1. Islet transplants for treatment of type 1 diabetes – 2007-current
Ten patients with type 1 diabetes have received a total of 18 transplants of insulin-producing islets isolated by a team from SVI, through the Australian Islet Transplantation Program (ITP). Many of these patients are now insulin independent and no longer suffer severe hypoglycaemic episodes. This new type of transplant surgery to help people with a severe form of type 1 (juvenile) diabetes is carried out at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne in collaboration with SVI. Initially funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and the Australian Department of Health and Ageing, and now through a Nationally Funded Centre, the ITP aims to take islet transplantation from an experimental procedure to a real clinical option for Australians with type 1 diabetes. The ITP is a consortium involving St. Vincent’s and Austin Health in Melbourne, Westmead Hospital in Sydney and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide.
2. Structure of the GMCSF receptor – (published in Cell in 2008)
A team of scientists led by SVI’s Professor Michael Parker and Professor Angel Lopez of the Centre for Cancer Biology, Adelaide have unravelled the structure of a cell signalling receptor, called the GMCSF receptor, which is involved in control of the blood system. When damaged, the receptor is responsible for diseases such as leukaemia. The discovery helps to explain, for the first time, how the receptor is activated and will form the springboard for the development of new treatments.
Using leading edge technology that allows scientists to view minute parts of cells, the scientists have developed the first 3D image of the receptor’s structure and will use the unique knowledge it provides to find drugs to modify its action and control diseases such as leukaemia and asthma.
3. Role of copper and APP in Alzheimer’s disease – 2002
Professor Michael Parker and his group pioneered studies into the structure of amyloid precursor protein; a fragment of this protein is thought to cause Alzheimer’s disease. This work has lead to detailed insights into the function of the protein and is being used to develop novel drugs that will inhibit the breakdown of the protein that causes release of the toxic fragment with the potential to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. In collaboration with Professor Colin Masters, Mental Health Institute and Melbourne University.
4. Bacterial pore forming protein structures – 1998-current
Protein toxins are produced by a variety of living organisms, particularly bacteria, certain insects, poisonous reptiles and stinging marine invertebrates. As offensive weapons these toxins can aid digestion or degeneration of the host whilst as defensive weapons they can protect by killing invaders. Of the more than 300 protein toxins characterised to date, at least a third act by punching holes or pores in cell walls causing cells to die.
Professor Michael Parker and his lab have been world leaders in visualising the three-dimensional structures of pore-forming toxins from bacteria that cause devastating diseases including pneumonia, meningitis and gangrene. The structures have revealed the detailed mechanism behind how these toxins work and in doing so provided new insights into how other related toxins work such as diphtheria and anthrax toxins.
5. AMPK and obesity – 1994
AMPK is an enzyme that regulates energy metabolism in response to diet
and exercise and is thought to mediate their health benefits. In the
brain AMPK controls appetite whereas in other tissues it increases
energy production and reduces energy expenditure in response to demand.
Because of its central role in energy metabolism AMPK has become a
pharmaceutical drug target for the treatment of a number of age onset diseases that include obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease
and cancer. Professor Bruce Kemp and his group, in collaboration with Dr Lee Witters at
Dartmouth Medical College New Hampshire, the were first to identify AMPK in 1994 and this paved the way for a new era in metabolism research.
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