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Dr Nicole Lawrence
Dr

Nicole Lawrence

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 344 36298

Overview

Background

My research focuses on using host defence molecules as the basis for designing peptide-based drugs with improved safety and reduced likelihood of drug resistance to combat infectious disease caused by pathogenic bacteria and malaria parasites. Zooming in to investigate molecular interactions at the cell surface and inside infected cells allows me to describe and refine how drug candidates overcome disease organisms to produce the next generation of antimicrobial drugs.

Availability

Dr Nicole Lawrence is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Research interests

  • Developing next generation medicines from antimicrobial peptides

    Developing new drugs from natures host defence molecules - with improved safety and less likely to induce drug resistance.

Works

Search Professor Nicole Lawrence’s works on UQ eSpace

50 works between 1994 and 2025

21 - 40 of 50 works

2021

Journal Article

Bioactive cyclization optimizes the affinity of a Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) peptide inhibitor

Tombling, Benjamin J., Lammi, Carmen, Lawrence, Nicole, Gilding, Edward K., Grazioso, Giovanni, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2021). Bioactive cyclization optimizes the affinity of a Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) peptide inhibitor. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 64 (5) acs.jmedchem.0c01766, 2523-2533. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01766

Bioactive cyclization optimizes the affinity of a Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) peptide inhibitor

2021

Journal Article

Angler peptides: macrocyclic conjugates inhibit p53:MDM2/X interactions and activate apoptosis in cancer cells

Philippe, Grégoire J.-B., Mittermeier, Anna, Lawrence, Nicole, Huang, Yen-Hua, Condon, Nicholas D., Loewer, Alexander, Craik, David J. and Henriques, Sónia T. (2021). Angler peptides: macrocyclic conjugates inhibit p53:MDM2/X interactions and activate apoptosis in cancer cells. ACS Chemical Biology, 16 (2) acschembio.0c00988, 414-428. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00988

Angler peptides: macrocyclic conjugates inhibit p53:MDM2/X interactions and activate apoptosis in cancer cells

2021

Journal Article

Engineered EGF-A peptides with improved affinity for proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9)

Tombling, Benjamin J., Lammi, Carmen, Lawrence, Nicole, Li, Jianqiang, Arnoldi, Anna, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2021). Engineered EGF-A peptides with improved affinity for proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9). ACS Chemical Biology, 16 (2) acschembio.0c00991, 429-439. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00991

Engineered EGF-A peptides with improved affinity for proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9)

2021

Journal Article

Cyclic gomesin, a stable redesigned spider peptide able to enter cancer cells

Benfield, Aurélie H., Defaus, Sira, Lawrence, Nicole, Chaousis, Stephanie, Condon, Nicholas, Cheneval, Olivier, Huang, Yen-Hua, Chan, Lai Yue, Andreu, David, Craik, David J. and Henriques, Sónia Troeira (2021). Cyclic gomesin, a stable redesigned spider peptide able to enter cancer cells. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Biomembranes, 1863 (1) 183480, 183480. doi: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183480

Cyclic gomesin, a stable redesigned spider peptide able to enter cancer cells

2021

Book Chapter

Intracellular targeting of cyclotides for therapeutic applications

Lawrence, Nicole and Craik, David J. (2021). Intracellular targeting of cyclotides for therapeutic applications. Methods in pharmacology and toxicology. (pp. 229-248) New York, NY USA: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1250-7_11

Intracellular targeting of cyclotides for therapeutic applications

2021

Journal Article

Functional modulation of the human voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.8 by auxiliary β subunits

Nevin, S. T., Lawrence, N., Nicke, A., Lewis, R. J. and Adams, D. J. (2021). Functional modulation of the human voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.8 by auxiliary β subunits. Channels, 15 (1), 79-93. doi: 10.1080/19336950.2020.1860399

Functional modulation of the human voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.8 by auxiliary β subunits

2020

Journal Article

Cyclotide structures revealed by NMR, with a little help from X-ray crystallography

Handley, Thomas N. G., Harvey, Peta J., Wang, Conan K., Lawrence, Nicole and Craik, David (2020). Cyclotide structures revealed by NMR, with a little help from X-ray crystallography. Chembiochem, 21 (24) cbic.202000315, 3463-3475. doi: 10.1002/cbic.202000315

Cyclotide structures revealed by NMR, with a little help from X-ray crystallography

2020

Journal Article

Front Cover: Cyclotide Structures Revealed by NMR, with a Little Help from X‐ray Crystallography (ChemBioChem 24/2020)

Handley, Thomas N. G., Wang, Conan K., Harvey, Peta J., Lawrence, Nicole and Craik, David J. (2020). Front Cover: Cyclotide Structures Revealed by NMR, with a Little Help from X‐ray Crystallography (ChemBioChem 24/2020). ChemBioChem, 21 (24), 3449-3449. doi: 10.1002/cbic.202000778

Front Cover: Cyclotide Structures Revealed by NMR, with a Little Help from X‐ray Crystallography (ChemBioChem 24/2020)

2020

Journal Article

Safer in vitro drug screening models for melioidosis therapy development

Amiss, Anna S., Webb, Jessica R., Mayo, Mark, Currie, Bart J., Craik, David J., Henriques, Sónia Troeira and Lawrence, Nicole (2020). Safer in vitro drug screening models for melioidosis therapy development. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 103 (5), 1846-1851. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0248

Safer in vitro drug screening models for melioidosis therapy development

2019

Journal Article

Cyclic analogues of horseshoe crab peptide Tachyplesin I with anticancer and cell penetrating properties

Vernen, Felicitas, Craik, David J., Lawrence, Nicole and Troeira Henriques, Sónia (2019). Cyclic analogues of horseshoe crab peptide Tachyplesin I with anticancer and cell penetrating properties. ACS Chemical Biology, 14 (12), 2895-2908. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.9b00782

Cyclic analogues of horseshoe crab peptide Tachyplesin I with anticancer and cell penetrating properties

2019

Journal Article

Characterization of tachyplesin peptides and their cyclized analogues to improve antimicrobial and anticancer properties

Vernen, Felicitas, Harvey, Peta J., Dias, Susana A., Veiga, Ana Salomé, Huang, Yen-Hua, Craik, David J., Lawrence, Nicole and Troeira Henriques, Sónia (2019). Characterization of tachyplesin peptides and their cyclized analogues to improve antimicrobial and anticancer properties. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 20 (17) 4184, 4184. doi: 10.3390/ijms20174184

Characterization of tachyplesin peptides and their cyclized analogues to improve antimicrobial and anticancer properties

2019

Journal Article

Cell membrane composition drives selectivity and toxicity of designed cyclic helix-loop-helix peptides with cell penetrating and tumor suppressor properties

Philippe, Grégoire J. -B., Gaspar, Diana, Sheng, Caibin, Huang, Yen-Hua, Benfield, Aurélie H., Condon, Nicholas D., Weidmann, Joachim, Lawrence, Nicole, Löwer, Alexander, Castanho, Miguel A. R. B., Craik, David J. and Troeira Henriques, Sónia (2019). Cell membrane composition drives selectivity and toxicity of designed cyclic helix-loop-helix peptides with cell penetrating and tumor suppressor properties. ACS Chemical Biology, 14 (9), 2071-2087. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.9b00593

Cell membrane composition drives selectivity and toxicity of designed cyclic helix-loop-helix peptides with cell penetrating and tumor suppressor properties

2019

Journal Article

Peptide-membrane interactions affect the inhibitory potency and selectivity of spider toxins ProTx-II and GpTx-1

Lawrence, Nicole, Wu, Bin, Ligutti, Joseph, Cheneval, Olivier, Agwa, Akello Joanna, Benfield, Aurélie H., Biswas, Kaustav, Craik, David J., Miranda, Les P., Henriques, Sónia Troeira and Schroeder, Christina I. (2019). Peptide-membrane interactions affect the inhibitory potency and selectivity of spider toxins ProTx-II and GpTx-1. ACS Chemical Biology, 14 (1), 118-130. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.8b00989

Peptide-membrane interactions affect the inhibitory potency and selectivity of spider toxins ProTx-II and GpTx-1

2018

Journal Article

Gating modifier toxins isolated from spider venom: modulation of voltage-gated sodium channels and the role of lipid membranes

Agwa, Akello J., Peigneur, Steve, Chow, Chun Yuen, Lawrence, Nicole, Craik, David J., Tytgat, Jan, King, Glenn F., Henriques, Sonia Troeira and Schroeder, Christina I. (2018). Gating modifier toxins isolated from spider venom: modulation of voltage-gated sodium channels and the role of lipid membranes. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 293 (23), 9041-9052. doi: 10.1074/jbc.RA118.002553

Gating modifier toxins isolated from spider venom: modulation of voltage-gated sodium channels and the role of lipid membranes

2017

Journal Article

Spider peptide toxin HwTx-IV engineered to bind to lipid membranes has an increased inhibitory potency at human voltage-gated sodium channel hNa(V)1.7 (vol 1859, pg 835, 2017)

Agwa, Akello J., Lawrence, Nicole, Deplazes, Evelyne, Cheneval, Olivier, Chen, Rachel M., Craik, David J., Schroeder, Christina I. and Henriques, Sonia T. (2017). Spider peptide toxin HwTx-IV engineered to bind to lipid membranes has an increased inhibitory potency at human voltage-gated sodium channel hNa(V)1.7 (vol 1859, pg 835, 2017). Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta-Biomembranes, 1859 (11), 2277-2277. doi: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2017.08.008

Spider peptide toxin HwTx-IV engineered to bind to lipid membranes has an increased inhibitory potency at human voltage-gated sodium channel hNa(V)1.7 (vol 1859, pg 835, 2017)

2017

Journal Article

Redesigned spider peptide with improved antimicrobial and anticancer properties

Henriques, Sónia Troeira, Lawrence, Nicole, Chaousis, Stephanie, Ravipati, Anjaneya S., Cheneval, Olivier, Benfield, Aurélie H., Elliott, Alysha G., Kavanagh, Angela Maria, Cooper, Matthew A., Chan, Lai Yue, Huang, Yen-Hua and Craik, David J. (2017). Redesigned spider peptide with improved antimicrobial and anticancer properties. ACS Chemical Biology, 12 (9), 2324-2334. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.7b00459

Redesigned spider peptide with improved antimicrobial and anticancer properties

2017

Journal Article

Spider peptide toxin HwTx-IV engineered to bind to lipid membranes has an increased inhibitory potency at human voltage-gated sodium channel hNaV1.7

Agwa, Akello J., Lawrence, Nicole, Deplazes, Evelyne, Cheneval, Olivier, Chen, Rachel M., Craik, David J., Schroeder, Christina I. and Henriques, Sónia T. (2017). Spider peptide toxin HwTx-IV engineered to bind to lipid membranes has an increased inhibitory potency at human voltage-gated sodium channel hNaV1.7. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. Biomembranes, 1859 (5), 835-844. doi: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2017.01.020

Spider peptide toxin HwTx-IV engineered to bind to lipid membranes has an increased inhibitory potency at human voltage-gated sodium channel hNaV1.7

2016

Journal Article

Interaction of tarantula venom peptide ProTx-II with lipid membranes is a prerequisite for its inhibition of human voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.7

Troeira Henriques, Sonia, Deplazes, Evelyne, Lawrence, Nicole, Cheneval, Olivier, Chaousis, Stephanie, Inserra, Marco, Thongyoo, Panumart, King, Glenn F., Mark, Alan E., Vetter, Irina, Craik, David J. and Schroeder, Christina Ingrid (2016). Interaction of tarantula venom peptide ProTx-II with lipid membranes is a prerequisite for its inhibition of human voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.7. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 291 (33), 17049-17065. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M116.729095

Interaction of tarantula venom peptide ProTx-II with lipid membranes is a prerequisite for its inhibition of human voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.7

2016

Journal Article

Development of cell-penetrating peptide-based drug leads to inhibit MDMX:p53 and MDM2:p53 interactions

Philippe, Gregoire, Huang, Yen-Hua, Cheneval, Olivier, Lawrence, Nicole, Zhang, Zhen, Fairlie, David P., Craik, David J., Dantas De Araujo, Aline and Troeira Henriques, Sonia (2016). Development of cell-penetrating peptide-based drug leads to inhibit MDMX:p53 and MDM2:p53 interactions. Biopolymers - Peptide Science, 106 (6), 853-863. doi: 10.1002/bip.22893

Development of cell-penetrating peptide-based drug leads to inhibit MDMX:p53 and MDM2:p53 interactions

2012

Journal Article

Biophysical properties of Naᵥ 1.8/Naᵥ 1.2 chimeras and inhibition by µO-conotoxin MrVIB

Knapp, O., Nevin, S. T., Yasuda, T., Lawrence, N., Lewis, R. J. and Adams, D. J. (2012). Biophysical properties of Naᵥ 1.8/Naᵥ 1.2 chimeras and inhibition by µO-conotoxin MrVIB. British Journal of Pharmacology, 166 (7), 2148-2160. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2012.01955.x

Biophysical properties of Naᵥ 1.8/Naᵥ 1.2 chimeras and inhibition by µO-conotoxin MrVIB

Funding

Current funding

  • 2022 - 2026
    Next-generation peptide-based medicines for malaria
    United States Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs - Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2022 - 2024
    Developing FXIIa inhibitors as next-generation anticoagulants
    NHMRC Development Grant
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2023
    Developing targeted antimalarial drug leads from host defence peptide-drug conjugates (NHMRC Ideas Grant led by ANU)
    Australian National University
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Dr Nicole Lawrence is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

Contact Dr Nicole Lawrence directly for media enquiries about:

  • drug design
  • drug-resistant bacteria
  • malaria
  • peptides
  • tropical health

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au