Overview
Topic status: We're looking for students to study this topic.
Tissue degeneration and interruption to the normal healing process is not well understood. Proteomics analysis of body fluids from individuals with tissue degenerative diseases or injury may help in the early diagnosis or prognosis of such conditions, allowing for more appropriate treatment options to be adopted.
This project aims use a proteomics approach to identify biomarkers of laminitis, a devastating, rapid onset disease in horses during which the hoof detaches from the supporting lamina. The entire weight of the horse is then transferred to the underlying bone which pushes through the soft tissue structures of the hoof. The condition is extremely painful and often results in euthanasia of the animal. This project aims to utilise modern proteomic profiling approaches to detect early biomarkers of laminitis in the urine and serum of horses with progressive laminitis.
The project is synergistic with other projects within our research team in which we are investigating tissue injury, and healing processes. Thus the application of modern proteomics techniques in this animal model has significant potential to inform tissue degeneration processes in humans.
This is a collaborative project between the members of the Tissue Repair and Regeneration Program (Faculty of Science), the Injury Prevention Domain (Faculty of Health), veterinary researches at UQ and an international collaborator.
Methods and techniques that will be developed in the course of this project:
This project will adopt cutting edge proteomic biomarker detection techniques such as surface enhanced laser desorption/ionisation time of flight mass spectrometry (SELDI TOF MS), high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LCMS/MS), 2D-gel electrophoresis incl 2D-DIGE, as well as more traditional protein biochemistry techniques such as SDS PAGE and western blot analysis.
- Study level
- Honours
- Supervisors
- QUT
- Organisational unit
Science and Engineering Faculty
- Research area
- Contact
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Please contact the supervisor.
Dr Tony Parker
Professor Martin Sillence
