Investigating MicroRNAs As Key Regulators In A Novel Communication Pathway Driving Retinal Degeneration.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,189,692.00
Summary
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world. The absence of current therapies has resulted in a significant economic burden associated with this debilitating and irreversible disease. This project will investigate the therapeutic potential of the body's own natural delivery vehicles called extracellular vesicles (EV). Along with the molecular cargo contained in EVs we will harness this as a treatment to slow down the progression of AMD.
Exploiting Messenger RNA Export As A Novel Therapeutic Strategy To Treat Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$948,098.00
Summary
Novel therapies for cancers represent an area of unmet clinical need. We have identified a new biological pathway implicated in cancer, namely selective mRNA export. Compounds inhibiting other steps of the gene expression pathway are promising therapeutic candidates for cancer, yet mRNA export inhibitors do not exist. We propose to develop first-in-class inhibitors of mRNA export that selectively target transcriptionally addicted cancers with dysregulated RNA processing.
Pathways That Regulate Nuclear Export Of Circular RNA
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$933,327.00
Summary
An emerging and unusual class of RNA molecules, circular RNAs (circRNAs), is widespread and plays important roles in cancer initiation and progression. However, the pathways responsible for nuclear export of circRNAs are unknown. We propose here to systematically determine how circRNAs are exported from the nucleus and characterise the effect of modulating circRNA export pathways in cancer. This will enable us to determine whether circRNAs can function as a biomarker of patient response.