Plasma protein binding of antibiotics

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  Project Leader
  Associate Professor Tony Velkov

  tony.velkov@unimelb.edu.au

  + 61 3 834 49846

Project Details

Plasma protein binding has been implicated as a major factor limiting the active free concentration of many clinically important antibiotics. This in turn translates into reduced antibacterial activity, the need for dose escalation and in certain cases where the antibacterial agent is highly bound, limits its intravenous use.

However, the actual plasma components, albumin, AGP, lipoproteins, or globulins that bind most clinically important antibiotics remain to be fully elucidated. Therefore, an understanding of the structure-activity relationships (SAR) that drive the binding of antibiotics to important plasma drug transporters such as AGP is of great clinical relevance. This study will utilise protein-ligand binding assays techniques to investigate and characterise drug binding to AGP and HSA on a broad range of pharmaceutical drugs, in the hope to develop an understanding to increase the pharmacodynamic activity of future novel antibiotic drugs.

Research Opportunities

This research project is available to Honours students, Master of Biomedical Science to join as part of their thesis.
Please contact the Research Group Leader to discuss your options.