Structural Biology - PhD and honours Projects - Structural biology of proteins involved in cancer, infection and neurological diseases
Structural biology of proteins involved in cancer, infection and neurological diseases
Project Type
PhD
Summary
The Structural Biology Unit is one of the leading structural biology laboratories in Australia and enjoys an international reputation for its work in determining the three-dimensional atomic shapes of key proteins involved in major diseases such as cancer, infection (bacterial and viral) and mental disease. The information derived from this work can be used to determine the function of a protein, to understand how a protein works at the molecular level and for the discovery of drugs to combat disease. The major technology platforms in the Unit include X-ray crystallography, structure-based drug design, molecular modelling, molecular biology, protein chemistry and electrophysiology. Projects are available in cancer, neurobiology and infection, all involving a variety of these platform technologies. Structural biology projects will involve regular experiments at the new Australian synchrotron (www.synchrotron.org.au) which is only 20 minutes drive from the laboratory.