Research

White blood cells ingesting foreign particles as part of the immune system. by Darren Brown.

Research Mission

The Institute for Molecular Bioscience is a research institute of The University of Queensland that aims to improve quality of life by advancing personalised medicine, drug discovery and biotechnology.

IMB researchers investigate the basis of growth and development at the genetic, molecular, cellular and organ levels.

By understanding the development process, and aspects that go awry in complex diseases, IMB aims to develop pharmaceutical and cellular therapies, technologies and diagnostics to prevent or treat such diseases.

In addition, IMB is pursuing other opportunities for applying its understanding of genetic programming and molecular architecture through the creation of new technologies in biology, biofuels, information technology and agriculture.

The IMB is a highly collaborative environment where researchers from different fields combine to contribute to strategic research programs. This is underpinned by IMB’s facilities, many of which are among the best in the country and even the world. IMB is also characterised by a strong commitment to commercialisation through its partnership with Uniquest.

IMB Research Divisions and Researchers

Genomics and Computational Biology

Molecular Genetics and Development

Molecular Cell Biology

Chemistry and Structural Biology

Genomics and Computational Biology

Dr Tim Bailey Pattern recognition and modelling in computational biology	Dr Lachlan Coin	Professor Sean Grimmond Expression genomics
Dr Nick Hamilton Modelling, Visualisation and Classification of Bio-Imaging	Professor Mark Ragan Computational genomics	Dr Ryan Taft Deciphering the unconventional genetics of complex life and inherited disease

Molecular Genetics and Development

This program focuses on urogenital development, inflammation, cell signalling and cancer, molecular genetics and molecular biology of human diseases, and includes IMB's participation in the the ARC Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology and Development.

Dr Mat Francois  Transcriptional regulation of blood and lymphatic vessels in health and disease	Dr Ben Hogan Molecular genetics of vascular development	Professor Peter Koopman How genes regulate embryo development
Professor Melissa Little Kidney development, damage, repair, and regeneration	Professor George Muscat Nuclear receptors, skeletal muscle and metabolic disease	Dr Kelly Smith Genetics and cell biology of cardiac development
Associate Professor Rick Sturm Human pigmentation genetics, melanocyte biology and melanoma	Dr Matt Sweet Pathogen surveillance, innate immunity and inflammation	Professor Brandon Wainwright Tissue repair and cancer
	Associate Professor Carol Wicking Developmental genes and human diseases

Molecular Cell Biology

This program has received considerable support from the Australian Cancer Research Foundation; the Australian Microscopy & Microanalysis Research Facility;  and NIH. It is a major initiative of the IMB with the application of cryo-electron microscopy, cellular tomography, advanced visualisation and high-performance computing. It also includes the ARC Centre of Excellence in Bioinformatics. It focuses on the Visible Cell® Project; and cell architecture and trafficking.

Professor Kirill Alexandrov Biochemistry of GTPase controlled trafficking pathways: New technologies for protein research	Dr Brett Collins Structural studies of the endosome trafficking machinery	Professor Rob Parton The cell surface in health and disease
Dr Kate Schroder Nod-like receptor function in innate immunity	Professor Jenny Stow Protein trafficking in human disease	Dr Rohan Teasdale Endosomal dynamics: regulated endocytosis, host-pathogen interactions and protein trafficking
Professor Mike Waters Role of growth hormone and related cytokines in growth, cancer, metabolism and obesity	Associate Professor Alpha Yap Cadherin adhesion and tissue organisation in health and disease

Chemistry & Structural Biology

This division has some of the most advanced equipment for structural biology in Australia, used in the development of new medicines and technologies, especially through exploration of Queensland's biodiversity. It has been responsible for a number of IMB spin-out companies based on new platform technologies for drug discovery, as well as developing novel drugs for human disease. It focuses on membrane protein structures; soluble protein and nucleic acid structures; and new drugs and therapies.

Professor Paul Alewood Design and discovery of bioactive peptides and proteins	Professor Rob Capon Biodiscovery: From biodiversity and biology to bioactives and beyond	Professor Matt Cooper Chemical and biophysical tools for health management: diagnosis and therapy
Professor David Craik NMR and protein structure in drug design	Professor David Fairlie Chemistry and human therapeutics	Professor Ben Hankamer Structural biology of membrane proteins, macromolecular assemblies and viruses
Professor Glenn King Drugs for bugs: Rational development of novel antibiotics, analgesics and insecticides	Professor Richard Lewis Molecular pharmacology of venom peptides	Professor Jenny Martin Protein structure and drug design
Associate Professor Mark Smythe Combinatorial chemistry and molecular design

(Now part of Teva)

External Fellows

Many IMB researchers are supported by competitive fellowships awarded by government agencies and the university. A list of these fellows can be found on the 'Meet Our Fellows' page below.

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