The Epigenetics of Sex in the Dragon. Genetic codes do not directly translate to phenotypes -- environment acts through epigenetics to modify development. We use advanced molecular techniques to examine how epigenetics responds to temperature to reverse sex in our novel animal model, the dragon lizard. How does the cell sense temperature? Once the extrinsic signal is captured, how does it influence chromatin modification to release or suppress key genes in the sex differentiation pathway? Which ....The Epigenetics of Sex in the Dragon. Genetic codes do not directly translate to phenotypes -- environment acts through epigenetics to modify development. We use advanced molecular techniques to examine how epigenetics responds to temperature to reverse sex in our novel animal model, the dragon lizard. How does the cell sense temperature? Once the extrinsic signal is captured, how does it influence chromatin modification to release or suppress key genes in the sex differentiation pathway? Which sex genes are targets? Epigenetic enzymes are astonishingly conserved, providing exciting opportunities to draw from human systems to unravel novel signatures of temperature-induced sex switching in reptiles. This project will advance knowledge of developmental programming generally.Read moreRead less
History, transport, or temperature: solving the riddle of Australia's temperate marine biodiversity. Maintaining a healthy and biologically diverse marine environment is essential for sustaining economic development. This project will integrate different research fields to answer fundamental questions about marine biodiversity. This will improve the capacity to identify priorities for conservation planning and sustainable use of Australia's marine assets.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200101064
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$416,000.00
Summary
Exploring eco-evolutionary dynamics to predict the future of coral reefs. This project aims to predict the future of coral reefs in the rapidly changing climate of the Anthropocene by integrating state-of-the-art population genomics with evolutionary and ecological modelling. The project expects to describe pathways of genetic and non-genetic adaptation; and the strength and direction of connectivity of warm vs cold adapted coral populations - united in an eco-evolutionary framework. Expected ou ....Exploring eco-evolutionary dynamics to predict the future of coral reefs. This project aims to predict the future of coral reefs in the rapidly changing climate of the Anthropocene by integrating state-of-the-art population genomics with evolutionary and ecological modelling. The project expects to describe pathways of genetic and non-genetic adaptation; and the strength and direction of connectivity of warm vs cold adapted coral populations - united in an eco-evolutionary framework. Expected outcomes address critical gaps in data and methodology that currently hinder our ability to reliably model the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of one of the most biologically diverse, socially and economically valuable and climatically vulnerable ecosystems of our planet, contributing to their science-based management. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100549
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$417,328.00
Summary
Adaptive evolution and its demographic consequences today. This project aims to provide the first test of whether the rate of adaptative genetic evolution has changed in the recent decades, to quantify how much recent genetic evolution helps animal populations survive, and to increase the ability to study on-going genetic evolution in Australian wildlife. The project is of major significance as many species are currently threatened, or invading, due to rapid environmental changes, in particular ....Adaptive evolution and its demographic consequences today. This project aims to provide the first test of whether the rate of adaptative genetic evolution has changed in the recent decades, to quantify how much recent genetic evolution helps animal populations survive, and to increase the ability to study on-going genetic evolution in Australian wildlife. The project is of major significance as many species are currently threatened, or invading, due to rapid environmental changes, in particular climate change. The anticipated outcome of the project is to deliver new methods, establish a network of international and national collaborators and improve the ability to measure and to forecast how Australian animals adapt to rapidly changing environments.Read moreRead less
The genomics of adaptation to environmental change in an ecologically important non-model aquatic organism. Understanding whether natural populations will be able to adapt to rapid environmental change is a major research priority in the twenty-first-century. This project will answer fundamental questions about adaptation and will contribute towards the sustainable management of both aquatic biodiversity and water resources in Australia.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE110100234
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$430,000.00
Summary
Enhancement of South Australian high-performance computing facilities. These facilities will enable the efficient use of high-performance computing and will more than double the capability provided by eResearch SA for South Australian researchers. They will support large-scale applications, running over many processors in parallel (high-performance computing) or large numbers of single processors (high-throughput computing).
eGenomics - Next generation biomonitoring of threatened species. DNA is the molecule of life and exists everywhere in the environment as a largely untapped source of information on evolution, biodiversity, and ecosystem health. Our overriding aim is to start mining that information to benefit threatened species. Based on optimized ancient DNA methods, powerful sequencing technology, whole genome analyses, and RNA profiling, we present a novel and holistic framework for genetic biomonitoring. In ....eGenomics - Next generation biomonitoring of threatened species. DNA is the molecule of life and exists everywhere in the environment as a largely untapped source of information on evolution, biodiversity, and ecosystem health. Our overriding aim is to start mining that information to benefit threatened species. Based on optimized ancient DNA methods, powerful sequencing technology, whole genome analyses, and RNA profiling, we present a novel and holistic framework for genetic biomonitoring. In two parallel model systems we will study corals and reptiles to improve environmental detection while simultaneously obtaining information on their population health. This will foster more efficient conservation of endangered species that are of tremendous importance to our marine and terrestrial ecosystems.Read moreRead less
The molecular evolution of wings in flightless birds. The flightless Australian emu and New Zealand kiwi have small wings, while the extinct moa had none at all. This project will identify the genetic changes that have lead to wing reduction and loss in flightless birds. The results will shed light on the genetic control of forelimb development and how it has evolved.
Echoes of the earliest Homo sapiens movement out of Africa. The "Out of Africa" and "Multiregional Evolution" theories have proposed sharply different accounts for the origins of our species Homo sapiens. These have converged on opposite readings of the Australian human fossil record. Recent perspectives resulting from research on Pleistocene Australian mitochondrial DNA, and by osteologists on early Homo sapiens remains in Africa and Israel, hint at a chapter, as yet unwritten, in our species' ....Echoes of the earliest Homo sapiens movement out of Africa. The "Out of Africa" and "Multiregional Evolution" theories have proposed sharply different accounts for the origins of our species Homo sapiens. These have converged on opposite readings of the Australian human fossil record. Recent perspectives resulting from research on Pleistocene Australian mitochondrial DNA, and by osteologists on early Homo sapiens remains in Africa and Israel, hint at a chapter, as yet unwritten, in our species' Late Pleistocene dispersal from Africa. This project's collaborative research on fossils from Sri Lanka and Australasia will explore and test the implications for the colonisation history of the Indian Ocean region.Read moreRead less
Unravelling the biochemical fingerprint of Australian native plants for sustainable farm forestry and other applications. Dryland salinity is an issue of national significance due to its impact on primary industries which contribute billions of dollars to our economy. However, millions of hectares of arable land are now affected by salinity, with devastating effects on crops, native plants, water quality and wildlife. This project works with the rural community and exploits the unique gene poo ....Unravelling the biochemical fingerprint of Australian native plants for sustainable farm forestry and other applications. Dryland salinity is an issue of national significance due to its impact on primary industries which contribute billions of dollars to our economy. However, millions of hectares of arable land are now affected by salinity, with devastating effects on crops, native plants, water quality and wildlife. This project works with the rural community and exploits the unique gene pool of certain Australian salinity-tolerant plants for environmental benefits (revegetation, salinity control) and simultaneous economic returns through using these for timber and perennial fodder. The project thus addresses the national priorities of preventing the expansion of salinity, putting it to sustainable uses and preserving biodiversity.Read moreRead less