Associate Professor Robert Yang has been studying the biogenesis and dynamics of lipid droplets for over a decade.
Protozoan Grazing and Chemical Defence
The Centre for Marine BioInnovation is involved in several projects with the aim of understanding in detail the interactions of microbial biofilms and protozoan and nematode grazers. Recent findings indicate that the production of toxic factors is essential for the resistance of bacteria to grazing pressure and hence, persistence in the environment.
Furthermore, the production of anti-grazing (antiprotozoan and anthelmintic) compounds has been found to be a general trait of surface-attached marine bacteria. These compounds have been shown to have activity against free-living as well as parasitic protozoa and thus have potential as novel anti-protozoal treatments. The bioassay-guided isolation and chemical identificaction is extremely timely as parasitic diseases continue to pose a major burden on both human and animal health throughout the world.
Resistance to current anthelmintics and anti-protozoals is emerging at a rapid rate and there is a desperate need for the development of new compounds. Failure to produce new antiparasitics will result in significant economic losses to the agricultural industry in Australia and abroad, and could have a significant impact on the global capacity to produce livestock.
The anti-protozoal and nematocidal compounds discovered in biofilms are likely to represent new classes of bioactive molecules and may be the next generation of antiparasitic drugs.
BABS personnel that are responsible for this project