Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100003
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$387,373.00
Summary
The evolution of venom and its role in shaping biodiversity. This project aims to study how venom, nature's most powerful weapon, evolves and shapes biodiversity. Using the iconic Australian and New Guinean venomous snakes as a model, this project expects to develop a novel approach to profile venom composition from museum specimens, test competing hypotheses on the evolution of venoms, and test for the association between the evolution of venoms and the evolution of diversity in species richnes ....The evolution of venom and its role in shaping biodiversity. This project aims to study how venom, nature's most powerful weapon, evolves and shapes biodiversity. Using the iconic Australian and New Guinean venomous snakes as a model, this project expects to develop a novel approach to profile venom composition from museum specimens, test competing hypotheses on the evolution of venoms, and test for the association between the evolution of venoms and the evolution of diversity in species richness and morphology. Expected outcomes include the largest venom database for any animal group and a better understanding of how venoms evolve and what role they play in earth’s biodiversity. The generated venom data has potential to be used in future studies to aid in the development of anti-venoms and drugs.Read moreRead less
Asgard archaea: the first eukaryotic cells? . This project aims to uncover the role of unique microorganisms (Asgard archaea) in the origin of eukaryotes. These archaea may represent a ‘missing-link’ in eukaryotic evolution and are in abundance in the stromatolites in Shark Bay, Western Australia. Employing an innovative and interdisciplinary approach of cutting-edge molecular biology and high-resolution microscopy, this project expects to generate insights into fundamental aspects of evolution ....Asgard archaea: the first eukaryotic cells? . This project aims to uncover the role of unique microorganisms (Asgard archaea) in the origin of eukaryotes. These archaea may represent a ‘missing-link’ in eukaryotic evolution and are in abundance in the stromatolites in Shark Bay, Western Australia. Employing an innovative and interdisciplinary approach of cutting-edge molecular biology and high-resolution microscopy, this project expects to generate insights into fundamental aspects of evolution and cell biology. Expected outcomes include the discovery of unique branches of life and the proposal of new models for the emergence of eukaryotes. This research should allow for benefits across a spectrum of environmental and social gains, including improved ties with Indigenous communities.Read moreRead less
Rerunning the evolution of an ancient bacterial propeller. This project aims to measure how the propeller which drives bacterial swimming originated and then evolved. This project expects to generate new knowledge in molecular evolution using interdisciplinary techniques in synthetic biology and biophysics to resurrect ancient proteins and test how they can be directed to evolve in a contemporary host. Expected outcomes include the development of new types of flagellar motor for applied uses in ....Rerunning the evolution of an ancient bacterial propeller. This project aims to measure how the propeller which drives bacterial swimming originated and then evolved. This project expects to generate new knowledge in molecular evolution using interdisciplinary techniques in synthetic biology and biophysics to resurrect ancient proteins and test how they can be directed to evolve in a contemporary host. Expected outcomes include the development of new types of flagellar motor for applied uses in synbio and microfluidics, and new methods to resurrect ancient proteins and evolve their function for purpose. This should provide significant benefits by delivering a de novo molecular motor for custom applications and galvanise public interest in how this iconic molecular complex originated and evolved.Read moreRead less
Explaining virus diversity. To prevent virus pandemics, it is necessary to understand how viruses evolve. This project aims to reveal the long-term trends, processes and drivers of RNA virus diversity and evolution. Through the metagenomic sequencing of the viromes of Australian animals that mark evolutionary innovations and transitions this project will reshape our knowledge of virus evolution and disease emergence. Expected outcomes will be a new understanding of how virus diversity is created ....Explaining virus diversity. To prevent virus pandemics, it is necessary to understand how viruses evolve. This project aims to reveal the long-term trends, processes and drivers of RNA virus diversity and evolution. Through the metagenomic sequencing of the viromes of Australian animals that mark evolutionary innovations and transitions this project will reshape our knowledge of virus evolution and disease emergence. Expected outcomes will be a new understanding of how virus diversity is created, how virus phenotypes have changed through time, how often viruses jump to new host species, and how major events in animal evolution have shaped virus diversity. Key benefits include new measures of the viral burden faced by Australia’s native animals and of ecosystem health.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100305
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$399,064.00
Summary
Revealing the origin and early evolution of spiralian animal body plans. This project aims to reconstruct the early evolutionary history of the Spiralia, a megadiverse animal group that extends back 540 million years. Their oldest fossils represent some of the earliest known animals and can reveal much about the speed and magnitude of evolution during the Cambrian Explosion, when most animal groups rapidly appeared. This project expects to generate new knowledge on the origin and radiation of so ....Revealing the origin and early evolution of spiralian animal body plans. This project aims to reconstruct the early evolutionary history of the Spiralia, a megadiverse animal group that extends back 540 million years. Their oldest fossils represent some of the earliest known animals and can reveal much about the speed and magnitude of evolution during the Cambrian Explosion, when most animal groups rapidly appeared. This project expects to generate new knowledge on the origin and radiation of some of the first animal body plans to better understand the early history of complex life. Anticipated outcomes and benefits include a new macroevolutionary framework for spiralians, novel approaches to studying invertebrate fossils, and highlighting the scientific importance of Australia’s natural heritage.Read moreRead less