Researchers at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have developed a potential cure for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The new treatment, birinapant, triggers the breakdown of proteins that prevent infected cells from self-destructing, allowing infected cells to die.
Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute discovered that inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis are linked to abnormal apoptosis, while necroptosis is associated with systemic inflammation. This finding could lead to the development of new treatments for these conditions.
Researchers used mathematical models to predict immune response size based on T cell signaling, providing insights into manipulating immune responses for cancer treatment. The study also shed light on how 'errors' in immune response contribute to autoimmune disease.
Researchers have identified key components in oats that trigger an immune response in some people with coeliac disease, potentially leading to better tests and new treatments.
The $2.5 million grant will support the establishment of the ACRF Breakthrough Technologies Laboratory, enabling research into common and deadly cancers. The laboratory will utilize CRISPR-Cas9 technology to modify specific genes in cancer cells, providing insights into cancer development and treatment resistance.
Dr Marc Pellegrini has been awarded a $1.225 million fellowship to focus on progressing his research into chronic infections such as HIV, hepatitis B and tuberculosis. The grant will enable him to explore how microbes evade the immune system and apply these discoveries to eradicate these diseases.
A new therapy to eradicate liver cells infected with hepatitis B virus has shown promising results in pre-clinical research. The treatment aims to clear patients of the disease, offering hope for those with chronic HBV infection. Dr Greg Ebert's work could lead to significant improvements in health outcomes for Australians and worldwide.
Melbourne researchers have discovered the three-dimensional structure of a key cell death protein called Bak and revealed how it causes cell death. The study offers new targets for treating diseases such as lupus, cancers, and neurodegenerative disorders.
Researchers have challenged conventional thinking on bowel cancer development, proposing a new mechanism involving crypt-generating stem cells. The study found that these stem cells are responsible for maintaining and regenerating the 'crypts' in the bowel lining, and their dysfunction may lead to precancerous and cancerous growths.
Researchers have discovered a small molecule that prevents necroptosis, a recently discovered cell death pathway linked to immune disorders. The compound 'jams the switch' on MLKL, a protein that triggers cell death, thereby preventing inflammation and promoting new treatments for inflammatory diseases.
A study published in Science Signaling found that JAK inhibitors can effectively treat over 80% of bowel cancers with a genetic mutation present in more than 80% of cases. The researchers discovered that these inhibitors block tumour growth by targeting the Wnt signaling pathway, with minimal impact on normal cells.
Researchers found cartilage plays an active role in rheumatoid arthritis destruction and remodelling, contradicting the long-held assumption that it's a passive victim of inflammation. Cartilage produces enzymes driving tissue degradation and releases signaling molecules triggering an autoimmune response.
Researchers at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have made a groundbreaking discovery that could lead to the development of new antimalarial drugs by repurposing an existing antibiotic called emetine. The study revealed how emetine blocks the molecular machinery required for malaria parasite survival, offering a promising approach to com...
Melanoma cells that have spread to the lungs can be killed by highly specialized immune cells called natural killer cells. The discovery reveals a new target for boosting or depleting these immune cells to treat disease.
Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute developed a compound that blocks Plasmepsin V, a key enzyme essential for malaria parasite survival. This breakthrough could lead to new antimalarial drugs effective against all species of malaria parasites.
Researchers discovered that switching off and then reactivating the Pax5 gene can reverse cancer in a common childhood leukemia model. Restoring its function enables normal blood cell development and cures the disease. The findings offer a promising new strategy for treating leukemia with fewer side effects.
A new study reveals a connection between necroptosis, a type of programmed cell death, and inflammatory diseases such as Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis. RIPK1 is identified as the molecule that regulates this process, allowing cells to choose whether to live or die.
Researchers have discovered that cell division time is programmed by the 'parent' cell and varies between parent and offspring cells. The study's findings challenge a 40-year-old theory on cell division and provide a new model to predict how populations of cells divide.
Researchers found that SOCS4 suppresses the immune system's runaway reaction to flu infection, reducing the risk of cytokine storms and related deaths. The discovery provides a potential means of minimizing the impact of flu pandemics.
Melbourne researchers solved a puzzle on how an essential hormone stimulates platelet production. They found that bone marrow cells can become overstimulated and produce too many platelets, leading to blood diseases such as essential thrombocythemia.
Professor Jerry Adams has been elected a fellow of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Academy for his outstanding contributions to understanding genes that provoke cancer and control cell death. His research has implicated key drivers of cancer development and revealed their role in cancer drug resistance.
Scientists have identified a key role for protein Rnpc3 in the growth of organs during zebrafish development, revealing insights into the causes of Taybi-Linder syndrome. Minor class splicing is critical for gene expression regulation, with defects potentially affecting multiple genes.
Researchers have discovered that JAK inhibitors, currently used to treat blood disorders, can reduce the growth of inflammation-associated stomach and bowel cancer. The study provides evidence supporting their use in treating these cancers.
Melbourne scientists found that the immune system eliminates potentially cancerous immune B cells on a daily basis. This discovery could lead to an early-warning test identifying patients at high risk of developing B-cell lymphomas.
Researchers discovered that breast stem cells and their 'daughters' have a much longer lifespan than previously thought, actively maintaining breast tissue throughout life. This finding has implications for identifying the cells of origin of breast cancers and developing new treatment strategies.
A new blood test has been developed to diagnose coeliac disease, providing a rapid and accurate result within 24 hours. The test measures T cell response to gluten after three days of consumption, showing high predictive value for coeliac disease diagnosis.
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers discovered that lymphoma cells with high levels of MYC are sensitive to disabling protein MCL-1, making it a potential target for treating cancers driven by this common cancer-causing change in cells.
Professor Len Harrison has been awarded the JDRF Australia Lifetime Research Achievement Award for his groundbreaking work on improving treatments for people with type 1 diabetes. His research aims to prevent or delay the onset of the disease, bringing hope for better therapies and treatments.
Scientists at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have discovered that Langerhans cells, a single cell type thought to be behind the skin's immune defense, are actually two different types. This finding could lead to new insights into treating skin infections and skin cancers.
Three researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have been awarded ARC Future Fellowships to study how the body controls errant immune cells causing type 1 diabetes and coeliac disease. They aim to develop new treatments using cell signalling pathways and targeted vaccines or drugs.
Professor Alan Cowman has been recognized for his substantial contributions to understanding malaria development and drug resistance. His work has led to the development of two potential malaria vaccines, one in clinical trials and the other in preclinical development.
Professor Speed has developed tools to help biologists analyze and explain their results, making it possible to look at hundreds of genes in a DNA sequence at once to understand genetic changes involved in complicated diseases. He is also working on determining the genetic traits that make normal and cancerous cells different.
Associate Professor David Tarlinton will receive $1 million funding to study immune cells causing lupus. He aims to develop treatments that prevent or reverse the disease by inhibiting harmful antibody production.
Professor Alan Cowman's work has led to a better understanding of malaria biology, informing new treatments and vaccines. The development of potential malaria vaccines is a significant step towards eradicating the disease.
Scientists at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute identify IRF4 protein as key regulator of elite killer T cells, which recognize and fight infections. Enhanced IRF4 production boosts immune response against HIV and other chronic infections.
Scientists have identified a protein called MLKL that plays a crucial role in triggering programmed cell death, known as necroptosis. The discovery could lead to the development of new treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases such as Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
Researchers have developed a new diagnostic approach combining antibody and genetic tests to detect coeliac disease in Australians. The study found that more than half of the population has genetic risk factors for developing coeliac disease.
Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have discovered that interleukin-11 is a key cytokine driving cancer development, unlike previously thought. Blocking its signalling could provide an exciting new approach to treating bowel and stomach cancers.
Researchers have uncovered the cell death processes that determine regulatory T cell numbers, which can lead to better treatments for autoimmune diseases. The discovery of Bcl-2 family proteins as determinants of regulatory T cell numbers offers new ways to control these cells and potentially suppress autoimmune disease.
Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have discovered that BH3-mimetics, currently in clinical trials for leukaemia, could offer hope for treating aggressive oestrogen receptor-positive (ER-positive) breast cancers. The compounds were effective when combined with tamoxifen in preclinical models, improving treatment outcomes.
Researchers have identified an immune protein called CD52 that can suppress the immune response and prevent or reverse type 1 diabetes. This discovery has wider implications for treating autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Researchers discovered malaria parasites can send signals to each other in infected red blood cells, triggering transformation into sexually mature forms that can be transmitted to mosquitoes. This social behavior could provide a target for developing new antimalarial drugs or vaccines.
Researchers at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute discover that p53 protein can prevent cancer formation even without regulating cell death or division after DNA damage. The study sheds new light on the complex functions of p53, which was previously believed to have a straightforward role in preventing cancer.
Scientists have developed a new chemical compound, WEHI-539, that inhibits BCL-XL protein in cancer cells. This could lead to the design of potential anti-cancer agents that restore cell death and improve treatment outcomes for patients with various types of cancer.
The study found that green leafy vegetables interact with a cell surface receptor to switch on the T-bet gene, producing innate lymphoid cells crucial for immune surveillance and gut health. These immune cells may aid in treating bacterial infections, promoting good bacteria, and preventing bowel cancers.
A Melbourne-based research team has discovered a genetic defect that can halt cell growth and force cells into a death-evading survival state. The finding reveals an important mechanism controlling rapidly-dividing cells, which may lead to the development of new treatments for diseases including cancer.
The discovery of the Mcl-1 gene's critical role in keeping antibody-producing cells alive could lead to better treatments for diseases like myeloma and chronic immune disorders. Without this gene, plasma cells die within two days.
Scientists have visualized molecular changes in a critical protein involved in cell death, providing new insights into apoptosis and its role in disease. The discovery could lead to the development of new medicines that control cell life or death.
Researchers at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute identify how pregnancy hormones alter DNA tags, controlling gene expression in breast cells. This discovery reveals a potential link between hormonal regulation and breast cancer risk, highlighting the importance of epigenome modifications.
A recent study discovered that a lack of proteins Bax and Bak in immune cells can lead to severe autoimmune disease. The research suggests that these proteins play a crucial role in regulating cell death, and their deficiency may be linked to diseases such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus.