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
Assessing gene function in the developing brain using zebrafish as a model system. As the average life expectancy in western countries rises there is an increasing incidence of mental health problems. Therapeutic approaches to both Alzhemier's and Parkinson's disease, as well as to brain injury following stroke, rely on a thorough understanding of how the brain develops. This is consistent with the everyday principle that if you want to fix something that is broken, then you need to understand h ....Assessing gene function in the developing brain using zebrafish as a model system. As the average life expectancy in western countries rises there is an increasing incidence of mental health problems. Therapeutic approaches to both Alzhemier's and Parkinson's disease, as well as to brain injury following stroke, rely on a thorough understanding of how the brain develops. This is consistent with the everyday principle that if you want to fix something that is broken, then you need to understand how it is put together in the first place. This project seeks to understand how the normal brain is wired together in the embryo and, in doing so it will expose novel targets for therapy in the aged.Read moreRead less
To investigate the role of the protein kinase SMG-1 in the stress response. This project is included in the designated priority area of research Promoting and Maintaining Good Health and Ageing Well. It represents a mouse model to assist in the study of human disease. It is the first mouse model for SMG-1, a protein kinase that protects against a variety of different forms of stress. The strength of the model is that it can be combined with other mouse models to interrogate and elucidate the eve ....To investigate the role of the protein kinase SMG-1 in the stress response. This project is included in the designated priority area of research Promoting and Maintaining Good Health and Ageing Well. It represents a mouse model to assist in the study of human disease. It is the first mouse model for SMG-1, a protein kinase that protects against a variety of different forms of stress. The strength of the model is that it can be combined with other mouse models to interrogate and elucidate the events occurring in different pathways for stress. The expectation is that ground-breaking data will be generated with this model providing scientific leadership on the role of this protein. It will also assist in establishing new collaborations.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354793
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
A Neural Network: Understanding Brain Function. This proposal focuses on the mechanisms that regulate brain function, particularly those underpinning the changes in circuitry (plasticity) caused by altered inputs. As such, its core goal is to create an interface between researchers in the neurosciences, computational modelling, robotics and cognitive sciences in order to facilitate optimum collaborative interactions, identify key research questions and promote training opportunities across a mul ....A Neural Network: Understanding Brain Function. This proposal focuses on the mechanisms that regulate brain function, particularly those underpinning the changes in circuitry (plasticity) caused by altered inputs. As such, its core goal is to create an interface between researchers in the neurosciences, computational modelling, robotics and cognitive sciences in order to facilitate optimum collaborative interactions, identify key research questions and promote training opportunities across a multidisciplinary spectrum. This will drive an integrated and accelerated program of discovery and technological development, enhancing Australia's leadership in this crucial field and helping to highlight new biotechnology opportunities and capture social and economic benefits for the nation. Read moreRead less
Targeted enzymatic treatment of the injured central nervous system using innovative nanotechnology. Nanotechnology and other frontier areas in science have exciting potential to solve major challenges of the 21st century, including health. The proposed research provides the real possibility of discovering ways to alleviate the many complex problems associated with neurotrauma following, for example, brain and spinal cord injury. Current delivery of therapeutics do not work effectively and new ap ....Targeted enzymatic treatment of the injured central nervous system using innovative nanotechnology. Nanotechnology and other frontier areas in science have exciting potential to solve major challenges of the 21st century, including health. The proposed research provides the real possibility of discovering ways to alleviate the many complex problems associated with neurotrauma following, for example, brain and spinal cord injury. Current delivery of therapeutics do not work effectively and new approaches are urgently needed. The recently established powerful multidisciplinary research team combines expertise in nanotechnology, glycobiology and neuroscience to develop novel, safe ways to deliver therapeutic enzymes over biological time-courses. We aim to make broken connections work again, while providing quality research training.Read moreRead less
Using magnetic nanotechnology to aid recovery from neurotrauma. Nanotechnology is an exciting new field that holds great promise to solve challenging health issues including neurotrauma associated with brain and spinal cord injury. Current methods to deliver drugs and stimulate tissue repair after neurotrauma do not work effectively and new approaches are urgently need. The recently established research team brings together expertise in nanotechnology and neuroscience to develop new, safe ways t ....Using magnetic nanotechnology to aid recovery from neurotrauma. Nanotechnology is an exciting new field that holds great promise to solve challenging health issues including neurotrauma associated with brain and spinal cord injury. Current methods to deliver drugs and stimulate tissue repair after neurotrauma do not work effectively and new approaches are urgently need. The recently established research team brings together expertise in nanotechnology and neuroscience to develop new, safe ways to deliver drugs and stimulate tissue repair after neurotrauma, and provide quality research training. Specifically designed nanomaterials will deliver drugs slowly over time and act as scaffolds to stop cells dying and stimulate them to restore broken connections and work again. Read moreRead less
Brain lateralization: its function, evolution, development and change with ageing. Brain research is undoubtedly one of the key research fields today. This project involves highly innovative research at the highest international level, keeping Australia at the forefront of research on brain lateralization, a very important field of brain research in humans and animals (co-founded by the applicant). This project 1) investigates dynamic changes of the developing, mature and ageing brain for vital ....Brain lateralization: its function, evolution, development and change with ageing. Brain research is undoubtedly one of the key research fields today. This project involves highly innovative research at the highest international level, keeping Australia at the forefront of research on brain lateralization, a very important field of brain research in humans and animals (co-founded by the applicant). This project 1) investigates dynamic changes of the developing, mature and ageing brain for vital functions using animal models, thus contributing importantly to our understanding of normal functions of the human brain, including some forms of mental dysfunction and also ageing; 2) trains postgraduate students at the highest standards and 3) maintains important collaboration with colleagues in Europe. Read moreRead less
Unravelling the sub-nuclear complexity of the brain. Understanding the function of the brain is a major frontier of scientific research. The ability to increase knowledge of brain function is reliant upon the development of novel methods. This application will develop a novel approach for understanding the function of particular nerve cells. One outcome will be demonstration of the applicability of a novel method of benefit to all brain researchers. Another outcome will be increased understandin ....Unravelling the sub-nuclear complexity of the brain. Understanding the function of the brain is a major frontier of scientific research. The ability to increase knowledge of brain function is reliant upon the development of novel methods. This application will develop a novel approach for understanding the function of particular nerve cells. One outcome will be demonstration of the applicability of a novel method of benefit to all brain researchers. Another outcome will be increased understanding of one brain region that is known to contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease. It is expected that increased knowledge of brain function will lead to novel theories of brain disease and therapeutic strategies.Read moreRead less
Calcium Signalling and Sequestration at Vertebrate Motor-Nerve Terminals. A fundamental process at Synapses is the release of transmitter from nerve terminals due to the initiation of calcium signalling in the temrinals by impulses. This calcium signalling must be terminated by sequestering processes. The aim of this project is to identify these processes in a vertebrate motor-nerve terminal and to determine the means by which calcium signals the changes in efficacy of transmitter release during ....Calcium Signalling and Sequestration at Vertebrate Motor-Nerve Terminals. A fundamental process at Synapses is the release of transmitter from nerve terminals due to the initiation of calcium signalling in the temrinals by impulses. This calcium signalling must be terminated by sequestering processes. The aim of this project is to identify these processes in a vertebrate motor-nerve terminal and to determine the means by which calcium signals the changes in efficacy of transmitter release during trains of impulses. This work will give a complete description of calcium signalling in a vertebrate nerve terminal and provide the basis for ameliorating failures in transmission from nerve to muscle.Read moreRead less
Assessing gene function in the developing brain using zebrafish as a model system. As the average life expectancy in western countries increases there is an increasing incidence of mental health problems in the general population. Therapeutic approaches to Alzhemier's and Parkinson's disease as well as to brain injury arising from stroke rely on a thorough understanding of the molecular and physiological mechanisms of normal growth of this tissue. These are the very processes that need to be rea ....Assessing gene function in the developing brain using zebrafish as a model system. As the average life expectancy in western countries increases there is an increasing incidence of mental health problems in the general population. Therapeutic approaches to Alzhemier's and Parkinson's disease as well as to brain injury arising from stroke rely on a thorough understanding of the molecular and physiological mechanisms of normal growth of this tissue. These are the very processes that need to be reactivated in these diseases for recovery of function. This project seeks to understand normal development of the brain and in doing so it will expose novel targets for therapy in the aged. Read moreRead less