Questions in medical research were the first Australian Synchrotron applications investigated by researchers from Aotearoa New Zealand.
Over the years, our researchers have undertaken a wide variety of medicine-related research, including developing new materials for surgical scaffolds, better understanding the genes underlying cancer and developing new cancer therapies.
These case studies are some of the recent projects that our researchers have undertaken using synchrotron science.
Collagen-based surgical scaffolds for healing and skin reconstruction >> Surgeries require tissue that is increasingly harder to obtain from human sources. Alternatives using lab-grown sources are an attractive alternative. This research has led to a new option for arterial grafts.
A new enzyme inhibitor to enhance cancer treatment >> The APOBEC3A enzyme is part of our innate immune response. Inhibitors for APOBEC3A are needed to increase the effectiveness of front-line treatments during cancer therapy. The research team found that specific hairpin-shaped DNA was a potent and specific inhibitor of APOBEC3A which offers a promising approach to enhance the effectiveness of cancer treatments.
Novel biomaterials for surgical applications >> Amnion is a thin collagen-based membrane that is useful in a range of surgical applications. However, a major challenge is the limited supply. Amniotic materials from horses and cattle were characterised using small angle X-ray scattering, scanning electron microscopy, and ultrasonic imaging. As well as being more readily available, these membranes offer an advantage in surgical applications requiring high strength.
New materials for one-handed synthesis >> Chirality in chemistry describes the "handedness" of a molecule, meaning it exists in two forms. The chemical synthesis of just one version of a chiral molecule has many applications. The research team used metal-organic framework (MOF) materials to design a design blueprint for interwoven frameworks with complimentary actions.
A novel “elevator-with-an-operator” TRAP transporter model for targeted antimicrobials >> Tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporters play key roles in bacterial disease. Despite their critical roles in disease and potential as antimicrobial targets, TRAP coupling between the transporter and the substrate-binding protein is poorly understood. The researchers developed a new “elevator-with-an-operator” model for how TRAP transporters work, which could help scientists develop new antibiotics.
