Dissecting The Interactions Of Antimalarial Drugs With The Two Key Determinants Of Drug Resistance In The Malaria Parasite - The 'chloroquine Resistance Transporter' And The 'multidrug Resistance Transporter 1'
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$415,218.00
Summary
The malaria parasite is a single-celled organism which invades the red blood cells of its host. The aim of this fellowship is to study two proteins that are central to the parasite’s ability to evade the toxic effects of a number of drugs. The parasite's susceptibility to chloroquine, and other drugs, is altered by small changes in these proteins. This work will advance our understanding of the increasingly widespread phenomenon of antimalarial drug resistance, and of how it may be overcome.
Structural And Drug Discovery Studies Of Medically Important Protein Complexes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$438,577.00
Summary
My research is focused on structural studies of medically important biological systems, where specific protein complex formation contributes to human illnesses. I use X-ray crystallography to visualize the whole complex at atomic resolution as well as to determine whether binding partners have undergone changes in shape upon complex formation. This structural information then helps me in drug design with goals to either disrupt or modulate the complex.
Protein Homeostasis, Protein Aggregation And Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$428,065.00
Summary
There is a desperate need for biomarkers and therapeutics for Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Mutations in a growing list of genes are implicated as a cause of MND, although the way these cause MND remains a mystery. I aim to build a uniquely positioned research team that approaches this problem from a protein centric view and incorporating strategic collaborative efforts to the understanding of the pathogenesis of MND; the longterm goal of which is translation to biomarkers and therapeutics.
Afinity Maturation And Development Of An Anti-inflammatory Monoclonal Antibody
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$387,489.00
Summary
Antibodies are a relatively new class of drugs that directly target molecular mechanisms of disease. Antibody therapies, such as the breast cancer drug Herceptin, have significantly increased our arsenal of effective therapeutics. In collaboration with G2 Therapies, we will use cutting-edge genetic engineering technology to produce fully human antibodies for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.