New Vic grants support bioinformatics projects
Tuesday, 21 February, 2006
Biotechnology, genomics and molecular modelling will be boosted with grants from the Victorian Partnership for Advanced Computing (VPAC) with AUD$348,000 in funding for its round eight e-Research grants program.
VPAC is an independent, not-for-profit, advanced computing R&D service provider established in 2000 by a consortium of seven Victorian universities. The registered research agency's e-Research grants program has been running for five years, providing funding of more than $5 million to more than 140 projects. The grants provide seed funding for short to medium-term research projects which use advanced computing and generate significant research outcomes.
The 23 projects in the round eight grants include:
- Calculating 3D molecular structures of bio-molecules (drugs, protein and DNA) in solution and drug binding energies to enhance the drug design process (La Trobe University, $18,000).
- Separating mammalian cells using thin channel fractionation devices to allow cell separations without needing to develop cell-specific antibodies (Monash University, $9000).
- Using laser light interaction with blood to predict glucose levels (University of Melbourne, $15,000).
- Constructing algorithms to predict the success of cord blood cell therapy for genetic diseases with the long-term goal of improving cord blood transplantation protocols (University of Melbourne, $21,867).
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