Bulletin

Issue: January/February

News

Biochemists achieve $6.4m grants success

Biochemistry researchers at La Trobe University and their collaborators have been awarded $6.4 million in new grants from the Australian Research Council and National Health and Medical Research Council.

'This is an extremely good result,' says Head of Biochemistry, Professor Nicholas Hoogenraad. 'It confirms the standing of La Trobe's Biochemistry Department as one of the best in Australia.

'It also means that there will be lots of opportunities in the coming years for new postgraduate students, post-doctoral fellows and research assistants.'

Professor Hoogenraad was particularly pleased with the award of two prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Australian Research Council (ARC) Fellowships. Tenable for five years, the fellowships went to Dr Kaye Truscott and Dr David Dougan.

The two La Trobe graduates, currently undertaking postdoctoral research in Germany, will now return to Australia, and to La Trobe, in mid-2004 to commence their research on proteases and protein folding.

This research is fundamental to understanding aspects of cell function and has implication for conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

These diseases arise from a failure of cells to correctly 'fold' their proteins into their unique three-dimensional structures required for their function. The accumulation of misfolded proteins can have serious consequences for the way cells function, and may also damage other cells around them.

A total of twelve ARC and National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grants - eight of which are administered through the University - have provided La Trobe's Department of Biochemistry with a 70 per cent success rate for applications.

Professor Hoogenraad says this compares with a national average success rate of between 20 and 30 per cent. Other recipients to be awarded grants are:

• Dr Marilyn Anderson for research on plant defence molecules and, with Professor David Craik from the University of Queensland, for their work on cyclic proteins (ARC)
• Professor Hoogenraad for research on cell stress (NHMRC)
• Dr Mike Ryan with Dr Jacqui Gulbis from the Walter & Eliza Hall Institute for research on mitochondrial division and distribution in cells; and, with Dr David Thorburn, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, for research on mitochondrial disease (NHMRC & ARC)
• Dr Leann Tilley for research on changes in the surface of malaria-infected red blood cells; and, with Dr Nick Klonis, on oxidative stress in malaria-infected red blood cells (ARC & NHMRC)
• Dr Ray Norton from the Walter & Eliza Hall Institute, with La Trobe's Dr Mick Foley and Professor Robin Anders for, structural studies on malarial proteins. (NHMRC)
• Professor David Craik from the University of Queensland and La Trobe's Professor Claude Bernard for work on drugs for treatment of multiple sclerosis (NHMRC).

'This success in research grants comes on top of a very high level of existing funding from the ARC and the NHMRC, as well as from two Co-operative Research Centres (CRCs) and substantial income from contracts,' Professor Hoogenraad says.

The two CRCs in which La Trobe Biochemistry is a partner are for Diagnostics and Vaccine Technology.

Professor Anders also receives substantial support from the Malarial Vaccine Initiative, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the development of a malaria vaccine.

See also 'Walter and Eliza Hall Institute opens world-class Biotechnology Centre on La Trobe University's Research and Development Park'.

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