Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE210100011
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$900,000.00
Summary
Integrated Multimodal System for Multiplexed Imaging of Signal Transduction. This project will introduce a unique microscopy platform and associated technologies into the Australian research environment that will enable researchers to redefine our understanding of molecular signal transduction. The instrumentation will enable the multidimensional imaging of live cells with unprecendented speed and sensitivity. The featured imaging modalities will enable the integration of distinct biological, ....Integrated Multimodal System for Multiplexed Imaging of Signal Transduction. This project will introduce a unique microscopy platform and associated technologies into the Australian research environment that will enable researchers to redefine our understanding of molecular signal transduction. The instrumentation will enable the multidimensional imaging of live cells with unprecendented speed and sensitivity. The featured imaging modalities will enable the integration of distinct biological, biochemical and chemical probes with a focus on minimizing phototoxicity. Expected outcomes include new fundamental knowledge on molecular signal transduction and cell heterogeneity; development of novel probes and methodologies and the development of new and existing interdisciplinary research collaborations. Read moreRead less
The structure of heteromeric amyloid fibrils with signaling activity. This project aims to determine the composition, structure and properties of important protein complexes involved in a newly identified cell death pathway known as necroptosis. This cell death pathway removes unwanted or damaged cells during development or infection. These necroptosis protein complexes are unusual because they have a fibrillar amyloid structure, contain more than one protein type in the fibrils and have a funct ....The structure of heteromeric amyloid fibrils with signaling activity. This project aims to determine the composition, structure and properties of important protein complexes involved in a newly identified cell death pathway known as necroptosis. This cell death pathway removes unwanted or damaged cells during development or infection. These necroptosis protein complexes are unusual because they have a fibrillar amyloid structure, contain more than one protein type in the fibrils and have a functional, signalling role. The research will determine how these fibrils form and how the structures confers biological function. It could identify features in these fibrils that can be targeted as a means of ultimately preventing tissue damage after heart attack and stroke.Read moreRead less
Transforming museum industry to cryopreserve Australia’s diverse wildlife. This project aspires to develop methods for collecting, culturing and cryopreserving cells from wildlife in line with museum industry practice. The project expects to generate new knowledge about the collection of live cells from animals under field conditions and their long-term maintenance in museum collections. Expected outcomes of the project include enhanced capacity of museums to build live cell collections and to s ....Transforming museum industry to cryopreserve Australia’s diverse wildlife. This project aspires to develop methods for collecting, culturing and cryopreserving cells from wildlife in line with museum industry practice. The project expects to generate new knowledge about the collection of live cells from animals under field conditions and their long-term maintenance in museum collections. Expected outcomes of the project include enhanced capacity of museums to build live cell collections and to support and collaborate with cellular biologists. Growth of live cell collections in Australian museums will fuel innovation in cellular technologies, advance fundamental biological knowledge, and shift museums from the role of documenting losses of genetic variation to preserving that genetic variation in living form.
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Investigating novel pathways in ferroptosis. This project aims to develop new tools to investigate iron-mediated cell death and uncover new pathways involved in ageing. Accumulation of iron leads to frailty in late life, a process that appears common to all animals. Iron becomes reactive and inappropriately triggers a cell death process called ferroptosis leading to dysfunction. To understand these processes and to identify means to intervene, this project aims to use genetic approaches to ident ....Investigating novel pathways in ferroptosis. This project aims to develop new tools to investigate iron-mediated cell death and uncover new pathways involved in ageing. Accumulation of iron leads to frailty in late life, a process that appears common to all animals. Iron becomes reactive and inappropriately triggers a cell death process called ferroptosis leading to dysfunction. To understand these processes and to identify means to intervene, this project aims to use genetic approaches to identify new cell pathways that regulate ferroptosis. This project also aims to develop new tools to study this process. Outcomes of this project may include the identification of potential strategies to alter late life frailty with an expected benefit to life sciences and biotechnology industries.Read moreRead less
New guardians of the mucosa: Molecular characterisation of M cell biology. We aim to completely define the cellular and molecular biology of gut and lung M cells for the first time. We will elucidate how they develop, are regulated and function at a molecular level, and how M cells maintain normal gut and lung tissues and induce immune responses to protect against microbial challenges. In the future, the new insights will be essential pre-requisites for the development of mucosal-based intervent ....New guardians of the mucosa: Molecular characterisation of M cell biology. We aim to completely define the cellular and molecular biology of gut and lung M cells for the first time. We will elucidate how they develop, are regulated and function at a molecular level, and how M cells maintain normal gut and lung tissues and induce immune responses to protect against microbial challenges. In the future, the new insights will be essential pre-requisites for the development of mucosal-based interventions and vaccines that protect the gut and lung from infectious and inflammatory issues. The harnessing of effective immune responses to control such challenges, are of enormous fundamental and long-standing biological interest, and are amongst the most important areas of current scientific research.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100001
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$345,475.00
Summary
Pushing the limits of fluorescence microscopy with adaptive optics. This project aims to establish an adaptive optics, super-resolution optical microscopy facility to image cellular events with the highest possible spatial resolution, in a whole cell or tissue context. Sophisticated computer-controlled deformable mirrors will be used to correct the way light is distorted as it passes through specimens, thereby overcoming aberrations found in thick and complex samples. This adaptive optics system ....Pushing the limits of fluorescence microscopy with adaptive optics. This project aims to establish an adaptive optics, super-resolution optical microscopy facility to image cellular events with the highest possible spatial resolution, in a whole cell or tissue context. Sophisticated computer-controlled deformable mirrors will be used to correct the way light is distorted as it passes through specimens, thereby overcoming aberrations found in thick and complex samples. This adaptive optics system will enable researchers to study complex behaviour of biological specimens, at the optical resolution limit in plant and animal tissues, leading to basic biology and biotechnology outcomes in biofuels, biomaterials and biomedicines.Read moreRead less
Understanding platinum dissolution in biomedical stimulating electrodes. Platinum is the main material used in electrodes for neurostimulators like the cochlear implant. Platinum electrodes can experience dissolution during implantation, which can impact on their function. The mechanisms governing this dissolution process are complex and still not fully understood. This research aims to understand the chemical, electrical and biological factors that impact on platinum dissolution in electrodes. ....Understanding platinum dissolution in biomedical stimulating electrodes. Platinum is the main material used in electrodes for neurostimulators like the cochlear implant. Platinum electrodes can experience dissolution during implantation, which can impact on their function. The mechanisms governing this dissolution process are complex and still not fully understood. This research aims to understand the chemical, electrical and biological factors that impact on platinum dissolution in electrodes. It will also develop new 3D models to simulate conditions in the human body for more rapid testing of electrodes. The new knowledge generated will improve the accuracy of predictions of platinum dissolution, develop new approaches for minimising dissolution, and contribute to reducing need for animal experimentation.Read moreRead less
Control of developmental switches by importin 5. Aims: This project will study a key molecular switch called IPO5, a protein that is required for cells and organs to form and function normally, and it will reveal how it works.
Significance: These experiments will provide the first complete description of how this molecular switch controls the behaviour of a cell across its lifespan. IPO5 is highly conserved, so these studies will be relevant to a wide range of animals.
Expected Outcomes: This k ....Control of developmental switches by importin 5. Aims: This project will study a key molecular switch called IPO5, a protein that is required for cells and organs to form and function normally, and it will reveal how it works.
Significance: These experiments will provide the first complete description of how this molecular switch controls the behaviour of a cell across its lifespan. IPO5 is highly conserved, so these studies will be relevant to a wide range of animals.
Expected Outcomes: This knowledge will reveal how IPO5 controls formation of sperm by revealing what other proteins it binds to and how this affects cell signaling and responses to the environment.
Benefits: This will provide information about potential interventions to control fertility or to repair abnormal cells.
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Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100226
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,000.00
Summary
How innate lymphoid cells regulate mammalian lung development. This project aims to determine the ability of a subset of lung resident immune cells to promote normal lung development through the regulation of stem cells. The lung is constantly exposed to countless environmental challenges including microbes. Mammals’ local immune systems protect the lung from these challenges. This is particularly important in early-life when the lung is still developing. However, impaired lung development affec ....How innate lymphoid cells regulate mammalian lung development. This project aims to determine the ability of a subset of lung resident immune cells to promote normal lung development through the regulation of stem cells. The lung is constantly exposed to countless environmental challenges including microbes. Mammals’ local immune systems protect the lung from these challenges. This is particularly important in early-life when the lung is still developing. However, impaired lung development affects humans and livestock, costing >$3 billion p.a. The intended outcome is to identify basic biological processes involved in normal mammalian lung development, which may lead to strategies to prevent chronic lung diseases in humans and animals.Read moreRead less
Genetic variation of single cell transcriptional heterogeneity in HiPSCs. This project aims to investigate whether induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) can be used to study the functions of genetic variants associated with human phenotypes and cell fate decisions. The project will utilise technology to produce single cell RNA sequence data for 100,000s of cells. By sequencing individual cells, the genetic control of cellular heterogeneity both within and between cells can be identified, and in ....Genetic variation of single cell transcriptional heterogeneity in HiPSCs. This project aims to investigate whether induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) can be used to study the functions of genetic variants associated with human phenotypes and cell fate decisions. The project will utilise technology to produce single cell RNA sequence data for 100,000s of cells. By sequencing individual cells, the genetic control of cellular heterogeneity both within and between cells can be identified, and in doing so, will provide significant benefit by revealing the potential for iPSC to be used for functional translation of human genomics.Read moreRead less