Cortical Excitation In Migraine: Using Vision To Understand And Track Brain Excitability
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$521,628.00
Summary
Migraine is a common neurological condition affecting approximately 15% of adults. Therapies are most effective if used early, yet many people are unable to predict their migraines or to recognize early signs. In addition to headache, key symptoms include abnormal visual and auditory experience. We propose that aspects of vision and hearing will vary systematically according to the current brain status. Our translational goal is to develop tests that allow individuals to better manage migraine.
Function And Physiological Role Of Inhibitory Circuits In The Amygdala
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$741,518.00
Summary
The amygdala is part of the brain that assigns emotional content to our sensory world and dysfunction of the amygdala is responsible for many anxiety-related disorders. Many anxiolytics, like valium, act on receptors in the amygdala. In this project we will study circuits in the amygdala that are modulated by anxiolytics. These studies will provide essential information in the understanding of anxiety disorders and help in developing drugs to treat these disorders.
Humans, like all animals, receive similar, although not identical, visual input via the eyes. This information is combined in the brain to form a single view of the outside world. In this proposal we aim to understand how single neurons in the brain process the combined information received from both eyes. This work will increase our understanding of the underlying cellular mechanisms responsible for sight, and determine what changes occur when visual input is impaired through blindness.
Novel MRI Approaches To Map Focal Cortical Dysplasia In Focal Epilepsy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$465,489.00
Summary
Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is a common cause of focal epilepsy that is resistant to medication. When it can be identified clearly, surgical removal can cure the epilepsy but better methods of detecting and mapping FCD are required because standard imaging techniques are negative in 30% of patients. In this project, we plan to develop new MRI methods to diagnose FCD, thereby creating a new MRI-based diagnostic tool for patients with focal epilepsy who are potential surgical candidates.
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is a very common blood cancer. Leukaemic tumour cells actively shut down key immune defences in patients who are very prone to severe infections. Current chemotherapies further immuno-compromise CLL patients and over a quarter will die from an infection despite having responded to cancer treatments. We propose that restoring key immune functions in CLL is key to improve resistance to infection and restore natural anti-cancer immunity.
Regulation Of Neural Progenitor Cell Self-renewal By The RNA-binding Protein ZFP36L1 During Development And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$345,401.00
Summary
The timely differentiation of neural stem cells is critical during development, and the unrestrained proliferation of neural stem cells in the adult can lead to deadly brain cancers such as glioma. At present our understanding of the key molecules that regulate neural stem cell behaviour during these processes remains limited. In this proposal we will investigate the molecular determinants underpinning neural stem cell biology, both within the developing brain, and within glioma.
Determining The Genetic Control Of Corpus Callosum Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$625,800.00
Summary
Disorders of early brain development are significant causes of illness and disability in children, who present with a number of clinical problems including delayed development, seizures, weakness and learning difficulties. The cause of these conditions remains poorly understood, however it is emerging that genes play a key role. This project will identify and characterise novel genes associated with abnormal brain development and identify new potential targets for treatment.
Brain Dynamics And Sensorimotor Integration Associated With Speech Production In Humans Who Stutter
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$304,383.00
Summary
Stuttering is a chronic communication disorder that arises from problems in the brain processes that control speech. This research will use a new and extremely fast method of brain imaging to study the parts of the human brain that underlie speech production. We will identify brain problems that contribute to stuttering at the time when stuttering first begins. Identification of brain problems is likely to significantly improve the efficacy of stuttering treatment.
Neogenin: A Molecular Determinant Of Neural Progenitor Polarity And Function
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$569,296.00
Summary
The neuroepithelium (NEP) contains the embryonic neural stem cells essential for the production of all neurons in the adult brain. Failure in NEP function leads to devastating neural tube defects and syndromes such as epilepsy, schizophrenia, and mental retardation. This project will identify the molecular mechanisms regulating NEP stem cell activity and the birth of new neurons in the embryonic neocortex.
Exploiting The Cross Talk Between Tuft Cells And Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells For Tissue Homeostasis And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$831,162.00
Summary
The project investigates the cellular cross talk within the gastric mucosa between tuft cells, a rare epithelial cell type, and tissue-resident group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2). The tuft cell/ILC2 axis is driven by the two cytokines interleukin (IL)-25 and IL-13 and is required for tissue homeostasis but turns pro-tumourigenic in the context of chronic inflammation. Our investigation will dissect the underlying mechanisms using a combination of mouse models, immunology and bioinformatics.