Associate Professor Nick West
Associate Professor

Nick West

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 54093

Background

Associate Professor West is a molecular microbiologist, expert in bacterial pathogenesis. He is Head of “Tuberculosis Research” in the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland. Nick has a particular interest in drug development for TB. His research utilises modern molecular technologies to identify the genetic requirements for Mycobacterium tuberculosis to cause Tuberculosis (TB) with these genetic discoveries translated into novel antibiotic therapies. Research within his group falls largely into one of the following four themes: Essential Gene Identification in M. tuberculosis, Understanding TB Latency, Targeted TB Drug Development and Improving TB Vaccination.

Nick conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford and Imperial College London. Returning to Australia in 2004, he spent several years at Sydney’s Centenary Institute as an Associate Faculty member before relocating to University of Queensland in 2012. In addition to drug development, Nick’s research portfolio includes programmes of vaccine and diagnostic development and testing.

Availability

Associate Professor Nick West is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Medical microbiology

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Wollongong

Search Professor Nick West’s works on UQ eSpace

75 works between 1997 and 2024
All (75) Journal Article (73) Book Chapter (1) Conference Publication (1)

21 - 40 of 75 works

2020

Journal Article

Structures of fungal and plant acetohydroxyacid synthases

Lonhienne, Thierry, Low, Yu Shang, Garcia, Mario D., Croll, Tristan, Gao, Yan, Wang, Quan, Brillault, Lou, Williams, Craig M., Fraser, James A., McGeary, Ross P., West, Nicholas P., Landsberg, Michael J., Rao, Zihe, Schenk, Gerhard and Guddat, Luke W. (2020). Structures of fungal and plant acetohydroxyacid synthases. Nature, 586 (7828), 317-321+. doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-2514-3

Structures of fungal and plant acetohydroxyacid synthases

2020

Conference Publication

Predicting nitroimidazole antibiotic resistance mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with protein engineering

Lee, Brendon, Almeida, Deepak, Afriat-Jurnou, Livnat, Aung, Htin, Forde, Brian, Harold, Liam, Hards, Kiel, Pidot, Sacha, Ahmed, Hafna, Mohamed, Elaaf, Taylor, Mathew, West, Nicholas, Stinear, Timothy, Greening, Chris, Beatson, Scott, Cook, Gregory, Nuermberger, Eric and Jackson, Colin (2020). Predicting nitroimidazole antibiotic resistance mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with protein engineering. Annual Meeting on Experimental Biology, San Diego, CA, United States, 4-7 April 2020. Hoboken, NJ, United States: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1096/fasebj.2020.34.s1.04923

Predicting nitroimidazole antibiotic resistance mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with protein engineering

2020

Journal Article

Discovery, synthesis and evaluation of a novel ketol-acid reductoisomerase inhibitor

Bayaraa, Tenuun, Kurz, Julia L., Patel, Khushboo M., Hussein, Waleed M., Bilyj, Jessica K., West, Nicholas P., Schenk, Gerhard, McGeary, Ross P. and Guddat, Luke William (2020). Discovery, synthesis and evaluation of a novel ketol-acid reductoisomerase inhibitor. Chemistry - A European Journal, 26 (41), 8958-8968. doi: 10.1002/chem.202000899

Discovery, synthesis and evaluation of a novel ketol-acid reductoisomerase inhibitor

2020

Journal Article

Predicting nitroimidazole antibiotic resistance mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with protein engineering

Lee, Brendon M., Harold, Liam K., Almeida, Deepak V., Afriat-Jurnou, Livnat, Aung, Htin Lin, Forde, Brian M., Hards, Kiel, Pidot, Sacha J., Ahmed, F. Hafna, Mohamed, A. Elaaf, Taylor, Matthew C., West, Nicholas P., Stinear, Timothy P., Greening, Chris, Beatson, Scott A., Nuermberger, Eric L., Cook, Gregory M. and Jackson, Colin J. (2020). Predicting nitroimidazole antibiotic resistance mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with protein engineering. PLoS Pathogens, 16 (2) e1008287, e1008287. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008287

Predicting nitroimidazole antibiotic resistance mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with protein engineering

2020

Journal Article

Antitubercular and Antiparasitic 2-Nitroimidazopyrazinones with Improved Potency and Solubility

Ang, Chee Wei, Tan, Lendl, Sykes, Melissa L., Abugharbiyeh, Neda, Debnath, Anjan, Reid, Janet C., West, Nicholas P., Avery, Vicky M., Cooper, Matthew A. and Blaskovich, Mark A. T. (2020). Antitubercular and Antiparasitic 2-Nitroimidazopyrazinones with Improved Potency and Solubility. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 63 (24), 15726-15751. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01372

Antitubercular and Antiparasitic 2-Nitroimidazopyrazinones with Improved Potency and Solubility

2019

Journal Article

Mycobacterium tuberculosis requires glyoxylate shunt and reverse methylcitrate cycle for lactate and pyruvate metabolism

Serafini, Agnese, Tan, Lendl, Horswell, Stuart, Howell, Steven, Greenwood, Daniel J., Hunt, Deborah M., Phan, Minh-Duy, Schembri, Mark, Monteleone, Mercedes, Montague, Christine R., Britton, Warwick, Garza-Garcia, Acely, Snijders, Ambrosius P., VanderVen, Brian, Gutierrez, Maximiliano G., West, Nicholas P. and de Carvalho, Luiz Pedro S. (2019). Mycobacterium tuberculosis requires glyoxylate shunt and reverse methylcitrate cycle for lactate and pyruvate metabolism. Molecular Microbiology, 112 (4) mmi.14362, 1284-1307. doi: 10.1111/mmi.14362

Mycobacterium tuberculosis requires glyoxylate shunt and reverse methylcitrate cycle for lactate and pyruvate metabolism

2019

Journal Article

Total synthesis of the antimalarial ascidian natural product albopunctatone

Pullella, Glenn A., Wdowiak, Adam P., Sykes, Melissa L., Lucantoni, Leonardo, Sukhoverkov, Kirill V., Zulfiqar, Bilal, Sobolev, Alexandre N., West, Nicholas P., Mylne, Joshua S., Avery, Vicky M. and Piggott, Matthew J. (2019). Total synthesis of the antimalarial ascidian natural product albopunctatone. Organic Letters, 21 (14), 5519-5523. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.9b01838

Total synthesis of the antimalarial ascidian natural product albopunctatone

2019

Book Chapter

Nucleic Acid Detection of Tuberculosis Via Innovative Point-of-Care Nanotechnologies Targeted for Low Resource Settings

Ng, Benjamin Y.C., Wee, Eugene J.H., West, Nicholas P. and Trau, Matt (2019). Nucleic Acid Detection of Tuberculosis Via Innovative Point-of-Care Nanotechnologies Targeted for Low Resource Settings. Revolutionizing Tropical Medicine. (pp. 584-599) Hoboken, NJ United States: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/9781119282686.ch33

Nucleic Acid Detection of Tuberculosis Via Innovative Point-of-Care Nanotechnologies Targeted for Low Resource Settings

2018

Journal Article

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of 2-nitroimidazopyrazin-one/-es with antitubercular and antiparasitic activity

Jarrad, Angie M., Ang, Chee Wei, Debnath, Anjan, Hahn, Hye Jee, Woods, Kyra, Tan, Lendl, Sykes, Melissa L., Jones, Amy J., Pelingon, Ruby, Butler, Mark S., Avery, Vicky M., West, Nicholas P., Karoli, Tomislav, Blaskovich, Mark A. T. and Cooper, Matthew A. (2018). Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of 2-nitroimidazopyrazin-one/-es with antitubercular and antiparasitic activity. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 61 (24) acs.jmedchem.8b01578, 11349-11371. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b01578

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of 2-nitroimidazopyrazin-one/-es with antitubercular and antiparasitic activity

2018

Journal Article

Pyrrolidine nucleoside bisphosphonates as antituberculosis agents targeting hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase

Eng, Wai Soon, Rejman, Dominik, Pohl, Radek, West, Nicholas P., Woods, Kyra, Naesens, Lieve M.J., Keough, Dianne T. and Guddat, Luke W. (2018). Pyrrolidine nucleoside bisphosphonates as antituberculosis agents targeting hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 159, 10-22. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.09.039

Pyrrolidine nucleoside bisphosphonates as antituberculosis agents targeting hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase

2018

Journal Article

Thioamide derivative of the potent antitubercular 2-(decylsulfonyl) acetamide is less active against mycobacterium tuberculosis, but a more potent antistaphylococcal agent

Sun, Hsien-Kuo, Pang, Angel, Farr, Dylan C., Mosaiab, Tamim, Britton, Warwick J., Anoopkumar-Dukie, Shailendra, Grice, I. Darren, Kiefel, Milton J., West, Nick P., Grant, Gary D. and Houston, Todd A. (2018). Thioamide derivative of the potent antitubercular 2-(decylsulfonyl) acetamide is less active against mycobacterium tuberculosis, but a more potent antistaphylococcal agent. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 71 (9), 716-719. doi: 10.1071/CH18206

Thioamide derivative of the potent antitubercular 2-(decylsulfonyl) acetamide is less active against mycobacterium tuberculosis, but a more potent antistaphylococcal agent

2018

Journal Article

Homologous alignment cloning: a rapid, flexible and highly efficient general molecular cloning method

Tan, Lendl, Strong, Emily J., Woods, Kyra and West, Nicholas P. (2018). Homologous alignment cloning: a rapid, flexible and highly efficient general molecular cloning method. PeerJ, 6 (6) e5146, e5146. doi: 10.7717/peerj.5146

Homologous alignment cloning: a rapid, flexible and highly efficient general molecular cloning method

2018

Journal Article

Use of soluble extracellular regions of MmpL (SERoM) as vaccines for tuberculosis

Strong, Emily J. and West, Nicholas P. (2018). Use of soluble extracellular regions of MmpL (SERoM) as vaccines for tuberculosis. Scientific Reports, 8 (1) 5604, 5604. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-23893-3

Use of soluble extracellular regions of MmpL (SERoM) as vaccines for tuberculosis

2018

Journal Article

PLGA particulate subunit tuberculosis vaccines promote humoral and Th17 responses but do not enhance control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

Ashhurst, Anneliese S, Parumasivam, Thaigarajan, Chan, John Gar Yan, Lin, Leon C W, Flórido, Manuela, West, Nicholas P, Chan, Hak-Kim and Britton, Warwick J (2018). PLGA particulate subunit tuberculosis vaccines promote humoral and Th17 responses but do not enhance control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. PLoS One, 13 (3) e0194620, e0194620. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194620

PLGA particulate subunit tuberculosis vaccines promote humoral and Th17 responses but do not enhance control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

2018

Journal Article

The endopeptidase PepO regulates the SpeB cysteine protease and is essential for the virulence of invasive M1T1 Streptococcus pyogenes

Brouwer, Stephan, Cork, Amanda J., Ong, Cheryl-Lynn Y., Barnett, Timothy C., West, Nicholas P., McIver, Kevin S. and Walker, Mark J. (2018). The endopeptidase PepO regulates the SpeB cysteine protease and is essential for the virulence of invasive M1T1 Streptococcus pyogenes. Journal of Bacteriology, 200 (8) e00654-17, e00654-17. doi: 10.1128/JB.00654-17

The endopeptidase PepO regulates the SpeB cysteine protease and is essential for the virulence of invasive M1T1 Streptococcus pyogenes

2017

Journal Article

Modifications in the pmrB gene are the primary mechanism for the development of chromosomally encoded resistance to polymyxins in uropathogenic Escherichia coli

Phan, Minh-Duy, Nhu, Nguyen Thi Khanh, Achard, Maud E. S., Forde, Brian M., Hong, Kar Wai, Chong, Teik Min, Yin, Wai-Fong, Chan, Kok-Gan, West, Nicholas P., Walker, Mark J., Paterson, David L., Beatson, Scott A. and Schembri, Mark A. (2017). Modifications in the pmrB gene are the primary mechanism for the development of chromosomally encoded resistance to polymyxins in uropathogenic Escherichia coli. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 72 (10), 2729-2736. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkx204

Modifications in the pmrB gene are the primary mechanism for the development of chromosomally encoded resistance to polymyxins in uropathogenic Escherichia coli

2017

Journal Article

Isothermal point mutation detection: toward a first-pass screening strategy for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis

Ng, Benjamin Y. C., Wee, Eugene J. H., Woods, Kyra, Anderson, Will, Antaw, Fiach, Tsang, Hennes Z. H., West, Nicholas P. and Trau, Matt (2017). Isothermal point mutation detection: toward a first-pass screening strategy for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Analytical Chemistry, 89 (17), 9017-9022. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.7b01685

Isothermal point mutation detection: toward a first-pass screening strategy for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis

2017

Journal Article

The PerR-regulated P1B-4 type ATPase (PmtA) acts as a ferrous iron efflux pump in Streptococcus pyogenes

Turner, Andrew G., Ong, Cheryl-lynn Y., Djoko, Karrera Y., West, Nicholas P., Davies, Mark R., McEwan, Alastair G. and Walker, Mark J. (2017). The PerR-regulated P1B-4 type ATPase (PmtA) acts as a ferrous iron efflux pump in Streptococcus pyogenes. Infection and Immunity, 85 (6) e00140-17, e00140-17.1-e00140-17.13. doi: 10.1128/IAI.00140-17

The PerR-regulated P1B-4 type ATPase (PmtA) acts as a ferrous iron efflux pump in Streptococcus pyogenes

2017

Journal Article

Sansanmycin natural product analogues as potent and selective anti-mycobacterials that inhibit lipid I biosynthesis

Tran, Anh T., Watson, Emma E., Pujari, Venugopal, Conroy, Trent, Dowman, Luke J., Giltrap, Andrew M., Pang, Angel, Wong, Weng Ruh, Linington, Roger G., Mahapatra, Sebabrata , Saunders, Jessica, Charman, Susan A., West, Nicholas P., Bugg, Timothy D. H., Tod, Julie, Dowson, Christopher G., Roper, David I., Crick, Dean C., Britton, Warwick J. and Payne, Richard J. (2017). Sansanmycin natural product analogues as potent and selective anti-mycobacterials that inhibit lipid I biosynthesis. Nature Communications, 8 (1) 14414, 14414. doi: 10.1038/ncomms14414

Sansanmycin natural product analogues as potent and selective anti-mycobacterials that inhibit lipid I biosynthesis

2016

Journal Article

Differing efficacies of lead Group A Streptococcal vaccine candidates and full-length M protein in cutaneous and invasive disease models

Rivera-Hernandez, Tania, Pandey, Manisha, Henningham, Anna, Cole, Jason, Choudhury, Biswa, Cork, Amanda J., Gillen, Christine M., Ghaffar, Khairunnisa Abdul, West, Nicholas P., Silvestri, Guido, Good, Michael F., Moyle, Peter M., Toth, Istvan, Nizet, Victor, Batzloff, Michael R. and Walker, Mark J. (2016). Differing efficacies of lead Group A Streptococcal vaccine candidates and full-length M protein in cutaneous and invasive disease models. mBio, 7 (3) e00618-16, e00618-16.1-e00618-16.9. doi: 10.1128/mBio.00618-16

Differing efficacies of lead Group A Streptococcal vaccine candidates and full-length M protein in cutaneous and invasive disease models

Current funding

  • 2023 - 2027
    A Faster Cure for Tuberculosis: Revealing Adjunctive Antimicrobial Solutions
    NHMRC IDEAS Grants
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2021 - 2024
    Mycobacterial Cholesterol Degradation: A Unique Metabolic Weakness?
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    Blocking TB Latency: The Key to Reducing Therapy Duration
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2018
    Epifluorescent and live-cell imaging microscopes for the investigation of host-pathogen interactions and for molecular and cellular biology
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2021
    Ketol-acid reductoisomerase: An important antituberculosis drug target
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2021
    Killing infected cells as a mechanism to eradicate tuberculosis (NHMRC Project Grant led by The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)
    Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI)
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2020
    Novel TB Drug Candidates via the Inhibition of Lipid I Biosynthesis (NHMRC Project Grant led by University of Sydney)
    University of Sydney
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2020
    Preventing the evolution of transmissible nitroimidazole resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (NHMRC Project Grant led by Australian National University)
    Australian National University
    Open grant
  • 2016
    Instrumentation for the analysis of cellular and metabolic phenotypes
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    Uncovering Nutrient Acquisition and Metabolism in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Wellcome Trust grant administered by the Francis Crick Institute)
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    A new class of inhibitors for the treatment of tuberculosis (NHMRC Project Grant administered by The University of Sydney)
    University of Sydney
    Open grant
  • 2015
    A sensitive, high resolution QTOF mass spectrometer with nanoUPLC system for qualitative and quantitative biomolecule analysis.
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    Discovery of new tuberculosis drug leads targeting cell wall biosynthesis (NHMRC Project Grant administered by University of Sydney)
    University of Sydney
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2016
    Latent Vaccine Development as Directed by in vivo Modeling
    Centenary Institute
    Open grant
  • 2014
    A confocal microscope for investigation of live bacterial and viral pathogens and for molecular cell biology
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2013
    Facility of Tuberculosis Research
    NHMRC Equipment Grant
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2016
    Genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis essential for Latent Tuberculosis Infection
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2015
    Improving subunit vaccines against tuberculosis for pulmonary delivery (NHMRC Project Grant administered by University of Sydney)
    University of Sydney
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2015
    Potent antibiotics against drug-resistant Tuberculosis
    NHMRC Development Grant
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2013
    Towards new drugs to treat TB
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2014
    Design, development and analysis of new tuberculosis drugs
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2014
    NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (Biomedical Level 2): Determining the bacterial contributions to tuberculosis and identification of drug targets
    NHMRC Career Development Award
    Open grant

Availability

Associate Professor Nick West is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    A Multidisciplinary Approach to Identifying Novel Vaccine and Drug Targets of Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Brian Forde

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Boosting BCG: The use of Potent Immunostimulatory Secreted Antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Emily Strong

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Advanced Genetic Toolkit for Cryptococcus neoformans: Iterating Upon Currently Used Techniques in the WHO¿s Top-Ranked Fungal Pathogen

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor James Fraser

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Associate Professor Nick West directly for media enquiries about:

  • TB Drug Development
  • TB Vaccine Development
  • Tuberculosis (TB)

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