Rational Optimisation of the Uptake of Metal-Based Anti-Cancer Agents by Tumours. In this project will develop an understanding of how anticancer drugs are taken up, distributed and modified in tumours. The information gathered will be of value to all those developing new anticancer drugs and we will then use it to develop new drugs that more selectively target tumours and therefore have reduced side effects. Successful development of less toxic anticancer agents would lead to less debilitating ....Rational Optimisation of the Uptake of Metal-Based Anti-Cancer Agents by Tumours. In this project will develop an understanding of how anticancer drugs are taken up, distributed and modified in tumours. The information gathered will be of value to all those developing new anticancer drugs and we will then use it to develop new drugs that more selectively target tumours and therefore have reduced side effects. Successful development of less toxic anticancer agents would lead to less debilitating treatment, more effective treatment, and an increase in the number of patients effectively treated. Effective anticancer drugs can also be very large income earners for Australia.Read moreRead less
Characterisation of two-pore domain potassium channels: structure-function studies of the M1-P1 loops of TASK channels. TWIK-related Acid Sensitive K+ (TASK) channels are members of the novel class of two-pore domain potassium channel family. They are potently inhibited by local anaesthetics and have been implicated as having important roles in many pathophysiological conditions such as heart arrythmias, stroke, epilepsy, breast and other cancers. The in depth structural and functional character ....Characterisation of two-pore domain potassium channels: structure-function studies of the M1-P1 loops of TASK channels. TWIK-related Acid Sensitive K+ (TASK) channels are members of the novel class of two-pore domain potassium channel family. They are potently inhibited by local anaesthetics and have been implicated as having important roles in many pathophysiological conditions such as heart arrythmias, stroke, epilepsy, breast and other cancers. The in depth structural and functional characterisation of this class of potassium channels is of great importance as they are interesting targets for new therapeutic developments. Advancement of knowledge in the structure and function of these channels will underpin drug targeting that will aid preventative healthcare, allowing Australians to age well and age productively.Read moreRead less
Selective Adsorption throught Molecular Imprinting in Nanoporous Silica. A novel synthesis method, molecular imprinting (MI) combined with a templating technique, will be used to prepare mesoporous silica materials with specific molecular recognition sites. The surface morphology of the materials can be duplicated at a molecular level known as molecular imprinting. The imprinting of metal ions, organic and enantiomeric molecules and the subsequent interactions with the template will be studied ....Selective Adsorption throught Molecular Imprinting in Nanoporous Silica. A novel synthesis method, molecular imprinting (MI) combined with a templating technique, will be used to prepare mesoporous silica materials with specific molecular recognition sites. The surface morphology of the materials can be duplicated at a molecular level known as molecular imprinting. The imprinting of metal ions, organic and enantiomeric molecules and the subsequent interactions with the template will be studied. The molecular recognition properties of imprinted materials will be evaluated by selective adsorption equilibrium and kinetics of Hg2+/Pd2+, D-glucose and (-)-borneol/(+)-fenchol respectively. The novelty of the research is in combining the template synthesis of nanoporous silicates with the technique of MI.Read moreRead less
The Design of New Integrase Inhibitors Targeting HIV-1. There is still no cure in sight for the worldwide HIV pandemic and the worsening viral resistance problem creates a need to find new and novel compounds for therapeutic use. This project aims to design and synthesize new anti-HIV drugs by targeting two separate enzymes within the HIV life-cycle. This 'dual-action' approach of designing a single molecular scaffold to target separate enzymes would enable a synergistic effect while minimizing ....The Design of New Integrase Inhibitors Targeting HIV-1. There is still no cure in sight for the worldwide HIV pandemic and the worsening viral resistance problem creates a need to find new and novel compounds for therapeutic use. This project aims to design and synthesize new anti-HIV drugs by targeting two separate enzymes within the HIV life-cycle. This 'dual-action' approach of designing a single molecular scaffold to target separate enzymes would enable a synergistic effect while minimizing development costs. The expected outcomes from this medicinal chemistry project include the discovery of new compounds with the potential for further development as therapeutic agents against HIV.Read moreRead less
Radiolabelled MMP binding agents for the identification, quantification, and targeting of MMPs in central nervous system (CNS) disorders and tumours. Cancer and diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) represent two of the major health challenges facing Australia because of the aging population. In order to address these challenges we need to develop methods for identifying tumours and CNS diseases using non-invasive technologies and at an early stage so that treatments can be applied when t ....Radiolabelled MMP binding agents for the identification, quantification, and targeting of MMPs in central nervous system (CNS) disorders and tumours. Cancer and diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) represent two of the major health challenges facing Australia because of the aging population. In order to address these challenges we need to develop methods for identifying tumours and CNS diseases using non-invasive technologies and at an early stage so that treatments can be applied when they are most likely to work. In this project, we are developing new radiolabelled compounds that will enable the imaging of tumours, tumour metastases and CNS diseases states.Read moreRead less
The Design and Development of the Next Generation Anti-HIV Drugs. This medicinal chemistry project will develop new computer-aided modelling techniques for drug design and development and will then apply them to the design of new therapeutics for the treatment of HIV-1/AIDS. Once developed, these new techniques can also be applied to other disease targets including various cancers, where specific proteins have been identified as causative. This research will also contribute to the education of y ....The Design and Development of the Next Generation Anti-HIV Drugs. This medicinal chemistry project will develop new computer-aided modelling techniques for drug design and development and will then apply them to the design of new therapeutics for the treatment of HIV-1/AIDS. Once developed, these new techniques can also be applied to other disease targets including various cancers, where specific proteins have been identified as causative. This research will also contribute to the education of young scientists, training them in cutting-edge research skills.Read moreRead less