Dr Nada Slakeski
CONTACT
E-mail: nslak@unimelb.edu.au
Telephone: +61 3 9341 1564 (Tues., Wed. and Fri.)
QUALIFICATIONS
- BSc (Hons) LaTrobe University
- PhD LaTrobe University
- Senior Research Fellow
- Oral Health CRC: Project leader molecular biology
SHORT HISTORY
- 2009-Present: Senior Research Fellow
- 2007-2009: Maternity Leave
- 2003-2007: Senior Research Fellow
- 2003-present: Senior Research Fellow
- 2002-2003: Maternity Leave
- 1995-2002: Research Fellow
- 1993-1995: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The Institute for Plant Biology, The University of Zurich, Switzerland.
- 1988-1992: PhD, Department of Biochemistry, LaTrobe University
- 1987: BSc (Hons), Department of Biochemistry, La Trobe University
Nada Slakeski began her career as a molecular biologist in the field of “Plant Biotechnology”. After an initital postdoctoral position investigating disease resistance genes in wheat and rice, at The University of Zurich, Switzerland, she returned to Australia to accept a position at The Melbourne Dental School and has remained to this day. During her employment at the Melbourne Dental School she has been promoted to Senior Research Fellow. Nada’s research has focussed on the investigation of virulence factors associated with the oral pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major causative agent of periodontitis. Her work in this area has resulted in several patents, numerous publications and government support from both national and international grant agencies. Nada has also been awarded the Colgate Award for Dental Research (Dunedin, N.Z. 1997), second place in the international Hatton Award (Nice, France, 1998) and the IADR-ANZ Oral Biology Award (Japan, 2001), awarded for excellence in research in the field of Oral Biology. Nada has supervised nine BSc(Hons) students and three PhD students.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Recombinant vaccine development for the treatment of periodontitis
- Gene-expression and protein secretion in P. gingivalis
- Investigation of the arginine-specific and lysine-specific proteinases of P. gingivalis
- Expression of recombinant P. gingivalis proteins in established E. coli and P. gingivalis expression systems
- Microarray analysis of gene expression profiles of P. gingivalis, T. denticola and F. nucleatum grown under various conditions
- Investigation of expression profiles of oral bacteria grown as biofilms compared to planktonic culture
CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS
- Cysteine proteinases of P. gingivalis (secretion, post-translational modification, recombinant gene expression)*
- Microarray analysis of gene expression profiles of P. gingivalis, T. denticola and F. nucleatum1
- Recombinant vaccine design and development of P. gingivalis, T. denticola and T. forsythia antigens
* A variety of projects available for for BSc(Hons), MSc and PhD students
1 Projects available for Masters by research and PhD students only
CURRENT PUBLICATIONS
Selected Publications (Peer-Reviewed Journals only)
- Mitchell HL, Dashper S, Catmull DV, Paolini R, Slakeski N, Tan KH and Reynolds EC. Treponema denticola biofilm-induced expression of a bacteriophage, toxin-antitoxin systems and transposases Microbiology (in press) (2009)
- Lo AW, Seers CA, Boyce JD, Dashper SG, Slakeski N, Lissel JP and Reynolds EC. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of Porphyromonas gingivalis biofilm and planktonic cells. Microbiol. 9:9-18 (2009)
- Dashper SG, Ang CS, Veith PD, Mitchell HL, Lo AW, Seers CA, Walsh KA, Slakeski N, Chen D, Lissel JP, Butler CA, O'Brien-Simpson NM, Barr IG and Reynolds EC. Response of Porphyromonas gingivalis to heme limitation in continuous culture. J Bacteriol 191:1044-55 (2009)
- Pathirana RD, O'Brien-Simpson NM, Brammar GC, Slakeski N and Reynolds EC. Kgp and RgpB, but not RgpA, are important for Porphyromonas gingivalis virulence in the murine periodontitis model. Infect Immun. 75:1436-42 (2007)
- Diaz PI, Slakeski N, Reynolds EC, Morona R, Rogers AH and Kolenbrander PE. Role of oxyR in the oral anaerobe Porphyromonas gingivalis. J. Bacteriology 188:2454-62 (2006)
- Seers CA, Slakeski N, Nikloff T, Moore C, Cleal S, Chen Y, Veith P, Dashper SG and Reynolds EC. The C-terminus has a role in the export of P. gingivalis proteins through the outer membrane. J. Bacteriology 188:6376-86 (2006)
- Frazer L1, O’Brien-Simpson N1 Slakeski N1, Veith P, Paolini R, Chen I, Barr I and Reynolds EC. Vaccination with recombinant adhesins from the RgpA-Kgp proteinase-adhesin complex protects against Porphyromonas gingivalis. Vaccine 24:6542-54 (2006) 1denotes equal first author
- Dashper SG, Cross KJ, Slakeski N, Lissel P, Aulakh P, Moore C and Reynolds EC. Haemoglobin hydrolysis and haem acquisition by Porphyromonas gingivalis. Oral Microbiol. Immunol. 19:50-56 (2004)
- Chen YY, Cross KJ, Paolini R, Fielding J, Slakeski N and Reynolds EC (2002) CPG70 is a novel Metallocarboxypeptidase with C-terminal polycystic kidney disease domains from Porphyromonas gingivalis. J. Biol. Chem. 277:23433-23440 (2002)
- Rajapakse PS, O’Brien-Simpson NM, Slakeski N, Hoffmann B, Reynolds EC. “Immunization with the RgpA-Kgp proteinase-adhesin complexes of P. gingivalis protects against periodontal bone loss in the rat periodontitis model. Infection and Immunity 70:2480-2486 (2002).
- Veith PD, Talbo GH, Slakeski N, Dashper S, Moore C Paolini RA and Reynolds ECR. Major outer membrane proteins and proteolytic processing of RgpA and Kgp of Porphyromonas gingivalis W50. Biochem. J.363:105-115 (2002)
- Slakeski N, Margetts M, Moore C, Czajkowski L, Barr IG Reynolds EC. Characterisation and expression of a novel Porphyromonas gingivalis outer membrane protein, Omp 28. in press Oral Micro. and Immunol. 17: 150-156 (2002)
- Veith PD. Talbo GH, Slakeski N, Reynolds ECR Identification of a novel heterodimeric outer membrane protein of Porphyromonas gingivalis by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and peptide mass fingerprinting. Eur.J.Biochem. 268: 4748-4757 (2001)
- O’Brien-Simpson NM, Paolini RA, Hoffmann B, Slakeski N, Dashper SG, Reynolds EC. Role of RgpA, RgpB and Kgp proteinases in virulence of Porphyromonas gingivalis in the murine lesion model. Infection and Immunity 69:7527-7534 (2001)
- Dashper SG, Brownfield L, Slakeski N, Zilm PS, Rogers AH and Reynolds EC. Sodium Ion-driven serine/threonine transport in Porphyromonas gingivalis. J. Bacteriol. 183:4142-8 (2001)
- Dashper SG, Hendtlass A, Slakeski N, Jackson C, Cross K, Brownfield L, Hamilton R, Barr I, and Reynolds EC. Characterization of a novel outer membrane hemin-binding protein of Porphyromonas gingivalis. J. Bacteriol. 182:6456-6462 (2000)
- Jackson CA, Hoffmann B, Slakeski N, Cleal SM, Hendtlass AJ, Reynolds EC. A consensus Porphyromonas gingivalis promoter sequence. FEMS Microbiol. Lett, 186:133-138 (2000)
- Slakeski N, Dashper SG, Cook P, Poon C, Reynolds EC. A Porphyromonas gingivalis genetic locus encoding a heme transport system. Oral Microbiol. Immunol. 15:388-392 (2000)
- O’Brien-Simpson NM, Black CL, Bhogal PS, Cleal SM, Slakeski N, Higgins TJ, Reynolds EC. Serum IgG and IgG subclass responses to the PrtR-PrtK proteinase-adhesin complex of Porphyromonas gingivalis in adult periodontitis Infect. Immun. 68:2704-12 (2000)
- Slakeski N, Cleal SM, Bhogal PS and Reynolds E. Characterization of a Porphyromonas gingivalis gene prtK that encodes a lysine-specific thiol proteinase and multiple adhesins. Oral Micro. And Immunol. 14:92-97 (1999)
- Slakeski N, Bhogal PS, O’Brien Simpson, NM and Reynolds EC. Characterization of a second cell-associated Arg-specific cysteine proteinase of Porphyromonas gingivalis and identification of an adhesin binding motif involved in association of the prtR and prtK proteinases and adhesins into large complexes. Microbiology 144:1583-1592 (1998)
- Bhogal PS, Slakeski N, and Reynolds, E. Characterization of a cell-associated, protein complex of Porphyromonas gingivalis W50 composed of Arg- and Lys-specific cysteine proteinases and adhesins. Microbiol. 143:2485-2495 (1997)
- Slakeski N, Cleal SM, and Reynolds E. Characterization of a Porphyromonas gingivalis gene prtR that encodes an arginine-specific thiol protease (prtR) and multiple adhesins. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 224:605-610 (1996)
- Kirszbaum L, Sotiropoulos C, Jackson C, Cleal S, Slakeski N and Reynolds E. Complete nucleotide sequence of a gene prtR of Porphyromonas gingivalis W50 encoding a 132kDa protein that contains an arginine-specific thiol endopeptidase domain and a haemagglutinin domain. Biochem. Biophys. Res Comm. 207:424-431 (1995)
- Slakeski N, and Fincher GB. Barley (1→3,1→4)-β-glucanase isoenzyme EI gene expression is mediated by auxin and gibberellic acid. FEBS Lett. 306:98-102 (1992)
- Slakeski N, and Fincher GB. Developmental regulation of (1→3,1→4)-β-glucanase gene expression in barley. Plant Physiol. 99:1226-1231 (1992)
- Slakeski N, Baulcombe DC, Devos KM, Ahluwalia B, Doan NPD and Fincher GB. Structure and tissue-specific regulation of genes encoding barley (1→3,1→4)-β-glucan endohydrolases. Mol. Gen. Genet. 224:450-458 (1990)
PATENTS
- Diagnostics and treatments of periodontal disease (Granted)
- Porphyromonas gingivalis antigens for the diagnosis and treatment of periodontitis (Granted)
- Synthetic peptide constructs for the diagnosis and treatment of periodontitis (Granted/Pending)
- Porphyromonas gingivalis antigenic composition (Pending)
GRANTS
The National Institutes of Health (USA):
- Impact of oral bacterial interaction on periodontitis
- Development of a defined Porphyromonas gingivalis vaccine
The National Health and Medical Research Council:
- Characterisation of a putative fimbrillin of P. gingivalis
- Protease-haemagglutinin complex of P. gingivalis
- Cell surface proteins of P. gingivalis
- Iron/haem transport systems of P. gingivalis
- The RgpA-Kgp proteinase-adhesin complex and virulence of P. gingivalis
- Molecular characterisation of the gingipains of P. gingivalis
Victorian State Government:
- Victorian Centre for Oral Health Science
Australian Federal Government:
- Cooperative Research Centre for Oral Health Science
Australian Dental Research Foundation:
- Ten grants awarded in last nine years
MEMBERSHIPS
- International Association for Dental Research Member