Transition Metals in Biology
Chathuri Wijekoon has submitted her PhD thesis for examination. it is entitled “Molecular Characterisation of a Metallo-Chaperone and a Membrane Copper Pump in Gram-Negative Bacteria”
Our paper entitled “A Robust Assay for Ferroxidase Function of Ceruloplasmin” by Laura Cortes, Blaine R. Roberts, Anthony G. Wedd and Zhiguang Xiao has been published online by Inorganic Chemistry.
Former student Dr Karrera Djoko (University of Queensland) presented a seminar in the Bio21 Institute on March 10. Karrera has now accepted a faculty position at the University of Durham (UK) and will transfer later in the year. Congratulations, Karrera !!
Our paper entitled “Copper ATPase CopA from E. coli. Quantitative Correlation between ATPase Activity and Vectorial Copper Transport” by Chathuri J. K. Wijekoon, Saumya R. Udagedara, Roland L. Knorr, Rumiana Dimova, Anthony G. Wedd and Zhiguang Xiao has been accepted for publication in J. Amer. Chem. Soc. Congratulations Chathuri and Saumya ! Saumya now works with Dr Megan Maher at La Trobe University.
Tessa Young is visiting the University of Adelaide for collaborative work with Dr Tara Pukala.
Laura Cortes has submitted her PhD thesis for examination. Good luck, Laura !
Our paper entitled “Copper Binding and Redox Chemistry of the Aβ16 Peptide and Its Variants. Insights into Determinants of Copper-Dependent Reactivity” by Nineveh Yako, Tessa R Young, Jade M Cottam Jones, Craig A Hutton, Anthony G Wedd and Zhiguang Xiao has been accepted for publication in Metallomics. Good work, Nineveh and Tessa.
Dr Zhiguang Xiao has accepted a position in the Florey Institute here in Melbourne. He will maintain an Honorary position here in Chemistry and continue his association with our group.
Sean Lim (Honours) and Nineveh Yako (MS) have now completed their degrees. Good luck with your future work, Sean and Nineveh !!
The group participated in the RACI Student Symposium, held in the Masson Building of the School of Chemistry on November 25.
PhD student Gilles Lekeux from the University of Liege, Belgium has been visiting us for two months. He is investigating the way that zinc binds to N- and C-termini of certain plant zinc transporters. This work will be integrated with his complementation experiments in the plants.
Sam Graf and Peitong Li have now completed third year research projects in our laboratory. Thanks to Tessa, Chathuri and Ashwinie for helping them have a fruitful time.
Ashwinie Ukuwela won the Poster Prize at the Copper 10 Conference in Sorrento, Italy from Sept 25-30, 2016. It was awarded for the quality and defence of her poster entitled “Purification and Characterization of Recombinant Copper-Binding Proteins:- Poly-Lysine Tags versus Poly-Histidine Tags”. Congratulations, Ashwinie!!
Ashwinie Ukuwela and Professor Wedd will attend the Copper 10 Conference in Sorrento, Italy from Sept 25-30, 2016. Ashwinie will present a poster entitled “Purification and Characterization of Recombinant Copper-Binding Proteins:- Poly-Lysine Tags versus Poly-Histidine Tags”.
Professor Wedd will also visit our collaborators Drs Roland Knorr and Rumiana Dimova at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam, Germany.
Ben Spyrou won The Professor Kernot Research Scholarship in Chemistry and also the Stanley Harvey Prize for his MS work in our group during 2016. Congratulations to you, Ben !! The prizes were presented at the Chemistry Awards Ceremony on Aug 4, 2016.
Tessa Young will attend the EuroBIC 13 Conference in Budapest, Hungary to be held from Aug 28-Sep 6, 2016. Her poster presentation is entitled “The Amyloid Precursor Protein and Copper Ions”.
Reza Todfekr has just arrived to commence a PhD degree with our group. Reza holds a Master of Science degree in Inorganic chemistry from the Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.
Chathuri Wijekoon won the Young Scientists Oral Presentation Award at the Biometals 2016 Conference held in Dresden, Germany from July 10-15, 2016. Congratulations, Chathuri !! Her presentation was entitled “A Copper Chaperone Protein with an Unusual High-Affinity Cu(II) Binding Site”.
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