2010 Annual Report - Institute for Molecular Bioscience - University ...

51 imb researchers: chemistry and structural biology
DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL
BIOLOGY
FELLOWSHIPS & AWARDS
Professor David Craik won the
prestigious Ralph F. Hirschmann
Award in Peptide Chemistry bestowed
by the American Chemical Society,
the world’s largest scientific society.
Professor Craik was recognised
for his studies on circular peptides,
particularly those related to plant
peptides called cyclotides and venomderived
conotoxins. Dr Richard Clark,
a postdoc in the Craik group, was
named Senior Researcher of the Year
at the Queensland Health and Medical
Research Awards for engineering a
compound that was effective in a rodent
model of chronic pain. Dr Richard
Allen, who is currently at the Australian
National University, won an NHMRC
Postdoctoral Training Fellowship to
join the King group and study the
physiological processes the malaria
parasite employs to survive in the red
blood cells of its host. Dr Tim Hill in
the Fairlie group won a University of
Queensland Early Career Researcher
grant to work on diabetes. Professor
Martin and Evan Stephens, a PhD
student in the Hankamer group, were
awarded Queensland International
Fellowships from the State Government,
which allowed them to spend time
working with collaborators overseas.
Professor Martin travelled to Cambridge
to learn new technologies in membrane
protein structural biology with Professor
So Iwata, particularly focussing on
bacterial infection and diabetes. Mr
Stephens visited collaborators in
Germany, with whom he and Associate
Professor Hankamer are developing
a bioreactor to produce biofuels from
algae. Ernest Tee, an honours student
in the Cooper group, was named
Valedictorian among 492 students in
the UQ Bachelor of Science achieving
a perfect 7.0 grade point average. Dr
Conan Wang from the Craik group
and Dr Markus Mutthenthaler from the
Alewood group were both named on the
Dean’s List for Outstanding Research
Higher Degree Theses. Dr Wang’s
thesis focused on cyclotides, a family of
circular proteins, while Dr Mutthenthaler
studied molecules isolated from the
venom of marine cone snails. Dr Joshua
Mylne from the Craik group was named
the first IMB Fellow. This position offers
support to senior postdoctoral scientists
to transition towards independent
research. Dr Mylne studies the protein
processing machinery of sunflowers,
which could be used as a quicker and
cheaper method of producing drugs.
The IMB recognises its top-performing
honours student each year with the
Amgen Award. The Award is presented
to the student who achieved the highest
honours mark in the previous year,
so in 2010, the award was presented
based on 2009 results. Two students
tied for the award, and both were from
the Chemistry and Structural Biology
division. Sheila Barbero from the Fairlie
group and Anne Sawyer from the
Hankamer group were presented with
their awards in a ceremony in late March.
Ms Barbero investigated inhibitors of
secretory phospholipase A2 enzymes
that are important in inflammatory
diseases, while Ms Sawyer studied
the protein NAB-1 from a species of
green algae that the Hankamer group
is genetically modifying to produce
commercial quantities of biofuels.
Finally, a divisional researcher was
a runner-up in the Ångström Art
Centenary Competition. Dr Michael
Landsberg from the Hankamer group
entered the image ‘Insect Assassin’,
which depicts an insecticidal molecule. It
is featured on page 81 of this report.
RESEARCH GRANTS
The Division’s Group Leaders were lead
investigators in attracting 7 new NHMRC
project grants (>$3M, 47% success) and
2 new ARC Discovery grants (∼$1M) for
commencement in 2011. This compares
favourably with the IMB (NHMRC $6M,
36% success; ARC $3.5M). In addition,
significant grants were received by
Professors Lewis and Alewood (NHMRC
Program grant, ∼$6.4M) and Associate
Professor Hankamer (Queensland State
Government National and International
Research Alliances Program, $1.5M).
Professors Cooper and King both
received ARC Linkage grants to partner
with Alere Australia and Barmac
respectively; Professor Fairlie received
a Development grant from the NHMRC;
while teams of group leaders from the
Division led by Professors Alewood
and Lewis received separate ARC LEIF
equipment grants. For more details
on these grants, please see the News
section of the IMB website.
DIVISION PROMOTION
In 2010 the Division instituted a
promotional and marketing campaign,
including targeted symposia, a
promotional booklet and a new website.
The inaugural Chemistry and Structural
Biology Divisional Symposium was held
on the 18 th of November 2010, with
an Industry Affiliate Program on 17 th
November. Group leaders, researchers,
students and industry affiliates
attended to hear about our discoveries
in structural biology, chemistry,
biochemistry, pharmacology and drug
discovery and to discuss collaborative
opportunities. It was a great success,
with nearly 300 attendees and
numerous sponsors, and has resulted
in new research and development
collaborations in 2011. A similar event
will be held on 9 th and 10 th November
2011. The website showcasing the
division is: http://casb.imb.uq.edu.au/.