Higher Degree by Research Application Portal
| Title | Novel interventions for gonococcal disease |
|---|---|
| Supervisor | Prof Charlene Kahler |
| Course | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Keywords | Neisseria gonorrhoeae, molecular biology, biochemistry, drug discovery, molecular epidemiology |
| Research area | Health Sciences |
| Project description | Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the causative agent of the sexually transmitted disease (STD) gonorrhoea and globally causes approximately 20-60 million new cases per annum (WHO). Gonococcal infection is the leading cause of pelvic inflammatory disease in women and ~ one third of patients will become infertile. Increased levels of resistance to traditional antibiotics have raised concerns for future treatment options. To date no successful vaccine strategies have been developed for this organism, primarily because the cell surface proteins elicit limited immunological protection against other strains. To enable the development of innovative approaches to the control of gonococcal infections, we propose to investigate the regulatory networks in gonococci that are important for initial colonization and survival in the human host. My research is focussed on the following aspects of N. gonorrhoeae 1. Genomic epidemiology of N. gonorrhoeae in Western Australia. 2. The role of central protein homeostasis pathways (oxidoreductases and peptidyl-proline cis-trans isomerases [PPIase]) in bacterial pathogenesis. 3. The design of small molecule inhibitors as medical counter measures against antimicrobial resistant N. gonorrhoeae using the targets, EptA and PPIases. My principle collaborators on this program are Prof Geoff Coombs (Murdoch Uni), Dr Shaxx Mowlaboccus (Murdoch Uni), Assc/Prof Michael Wise (UWA), Prof Martin Scanlon (Monash Uni), Dr Mitali Sarkar-Tyson (UWA), Prof Alice Vrielink (UWA) and Assc/Prof Keith Stubbs (UWA). |
| Opportunity status | Open |
| School | Graduate Research School |
| Specific project requirement | Students should have studied a Major in Microbiology, or completed at least three units of Microbiology in a related major. They are strongly advised that they should have completed at least one unit in Molecular Biology or Biochemistry. |
| Description | The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is a program of independent, supervised research that is assessed solely on the basis of a thesis, sometimes including a creative work component, that is examined externally. The work presented for a PhD must be a substantial and original contribution to scholarship, demonstrating mastery of the subject of interest as well as an advance in that field of knowledge. Visit the course webpage for full details of this course including admission requirements, course rules and the relevant CRICOS code/s. |
| Duration | 4 years |