Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100035
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$300,000.00
Summary
Hyperpolarised gas functional lung and molecular imaging. This project will produce a polariser to generate magnetised gas for research with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This allows imaging of normal and abnormal lung ventilation and circulation in animal and humans. The use of these hyperpolarised gases can also be used to tag specific molecules and increase understanding of lung metabolism.
Novel sources of nitric oxide (NO) in cells: Implications for an endocrine role for NO. Communication between cells is essential for coordinating and controlling a healthy body. A key regulator and cell-communicating molecule is the gas, nitric oxide. Although nitric oxide is a simple substance we still do not fully understand all aspects of its cellular functions. It is assumed that nitric oxide is synthesised in the body and, after release, is rapidly metabolized and eliminated. Reductions in ....Novel sources of nitric oxide (NO) in cells: Implications for an endocrine role for NO. Communication between cells is essential for coordinating and controlling a healthy body. A key regulator and cell-communicating molecule is the gas, nitric oxide. Although nitric oxide is a simple substance we still do not fully understand all aspects of its cellular functions. It is assumed that nitric oxide is synthesised in the body and, after release, is rapidly metabolized and eliminated. Reductions in the levels of nitric oxide in the body are associated with several diseases states and states of dysfunction including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and also impotence. Professor Triggle's study seeks to characterize how tissues may store nitric oxide, thus prolonging the life of nitric oxide, and how such stores are released. Read moreRead less
Transduction of neuronal signals by brain macroglial cells: implications for neuronal function. Study of mechanisms regulating brain cell (neuron and glial) communication is essential for understanding of normal brain function and transformations that occur in neurodegenerative states and age-related disorders. Mechanisms underlying neuron-glia communication are not well understood. By combining cell physiology, digital imaging technologies, and genetically designed and delivered molecules we w ....Transduction of neuronal signals by brain macroglial cells: implications for neuronal function. Study of mechanisms regulating brain cell (neuron and glial) communication is essential for understanding of normal brain function and transformations that occur in neurodegenerative states and age-related disorders. Mechanisms underlying neuron-glia communication are not well understood. By combining cell physiology, digital imaging technologies, and genetically designed and delivered molecules we will enhance our understanding of this brain cell communication and critical roles played by intracellular calcium. This will enhance international competitiveness of Australian biological research and provide novel insight of glial function in neurodegeneration and potential for specific therapeutic intervention in disease.Read moreRead less
Do depolarizing currents in the endothelium evoke contraction of vascular smooth muscle? Establishment of our concept involving a novel constricting influence in blood vessels will have two major benefits. First, it will keep Australian research at the leading edge in blood vessel research and thus maintain a very high international profile for Australian science. Second, our concept represents a whole new field of therapeutic potential for treating a range of vascular diseases involving excess ....Do depolarizing currents in the endothelium evoke contraction of vascular smooth muscle? Establishment of our concept involving a novel constricting influence in blood vessels will have two major benefits. First, it will keep Australian research at the leading edge in blood vessel research and thus maintain a very high international profile for Australian science. Second, our concept represents a whole new field of therapeutic potential for treating a range of vascular diseases involving excessive constriction of blood vessels. The development and manufacture of drugs in Australia would contribute to the national economy, and their consumption could improve the quality of life for those suffering from vascular diseases amenable to treatment by such drugs, likely to include pre-eclampsia, diabetes, hypertension.
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Regulating calcium handling in skeletal muscle - implications for muscle contraction, injury and repair, ageing and development. Understanding the mechanisms regulating calcium in skeletal muscle has important relevance for studying muscle growth and development, injury and repair, and for identifying therapeutic targets and potential therapies for ageing-related disorders, reconstructive surgery, sporting and workplace injuries, and muscle diseases. Combining cell physiology, fluorescence micro ....Regulating calcium handling in skeletal muscle - implications for muscle contraction, injury and repair, ageing and development. Understanding the mechanisms regulating calcium in skeletal muscle has important relevance for studying muscle growth and development, injury and repair, and for identifying therapeutic targets and potential therapies for ageing-related disorders, reconstructive surgery, sporting and workplace injuries, and muscle diseases. Combining cell physiology, fluorescence microscopy and digital imaging technologies for studying multicellular tissues such as skeletal muscle will enhance the international competitiveness of Australian biological research. The research will optimise development of gene delivery systems that may find eventual application for muscle wasting disorders and conditions where muscle weakness compromises quality of life.Read moreRead less
Examining novel cell signalling in the regulation of platelet structure and function. Pharmaceutical inhibition of platelet function is the primary therapy for prevention of arterial thrombosis – the most common cause of death and disability in Australia. However, current therapies have limited efficacy. Defining platelet activation mechanisms in order to rationalise more effective antithrombotic approaches is the major focus of this research. This project describes the first studies to examine ....Examining novel cell signalling in the regulation of platelet structure and function. Pharmaceutical inhibition of platelet function is the primary therapy for prevention of arterial thrombosis – the most common cause of death and disability in Australia. However, current therapies have limited efficacy. Defining platelet activation mechanisms in order to rationalise more effective antithrombotic approaches is the major focus of this research. This project describes the first studies to examine the importance of a family of intracellular signalling enzymes, the Class II phosphoinositide 3-kinases, in platelet function. These studies will define the contribution of these enzymes to platelet production and function and will establish whether their inhibition is an attractive strategy for the prevention of arterial thrombosis.Read moreRead less
Modulating the molecular and cellular physiology of ageing skeletal muscle. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of how ageing affects muscle is of increasing importance to the community as the number of older persons in the population continues to escalate and the age of retirement increases. Old muscles are slower and weaker than young muscles, and are more easily injured. This proposal is focussed on developing safe therapies to prevent or reverse these age-related effects. Making old musc ....Modulating the molecular and cellular physiology of ageing skeletal muscle. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of how ageing affects muscle is of increasing importance to the community as the number of older persons in the population continues to escalate and the age of retirement increases. Old muscles are slower and weaker than young muscles, and are more easily injured. This proposal is focussed on developing safe therapies to prevent or reverse these age-related effects. Making old muscles young again, is a research strategy that will promote healthy ageing and enable older Australians to enjoy a better quality of life.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms of calcium handling and their role in controlling smooth muscle function: evidence from transgenic mice. Calcium movements into and out of the cytoplasm of smooth muscle cells are regulated primarily by a variety of proteins located in the plasma membrane and in the sarcoplasmic reticulum and play a central role in controlling the contractile state of smooth muscle. Understanding the mechanisms that control intracellular calcium levels is fundamental to understanding smooth muscle fu ....Mechanisms of calcium handling and their role in controlling smooth muscle function: evidence from transgenic mice. Calcium movements into and out of the cytoplasm of smooth muscle cells are regulated primarily by a variety of proteins located in the plasma membrane and in the sarcoplasmic reticulum and play a central role in controlling the contractile state of smooth muscle. Understanding the mechanisms that control intracellular calcium levels is fundamental to understanding smooth muscle function. This project will employ a unique approach, involving the use of mice with targeted disruptions to genes encoding key calcium transport proteins, to gain new knowledge on the contribution of various calcium handling pathways to overall control of smooth muscle function.Read moreRead less
Estrogen signalling in gonadotropes. Estrogen action is a normal prerequisite for cyclic function of reproduction in the female, but little is known about how this important hormone acts in the relevant cells of the pituitary gland (gonadotropes). In order to gain information on normal function, we will conduct studies on gonadotropes treated with estrogen in a range of paradigms. The information will be valuable in understanding normal reproduction, but will also form the basis of further studi ....Estrogen signalling in gonadotropes. Estrogen action is a normal prerequisite for cyclic function of reproduction in the female, but little is known about how this important hormone acts in the relevant cells of the pituitary gland (gonadotropes). In order to gain information on normal function, we will conduct studies on gonadotropes treated with estrogen in a range of paradigms. The information will be valuable in understanding normal reproduction, but will also form the basis of further studies to investigate the effects of drugs that affect estrogen action and environmental estrogens. Read moreRead less