IMB Seminar Series - Professor Marilyn Anderson FAA, FSTE - Mining plants for new treatments for fungal diseases

Event Details

Date:

Friday, 10 June 2016

Time:

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

Room:

2.171, QBP Auditorium

UQ Location:

Queensland Bioscience Precinct (St Lucia)

URL:

Event category(s):

Full Description:: Innate immunity proteins form the first line of defence against potential pathogens in animals and plants. Most research has focused on those with antibacterial properties, but there is an increasing need for effective antifungal agents for use in agriculture and in the clinic.

The first part of this talk will focus on the discovery of new antifungal peptides from plants, their mechanism of action and potential applications for disease control in plants. One of these plant defensins,NaD1, is active against both filamentous fungi and yeast and acts via a three step process that involves interaction with the cell wall, followed by specific interaction with membrane lipids, membrane permeabilisation and entry into the cytoplasm where it initiates cell death. The second part of the talk will describe the potential of plant defensins as effective and robust treatments for fungal infections in humans.

I will describe why the novel plant defensin HXP124 is an excellent candidate for developing a fast, effective topical treatment for fungal nail infections (onychomycosis).

*SEATING IS LIMITED. Please arrive early to avoid disappointment.*