Student Opportunities

SAHMRI researchers are committed to transforming innovative health and medical research into practical benefits for patients and the community. In each of our seven research themes that address some of the most pressing and critical problems that confront our health and wellbeing today, our researchers are focusing their efforts on developing and pioneering new treatments. In addition, they are taking the lead in clinical trials that will help inform future research activities across the globe.

Cell Signalling and Gene Regulation

Prof. Proud’s laboratory studies the signalling pathways by which hormones, growth factors and nutrients regulate the function of mammalian cells, especially protein metabolism. The proper control of these pathways plays an important role in cell growth and proliferation, the storage and utilisation of nutrients, and in neurological processes. Defects in their control contributes to tumorigenesis, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidaemias, cardiovascular disorders and neurodegenerative disease.

A major nutrient-sensitive signalling pathway involves the mammalian target of rapamycin, complex 1, mTORC1. mTORC1 is activated by hormones and amino acids, and regulates multiple steps in protein synthesis including the initiation and elongation stages. We are also currently investigating the role of several protein kinases closely related to the mTORC1 pathway, all of which directly impact the mRNA translation machinery. As direct regulators of key protein synthesis factors, these kinases, which include MNK1, MNK2 and eEF2K, play a central role in cellular metabolism. MNK1 and MNK2 phosphorylate the key translation initiation factor eIF4E.

Further information about the student project available for 2018 are available here.

Student Opportunities

Cell Signalling and Gene Regulation

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