• Current activities
• Background
• Academic qualifications
• Achievements

Current activities

Dr Peter Duggan is Research Team Leader – Peptides and Peptidomimetics.

• Carbohydrate recognition with artificial lectins

We were one of the first groups to report the selective carbohydrate recognition of peptide boronic acids.  These non-natural peptides combine the multiple, weak interactions used by natural lectins to bind carbohydrates with the rapid and reversible diol-binding properties of boronic acids.  There are many potential biological applications of these unique synthetic peptides – known as boronolectins.

• Natural, environmentally benign insecticides - Botanical Resources Australia

Botanical Resources Australia Pty Ltd (BRA) is the Australian producer of over 60 % of the world’s pyrethrum, the botanical insecticide, and operates the most high-tech pyrethrum industry in the world.  While the BRA process is very efficient and state-of-the-art, there is still room for improvement.  We are working with the company to further improve productivity at various stages of the production process.

• Bioactive peptide mimics

Many peptides have been found to have beneficial biological properties, however their use is limited because of their high water solubility and susceptibility to proteolytic degradation. There is much interest in developing low molecular weight organic compounds that mimic the biological properties of peptides but are less water soluble and more resistant to degradation. The potential applications areas we are currently investigating include neuropathic pain and cancer. In these projects we collaborate with;

• Monash University
• Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queenslan
• Health Innovations Research Institute, RMIT University

Background

Dr Duggan moved to CSIRO in 2004 after a decade as a teaching and research academic in university chemistry departments, initially at James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia, then at Monash University, where he was Senior Lecturer.  Prior to these academic appointments, Dr Duggan held post doctoral positions at Columbia University, New York and Cambridge University.

Academic qualifications

Dr Duggan has been awarded a:

• Bachelor of Science with Honours in 1985
• Doctor of Philosophy in 1990.

Achievements

Dr Duggan has co-authored more than 75 scientific publications.

He is also:

• a Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI)
• Associate Editor and Expert Assessor, Australian Journal of Chemistry
• Adjunct Associate Professor, Flinders University

Dr Duggan has also been very active in the RACI, Chairing or helping to run National Divisional Conferences, National Conventions, and symposia at Pacifichem in Hawaii.  He was also inaugural Secretary of the Victorian Bioactive Discovery and Development Group.

Find out more about the work of Biosecurity Flagship.