Institute for Molecular Bioscience

Institute for Molecular Bioscience We harness nature to discover cures for a better world Our vision is to create a world with a cure for every disease.

We harness our knowledge of nature to create sustainable cures for diseases that plague people, animals and plants. Our researchers use Australian venoms, plants and soils to stop superbugs in their tracks, to create better cancer treatments, to ensure patients survive strokes and heart attacks, to solve inflammatory diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, and to develop environmentally frie

ndly and effective pesticides. We are based at The University of Queensland in Brisbane/Meanjin, Australia.

The link between gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes might be stronger than we think. Approximately 14% of pregnanc...
01/06/2026

The link between gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes might be stronger than we think.

Approximately 14% of pregnancies are affected by gestational diabetes, and women who experience it have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

A study led by IMB researchers Caroline Brito Nunes, Professor David Evans, and Dr Gunn-Helen Moen, in collaboration with the Genetics of Diabetes In Pregnancy (GenDIP) Consortium, indicates that gestational diabetes could be an early manifestation of type 2 diabetes, brought on by the stress of pregnancy to the body.

The study, which includes people from a wide range of backgrounds, is the most diverse genetic study of gestational diabetes to date.

Researchers identified 37 genetic variants, including 7 newly reported, and found that almost all overlap with variants linked to type 2 diabetes.

Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/4fgGrkp

26/05/2026

A deadly infection. Antibiotics that often don’t work. And now, a clue that could change how cystic fibrosis is treated in the future.

New research led by UQ’s Professor Peter Sly and Dr Abdullah Tarique (HMBS), alongside collaborators including scientists from IMB’s Professor Matt Sweet’s lab, has uncovered why the immune system struggles to fight Mycobacterium abscessus (MABS), one of the most dangerous infections affecting people with cystic fibrosis.

The team identified key defects in macrophages, the body’s “Pac-Man” immune cells that hunt, engulf and destroy harmful bacteria. In people with cystic fibrosis, these cells struggle to recognise and kill infection, even with the most advanced treatments available today.

Why does this matter?
MABS infections are rising globally, are resistant to many antibiotics, and can prevent people with cystic fibrosis from receiving life-saving lung transplants.

By revealing how these critical immune cells fail, the research opens the door to entirely new strategies to strengthen the body’s own defences against infection.

Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/4wWSVnJ
🎥 Credit: koto feja/Getty Images

With thanks to collaborators across:
UQ Health (Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences) | UQ Medicine (UQ Child Health Research Centre) | IMB (Sweet Lab) | Children's Health Queensland (Queensland Children’s Hospita)l | Gold Coast University Hospital - GCUH | Griffith University | Infectiologie et Santé Publique, Université de Montpellier | Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier

IMB out and about at Women’s Industry Night IMB spent Wednesday evening at Women’s Industry Night at UQ Women’s College,...
21/05/2026

IMB out and about at Women’s Industry Night

IMB spent Wednesday evening at Women’s Industry Night at UQ Women’s College, connecting with students, thinking about where science might take them next.

The event brings students and industry together in a relaxed setting to explore career pathways, ask questions, and get a feel for internships, graduate roles, and the many directions their careers could go.

IMB was represented by Dr Zoe Hunter and Dr Alesha Hatton, who enjoyed meeting students and talking all things biomedical science, research, and what life at IMB looks like.

A lot of thoughtful questions and genuine interest in how science turns curiosity into impact.

The Women's College within the University of Queensland

21/05/2026

We’re delighted to share that Professor Alpha Yap of UQ's Institute for Molecular Bioscience has been elected to the 2026 Fellowship of the Australian Academy of Science.

Professor Alpha Yap joins a prestigious cohort recognised for outstanding contributions to Australian science across discovery and real-world impact.

Congratulations to Professor Yap on this well-deserved recognition đź‘Ź

Australian Academy of Science

🦠 Superbugs are evolving. So are we.Research from the Innate Immunity, Infection and Inflammation research group, led by...
15/05/2026

🦠 Superbugs are evolving. So are we.

Research from the Innate Immunity, Infection and Inflammation research group, led by Professor Matt Sweet and Dr James Curson at the UQ Institute for Molecular Bioscience, has uncovered a new way to help the body fight bacterial infections — not by attacking the bacteria directly, but by reactivating the body’s own cellular defence systems.

The discovery could pave the way for new therapies to tackle antibiotic-resistant infections and conditions like sepsis.

The future of fighting infection may lie within our own cells.

Read the research 👉 https://bit.ly/4dHCILj

Aussie algae in action đź’šIMB's Dr Melanie Oey is investigating how Queensland microalgae can support cell culture systems...
05/05/2026

Aussie algae in action đź’š

IMB's Dr Melanie Oey is investigating how Queensland microalgae can support cell culture systems used in cultivated meat research.

By exploring algae‑assisted co‑cultivation, this work examines how algae can improve oxygen availability, nutrient use and waste management in cell cultures — while also generating algal biomass that may be used for other applications.

The research highlights the potential of algae to contribute to more efficient and sustainable biomanufacturing systems, in collaboration with industry partners including Magic Valley.

🧪 Read more in Protein Production Technology International – Algae Ascent (2026) https://bit.ly/48Ftnko

Research out of IMB's Centre for Solar Biotechnology.

The research highlights the potential of algae to contribute to more efficient and sustainable biomanufacturing systems, in collaboration with industry partners, including

What if we could watch the spine form in real time?New research published in Nature Communications shows how fluorescent...
30/04/2026

What if we could watch the spine form in real time?

New research published in Nature Communications shows how fluorescent quail embryos are helping scientists understand neural tube defects, which affect more than 200,000 pregnancies each year.

IMB's PhD student SamaraRaine explains the breakthrough in her latest article for The Conversation Australia + NZ: https://bit.ly/4eSomc2

28/04/2026

🧬 The first month of pregnancy can shape a lifetime.

Researchers from UQ’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), with support from the Australian Institute for Bioengineering & Nanotechnology - AIBN, have, for the first time, observed how tiny disruptions in early embryonic development can lead to serious birth defects.

Using advanced real-time imaging of quail embryos (which develop in ways similar to humans), the team watched how the neural tube, the structure that forms the brain and spinal cord, can fail to join correctly, causing junctional neural tube defects (JNTD), a rare type of birth defect.

The research shows how disruption to a protein called PRICKLE1, which helps control how cells move and organise during development, can interfere with this critical process.

Lead author Dr Jian Xiong Wang, senior researcher Dr Mel White, and collaborator Associate Professor Samantha J. Stehbens (AIBN) say the findings improve understanding of how these birth defects occur and open new avenues for future prevention, screening and treatment.

đź“– Learn more: https://bit.ly/4cTfj8b

💊 A new pill that could change the lives of millionsPsoriasis affects an estimated 60 to 125 million people worldwide—an...
26/04/2026

đź’Š A new pill that could change the lives of millions

Psoriasis affects an estimated 60 to 125 million people worldwide—and a new once-daily treatment is now set to reach patients.

Designed through an embedded research program at The University of Queensland's Institute for Molecular Bioscience, the drug was developed in partnership with Protagonist Therapeutics and Johnson & Johnson.

As the first targeted oral peptide to block the IL-23 receptor, Icotyde combines biologic-level efficacy with the simplicity of a daily pill—marking a life-changing step forward in treatment, which has long been dominated by injectables.

Icotyde has received FDA approval and is heading to market, offering a promising new option for those living with moderate-to-severe disease.

A meaningful example of how embedded research programs can help translate discovery into real-world therapies.

Read more here - https://bit.ly/4u3R2Df

Endometriosis treatment is still trial-and-error. What if we could change that?At this year’s Pint of Science AU Festiva...
24/04/2026

Endometriosis treatment is still trial-and-error. What if we could change that?

At this year’s Pint of Science AU Festival, IMB researcher Isaac Kyei Barffour is taking you inside the lab — where endometriosis is being grown and studied to better understand the disease and accelerate drug discovery.

Because right now, how endometriosis starts and progresses remains largely unknown.

🧬 Using molecular medicine and genome engineering, Isaac’s research is helping unlock new pathways for treatment and move beyond guesswork.

No science background needed — just bring your curiosity.

đź“Ť Brisbane Brewing Co
đź—“ Tuesday 19 May
⏰ 6:00pm – 8:30pm
🎟 $15 (limited tickets remaining)
👉 Book your spot: https://bit.ly/4sxS755

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