Professor Akhter Hossain
PhD
Group Head
Location
Parkville Campus
30 Royal Parade
Parkville Victoria 3052
Research group
Insulin Peptides Group
Biography
Professor M Akhter Hossain completed his PhD (2001) at the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan) and undertook postdoctoral studies at Joseph Fourier University (France) and the Howard Florey Institute (Australia). He has been the Head of the Insulin Peptides Group since 2012 at The Florey.
He has published 165 papers (from January 2000 to April 2023) in key international journals including the Chemical Reviews, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Chemical Science, Nature Communications, PNAS, and Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. Eight of his discoveries have been patented to date. He is an associate editor or editorial board member of 5 international journals including Scientific Reports.
His research is predominantly supported by Australian Federal Government Funding Agencies including NHMRC and ARC. He is the current co-chair of the Solid Phase Synthesis Symposium, Victorian representative of the Australian Peptide Society, and ex-president of the Peptide User Group (Melbourne). His research group is interested in designing peptidomimetics and developing novel chemical methods for preparing therapeutic insulin and insulin-like peptides.
Career highlights
Current roles
- Head, Insulin Peptides Group, The Florey
- Co-chair, Solid Phase Synthesis Symposium
- Victorian Representative, Australian Peptide Society
Past roles
- President, Peptide User Group (Melbourne)
Major grants
- 2021–2024 – CIA NHMRC Ideas Grant #APP2001278, $1,161,383.00
- 2020–2023 –CIA NHMRC Ideas Grant #APP1182996, $835,855.30
- 2019–2021 – CIA NHMRC Project Grant #APP1163310, $599,485.20
- 2017–2019 – CIA NHMRC Project Grant #APP1122170, $798,618
- 2012–2014 – CIA NHMRC Project #APP102332, $442,200
- 2019–2023 – CIB ARC LP170101085, $619,727
- 2020–2022 – CIB ARC LP180101006, $468,000
- 2012–2014 – CID NHMRC Project APP1023078, $629,685
- 2012–2014 – PI ARC LP120100654, $260,000
- 2012–2014 – CIB ARC DP120101963, $174,000
Research projects
- Developing H2 relaxin analog – B7-33 – as antifibrotic therapy
- Developing H3 relaxin analogs to treat pain
- Developing non-fibrillating and long-acting insulin analogs to treat diabetes
- Developing antimicrobial peptide-drug conjugates to treat superbugs
- Developing INSL5 analogs as colon motility regulator
Awards and achievements
- 2012 — Australian Academy of Science Award, $6300
- 2011 — Harold Mitchell Foundation Award, $5000
- 2011 — Millipore Travel Award, $2000
- 2008 — CASS Foundation Travel Award, $2,800
