Research Projects

Novel Antibiotics: Biotin Protein Ligase (BPL)

BPL is an essential enzyme found in all organisms. The subtle differnces between the proteins from bacteria and human allow us to inhibit the BPL function in bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus without inhibiting the human enzyme.  The aim of this work is to identify and develop chemical inhibitors of BPL as novel antibiotics.

We are using a structure based approach in collaboration with Professors Andrew Abell, John Wallace and Assoc Professor Matthew Wilce (Monash).

Gankyrin

Gankyrin helps to control cell cycle progression and is commonly overexpressed in liver cancer. It also plays a role in he proteosome.  The aim of this work in collaboration with Professor Andrew Abell, is to better understand the protein-protein interactions controlling these pathways and to design peptidomimetics as potential novel therapies for liver cancer.