The Peptide Synthesis Facility at Children Medical Research Institute (CMRI) was built to provide high-quality peptide-based materials for researchers, partner facilities, and collaborating partners with a primary goal to support and improvement of cancer research projects across NSW. CMRI The cancer proteomics facilities unravelled key information in mechanistic studies on tumour growth and metastasis and it has contributed to the identification of clinically applicable biomarkers as well as therapeutic targets. Proteomics-based technologies have explored the identification of potential biomarkers and protein expression patterns that can be used to assess tumour prognosis, prediction, tumour classification, and to identify potential responders for specific therapies. Since protein profiles may differ between patients, accurate tools for sample selection, analysis methods and data interpretation have been established at CMRI to identify relevant protein alterations. We synthesise the peptides to compare with cancer cells peptides utilising mass spectrometry which is isolated from cellular protein to identify cancer biomarkers and understand molecular pathways that contribute to cancer progression.
We also develop peptide-based nanoparticles to interact with DNA to protect them from degradation and condense them into nanosized complexes that can be more easily internalized by cells as it is largely enriched by linking with different components, which ensured specificity and selectivity and conferred satisfactory functions of gene therapy. Despite these therapeutic successes of Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors, they face low dissemination, low cellular internalization, and endonuclease degradation. We also develop peptides-based scaffolds for cell (stem cell) delivery to cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. We are synthesising biocompatible peptides to create a cell matrix for 3D platforms for organoids as well as deliver the cells for therapeutic purposes.
Thus, we bring peptides-based materials to the application in a clinic for both diagnosis and treatment purposes unprecedently.