Role of the superior colliculus in sensory processing. The ability of an organism to attend to, and orient towards, stimuli in the environment is critical for survival. In the mammalian brain, the principal brain region performing this function is the superior colliculus. Despite its importance, little is known about the role the superior colliculus plays in sensory perception. This project addresses this issue by leveraging revolutionary new recording techniques to determine how the superior co ....Role of the superior colliculus in sensory processing. The ability of an organism to attend to, and orient towards, stimuli in the environment is critical for survival. In the mammalian brain, the principal brain region performing this function is the superior colliculus. Despite its importance, little is known about the role the superior colliculus plays in sensory perception. This project addresses this issue by leveraging revolutionary new recording techniques to determine how the superior colliculus codes sensory information and ultimately drives behaviour. The outcomes will be of immediate benefit to scientists studying sensory processing and perceptual decision making, and will help keep Australia at the forefront of brain-inspired engineering and the neuroscience-based knowledge economy.Read moreRead less
Novel mechanisms by which retinal microglia regulate vascular development. This project aims to investigate how immune cells called microglia refine the developing retinal vasculature. New knowledge utilizing state of art imaging techniques is likely to be examine a completely novel mechanism by which vascular development occurs. This information is critical for enhancing our understanding of the role of immune cells in the nervous system and will guide the development of new ways of examining t ....Novel mechanisms by which retinal microglia regulate vascular development. This project aims to investigate how immune cells called microglia refine the developing retinal vasculature. New knowledge utilizing state of art imaging techniques is likely to be examine a completely novel mechanism by which vascular development occurs. This information is critical for enhancing our understanding of the role of immune cells in the nervous system and will guide the development of new ways of examining these cells. Expected outcomes include a novel way for assessing microglia in the developing nervous system and new knowledge. In the longer term the information gained in this project may be helpful for understanding scenarios where blood vessels are abnormal, or for using microglia as a target to modify vascular function.Read moreRead less