Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Associate Professor Sheena McGowan leads the Structural Microbiology group and is Director Industry Engagement at the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute. She is formally trained in microbiology, completing her PhD in 2004. During her post-doctoral work she was trained in protein crystallography and biophysics and she now integrates skills in microbiology and structural biology to investigate novel methods for microbial disease control. Sheena was awarded the Deans Award for Excellence in Research (Early Career) 2009. In 2011, she was awarded an ARC Future Fellowship to establish her own research group at Monash. She has published in top-ranking journals and has been supported NHMRC, ARC and Industry funding.
In 2020, Sheena joined the Monash Centre to Impact AMR as a founding member of the Industry engagement Strategic group and is the Manager of the Centre to Impact AMR's R&D facility.
Research interests
The McGowan laboratory is interested in characterising novel molecular drug targets. The lab has a strong research focus in the design of novel anti-malarial drugs as well as other parasitic and bacterial diseases. Primarily we are a structural biology laboratory using techniques in X-ray crystallography, biochemistry and biophysics to analyse our proteins of interest. We use this mechanistic information to design inhibitors or analogues with potential applications in human medicine.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Research area keywords
- Protease
- Protease Inhibitors
- Drug Discovery
- Structural Biology
- Microbiology
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
-
Mechanism of secretion of large clostridial toxins
Lyras, D., McGowan, S. & Awad, M.
Australian Research Council (ARC)
1/01/21 → 31/12/23
Project: Research
-
Multidisciplinary catalyst to discover and progress novel antimalarial drugs
Charman, S., Creek, D., de Koning-Ward, T. F., Gilson, P., McGowan, S. & Scammells, P.
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (Australia)
1/01/20 → 31/12/24
Project: Research
-
-
Phage therapy – a viable therapy for urinary tract infections, pneumonia, bloodstream infections and inflammatory bowel disease
1/01/20 → 31/12/21
Project: Research
-
Structure-based development of potent Plasmodium falciparum M1 and M17 aminopeptidase selective and dual inhibitors via S1′-region optimisation
Calic, P. P. S., Vinh, N. B., Webb, C. T., Malcolm, T. R., Ngo, A., Lowes, K., Drinkwater, N., McGowan, S. & Scammells, P. J., 15 Feb 2023, In: European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 248, 27 p., 115051.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
2 Citations (Scopus) -
A metal ion–dependent conformational switch modulates activity of the Plasmodium M17 aminopeptidase
Webb, C. T., Yang, W., Riley, B. T., Hayes, B. K., Sivaraman, K. K., Malcolm, T. R., Harrop, S., Atkinson, S. C., Kass, I., Buckle, A. M., Drinkwater, N. & McGowan, S., Jul 2022, In: Journal of Biological Chemistry. 298, 7, 13 p., 102119.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access1 Citation (Scopus) -
Genetic and chemical validation of Plasmodium falciparum aminopeptidase PfA-M17 as a drug target in the hemoglobin digestion pathway
Edgar, R. C. S., Siddiqui, G., Hjerrild, K., Malcolm, T. R., Vinh, N. B., Webb, C. T., Holmes, C., MacRaild, C. A., Chernih, H. C., Suen, W. W., Counihan, N. A., Creek, D. J., Scammells, P. J., McGowan, S. & de Koning-Ward, T. F., 13 Sept 2022, In: eLife. 11, 32 p., e80813.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access4 Citations (Scopus) -
Active site metals mediate an oligomeric equilibrium in Plasmodium M17 aminopeptidases
Malcolm, T. R., Belousoff, M. J., Venugopal, H., Borg, N. A., Drinkwater, N., Atkinson, S. C. & McGowan, S., Jan 2021, In: Journal of Biological Chemistry. 296, 15 p., 100173.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access3 Citations (Scopus) -
A Structure−Activity Relationship Study of Novel Hydroxamic Acid Inhibitors around the S1 Subsite of Human Aminopeptidase N
Lee, J., Drinkwater, N., McGowan, S. & Scammells, P., 8 Jan 2021, In: ChemMedChem. 16, 1, p. 234-249 17 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Prizes
-
Monash Warwick Alliance Research Catalyst Fund
Srikhanta, Yogi (Recipient), McGowan, Sheena (Recipient), Roper, David I. (Recipient) & Lyras, Dena (Recipient), 14 Jun 2019
Prize: Other distinction
-
PCT/AU2018/051007 (Event)
Yogi Srikhanta (Inventor), Melanie Hutton (Inventor), Milena Awad (Inventor), Julie Singleton (Inventor), Nyssa Drinkwater (Inventor), Sheena McGowan (Inventor) & Dena Lyras (Inventor)
14 Sept 2018Activity: Industry, Government and Philanthropy Engagement and Partnerships › Patents › Patent
-
Monash Antimicrobial Resistance Group (Event)
Trevor Lithgow (Chair/Co-Chair), Max Cryle (Member), Kellie Tuck (Member), Ana Traven (Member), Thomas Naderer (Member), Julian Rood (Member), Dena Lyras (Member), Anton Peleg (Member), Mibel Aguilar (Member), Fasseli Coulibaly (Member), Sheena McGowan (Member), Meredith Anne Okeeffe (Member), Matthew Belousoff (Member) & Philip Heraud (Member)
1 Mar 2017 → 1 Jan 2019Activity: Industry, Government and Philanthropy Engagement and Partnerships › Membership of industry collaboration/ network
Press/Media
-
Aussie biotech accelerator launches 1st round of project investments
31/07/18
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
-
Sewer to saviour, PlyC is back
Ashley Buckle & Sheena McGowan
1/02/13
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
-
Monash scientists score breakthrough on non-antibiotic bug killer
Ashley Buckle & Sheena McGowan
29/07/12
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
-
New recruits in the fight against disease
Ashley Buckle & Sheena McGowan
22/07/12
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research