Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989436
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,000.00
Summary
Multiphoton microscopy of living animals as a tool for immunology and cell biology studies. The multiphoton microscope will enable us to watch the growth, migration and interactions of cells in a living animal in response to changes in the cells' environment will give us better understanding of how we work as living machines, and what can go wrong with that process to make us unwell.
The development of a rapid diagnostic test for heparanase activity. Heparanase is an enzyme that has been implicated in a number of disease states such as cancer, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other inflammatory diseases. Characterisation of this enzyme has been slow, due in part to the lack of a reliable direct activity assay. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, this project seeks to establish a rapid assay that will provide easy determination of heparanase activity. Furthermore, this a ....The development of a rapid diagnostic test for heparanase activity. Heparanase is an enzyme that has been implicated in a number of disease states such as cancer, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other inflammatory diseases. Characterisation of this enzyme has been slow, due in part to the lack of a reliable direct activity assay. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, this project seeks to establish a rapid assay that will provide easy determination of heparanase activity. Furthermore, this assay could provide a useful diagnostic tool in a clinical environment that would allow for the rapid assessment of these diseases, their progression and indeed response to therapy.Read moreRead less
Membrane excitability and cellular calcium regulation in the peripheral nervous system under different (patho)-physiological conditions and in inflammatory disease. Studies of cytokine action on neurons and muscle give new insights into functional responses of the nervous system to systemic inflammation and sepsis. In some countries, sepsis is the third most frequent cause of death following heart attack. Elucidating the pathomechanisms allows to develop therapeutic strategies. Electrophysiology ....Membrane excitability and cellular calcium regulation in the peripheral nervous system under different (patho)-physiological conditions and in inflammatory disease. Studies of cytokine action on neurons and muscle give new insights into functional responses of the nervous system to systemic inflammation and sepsis. In some countries, sepsis is the third most frequent cause of death following heart attack. Elucidating the pathomechanisms allows to develop therapeutic strategies. Electrophysiology, Ca2+ regulation and optical membrane potentiometry allow us to monitor early changes in disease on a (sub)cellular level. Experiments on Ca2+ regulation and ion channel function in muscle with different cholesterol membrane contents will help to understand pathomechanisms in high cholesterol diseases, e.g. obesity, on the membrane level long before cardiovascular effects become prominent.Read moreRead less
Understanding and regulating autoimmune disease through the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kappaB) family transcription factor, v-rel reticuloendotheliosis viral oncogene homolog B (RelB). This program is well-aligned with the national research priority: Promoting and Maintaining Good Health. The disabling conditions rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes affect over 1% of Australia's population. They are incurable, so disability and the need for treatment p ....Understanding and regulating autoimmune disease through the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kappaB) family transcription factor, v-rel reticuloendotheliosis viral oncogene homolog B (RelB). This program is well-aligned with the national research priority: Promoting and Maintaining Good Health. The disabling conditions rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes affect over 1% of Australia's population. They are incurable, so disability and the need for treatment persist into old age and life expectancy is reduced. The program focuses on more effective and safer treatment, and future disease prevention, with immune therapy. This will have social and economic benefits to Australia. The research will advance Australia's intellectual leadership in Immunology, providing research training and career opportunities, and will lead to strong collaborations between basic scientists, clinicians and industry.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE110100172
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$330,000.00
Summary
Comprehensive cell imaging facility. This facility will provide Australian biological science researchers with equipment for in-depth analyses of cell function in vitro and in vivo. It will enable innovative research targeted at important questions in fields including cancer, immunology, stem cell biology, infectious disease and tissue regeneration.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100150
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
Beyond Proteomics: structure and function of protein modifications. The world's leading cancer therapeutics have come from the protein phosphorylation field, and glycomics has led to drugs that combat the flu and that stimulate red blood cell production in cancer patients. Thus there is a bright future for discovery of new medicines based on new knowledge in this area. Protein modifications are key to the understanding of disease mechanisms and for searching for new disease markers and new the ....Beyond Proteomics: structure and function of protein modifications. The world's leading cancer therapeutics have come from the protein phosphorylation field, and glycomics has led to drugs that combat the flu and that stimulate red blood cell production in cancer patients. Thus there is a bright future for discovery of new medicines based on new knowledge in this area. Protein modifications are key to the understanding of disease mechanisms and for searching for new disease markers and new therapeutics. In the hands of local experts the instruments will enable identification of these modifications and provide improved understanding of biology, increase the national competitiveness of Australia's scientists, and provide advanced technology training to the next generation of scientists.Read moreRead less
Understanding Changes In The Mammalian Prenylome Induced By Statins And Prenyltransferase Inhibitors
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$566,308.00
Summary
Prenylation, the covalent attachment of isoprenoid lipids to proteins, is widespread in mammalian cells. Essential for a protein's normal function, it contributes to the progression of cancer and inflammation. We have developed a novel technology to identify all prenylated proteins in the cell. Aided by this method, we will analyse the effect of statins and anti-cancer drugs on protein prenylation. This will provide guidance in identifying a more effective clinical use for them.
A role for the actin cytoskeleton in suppression of prion pathology in yeast. The discovery that proteins as well as DNA carry genetic information is leading to a re-think of the mechanisms that program cell behaviour. There is a link between proteins that suppress cancer and protein inheritance. This project explores how heritable changes in proteins control cell behaviour and the implications of this for the origin of cancer.
Function and regulation of the Schlafen gene family: novel regulators of blood cell proliferation and function. The immediate outcomes of the proposed research will be in fundamental knowledge and understanding of important cellular and biological processes in which the Schlafen genes are involved. In particular, Schlafen genes are likely to play a role in inflammatory responses and in blood cell growth. These process clearly have relevance to a range of major human (and animal) diseases includ ....Function and regulation of the Schlafen gene family: novel regulators of blood cell proliferation and function. The immediate outcomes of the proposed research will be in fundamental knowledge and understanding of important cellular and biological processes in which the Schlafen genes are involved. In particular, Schlafen genes are likely to play a role in inflammatory responses and in blood cell growth. These process clearly have relevance to a range of major human (and animal) diseases including infectious disease, auto-immune disease and leukaemia, and thus a long-term outcome may be improved treatments for such disease. Read moreRead less
Molecular grafting methods for design of peptide therapeutics. This project has the potential to lead to major economic benefits to Australia via royalty returns from novel drugs. Extra economic benefits derive from a reduction in the cost of treatment of diseases. The development of a new Australian developed peptide drug thus has the potential to lead to multimillion dollar savings to the Australian economy. Finally the project will provide training in state-of-the-art drug design that will e ....Molecular grafting methods for design of peptide therapeutics. This project has the potential to lead to major economic benefits to Australia via royalty returns from novel drugs. Extra economic benefits derive from a reduction in the cost of treatment of diseases. The development of a new Australian developed peptide drug thus has the potential to lead to multimillion dollar savings to the Australian economy. Finally the project will provide training in state-of-the-art drug design that will enhance Australia's pharmaceutical industry generally.Read moreRead less