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.
Research area keywords
- Protease
- Protease Inhibitors
- Drug Discovery
- Structural Biology
- Microbiology
Network
Projects
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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
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Phage therapy – a viable therapy for urinary tract infections, pneumonia, bloodstream infections and inflammatory bowel disease
1/01/20 → 31/12/21
Project: Research
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Anti-sporulation strategies for Clostridium difficile infections
Lyras, D., McGowan, S., Pyne, S. G., Keller, P. A. & Yu, H.
1/01/18 → 31/12/21
Project: Research
-
Mechanism of action of a novel multifunctional bacterial secretion system
Lyras, D., McGowan, S. & Rood, J.
1/01/18 → 31/12/20
Project: Research
Research output
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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., 18 Sep 2020, (Accepted/In press) In : ChemMedChem. 17 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
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Driving antimalarial design through understanding of target mechanism
Calic, P. P. S., Mansouri, M., Scammells, P. J. & McGowan, S., 30 Oct 2020, In : Biochemical Society Transactions. 48, 5, p. 2067-2078 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Reply to: Caution is warranted in using cephamycin antibiotics against recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection
Lyras, D., Srikhanta, Y. & McGowan, S., Feb 2020, In : Nature Microbiology. 5, 2, p. 237-238 2 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › Other › peer-review
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Strategies for Increasing Protein Stability
Chandler, P. G., Broendum, S. S., Riley, B. T., Spence, M. A., Jackson, C. J., McGowan, S. & Buckle, A. M., 2020, Protein Nanotechnology: Protocols, Instrumentation, and Applications. Gerrard, J. A. & Domigan, L. J. (eds.). New York, NY: Humana Press, p. 163-181 19 p. (Methods in Molecular Biology; vol. 2073).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Other › peer-review
2 Citations (Scopus) -
Cephamycins inhibit pathogen sporulation and effectively treat recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection
Srikhanta, Y. N., Hutton, M. L., Awad, M. M., Drinkwater, N., Singleton, J., Day, S. L., Cunningham, B. A., McGowan, S. & Lyras, D., Dec 2019, In : Nature Microbiology. 4, p. 2237-2245 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
6 Citations (Scopus)
Activities
- 1 Membership of industry collaboration/ network
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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
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Aussie biotech accelerator launches 1st round of project investments
31/07/18
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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Sewer to saviour, PlyC is back
Ashley Buckle & Sheena McGowan
1/02/13
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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Monash scientists score breakthrough on non-antibiotic bug killer
Ashley Buckle & Sheena McGowan
29/07/12
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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New recruits in the fight against disease
Ashley Buckle & Sheena McGowan
22/07/12
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research