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Regulated muscle-based thermogenesis for body temperature regulation. Mammals maintain a constant core body temperature by generating heat in resting muscles in response to changes in the environmental temperatures. This project aims to show how the skeletal muscles that are closer to the body core contribute the majority of heat, how the muscles of the limbs have their heat generation curtailed as necessary, and how this is coordinated by the body in response to ambient temperature. Project out ....Regulated muscle-based thermogenesis for body temperature regulation. Mammals maintain a constant core body temperature by generating heat in resting muscles in response to changes in the environmental temperatures. This project aims to show how the skeletal muscles that are closer to the body core contribute the majority of heat, how the muscles of the limbs have their heat generation curtailed as necessary, and how this is coordinated by the body in response to ambient temperature. Project outcomes include defining, for the first time, how heat generation in the muscles of the body is regulated. This should provide critical knowledge of mammalian evolution and ways to manipulate metabolism, which may provide ways to assist the production of meat by managing hypothermia and hyperthermia risk in agriculture.Read moreRead less
Physiology of oxygen transport in the mammalian kidney. This project aims to improve understanding of oxygen regulation in renal tissue and knowledge of the physiology of the kidney. The mammalian kidney receives more oxygen than it uses or needs, and yet renal tissue is commonly found to be hypoxic. This project proposes that oxygen transport to the renal tissue is limited by blood vessel surface area. The project expects to generate anatomical data currently missing from the renal physiology c ....Physiology of oxygen transport in the mammalian kidney. This project aims to improve understanding of oxygen regulation in renal tissue and knowledge of the physiology of the kidney. The mammalian kidney receives more oxygen than it uses or needs, and yet renal tissue is commonly found to be hypoxic. This project proposes that oxygen transport to the renal tissue is limited by blood vessel surface area. The project expects to generate anatomical data currently missing from the renal physiology community, and potentially change the accepted story of oxygen homeostasis in the kidney. This will provide significant benefits, such as the provision of the foundational physiological science behind a determinant of kidney health and its flow-on impact to quality of life.Read moreRead less
Understanding the determinants of age-related muscle wasting in females . This project aims to investigate the fundamental mechanisms underlying age-related muscle wasting in females. Females live longer than males and are more susceptible to the consequences of muscle ageing. Yet, our current knowledge is overwhelmingly inferred from findings from male cohorts. By comprehensively mapping the functional, molecular and epigenetic mechanisms of ageing in female muscle, this project will generate n ....Understanding the determinants of age-related muscle wasting in females . This project aims to investigate the fundamental mechanisms underlying age-related muscle wasting in females. Females live longer than males and are more susceptible to the consequences of muscle ageing. Yet, our current knowledge is overwhelmingly inferred from findings from male cohorts. By comprehensively mapping the functional, molecular and epigenetic mechanisms of ageing in female muscle, this project will generate new, fundamental knowledge that will allow a unique interpretation of previous research through a sex-specific lens. This knowledge will contribute to better inform sex-specific models of research and practice in the future, ultimately delivering economic and social benefits for Australia and international communities.Read moreRead less
Age-related mechanisms of amino acid signalling in skeletal muscle. This project aims to increase our understanding of the role of glycine receptor-mediated signalling and its metabolism in the amino acid sensing capacity of mTORC1, a key enzyme regulating muscle protein synthesis. Ageing is associated with a progressive decline in skeletal muscle mass, weakness, and impaired regeneration after injury. Impaired anabolic signalling after food intake has been proposed as a key contributor, yet the ....Age-related mechanisms of amino acid signalling in skeletal muscle. This project aims to increase our understanding of the role of glycine receptor-mediated signalling and its metabolism in the amino acid sensing capacity of mTORC1, a key enzyme regulating muscle protein synthesis. Ageing is associated with a progressive decline in skeletal muscle mass, weakness, and impaired regeneration after injury. Impaired anabolic signalling after food intake has been proposed as a key contributor, yet the metabolic pathways responsible for nutrient sensing and regulation of protein synthesis remain unresolved. The project will assess defective amino acid sensing and protein synthesis in old mammals, identifying the role of glycine signalling in these processes. The project expects to underpin development of muscle-specific modulators of muscle homeostasis with broad relevance to Australia’s ageing population.Read moreRead less
Microfluidic models of the CNS: Understanding cells, circuits & synapses. Aims: We aim to develop new cell culture platforms to form defined networks of brain cells. These platforms will be used to determine the critical mechanisms underpinning central nervous system function.
Significance: The devices developed will enable an unprecedented capacity to monitor changes throughout a network, with analysis at the level of the synapse, cell and circuit.
Expected outcomes: We will advance knowledge ....Microfluidic models of the CNS: Understanding cells, circuits & synapses. Aims: We aim to develop new cell culture platforms to form defined networks of brain cells. These platforms will be used to determine the critical mechanisms underpinning central nervous system function.
Significance: The devices developed will enable an unprecedented capacity to monitor changes throughout a network, with analysis at the level of the synapse, cell and circuit.
Expected outcomes: We will advance knowledge regarding the function of the CNS and deliver complex human cellular systems, that have both discovery and commercial applications.
Benefit: These platforms will have subsequent application revealing the mechanisms underlying numerous neurological diseases, with capacity to upscale for rapid drug screening.
Read moreRead less
A new model for animal growth. This project aims to test and further develop a new theory for how animals grow. The new growth theory brings together the fields of physiology, ecology, and evolutionary biology, generating research publications, and training students. The proposed research is anticipated to provide a fundamentally new means for understanding how animals divide energy among growth and reproduction, paving the way for organismal allocation to these processes to be optimised by sele ....A new model for animal growth. This project aims to test and further develop a new theory for how animals grow. The new growth theory brings together the fields of physiology, ecology, and evolutionary biology, generating research publications, and training students. The proposed research is anticipated to provide a fundamentally new means for understanding how animals divide energy among growth and reproduction, paving the way for organismal allocation to these processes to be optimised by selective breeding or genetic manipulation, yielding potential benefits for aquaculture (enhanced growth) or re-introduction (enhanced reproduction).Read moreRead less
The recirculation of myeloid dendritic cells. This project aims to understand dendritic cell recirculation. It will use virological tools to track dendritic cell migration, and identify key decision points. Expected outcomes include enhanced capacity in basic research and greater interdisciplinary collaboration between virology and immunology research groups. Significant benefits will include a new understanding of how G protein coupled receptor signalling and other tissue cues guide dendritic c ....The recirculation of myeloid dendritic cells. This project aims to understand dendritic cell recirculation. It will use virological tools to track dendritic cell migration, and identify key decision points. Expected outcomes include enhanced capacity in basic research and greater interdisciplinary collaboration between virology and immunology research groups. Significant benefits will include a new understanding of how G protein coupled receptor signalling and other tissue cues guide dendritic cell recirculation, and what consequences the recirculation has for immune cell function. This understanding will significantly advance our basic understanding of the immune system.Read moreRead less
Activity-based chemogenetics: a novel approach to modulating brain function. Aim: To unravel the astounding complexity of the vertebrate brain by developing a completely novel method, that enables manipulation of the activity of defined nerve cells to study behaviour. Significance: Such technical advances are essential for understanding the intricate function of the brain. Expected outcomes: We will provide a technical advance of broad scope that will lead to novel neuroscience throughout the wo ....Activity-based chemogenetics: a novel approach to modulating brain function. Aim: To unravel the astounding complexity of the vertebrate brain by developing a completely novel method, that enables manipulation of the activity of defined nerve cells to study behaviour. Significance: Such technical advances are essential for understanding the intricate function of the brain. Expected outcomes: We will provide a technical advance of broad scope that will lead to novel neuroscience throughout the world. We will also increase understanding of body weight control through the experiments planned to validate our tool. Benefit: Our technical advance has the potential to alter experimental protocols, and the information obtained by experimental neuroscience, across all areas attempting to understand brain function.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100403
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$468,582.00
Summary
Defining how gut bacteria regulate metabolism: a role for gut serotonin. This project aims to understand how serotonin-producing cells in the gut interact with gut bacteria (the microbiome), using a combination of cells in culture and live germ-free and genetically modified mice. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding cellular interactions that underlie important physiological pathways, such as the control of blood glucose and fat storage. The intended outcomes of this project ....Defining how gut bacteria regulate metabolism: a role for gut serotonin. This project aims to understand how serotonin-producing cells in the gut interact with gut bacteria (the microbiome), using a combination of cells in culture and live germ-free and genetically modified mice. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding cellular interactions that underlie important physiological pathways, such as the control of blood glucose and fat storage. The intended outcomes of this project are to identify how gut bacteria communicate with serotonin-producing cells to regulate metabolism, and whether diet acts via a gut microbiome-serotonin axis to impact physiology. The expected benefit of this project will be to provide a new understanding of highly complex physiological systems that regulate our health.Read moreRead less
Understanding uterine contractility for reducing newborn lamb mortality. The project aims to elucidate the mechanisms underlying normal and dysfunctional uterine contractions in labouring ewes. Significantly, ~20% of newborn lambs die within days of birth, costing the Australian sheep industry more than $780 million annually. Difficult lambing is the leading cause of lamb mortality and weak uterine contractions are the most important contributor to difficult labour (dystocia). Intended outcomes ....Understanding uterine contractility for reducing newborn lamb mortality. The project aims to elucidate the mechanisms underlying normal and dysfunctional uterine contractions in labouring ewes. Significantly, ~20% of newborn lambs die within days of birth, costing the Australian sheep industry more than $780 million annually. Difficult lambing is the leading cause of lamb mortality and weak uterine contractions are the most important contributor to difficult labour (dystocia). Intended outcomes include a better understanding of dysfunctional labour contractions in sheep, and this knowledge could then contribute to the identification of more specific targets for genetic testing for dystocia. The benefits should include more specific aids for selective breeding programs for improved productivity and profitability.Read moreRead less