Understanding how cells store and use iron . This project aims to understand the mechanism and function of the protein nanocage, ferritin, which stores iron in the body ready for use on demand. Iron is an essential element, vital for wellbeing. To understand iron we need to understand ferritin. Despite being widely studied, how ferritin actually works remains unclear. This project aims to use an interdisciplinary approach combining protein biochemistry, spectroscopy, genetics and whole organism ....Understanding how cells store and use iron . This project aims to understand the mechanism and function of the protein nanocage, ferritin, which stores iron in the body ready for use on demand. Iron is an essential element, vital for wellbeing. To understand iron we need to understand ferritin. Despite being widely studied, how ferritin actually works remains unclear. This project aims to use an interdisciplinary approach combining protein biochemistry, spectroscopy, genetics and whole organism studies. It will develop new techniques to enable the physiological role of iron to be explored. Outcomes of this innovative platform are anticipated to include in-depth understanding of how ferritin functions to unravel its fundamental role in iron storage and release ready for re-use.Read moreRead less
Developing the dunnart as a marsupial model for conservation research. The Australian bushfire crisis of 2020 has taken an enormous toll on our unique wildlife. With no halt in sight to rising global temperatures, more extreme weather events are predicted to increase in frequency and severity. We simply must act now to preserve our unique native mammals in Australia and safeguard against species loss and irreversible declines in genetic diversity. This project will develop methods for the genera ....Developing the dunnart as a marsupial model for conservation research. The Australian bushfire crisis of 2020 has taken an enormous toll on our unique wildlife. With no halt in sight to rising global temperatures, more extreme weather events are predicted to increase in frequency and severity. We simply must act now to preserve our unique native mammals in Australia and safeguard against species loss and irreversible declines in genetic diversity. This project will develop methods for the generation and preservation of stem cells from a range of our most endangered and vulnerable marsupial species. These cells not only allow us to ‘bank’ species and genetic diversity but also provide a route to enabling genetic manipulation, opening up a completely new niche for conservation biology in marsupials.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220101087
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$453,580.00
Summary
Impact of shift work on emergency performance, decision making and stress. Sleep and circadian disruptions due to shift work are common for emergency personnel, but their impact on team performance and decision making is poorly understood. Using an ecologically relevant simulated work environment, this project aims to examine how shift work influences work performance and team decision making and identify potential stress-related mechanisms that may underpin impairments in these outcomes. By und ....Impact of shift work on emergency performance, decision making and stress. Sleep and circadian disruptions due to shift work are common for emergency personnel, but their impact on team performance and decision making is poorly understood. Using an ecologically relevant simulated work environment, this project aims to examine how shift work influences work performance and team decision making and identify potential stress-related mechanisms that may underpin impairments in these outcomes. By understanding the role poor sleep and circadian misalignment due to shift work play on work performance, this project will inform industry practices and training approaches designed to optimise workplace safety and emergency performance. This project will benefit emergency personnel and the people who depend on these services.Read moreRead less
Unravelling the contributions of Denisovan DNA to the peoples of Oceania. This project aims to investigate the impact gene flow from Denisovans, an archaic hominin species, has had on individuals from Papua New Guinea and eastern Indonesia. These people owe up to 5% of their genomes to these mysterious ancestors, but the repercussions of this finding remain poorly understood. In order to identify the biological contributions these fragments of DNA make to the individuals who carry them, this pro ....Unravelling the contributions of Denisovan DNA to the peoples of Oceania. This project aims to investigate the impact gene flow from Denisovans, an archaic hominin species, has had on individuals from Papua New Guinea and eastern Indonesia. These people owe up to 5% of their genomes to these mysterious ancestors, but the repercussions of this finding remain poorly understood. In order to identify the biological contributions these fragments of DNA make to the individuals who carry them, this project aims to combine anthropological genetics with cutting-edge functional genomics in a pioneer multidisciplinary approach. Ultimately, this project may transform our understanding of both the population and evolutionary pressures that have acted upon these groups in the past 50,000 years.Read moreRead less
Molecular mechanisms of novel bacterial copper defense proteins. This project aims to reveal molecular and cellular mechanisms used by bacteria to neutralise the destructive effects of copper. Copper is an essential trace element in living systems. It is toxic to bacteria and so plays a vital role in nutritional immunity. To counteract copper toxicity, bacteria have evolved defense mechanisms. The project will investigate a novel but poorly understood class of bacterial proteins, the suppressor ....Molecular mechanisms of novel bacterial copper defense proteins. This project aims to reveal molecular and cellular mechanisms used by bacteria to neutralise the destructive effects of copper. Copper is an essential trace element in living systems. It is toxic to bacteria and so plays a vital role in nutritional immunity. To counteract copper toxicity, bacteria have evolved defense mechanisms. The project will investigate a novel but poorly understood class of bacterial proteins, the suppressor of copper sensitivity proteins, that contribute to this key virulence trait. The expected outcomes will be fundamental new knowledge of metallo-protein diversity, bacterial virulence mechanisms, and membrane protein function with potential impact on health, environment, and biotechnology.Read moreRead less
Glauconite: Archive Recording Timing and Triggers of Cambrian Radiation . This project aims to constrain the timing and speed of the Cambrian radiation of complex animals, and to test potential environmental triggers of this milestone bioevent. New laser mass spectrometry and mineral mapping technology will be integrated to precisely date glauconite – a silicate mineral commonly formed in Cambrian shallow marine animal habitats. This innovative and cost-effective approach will produce the first ....Glauconite: Archive Recording Timing and Triggers of Cambrian Radiation . This project aims to constrain the timing and speed of the Cambrian radiation of complex animals, and to test potential environmental triggers of this milestone bioevent. New laser mass spectrometry and mineral mapping technology will be integrated to precisely date glauconite – a silicate mineral commonly formed in Cambrian shallow marine animal habitats. This innovative and cost-effective approach will produce the first high-resolution timeline of early animal evolution, where the glauconite-based marine isotope record identifies the most likely environmental trigger for the Cambrian Radiation. Outcomes of this study include improved understanding of the drivers of animal evolution, and a new dating tool for basic and applied research.Read moreRead less
Biophysics-informed deep learning framework for magnetic resonance imaging. This project aims to bring about a paradigm shift from the conventional non-quantitative magnetic resonance imaging to ultra-fast, quantitative, and artefact free imaging. This project integrates biophysics and artificial intelligence, and it is expected to bring new knowledge in both fields. The expected outcomes of this project include next generation magnetic resonance imaging methods with a fundamental shift in the ....Biophysics-informed deep learning framework for magnetic resonance imaging. This project aims to bring about a paradigm shift from the conventional non-quantitative magnetic resonance imaging to ultra-fast, quantitative, and artefact free imaging. This project integrates biophysics and artificial intelligence, and it is expected to bring new knowledge in both fields. The expected outcomes of this project include next generation magnetic resonance imaging methods with a fundamental shift in the approach to image artefacts and image quantification. This project is expected to advance both single subject and population level biomedical imaging with greater accuracy and cost-effectiveness. This project also promotes explainable and generalisable artificial intelligence in medical imaging.Read moreRead less
Artificial light at night as a driver of evolutionary change. This project aims to investigate whether artificial light at night drives evolutionary change using a combination of field observations, laboratory experiments and advanced genetic techniques. This multi-disciplinary study expects to provide a significant advance in understanding of the impact of light at night for animals and will enhance our capacity to predict the outcome of future urban expansions for all species. The outcomes wil ....Artificial light at night as a driver of evolutionary change. This project aims to investigate whether artificial light at night drives evolutionary change using a combination of field observations, laboratory experiments and advanced genetic techniques. This multi-disciplinary study expects to provide a significant advance in understanding of the impact of light at night for animals and will enhance our capacity to predict the outcome of future urban expansions for all species. The outcomes will have broad implications for estimating the future biodiversity and health of our urban areas and will benefit both globally and within Australia by providing much needed data regarding the likely resilience of species currently residing in our major cities.Read moreRead less
Parameter estimation for genetic time-series data: Theory and methods. This project aims to develop a novel computational framework for solving parameter estimation problems in evolutionary modelling by leveraging genetic time-series data measured by Next-Generation Sequencing technologies. It will foster international collaboration, cutting across disciplines. By introducing new techniques from signal processing and tools from random matrix theory commonly employed for mobile wireless communica ....Parameter estimation for genetic time-series data: Theory and methods. This project aims to develop a novel computational framework for solving parameter estimation problems in evolutionary modelling by leveraging genetic time-series data measured by Next-Generation Sequencing technologies. It will foster international collaboration, cutting across disciplines. By introducing new techniques from signal processing and tools from random matrix theory commonly employed for mobile wireless communications, it seeks to design scalable inference methods for resolving mutational fitness effects from genetic time-series measurements of complex evolving populations. This would enable new understanding of complex adaptive systems, such as pathogen evolution, host-immune dynamics, and acquisition of drug resistance. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100511
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$450,000.00
Summary
Molecular-Scale Interaction of Nanomaterials with Biomembranes. This project aims to develop a holistic understanding of how nanoparticles, and nanomaterials in general, interact with cellular materials, via the cell membrane on a molecular level. To date, the precise mechanism by which nanomaterials, such as particles, colloids, and sheets, interact with cellular material is poorly understood.
This project expects to generate new, fundamental knowledge in the field, and establish a platform for ....Molecular-Scale Interaction of Nanomaterials with Biomembranes. This project aims to develop a holistic understanding of how nanoparticles, and nanomaterials in general, interact with cellular materials, via the cell membrane on a molecular level. To date, the precise mechanism by which nanomaterials, such as particles, colloids, and sheets, interact with cellular material is poorly understood.
This project expects to generate new, fundamental knowledge in the field, and establish a platform for high-resolution, in situ, molecular-scale imaging of nanoscale events at the biomembrane. This will develop a fundamental understanding of the dynamics of nanomaterial-cell interactions, and provide benefit in the development of next-generation nanomaterial-based therapeutics and diagnostic technologies.
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