Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine
Darren Pickering
- Senior Research Officer
- darren.pickering@jcu.edu.au
Stephan Karl
- Principal Research Fellow, Malaria and Vector Biology
- stephan.karl@jcu.edu.au
Melanie Koinari
- Research Officer
- melanie.koinari@jcu.edu.au
Denise Doolan
- Adjunct Professor
- denise.doolan@jcu.edu.au
New strategies for improved tuberculosis vaccines (Old ID 23218)
Tuberculosis is a major global public health problem and continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality due to the low efficiency of the only licensed anti-tuberculosis vaccine, BCG. This project aims to produce novel, highly efficacious vaccination regimens against tuberculosis, especially pulmonary tuberculosis, which is currently the most difficult manifestation of infection to control. The results of this project have the potential to not only save millions of lives in the developing world but also to decrease socioeconomic burden of tuberculosis, particularly in the context of HIV co-infection.
Modelling future testing needs for SARS-CoV-2 (Old ID 27032)
The Project will enable greater understanding of the current and projected future testing demand for severe acute respiratory acute syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) in Australia. The scope of this project is limited to assessing the demand for laboratory based, or near patient point-of-care, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, the gold standard test to diagnose COVID-19.
New Equipment for TB vaccine development - GNT900485 (Old ID 24799)
Tuberculosis is a major global public health problem and continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality due to the low efficiency of the only licensed anti-tuberculosis vaccine, BCG. This equipment will facility investigations into novel mechanisms for improved TB vaccines. Tissue dissociation is an integral part of Flow Cytometry and is used on a daily basis in my lab. The gentleMACS™ Octo Dissociator with Heaters is a benchtop instrument capable of fully automated and standardised tissue dissociation or homogenisation of up to eight samples. The instrument allows the user to create user-defined programs for almost any biological material. Using a Gentle MACS Dissociator enhances cell viability, cell yield and significantly decreases the time needed to process organs.
TB vaccination-challenge study. (Old ID 27368)
This project will test the efficacy of new tuberculosis vaccine formulations developed by Lipotek Pty Ltd in a small animal model of tuberculosis at JCU.
Does leaving an untreated box jellyfish tentacle on a victim increase the amount of venom delivered? (Old ID 27569)
We wish to determine if the number of stinging organelles discharging from tentacles of the box jellyfish Chironex fleckeri actually increases with time after the tentacles come in contact with the envenomed victim. If they do not, then this adds further weight to the suggested first aid advice of NOT using vinegar in box jellyfish and Irukandji stings.
Evaluation of BCGΔBCG1419c:ESAT6-PE25SS in immunocompetent and immunocompromised mouse models of TB (Old ID 27605)
Ana Maria Valencia Hernandez - Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine
01 Jun 2022 - 31 May 2023
Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health concern that causes more than 1.5 million deaths each year. Vaccination is considered one of the most effective ways to eliminate TB. However, the only licensed TB vaccine, called BCG, provides limited protection against the disease in adults and can cause dangerous side effects in people with weaker immune systems. This project aims to investigate whether a new vaccine candidate can induce a stronger immune response and better protection against tuberculosis in mice with normal immune systems and is well-tolerated in mice with compromised immune systems, when compared with the original BCG vaccine.
Pathogen Genomics North Queensland (Old ID 26564)
This project will develop pathogen genomics to improve time to best treatment of serious infectious diseases. We aim to incorporate pathogen genomics into the workflow of clinical microbiology units in regional Queensland Health Hospitals for investigation of potential or known infectious disease.
Development of disulfide-rich peptides for drug design (Old ID 19353)
Peptides are an outstanding source of potential drug candidates for therapeutic applications because of their potency and specificity for a range of different drug targets. However, the inherent poor stability of peptides limits their application. This project seeks to overcome this limitation by using tightly folded scaffolds, such as those found in the venom of spiders and scorpions, to improve stability. It is anticipated that these studies will significantly expand the potential of peptides as therapeutics. In particular, peptide-based drug leads for cancer and autoimmune diseases will be explored because of the enormous impact they have on health care in Australia and the urgent need for more effective treatments.
Pre-clinical development of a liver fluke growth factor for treating non-healing wounds (Old ID 23529)
This research proposal aims to develop more effective treatments for wound healing, improving treatment options for diabetic patients in Australia and eventually worldwide. This is likely to alleviate suffering from the disease and also decrease the AUD$3.6 billion financial burden of diabetic wound ulcers on the healthcare system. Although we showed that the liver fluke granulin protein has wound healing properties, it is difficult to produce in recombinant form. We have now developed a minimized version of granulin and produce it as a synthetic peptide that when applied topically displays wound-healing properties as potent as the full-length protein. Using the peptide as a topical agent is ideal because it capitalizes on the potency and specificity often associated with peptide-based drugs but does not require the high levels of bioavailability necessary for orally administered drugs. Our research will also provide advances in the field regarding the structure and folding of Ov-GRN-1, which will be of significant interest to researchers working specifically on growth factors and more broadly for those working on disulphide-rich peptides and proteins. Moreover, we believe that our decision to be guided in drug discovery by millennia of host-parasite coevolution will ensure that the most efficacious and safe drugs are identified and developed.
Testing of insecticidal and repellency (Old ID 27123)
Testing the mosquito repellency of a topical lotion product manufactured by Australian Blue Cypress P/L (ABCPL) using colony Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in order to provide data for accreditation by the Australian pesticides and veterinary medicines authority (APVMA).
Spontaneous fermentation of traditional sago starch in Papua New Guinea
- 2009
- Academic Press
- Researchers:Andreas KupzJeffrey Warner
Role for MyD88, TLR2 and TLR9 but not TLR1, TLR4 or TLR6 in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
- 2011
- American Association of Immunologists
- Researchers:Socorro Miranda-Hernandez
Immature murine NKT cells pass through a stage of developmentally programmed innate IL-4 secretion
- 2012
- Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
- Researchers:Socorro Miranda-Hernandez
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AITHM - Scientist for a Day
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