Bosch Institute News - July to September, 2008
International Science Linkages Competitive Grants - Congratulations Tailoi Chan-Ling
Associate Professor Tailoi Chan-Ling of the Organ and Tissue Replacement Research Theme has been successful in obtaining one of the highly competitive International Science Linkages Competitive Grants awarded by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research. Her project, entitled “Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 as a potential therapy in maximising repair functions of hematopoietic stem cells in stemming vision loss”, concerns her cutting edge research on slowing or reversing the deterioration of vision by using stem cell technology.
The grant is for $334,000 over a three year period and the Faculty of Medicine, School of Medical Sciences and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) at the University of Sydney will provide additional funding. This project is in collaboration with the University of Florida, USA, and they will also be committing considerable resources to it.
“Infectious Diseases of the Nervous System: Pathogenesis and worldwide impact” - Pasteur Institute, Paris, September 10 13, 2008
Professors Georges Grau and Nick Hunt presented invited talks at the conference “Infectious Diseases of the Nervous System: Pathogenesis and worldwide impact” held at the Pasteur Institute, Paris, September 10 13, 2008. The conference brought together experts from 30 countries to discuss the effects of viruses, bacteria and parasites on the human brain. A number of collaborative research programmes were planned during meetings at the conference. The conference was part of the celebrations of the 120th anniversary of the founding of the Pasteur Institute. Louis Pasteur is famous for his work on micro-organisms and the development of vaccines.
Professor Grau spoke on his recent exciting discoveries on the role of tiny structures called microparticles that sometimes ‘bud off’ cells in the blood stream and act on other cells. In malaria, his research group has shown that these microparticles are produced in considerable numbers by red blood cells and white blood cells, and that they affect the behaviour of the endothelial cells that line the blood vessels. In this way, they contribute to the sometimes fatal complications of malaria infection. He also reported on the testing of experimental drugs to treat cerebral malaria by interfering with the formation or actions of microparticles.
Professor Hunt discussed his research group’s findings that during cerebral malaria, a life-threatening manifestation caused by the malaria parasite, various brain cells take part in the complex processes that eventually disrupt the functions of this organ, leading to coma and death. He also discussed the changes that occur in the retina of the eye in cerebral malaria, which now are being used as a diagnostic aid.
HUJI Scientists’ Visit - 18 to 22 August 2008
In August the Bosch Institute was visited by Professor Shulamit Katzav and Dr Ron Dzikowski from the Institute of Medical Research, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. They were in Sydney as the first stage in a process of building research collaborations between the Bosch Institute and the IMR.
The Sir Zelman Cowen Universities Fund has provided travel expenses for three visitors to go in each direction between the two institutions for discussions about the proposed collaboration and to plan specific projects.
During their visit, Professor Katzav gave two excellent seminars about her work on Vav, a protein that is very important in cancer, and Dr Dzikowski one on his novel work in malaria that has great promise for aiding in the development of a vaccine. They also presented a seminar on the broader aspects of possible collaborations between the two research institutes.
The IMR is about to be partially re-housed in a brand new building and has received generous philanthropic support from various countries for its future research programmes. Among the initiatives discussed by Drs Katzav and Dzikowski with Professor Nick Hunt and other senior members of the Bosch Institute were joint grant applications to international funding bodies, short-term secondments of research staff and cotutelle arrangements for research students which would allow them to spend part of their study time in one institution and the remainder in the other one.
Experimental Pharmacology & Toxicology Conference - New Zealand 2008
Dr Paul Witting, who has recently joined the Cardiovascular Research Theme of the Bosch Institute, gave an invited presentation on "Developing synthetic antioxidants as neuro-protective agents" at the Australian Society for Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology conference in Queenstown, New Zealand.
International Travel for Professor Juergen Reichardt
Professor Juergen Reichardt of the Cancer, Cell Biology and Development Research Theme gave a seminar at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Centre in Seattle, USA about his work on prostate cancer. He also was an organiser of the PacRim scientific conference in Whistler, Canada, as he has been for several years. He led the winning debating team in the Great Debate on "The Human Genome Project 8 Years on: a golden age of unfulfilled hype?".
Team Bosch - City to Surf
On Sunday 10th August a team of 15 Bosch researchers competed in the City to Surf, a fun run from Sydney to Bondi Beach. We represented the Bosch Institute, showing off the Bosch logo on our singlets over the 14km course, and placing 145th out of 696 teams in our category. Our fastest runner was Dr. Aaron Camp (Physiology) in a time of 60:49. Prof. Vladimir Balcar returned from injury and was our second fastest in a time of 68:06, and placed an amazing 67th in his age category.
The team consisted of the following other members: Haydn Allbutt, Jennifer Brockhausen, Katie Dixon, Qihan Dong, Teri Furlong, Jouji Horiuchi, Rin Horiuchi, Eddy Kim, Susanna Lam, Bei Li, Lucia Musumeci, Hayssam Sleitini and William Song. Some of us trained during the six weeks leading up to the race, running two or three 5km loops around the university and hospital on Tuesdays and Fridays. Most of our competitors had never run 14km before, and special mention must be made of Dr. Lucia Musumeci and Hayssam Sleitini, who attended every training session and improved dramatically – both runners achieved outstanding times on the day. Rin Horiuchi (daughter of Jouji, Physiology) travelled all the way from Japan and we were very happy to have her on our Bosch team.
Those of us who could find each other amongst thousands of people met for a picnic beneath the Bosch banner at the end of the race before the rain settled in. “Team Bosch” would like to thank all of those who sponsored us, helping us to raise funds for our cause…. the Bosch Institute!
Katie Dixon
Team Bosch Co-ordinator
Gordon Research Conference 2008 - Neuroethology: Behaviour, Evolution and Neurobiology
Dr. Christine Koeppl from the Nervous System, Senses and Movement Research Theme gave an invited presentation at the recent Gordon Research Conference on "Neuroethology: Behaviour, Evolution and Neurobiology", held at Magdalen College, Oxford, August 10-15, 2008.
The Gordon Research Conferences promote discussions and the free exchange of ideas at the research frontiers of biological, chemical and physical sciences. Scientists with common interests in a specific topic come together for a full week of intense discussion and examination of the most advanced aspects of their field.
An invitation to speak at a Gordon Conference reflects the respect with which a scientist's contributions are viewed by their peers.
This particular Gordon Conference focussed on the evolution of neural circuits underlying species-specific behaviour. Christine talked about the "Evolution of sound localisation circuits", including her most recent work with Prof. C. Carr (University of Maryland) on auditory brainstem processing in birds.
Research Success for Des Richardson & Colleagues
Friedreich's ataxia is the most common inherited ataxia (loss of movement coordination) and leads to both neuro-degeneration and cardio-degeneration. The patients are confined to a wheelchair in their early teens and then suffer an early death due to heart disease.
The metabolic defect is due to decreased expression of the mitochondrial protein, frataxin. It is thought that frataxin plays a role in mitochondrial iron metabolism and In Friedreichs ataxia patients there is accumulation of iron in the heart cells that is thought to lead to toxicity.
In a recently published study in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA (vol 105, page 9757, 2008). Professor Des Richardson and his colleagues have deciphered the mechanism responsible for the increased iron accumulation in the heart and assessed a potential therapeutic strategy using a drug that can easily enter cells and remove the iron. Their studies have shown that these special drugs (“chelators”) can markedly prevent the toxic iron loading and aid in preventing the heart problems of this disease.
