Plasticity of gastrointestinal vagal afferents. The aim of this project is to identify how leptin modulates specific subtypes of vagal afferent within the gut and the plasticity of this system under different dietary conditions. This proposed project will substantially increase understanding of the interactions between leptin, known to influence food intake, and vagal afferent satiety signals. It will also increase understanding of how these interactions alter in obesity and ultimately provide t ....Plasticity of gastrointestinal vagal afferents. The aim of this project is to identify how leptin modulates specific subtypes of vagal afferent within the gut and the plasticity of this system under different dietary conditions. This proposed project will substantially increase understanding of the interactions between leptin, known to influence food intake, and vagal afferent satiety signals. It will also increase understanding of how these interactions alter in obesity and ultimately provide targets and/or concepts for the pharmacotherapy of obesity.Read moreRead less
Long-term Nerve Damage In Cancer Survivors: Identification Of Risk Factors And Optimal Assessment Strategies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$850,172.00
Summary
Nerve damage following chemotherapy treatment leads to early treatment cessation and long-lasting disability, developing with commonly used chemotherapies. There is a critical need to understand the mechanisms, optimize clinical assessment and develop interventions to prevent nerve damage. This project is designed to detect the impact of long-term nerve damage in cancer survivors and develop a risk profile based on clinical, neurophysiological and genetic factors.
Promoting Regrowth Of Nerve Fibres Into The Epidermis During Diabetic Neuropathy By LRP Agonists
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$427,102.00
Summary
Nerve damage can develop post injury or disease and is often very debilitating, slow to heal and can cause increased pain. Our work aims to examine a new class of molecules that we show can activate selected fat-receptors on nerve cells to guide the growth of regenerating nerves. We will determine how these receptors function with the aim of developing a novel class of therapeutics directed at healing nerve damage.
The role of spike patterning in shaping human perception of tactile stimuli. Every touch sensation from our fingertips is conveyed to the brain through the nerves by means of electrical impulses similar to any digital device. Using unique technology developed in our lab we can intercept this neural communication and insert our own messages to test how these signals are interpreted and converted into perceptual experiences. We aim to reveal the rules by which timing of neural signal patterns shap ....The role of spike patterning in shaping human perception of tactile stimuli. Every touch sensation from our fingertips is conveyed to the brain through the nerves by means of electrical impulses similar to any digital device. Using unique technology developed in our lab we can intercept this neural communication and insert our own messages to test how these signals are interpreted and converted into perceptual experiences. We aim to reveal the rules by which timing of neural signal patterns shapes the perception of touch - specifically intensity and frequency of vibration. By recording signals from neurons and by testing human perception, we will learn about neural processing mechanisms. The new knowledge generated about sensory coding will be essential for rendering a virtual sense of touch.Read moreRead less
The encoding of friction by tactile mechanoreceptors - the key to fingertip force control during dexterous object manipulation by humans. Unmatched human ability to control the hand so that brittle objects are gently held without slipping, or being crushed by excessive force rely on sophisticated tactile sense in the fingertips. This project will record and analyse signals which human nerves are sending from fingertip receptors to the brain centres controlling hand actions.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989703
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
Multiphoton microscope for cellular imaging in live animals. The proposed facility will for the first time allow scientists across Sydney to monitor cell function in intact brain and muscle tissues. The novel optical approach combines fluorescent markers with sophisticated microscopy. The presence of this facility will allow Australian scientists to design new approaches to fundamental biological questions concerning cellular function within the normal environment. In addition this facility wi ....Multiphoton microscope for cellular imaging in live animals. The proposed facility will for the first time allow scientists across Sydney to monitor cell function in intact brain and muscle tissues. The novel optical approach combines fluorescent markers with sophisticated microscopy. The presence of this facility will allow Australian scientists to design new approaches to fundamental biological questions concerning cellular function within the normal environment. In addition this facility will allow PhD and post-doctoral scientists to train and have access to a rapidly developing and cutting edge approach to biological problems.Read moreRead less
Sensory mechanisms underlying human dexterity in object manipulation. This project aims to understand the sensory mechanisms and biomechanics underlying sensory encoding. Tactile sensory information is crucial for controlling grip forces so that delicate objects are held without slipping, or being crushed by excessive force. This project will record signals from single human tactile receptors using microneurography. By modelling the neural data with skin biomechanical events, this project aims t ....Sensory mechanisms underlying human dexterity in object manipulation. This project aims to understand the sensory mechanisms and biomechanics underlying sensory encoding. Tactile sensory information is crucial for controlling grip forces so that delicate objects are held without slipping, or being crushed by excessive force. This project will record signals from single human tactile receptors using microneurography. By modelling the neural data with skin biomechanical events, this project aims to reveal sensory mechanisms underlying the human ability to manipulate objects and use tools. This research could lead to next generation sensory-controlled prosthetics and robotic manipulators.Read moreRead less
Novel Applied Bayesian Statistics for Monitoring Neuromuscular Diseases. Neurological diseases such as motor neurone disease are caused by the progressive death of motor units serving a muscle. Currently there are no ways of quantifying and detecting change in the number of motor units serving a muscle which are non-invasive. Our research will provide an objective method for the progression of neuromuscular diseases to be monitored with minimal inconvenience to patients. This will allow clinic ....Novel Applied Bayesian Statistics for Monitoring Neuromuscular Diseases. Neurological diseases such as motor neurone disease are caused by the progressive death of motor units serving a muscle. Currently there are no ways of quantifying and detecting change in the number of motor units serving a muscle which are non-invasive. Our research will provide an objective method for the progression of neuromuscular diseases to be monitored with minimal inconvenience to patients. This will allow clinical trials for possible effective treatments of neurological diseases such as motor neurone disease to be conducted with an objective measurement of disease progression. Read moreRead less
Membrane excitability and cellular calcium regulation in the peripheral nervous system under different (patho)-physiological conditions and in inflammatory disease. Studies of cytokine action on neurons and muscle give new insights into functional responses of the nervous system to systemic inflammation and sepsis. In some countries, sepsis is the third most frequent cause of death following heart attack. Elucidating the pathomechanisms allows to develop therapeutic strategies. Electrophysiology ....Membrane excitability and cellular calcium regulation in the peripheral nervous system under different (patho)-physiological conditions and in inflammatory disease. Studies of cytokine action on neurons and muscle give new insights into functional responses of the nervous system to systemic inflammation and sepsis. In some countries, sepsis is the third most frequent cause of death following heart attack. Elucidating the pathomechanisms allows to develop therapeutic strategies. Electrophysiology, Ca2+ regulation and optical membrane potentiometry allow us to monitor early changes in disease on a (sub)cellular level. Experiments on Ca2+ regulation and ion channel function in muscle with different cholesterol membrane contents will help to understand pathomechanisms in high cholesterol diseases, e.g. obesity, on the membrane level long before cardiovascular effects become prominent.Read moreRead less
The Effects Of Tonic Muscle Pain On The Sympathetic And Somatic Motor Systems In Human Subjects
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$462,948.00
Summary
The main objective of this proposal is to reveal the effects of nociceptive reflexes in humans, and thus identify their functional and clinical implications. By performing invasive recordings from the nerves that control blood vessels and muscles in healthy volunteers subjected to long-lasting (~1 hour) experimental pain, this work will increase our understanding of the adaptive changes that pain induces and improve treatments to prevent pain from becoming chronic.