HDR Opportunities in Medical
and Clinical Research
Centre for Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology
New antimicrobials against drug resistant organisms: Dual action antibiotics (Organic and Medicinal chemistry. PhD or Masters)
Biofilm dispersing agents as new treatments for P. aeruginosa respiratory infections (Organic and Medicinal chemistry. PhD or Masters)
Dual action anti-tumour prodrugs activated by hypoxia (Organic and Medicinal chemistry. PhD or Masters)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For Further Information contact: mkelso@uow.edu.au or view http://www.uow.edu.au/science/research/cmcp
ORGANIC SYNTHESIS: Development of novel methods of asymmetric synthesis for the synthesis of bioactive alkaloids, including novel glycosidase inhibitors and anti-feedant molecules (PhD or Masters by Research)
NATURAL PRODUCTS CHEMISTRY: Isolation, semi-synthesis, biosynthesis and biological activities of new Stemona alkaloids from S.E. Asia and Australia (PhD or Masters by Research)
FULLERENE CHEMISTRY (with A. Prof. Paul Keller): Synthesis of novel fullerenyl amino acids and peptides for applications in the areas of medicinal chemistry and materials science (PhD or Masters by Research)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For Further Information contact:spyne@uow.edu.auphone - (02)42213511 or view http://www.uow.edu.au/science/research/cmcp/
A New Paradigm for the Design of Chiral Ligands - Towards the Stereoselective Suzuki Coupling
The stereoselective synthesis of the chiral biaryl is complicated, expensive and not general. We are designing and synthesising new chiral ligands based on helix-sense discrimination for use in Suzuki reactions to efficiently produce such atropisomeric biaryls. Our international partner will develop a cutting-edge computer-aided model to direct design principles and to enhance our understanding of the reaction mechanism. Our helix-discrimination principle is a new paradigm in molecular design with no evidence of other competing ligand design programs. (PhD or Masters by Research)
Drug Design and Development
Some of our targets include HIV, malaria and therapeutics for the prevention of premature birth. These projects are suitable for people with synthetic organic chemistry skills and the opportunity for computer-aided design projects is also available. (PhD or Masters by Research)
New Synthetic Fullerene Chemistry – New Structures for Nanotechnology and Medicinal Chemistry
This project is the design and synthesis of peptide-based fullerenes as biological nanoparticles and the study of their potential use as enzyme mimetics machinery of enzymes. The use in helical molecular architectures is also explored including potential uses in devices. (PhD) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Further Information contact: A/Prof Paul Keller phone - (02)4221 4692 or keller@uow.edu.au
or view http://www.uow.edu.au/science/research/cmcp/
Novel Anticancer and Antiviral Agents from Marine Sources: This project is aimed at the discovery and development of new bioactive agents from Australian marine sources and involves the collection, screening, and bioassay-guided fractionation of a variety of marine fauna, followed by the structural elucidation of the active constituents. The project, performed in collaboration with Biological Sciences, also involves investigation into the modes of biological action. (PhD or Masters by Research)
Deep-Sea Natural Products: Australian deep-sea fauna are unexplored in terms of their natural products chemistry due to the difficulty in accessing deep-sea samples. Using cutting-edge industry sponsored robotics this project is aimed at the collection, isolation, identification and biological testing of secondary metabolites from deep-sea invertebrate fauna. (PhD or Masters by Research)
Biomimetic Synthesis of Marine Natural Products: Biomimetic syntheses, which are aimed at mimicking in the laboratory the same synthetic route to a natural product as that used by Nature, are often elegant synthetic routes that begin with simple starting materials and proceed to the natural product in a few steps and in high yield. The aim of this project is to employ biomimetic pericyclic chemistry in the construction of important bioactive marine natural products. (PhD or Masters by Research)
Synthesis of Glycosylated Marine Natural Products: Glycosylated natural products have emerged as a leading force in the fight against inflammation and cancer, and account for several of the drugs currently in use. This project involves the synthesis of various glycosylated marine natural products and their evaluation as a valuable pool of potential new drugs. (PhD or Masters by Research)
UV Tolerance of Antarctic Moss: In collaboration with A/Prof. Keller (Chemistry) and A/Prof. Robinson (Biology) this marine chemical ecology project is aimed at the isolation and identification of secondary metabolites responsible for tolerance of Antarctic plants to extremes in desiccation, UV and cold. The project seeks to understand how Antarctic plants respond to climate change and the mechanisms employed to tolerate increases in temperature and UV exposure. (PhD or Masters by Research) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Further Information contact: Danielle Skropeta phone: (02)4221 4360 or skropeta@uow.edu.au or view http://www.uow.edu.au/science/research/cmcp/
Why is COLORBOND® steel greener on the other side of the fence? Designing additives to retard weathering of surface coatings.
This project is a collaboration with Dr Phillip Barker at Bluescope Steel Limited and is aimed at designing new anti-oxidant additives to increase the longevity of surface coatings for Australian conditions. The project involves the use of state-of-the-art analytical technologies including desorption electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry and electron spin resonance spectroscopy. (PhD project )
Contact: Dr Stephen Blanksby, (School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science) Ph: 4221 5484 or Blanksby@uow.edu.au
Investigations of the biomolecular interactions of arsenic complexes for designing arsenic anti-cancer drugs (PhD Project)
Contact: Dr Carolyn Dillon, (School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science) Ph: 4221 4930 or carolynd@uow.edu.au
Illawarra Institute for Mental Health
Effectiveness of mental health services
Measurement issues in clinical settings
Residential treatment of Drug and Alcohol problems
Processes and outcomes of drug and alcohol detoxification programs
Stages of recovery from chronic and recurring mental illnesses
Help seeking for mental health problems
Chronic trauma, depression and aggression in clinical patients
