Dr Guillaume Lessene has been awarded the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute's inaugural de Burgh Fellowship to translate research findings into new cancer treatments. The $AUD150,000 fellowship supports his work on developing inhibitors for Bcl-2 proteins and other targets, with the goal of treating various types of cancer.
Dr Ross Dickins, a leading cancer researcher at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, has been awarded a $975,000 fellowship from the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation. The fellowship will support his work on identifying the normal function of genes recently implicated in leukemia.
Dr Clare Scott's VCA fellowship aims to uncover the origins of ovarian cancer and develop new laboratory models for studying human cancers. The funding will also support the use of a web portal, CART-WHEEL.org, to coordinate patient information and research studies.
Researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have discovered a new cell survival protein, Mcl-1, essential for creating and maintaining B cell memory. This finding contradicts existing theories and has implications for cancer treatment and autoimmune disease.
Researchers at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have discovered a new pathway used by malaria parasites to infect human cells, providing a potential vaccine target. Blocking both the glycophorin and CR1 pathways results in a 90% decrease in parasite infection, suggesting an effective vaccine could significantly reduce malaria cases.
Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute are investigating different aspects of parasite biology, with a focus on developing new treatments. Dr Chris Tonkin is studying Apicomplexan parasites to understand their invasion mechanisms and identify potential targets for drugs.
Researchers at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have identified a protein called PU.1 as essential for the development of dendritic cells, which are key players in the immune response. By regulating PU.1 expression, Flt3 can control DC development, revealing a crucial role for this protein in immune system function.
Researchers identified a gene network tied to high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein B levels, which predict downstream cardiovascular disease. The study exposes potential targets for the treatment of heart disease and highlights the importance of understanding biological networks in disease prevention.
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researcher Dr Marie-Liesse Asselin-Labat is unraveling the mysteries of breast stem cells, their development, and influence by oestrogen and steroids. Her groundbreaking studies aim to uncover how breast cancer progresses and why it sometimes returns.
Inflammation-causing cells in fat tissue contribute to the link between obesity and diabetes. Researchers found that macrophages produce cytokines that lead to insulin resistance. Losing weight reduced macrophage presence and risk of complications.
Researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery that challenges scientists' understanding of programmed cell death and its role in tumour formation. The study found that the body's natural cell-suicide program can fuel tumour development under certain conditions.
Researchers have identified three protein fragments in gluten that trigger an immune response in people with coeliac disease, leading to small intestine damage. This discovery could pave the way for a new generation of diagnostic tools, treatments, and prevention strategies.
Researchers have unlocked how potassium channels control electric currents in the body, a crucial process in cell communication and heart function. The study reveals that molecular gates switch conduction on and off in response to physiological signals, clarifying a long-standing mystery.
Researchers at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute identify heparin-like carbohydrates that block malaria parasite's attachment to red blood cells, offering new potential for anti-malarial drugs. The study provides hope for developing effective treatments against the disease, which affects millions worldwide.
Dr Pellegrini's research focuses on HIV, tuberculosis, and how the human immune system responds to these infections. His work aims to develop therapies that target the host immune system to eradicate chronic infections.
Researchers discovered breast stem cells are exquisitely sensitive to oestrogen and progesterone, a finding that explains decades of evidence linking breast cancer risk to exposure to female hormones. The discovery also revealed the RANK ligand pathway is responsible for indirect control of breast stem cells in pregnancy.
Researchers have developed 'filters' that can be used to weed out compounds likely to show up as false positives during high-throughput chemical screening. This will reduce the time spent on medicinal chemistry and optimize the compound selection process for drug development.
Scientists have determined the structure of a previously unseen part of the insulin receptor, which could lead to new treatments for diabetes. Understanding how insulin interacts with the receptor is crucial for developing effective therapies.
Dr Clare Scott and Dr Marnie Blewitt have been awarded fellowships worth AU$1.75 million to focus on lymphoma and breast cancer, respectively. Their research aims to improve outcomes for cancer patients by harnessing the body's natural killing machinery.
A research program aimed at understanding malaria infection and developing effective treatments and vaccines has been awarded $12.7 million. The program will investigate the parasite's ability to evade the immune system and develop resistance to existing drugs.
Researchers at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have identified Plasmepsin V as a key survival protein used by the malaria parasite to transform human red blood cells. This discovery offers a clear target for developing a new class of anti-malarial drugs that destroy the parasite, providing hope for combating the disease.
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers have discovered proteins that could form the basis of an effective vaccine against malaria. The findings support the development of a vaccine against the blood-stage of malaria, which is transmitted by mosquitoes and caused by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite.
Professor Alan Cowman's research on Plasmodium falciparum has led to a better understanding of the malaria parasite's evasion of the human immune system and its invasion of red blood cells. He is being recognized for his contributions to identifying vaccine and drug candidates against malaria.
Researchers have identified the genetic marker for Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD), a transmissible cancer affecting only Tasmanian devils. The discovery reveals that DFTD originates from Schwann cells, which protect peripheral nerve fibres.
Researchers have identified a crucial step in apoptosis, a process that removes unwanted cells to prevent cancer development. Understanding the role of proteins Bak and Bax could lead to the development of drugs regulating cell death, with potential applications in treating cancer and degenerative disorders.
Research into breast cancer development, chronic pain and inflammatory diseases receives ARC funding to investigate epigenetic modifiers, immune responses and protein interactions. The institute aims to develop basic discoveries into clinical benefits for patients worldwide.
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute has received a US$100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a genetically attenuated live malaria vaccine. The project aims to provide strong and lasting immunity against Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes deadly human malaria.
A decade-long debate has been resolved with the discovery that membrane-bound Fas ligand is essential for programmed cell death, protecting against cancer development and autoimmune diseases. Conversely, excessive secreted Fas ligand promotes tumour growth and autoimmunity.
Researchers discovered a genetic variation near the interferon gene IL28B associated with people's response to treatment. This finding could lead to the development of a diagnostic test and more effective treatments for hepatitis C, reducing adverse effects and improving outcomes.
A study by Walter and Eliza Hall Institute scientists suggests that luminal progenitor cells, the 'daughters' of breast stem cells, are likely responsible for basal-like breast tumours in women with BRCA1 mutations. The research, published in Nature Medicine, represents a major shift in understanding how breast cancer develops.
Scientists have created a weakened strain of the malaria parasite that will be used as a live vaccine against the disease. The vaccine, developed in collaboration with researchers from the US, Japan and Canada, will be trialled in humans from early next year to provide protection against deadly malaria.
A team of researchers has identified XIAP as the critical factor determining which cell death pathway is followed to culminate in a cell's death. This finding has implications for cancer patients with underlying liver conditions who are being treated with IAP inhibitors.
A team of scientists has discovered that individual cells have programmed lifespan and fate, changing the approach to predicting immune responses. The findings could lead to more accurate computer models for infectious diseases and autoimmune conditions.