Breast Cancer Stem Cells.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$818,132.00
Summary
Treating women with advanced breast cancer is difficult, and new drugs are needed to kill the cancer stem cells that cause recurrence. We think that a newly discovered protein, PKC-?, plays an important role in recurring breast cancer and can be targeted using novel ‘epigenetic’ drugs. Here, we will use cutting-edge DNA techniques to learn how this protein controls how cancer cells grow and produce the necessary data to show that targeting this protein is likely to be effective in real patients.
Role Of PTEN Catalytic Function In Suppression Of Cancer And Metastasis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$758,319.00
Summary
PTEN mutations are frequently described in various types of cancer. This proposal outlines different experimental strategies to probe how modulation of distinct PTEN functions can affect signalling pathways and be responsible for oncogenic outcomes. We will use animal models and cell lines in culture to identify new signatures/biomarkers to stratifying patients on genetic and molecular bases, and to facilitate the design of tailored combinational therapies directed toward cancer eradication.
Ciliopathies are an emerging group of syndromes in society that have devastating health effects. Ciliopathy patients exhibit a specturm of disorders including polycystic kidneys, extra digits, retinal degeneration and neural tube defects. INPP5E is a gene that is mutated in patients with a ciliopathy syndrome. These studies will determine the role of INPP5E in ciliopathy disease and may identify INPP5E as a novel treatment target.
Retinoic Acid Receptor-related Orphan Receptors And The Regulation Of Metabolism:insights Into Diabetes And Obesity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$760,799.00
Summary
Nuclear receptors (NRs) function as hormone dependent DNA binding proteins important in sustaining human health, highlighted by the array of medicines that target these proteins for human well being. ROR alpha is one such protein that we have shown regulates fat mass, obesity, and glucose tolerance. Obesity and diabetes are often linked with inflammation. We will examine how ROR controls inflammation during metabolic disease.
Profiling Global Inflammatory Signatures For GPCRs In Human Macrophages
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$687,770.00
Summary
Macrophages are important white blood cells of the immune system. They trigger inflammatory responses to infection or injury, but prolonged inflammatory responses can lead to chronic diseases. In this project we aim to better understand how macrophages sense the outside environment, how external signals trigger inflammatory processes, how this leads to diseases such as autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and how to control them with drugs.