Research interests
Ann's lab is focused on solving interesting biological problems using a cross-disciplinary approach.

The research areas we work on include: protein engineering using functional amyloids, drug design to fight antibiotics resistance and gaining a molecular understanding of diseases.

One of her core research interests is a class of fungal proteins called hydrophobins. These proteins can self-polymerise to form a strong coating on structures that can reverse surface polarity. In fungi, hydrophobin coatings confer water resistance to spores and aerial hyphae and are also responsible for mediating interactions with host surfaces to initiate infections. In some cases, the coatings have amyloid characteristics and additionally raise the question of how biological function can be compatible with the amyloid scaffold. Additionally, Ann and her team are interested in expanding the functionality of hydrophobin coatings through “smart” protein engineering to promote the adhesion and growth of osteoblasts in PEEK bone implants.

This work is a collaboration with A/Prof Sunde from the School of Medical Sciences and A/Prof Suchowerska from the Chris O'brien Lifehouse.

The other key focus of Ann's lab is to develop new classes of antibiotics by targeting specific molecular interactions in bacteria. The two systems her lab works on are 1) the bacterial Signal Recognition Particle (SRP) and its Receptor (SR) from E. coli and 2) the Heme uptake system protein A (HusA) from P. gingivalis. The SRP/SR work is in collaboration with Dr Sandro Ataide at the School of Life and Environmental Sciences while the HusA work is in collaboration with Dr Gao at the Westmead Centre for Oral Health and Dr Gell from University of Tasmania.

More recently, Ann has embarked on a number of metabolomics projects including a collaboration with A/Prof Suchowerska and Prof McKenzie from the Chris O'brien Lifehouse and School of Physics to investigate cellular signaling in novel cancer radiotherapies.