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PrtFII, A Streptococcus Pyogenes Fibronectin Binding Protein, And Invasive Diseases.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$296,540.00
Summary
Our recent work revealed that, in the Aboriginal population, young age is a risk factor for severe invasive diseases caused by group A streptococcus. For group A streptococcus infection to occur, bacterial attachment is the first step. The bacterium attaches to host cells through interactions involving host fibronectin and the pathogen's fibronectin-binding proteins. We have found that streptococcal strains from severe disease cases are more likely to have the gene for PrtFII, a fibronectin bind ....Our recent work revealed that, in the Aboriginal population, young age is a risk factor for severe invasive diseases caused by group A streptococcus. For group A streptococcus infection to occur, bacterial attachment is the first step. The bacterium attaches to host cells through interactions involving host fibronectin and the pathogen's fibronectin-binding proteins. We have found that streptococcal strains from severe disease cases are more likely to have the gene for PrtFII, a fibronectin binding protein, than those from uncomplicated skin sores. In this application we propose to extend this observation and compare biochemical properties of PrtFII from strains belonging to the above two sets of collections. We hypothesise that PrtFII from invasive strains bind to fibronectin more tightly than the proteins from strains that cause uncomplicated infection. We also will test whether sera from invasive disease cases have lower titre of antibodies to the conserved region of PrtFII than sera from uncomplicated cases. A streptococcal vaccine by necessity has to be a multi-component vaccine to cover a wide spectrum of diseases and epidemiological differences. The study proposed here may provide a basis to argue whether or not to include PrtFII in such a multi-component vaccine.Read moreRead less
Promoting Knowledge Economy Organisations and Innovative Work: Regional influences on Knowledge-based Small and Medium-sized Enterprise clusters in Australia and Germany. In both Australia and Germany many regional areas have experienced economic and social decline. Clusters offer a means of fostering local economic development thereby arresting regional social and economic deterioration. The research focuses on those clusters that rely on knowledge transfer between organisations. Through identi ....Promoting Knowledge Economy Organisations and Innovative Work: Regional influences on Knowledge-based Small and Medium-sized Enterprise clusters in Australia and Germany. In both Australia and Germany many regional areas have experienced economic and social decline. Clusters offer a means of fostering local economic development thereby arresting regional social and economic deterioration. The research focuses on those clusters that rely on knowledge transfer between organisations. Through identifying the drivers and impediments to the formation of knowledge based clusters, the research aims to provide practical guidance to regionally-based organizations to assist in the successful formation and maintenance of clusters. In doing so, the research will identify how clusters that rely on the sharing of organizational knowledge may promote greater regional employment possibilities.Read moreRead less
Survival of the fittest: The performance of franchised versus independent small business during economic uncertainty and recovery. The contribution of small business to the Australian economy is substantial. There are almost two million small businesses, representing 96% of all businesses in Australia. As the small business sector is Australia's largest employer, providing jobs for 46 percent of the private sector, it is important that they succeed. This research will analyse survival factors d ....Survival of the fittest: The performance of franchised versus independent small business during economic uncertainty and recovery. The contribution of small business to the Australian economy is substantial. There are almost two million small businesses, representing 96% of all businesses in Australia. As the small business sector is Australia's largest employer, providing jobs for 46 percent of the private sector, it is important that they succeed. This research will analyse survival factors during economic uncertainty in order to identify sustainable and enduring success strategies. The study will compare the performance of independently owned and franchised small businesses in both regional and urban communities. Benefits will include improved knowledge about the key factors that drive superior independent and franchised small business performance.Read moreRead less
Home-based Businesses: Belief systems and practice and their implications for policy and development practice. The home-based business sector has been calculated to represent 67% of the small business sector in Australia. There is a conservative estimate that at least one in ten homes in Australia now hosts a home-based business. Under Governments of all political persuasions, growth of small business is seen as important to the growth of the economy. However there is a fragmented policy context ....Home-based Businesses: Belief systems and practice and their implications for policy and development practice. The home-based business sector has been calculated to represent 67% of the small business sector in Australia. There is a conservative estimate that at least one in ten homes in Australia now hosts a home-based business. Under Governments of all political persuasions, growth of small business is seen as important to the growth of the economy. However there is a fragmented policy context of enterprise promotion and home-based business support. The findings of this study will contribute to integrated policy and development practice responses through greater understanding of the diversity of belief systems and practice within the sector.Read moreRead less
Polarized Trafficking Of E-cadherin In Epithelial Cells.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$515,564.00
Summary
The cell adhesion protein E-cadherin is expressed in all epithelial tissues of the body where it has essential functions during development and in the adult in establishing and maintaining polarized cell monolayers. E-cadherin is also a vital tumour suppressor, its normal function guarantees that cells or even early tumours cannot metastasise; in contrast E-cadherin is always lost or malfunctions in malignant tumours. Earlier studies showed that E-cadherin is constantly moved, or trafficked, to ....The cell adhesion protein E-cadherin is expressed in all epithelial tissues of the body where it has essential functions during development and in the adult in establishing and maintaining polarized cell monolayers. E-cadherin is also a vital tumour suppressor, its normal function guarantees that cells or even early tumours cannot metastasise; in contrast E-cadherin is always lost or malfunctions in malignant tumours. Earlier studies showed that E-cadherin is constantly moved, or trafficked, to and from the surface of epithelial cells. This trafficking has dual roles, firstly in delivering newly-made E-cadherin to the surface where it functions and secondly, in regulating its adhesive function. Our research in this project is focussed on the molecules and intracellular compartments that control the delivery of E-cadherin to the cell surface. E-cadherin must be sorted in order to be delivered to the correct side of the cell. Having previously discovered the sorting signal in E-cadherin, we will now identify the cognate adaptor protein(s) that accomplish this sorting. New imaging techniques allow us to study protein trafficking inside live cells. Such studies have recently revealed that E-cadherin passes through a recycling endosome compartment on its way to the cell surface. This unexpected route, and the structure and role of the recycling endosome will now be studied in detail in live cells. Finally we will compare the sorting and trafficking of E-cadherin with the closely-related N-cadherin protein, to determine whether there are inherent differences in their trafficking that could explain their opposite roles in tumour cells, where N-cadherin is substituted for E-cadherin and allows metastatic behaviour. These studies will provide important information for understanding the adhesive and tumour suppressive roles of E-cadherin. In addition our findings will generate information fundamental to our understanding of cell polarity and protein sorting.Read moreRead less
Comprehensive Australian Study of Entrepreneurial Emergence (CAUSEE). New business creation is a major source of new jobs and an important component of our nation's innovation system. The project will permanently transform the understanding of business creation in Australia. In contribution to NRP 3, high-technology new ventures will be over-sampled and given particular attention. The research is part of a strategy to create a world class research centre in entrepreneurship (as CI 1 previously h ....Comprehensive Australian Study of Entrepreneurial Emergence (CAUSEE). New business creation is a major source of new jobs and an important component of our nation's innovation system. The project will permanently transform the understanding of business creation in Australia. In contribution to NRP 3, high-technology new ventures will be over-sampled and given particular attention. The research is part of a strategy to create a world class research centre in entrepreneurship (as CI 1 previously had a key role in doing in Sweden). Frontier knowledge in this area contributes to 'promoting an innovation culture and economy' and facilitates 'maximizing Australia's benefits from investments in research, particularly related to commercialisation of 'Breakthrough science' and 'Frontier technologies'.Read moreRead less
Firm Early Development and Performance (FEDP): A Panel Study. Research in several developed economies has shown that small, independent firms - and especially the new entries - contribute disproportionately to innovation, job creation and regional economic well-being. The project will substantially improve our understanding of successful development pathways across a range of contexts facing young Australian firms, and ultimately lead to improved business outcomes and economic and social benefit ....Firm Early Development and Performance (FEDP): A Panel Study. Research in several developed economies has shown that small, independent firms - and especially the new entries - contribute disproportionately to innovation, job creation and regional economic well-being. The project will substantially improve our understanding of successful development pathways across a range of contexts facing young Australian firms, and ultimately lead to improved business outcomes and economic and social benefits. In contribution to NRP 3.5, promoting an innovation culture and economy, high-technology firms will be over-sampled and given particular attention. The research is part of a strategy to create a world class research centre in entrepreneurship.Read moreRead less
What facilitates or hinders the discovery and exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities? A systematic comparison of the independent and corporate contexts. Every opportunity that is discovered but not exploited represents significant unrealised value for the entrepreneur and society-at-large. By providing clear implications for managers and entrepreneurs as to which factors will facilitate and constrain the successful exploitation of discovered opportunities, this research will contribute to ....What facilitates or hinders the discovery and exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities? A systematic comparison of the independent and corporate contexts. Every opportunity that is discovered but not exploited represents significant unrealised value for the entrepreneur and society-at-large. By providing clear implications for managers and entrepreneurs as to which factors will facilitate and constrain the successful exploitation of discovered opportunities, this research will contribute to increasing the discovery of technologies as well as their successful commercialisation. It will promote a more vibrant, innovative culture at companies and within Australian society. In particular our focus of the mining sector will benefit the Australian economy, as this sector is of major economic importance.Read moreRead less
Discovery Indigenous Researchers Development - Grant ID: DI0240879
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$24,050.00
Summary
A Case Study Analysis of Indigenous Australian Entrepreneurs Exploring the Retention of Indigenous Values. The research project explores the possible changes or loss of cultural values on the Indigenous Australian Entrepreneurs from their involvement in founding and managing their own business. Does the Indigenous entrepreneur become in effect culturally non-indigenous whilst engaged in entrepreneurial activity? or, are the individuals cultural values maintained, transformed, subdued in some ot ....A Case Study Analysis of Indigenous Australian Entrepreneurs Exploring the Retention of Indigenous Values. The research project explores the possible changes or loss of cultural values on the Indigenous Australian Entrepreneurs from their involvement in founding and managing their own business. Does the Indigenous entrepreneur become in effect culturally non-indigenous whilst engaged in entrepreneurial activity? or, are the individuals cultural values maintained, transformed, subdued in some other context? These are the questions that this proposed research hopes to answer. The study is concerned with the connection between Anglo-European business values and general Indigenous cultural values. Little research has been published on Indigenous entrepreneurship; this project will fill a void in current literature in this area.Read moreRead less
Organizational Innovation Adoption: The Effect of External, Technology Diffusion Agencies. Organizational innovation is imperative in maintaining international competitiveness, but less than one quarter of Australian manufacturing companies adopt innovations. While previous studies have identified a large number of organisational factors affecting adoption decisions, little research has examined the effect of external, technology diffusion agencies. Our proposed research uses advanced statistica ....Organizational Innovation Adoption: The Effect of External, Technology Diffusion Agencies. Organizational innovation is imperative in maintaining international competitiveness, but less than one quarter of Australian manufacturing companies adopt innovations. While previous studies have identified a large number of organisational factors affecting adoption decisions, little research has examined the effect of external, technology diffusion agencies. Our proposed research uses advanced statistical modelling and qualitative methods to study the interaction between organisational factors and external agencies in the adoption process. Our aim is to understand how external agencies and policy information is used in the adoption process in order to identify good practices for these agencies.Read moreRead less