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Identifying genes that influence clinical course and susceptibility in multiple sclerosis. This project aims to identify the genetic basis of multiple sclerosis (MS), the most common neurologic disease in young Australian adults. MS urgently needs research to identify predisposition, aid early diagnosis and provide bona fide molecular targets for new therapies. This will benefit people with MS and those susceptible to it. Crucial new knowledge identified will benefit other major areas of MS rese ....Identifying genes that influence clinical course and susceptibility in multiple sclerosis. This project aims to identify the genetic basis of multiple sclerosis (MS), the most common neurologic disease in young Australian adults. MS urgently needs research to identify predisposition, aid early diagnosis and provide bona fide molecular targets for new therapies. This will benefit people with MS and those susceptible to it. Crucial new knowledge identified will benefit other major areas of MS research including epidemiology, immunology and neurobiology. Collaboration of 8 major Australian institutions is also important for this project and future studies. The team will have access to a new national MS GeneBank (platform) with samples from 2240 patients that should generate findings important to world-wide MS genetic knowledge.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668246
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,000.00
Summary
Advanced Cell Labelling and Imaging Facility. Understanding the genetic regulation of cellular processes such as migration, differentiation and growth is an important frontier technology with significant biomedical potential. The Australian community is facing an increasing need to provide solutions for a variety of human diseases and disorders, including birth defects, nervous system injury and stroke, and ageing-related conditions. The proposed facility will allow researchers to test in vivo g ....Advanced Cell Labelling and Imaging Facility. Understanding the genetic regulation of cellular processes such as migration, differentiation and growth is an important frontier technology with significant biomedical potential. The Australian community is facing an increasing need to provide solutions for a variety of human diseases and disorders, including birth defects, nervous system injury and stroke, and ageing-related conditions. The proposed facility will allow researchers to test in vivo gene/pharmaceutical therapies as well as to better understand the genetic regulation of normal cellular processes. Read moreRead less
Specialized glial cells within the hippocampus of the brain regulate important morphological events in embryonic development. Memories of past experiences, and our ability to learn new information, is processed in a region of the brain called the hippocampus. In order for this to occur, the cells that make up the hippocampus must form correctly during embryonic development. This proposal investigates the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating hippocampal formation. The national benefit of ....Specialized glial cells within the hippocampus of the brain regulate important morphological events in embryonic development. Memories of past experiences, and our ability to learn new information, is processed in a region of the brain called the hippocampus. In order for this to occur, the cells that make up the hippocampus must form correctly during embryonic development. This proposal investigates the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating hippocampal formation. The national benefit of this work is to provide basic knowledge about the processes that underlie correct brain formation and function, and to understand what processes are disrupted when the brain fails to function correctly. Such disruptions lead to mental retardation and learning difficulties, and in the aged, an inability to form and store new memories, as occurs in dementia.Read moreRead less
Neurological cell replacement therapies: improving outcomes by matching developmental profiles of transplanted cells with the damaged brain area. Stem cell transplantation offers a way to replace nerve cells lost due to acute CNS injury or chronic degenerative conditions such as Parkinson's Disease. However, to date, results have been disappointing because of poor differentiation, survival and integration of stem cells confounded by ethical issues associated with the use of embryos as the source ....Neurological cell replacement therapies: improving outcomes by matching developmental profiles of transplanted cells with the damaged brain area. Stem cell transplantation offers a way to replace nerve cells lost due to acute CNS injury or chronic degenerative conditions such as Parkinson's Disease. However, to date, results have been disappointing because of poor differentiation, survival and integration of stem cells confounded by ethical issues associated with the use of embryos as the source of stem cells. The experiments conducted in this study will provide strategies to improve the efficacy of stem cell transplantation into the damaged CNS as well as developing the use of autologous bone marrow stem cells for repair. Outcomes will be improved transplant methodologies and expertise for the bio-technology industry. Read moreRead less
The Genetic Analysis of Neurological Diseases. Multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's are debilitating neurodegenerative diseases, which affect 16,000 and 80,000 Australians, respectively. Between them, these diseases cost the community $7.8 billion per annum, and there is no cure. This proposal will study the genes that influence a person's predisposition to developing these diseases, and what makes some people have particular characteristics. It will provide novel insights into the diseases themse ....The Genetic Analysis of Neurological Diseases. Multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's are debilitating neurodegenerative diseases, which affect 16,000 and 80,000 Australians, respectively. Between them, these diseases cost the community $7.8 billion per annum, and there is no cure. This proposal will study the genes that influence a person's predisposition to developing these diseases, and what makes some people have particular characteristics. It will provide novel insights into the diseases themselves and information that could help in the development of new and more effective drugs, and biomarkers to assist in the prediction of prognosis. Such advances would decrease the economic impact of these diseases and improve quality of life for those affected.Read moreRead less
Investigating the intercellular trafficking of proteins and RNA and its relevance to neurodegenerative diseases. Alzheimer's and prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders associated with protein misfolding. This project brings together similar features of these diseases using novel cell- and animal-based studies to develop a greater understanding of the molecular basis of these disorders.
Perceptual suppression mechanisms in the Drosophila brain. This project will investigate common processes underlying three means to losing conscious perception: selective attention, sleep and general anaesthesia. By studying these suppression mechanisms in a genetic model, the fly Drosophila melanogaster, fundamental processes will be highlighted that are required in the brain for maintaining perception in general.
Genetic dissection of functional-structural connectivity using optogenetic fMRI and dMRI tractography. The project will map the connectivity pattern of genetically defined neurons in mouse brain by combining state of the art molecular and neuroscience imaging technology. The outcome will be a significant step toward building a complete functional and structural mapping resource, with application for examining dysfunction in neurological disease models.
Insulin transport into the central nervous system. This project aims to understand transportation of peripheral insulin into the central nervous system and how it maintains energy balance. Insulin is essential for normal physiological functioning in the periphery and central nervous system, but some circumstances, including high-fat diets, reduce insulin signalling in the brain. This project examines the mechanisms of insulin transport into the central nervous system, and may improve our underst ....Insulin transport into the central nervous system. This project aims to understand transportation of peripheral insulin into the central nervous system and how it maintains energy balance. Insulin is essential for normal physiological functioning in the periphery and central nervous system, but some circumstances, including high-fat diets, reduce insulin signalling in the brain. This project examines the mechanisms of insulin transport into the central nervous system, and may improve our understanding of blood brain barrier insulin transport and dysfunction.Read moreRead less
The role of synapse development in cognitive disorder. In humans, intellectual disability occurs when nerve cells in the brain fail to connect. The project examines fundamental molecular processes involved in synapse development of neurons. The use of insect models provides a generalised biological template to understand how synaptic molecules contribute to behaviours that underlie cognitive disorder.