Discovery of pathways to embryogenesis in pathogenic flatworm parasites using microdissection and transcriptomic technologies. The cost to Australia of flatworm parasites to animal production and human health is substantial (hundreds of millions of dollars per year). This research will give new insights into how flatworms reproduce and equip their progeny for survival, providing impetus for new vaccine or drug therapies to be developed. As these pathogens are more significant in Australia's ne ....Discovery of pathways to embryogenesis in pathogenic flatworm parasites using microdissection and transcriptomic technologies. The cost to Australia of flatworm parasites to animal production and human health is substantial (hundreds of millions of dollars per year). This research will give new insights into how flatworms reproduce and equip their progeny for survival, providing impetus for new vaccine or drug therapies to be developed. As these pathogens are more significant in Australia's near neighbours, this project will strengthen Australia's international leadership in this field. Our study will provide, for the first time for any helminth parasite, a freely available genetic database that profiles the gene expression repertoire of individual parasite tissues, a development likely to enhance the international effort in controlling these harmful diseases.Read moreRead less
Are alternative histones important regulators of transcription in Plasmodium falciparum? Malaria parasites depend on tightly controlled expression of their genes for maintaining infection and causing disease. The project will identify mechanisms of gene control used by parasites; these mechanisms may provide targets for malaria therapies.
Investigating why malaria parasites have a unique translocon. This project aims to explore the mechanism that enables malaria parasites to thrive in their host cells. Parasites that cause the disease malaria reside inside erythrocytes, a very basic cell that lacks a vesicular trafficking pathway. To survive and thrive in this environment, the parasite has evolved a completely unique cell biological phenomenon termed PTEX to transport its proteins into the host cell. The aim of this project is to ....Investigating why malaria parasites have a unique translocon. This project aims to explore the mechanism that enables malaria parasites to thrive in their host cells. Parasites that cause the disease malaria reside inside erythrocytes, a very basic cell that lacks a vesicular trafficking pathway. To survive and thrive in this environment, the parasite has evolved a completely unique cell biological phenomenon termed PTEX to transport its proteins into the host cell. The aim of this project is to determine how this novel PTEX machinery exports proteins into erythrocytes and whether PTEX is also required for parasite survival during the initial stages of a host infection when malaria reside in hepatocytes.Read moreRead less
Effect of predation on virulence traits of opportunistic pathogens. The project aims to determine if increased fitness of bacteria in animal or human hosts (increased virulence) can occur due to indirect rather than direct selective pressure, particularly pressure on bacteria arising from predation by protozoa. Protozoa feed on many pathogenic bacteria (e.g. those that cause cholera and chronic infections) in the ocean, and warming oceans are predicted to increase predation. Knowing the effect o ....Effect of predation on virulence traits of opportunistic pathogens. The project aims to determine if increased fitness of bacteria in animal or human hosts (increased virulence) can occur due to indirect rather than direct selective pressure, particularly pressure on bacteria arising from predation by protozoa. Protozoa feed on many pathogenic bacteria (e.g. those that cause cholera and chronic infections) in the ocean, and warming oceans are predicted to increase predation. Knowing the effect of warming oceans on marine bacteria and the emergence of virulence in bacteria that are subject to predation in the environment can inform design of tools for monitoring the risk of infection outbreaks. Benefits would be realised by academic researchers, clinicians and policy-makers interested in optimising the tracking of infection threats.Read moreRead less
Genetic and epigenetic control of developmental competence. Development is an important biological process of life and understanding development has important medical and economic benefits for Australia. This research aims to study development using a simple, easily manipulated and well established experimental organism, a fungus, as a model for development in other organisms, including humans. In addition, fungi directly impact on life at many levels. Fungi can be pathogens of humans, other ani ....Genetic and epigenetic control of developmental competence. Development is an important biological process of life and understanding development has important medical and economic benefits for Australia. This research aims to study development using a simple, easily manipulated and well established experimental organism, a fungus, as a model for development in other organisms, including humans. In addition, fungi directly impact on life at many levels. Fungi can be pathogens of humans, other animals or plants significantly affecting our health, agriculture and industry. Fungi are also beneficial to other organisms, especially to many plants, and are used to manufacture pharmaceuticals and enzymes used in the health and biotechnology industries.Read moreRead less
Maintaining fidelity in viral Ribonucleic acid (RNA) polymerases. This project will provide informed insights into the dynamics of viruses that currently impact a healthy start to life, ageing well and productively, and preventative healthcare. The analysis of viruses that cause gastroenteritis outbreaks will increase our understanding of how these viruses replicate and spread.
Investigations of Australian Hematodinium species (sp.): a dinoflagellate parasite damaging major crustacean fisheries in Australia and worldwide. The dinoflagellate Hematodinium species (sp.) causes a deadly infection in crustaceans worldwide and a recent outbreak in Shark Bay, WA highlights its importance in Australian waters. This project will provide a first nationwide survey of commercially important crustacean stocks enabling the Australian fisheries authorities to assess the full scale ....Investigations of Australian Hematodinium species (sp.): a dinoflagellate parasite damaging major crustacean fisheries in Australia and worldwide. The dinoflagellate Hematodinium species (sp.) causes a deadly infection in crustaceans worldwide and a recent outbreak in Shark Bay, WA highlights its importance in Australian waters. This project will provide a first nationwide survey of commercially important crustacean stocks enabling the Australian fisheries authorities to assess the full scale of the problem. Also, we will develop a simple, easy-to-use tool for diagnosis and management of Hematodinium sp. This project will expand the diversity of parasites studied in Australia by including this relatively poorly studied but damaging group. This project will also foster interdisciplinary collaborations within Australia, and internationally.Read moreRead less
Transport and innate immune properties of DNA in bacterial nano-sized vesicles. All types of living organisms release nano-sized membrane vesicles or “blebs” which they use for intercellular communication and transport of molecules. This project will determine how bacteria package DNA within these vesicles, how this DNA is transported into host cells and how it triggers immune responses in these cells.
Characterization of metabolic networks in a microbial pathogen. New methods are needed to understand complex cellular processes such as metabolism. This proposal will support the development of methods in metabolite profiling and flux analysis that provide a global view of metabolic networks in cells and complement other profiling approaches, such as proteomics and transcriptomics. The development of these approaches (collectively termed Systems Biology) is essential for maintaining Australia sc ....Characterization of metabolic networks in a microbial pathogen. New methods are needed to understand complex cellular processes such as metabolism. This proposal will support the development of methods in metabolite profiling and flux analysis that provide a global view of metabolic networks in cells and complement other profiling approaches, such as proteomics and transcriptomics. The development of these approaches (collectively termed Systems Biology) is essential for maintaining Australia science at the forefront of international efforts (National Research Priority 3; Breakthrough science). This project will also directly contribute to our understanding of metabolism of an important human pathogen and provide training to young Australian scientists.Read moreRead less
Autotransporter proteins of Escherichia coli. Autoransporters are a novel class of proteins associated with bacterial virulence properties such as adhesion, invasion and biofilm formation. Despite this, limited information is available on their functional role. The aim of this project is to characterize several of the autotransporter proteins from pathogenic E. coli. The likely contribution of these proteins to infection suggests that they are potential targets for strain attenuation and vaccine ....Autotransporter proteins of Escherichia coli. Autoransporters are a novel class of proteins associated with bacterial virulence properties such as adhesion, invasion and biofilm formation. Despite this, limited information is available on their functional role. The aim of this project is to characterize several of the autotransporter proteins from pathogenic E. coli. The likely contribution of these proteins to infection suggests that they are potential targets for strain attenuation and vaccine strain construction. Many of these proteins also mediate bacterial aggregation and are therefore targets for novel drugs that inhibit this process. The project will be carried out with a high profile partner from Denmark and will provide opportunity for travel and technology development. Read moreRead less