Developing new mucolytic drugs for chronic respiratory diseases

• Honours
• Graduate Research Masters
• PhD

The aim of this project is to develop new mucolytic drug candidates to improve management of chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) and asthma. CRDs are a significant source of morbidity and mortality: 11% of Australians have asthma, while the WHO reports that COPD is the third leading cause of death worldwide and the fifth leading cause of death in Australia. This project will involve optimizing small molecule hits against novel mucolytic targets and characterising their interactions using structural and biophysical techniques. This work is best suited to someone with a strong background in chemistry that would like to broaden their skillset to include expertise in biochemistry and structural biology.

The Goddard-Borger laboratory studies the glycobiology of human diseases and works towards the development of new therapeutics using techniques in chemical, structural and molecular biology. Our research is highly collaborative, leading us to work closely with leading scientists at the institute, across Australia and around the world. This provides an excellent interdisciplinary training environment for students and postdoctoral researchers as well as opportunities to build valuable networks within the industry.