Discovering mechanisms of primary embryonic tissue migration through live cell imaging and novel genetic approaches. The studies proposed here will provide concepts and knowledge about the molecular basis of cell migration that will impact on diverse aspects of human health, such as the causes and nature of tumour metastasis and our understanding of the developmental basis of birth defects. In addition, understanding cell migration mechanisms will allow us to better predict or control the behav ....Discovering mechanisms of primary embryonic tissue migration through live cell imaging and novel genetic approaches. The studies proposed here will provide concepts and knowledge about the molecular basis of cell migration that will impact on diverse aspects of human health, such as the causes and nature of tumour metastasis and our understanding of the developmental basis of birth defects. In addition, understanding cell migration mechanisms will allow us to better predict or control the behaviour of therapeutic stem cells introduced into the body.Read moreRead less
Many Ys in monotremes: multiple sex chromosomes and sex determination in platypus and echidna. Platypus and Echidna are Australian icons, even featuring on our coins. Their unusual biology and ancient relationship to humans make them unique for understanding the mammalian genome, as demonstrated by our recent discovery of ten sex chromosomes in platypus that link mammal and bird sex. Still little is known about their genome, embryo development and how sex is determined. We will identify new gene ....Many Ys in monotremes: multiple sex chromosomes and sex determination in platypus and echidna. Platypus and Echidna are Australian icons, even featuring on our coins. Their unusual biology and ancient relationship to humans make them unique for understanding the mammalian genome, as demonstrated by our recent discovery of ten sex chromosomes in platypus that link mammal and bird sex. Still little is known about their genome, embryo development and how sex is determined. We will identify new genes on all ten sex chromosomes and investigate how they determine sex. The set up of an Australian Monotreme Resource Centre will be crucial for this research and attract worldwide high profile collaborations. We will answer important general questions in monotreme biology and contribute to our understanding of sexual abnormalities in humans.Read moreRead less
Adaptive Evolution of BRCA1 in Ancestral Mammals. This project investigates adaptive evolution of BRCA1 in the early radiation of mammals. We will test the hypothesis that the evolution of mammary glands and X chromosome inactivation has resulted in modification of the BRCA1 protein sequence as it aquired new roles in these processes. We will also investigate the importance of these changes inducing compensatory changes in other parts of the protein.
Genome-wide discovery of translation control mechanisms. This project aims to reveal currently unknown molecular details of protein synthesis, a step of gene expression that is central to all of life. To achieve this, innovative methods based on next-generation sequencing will be deployed in the yeast model organism. Yeasts are of importance as pathogens as well as in the food and biotechnology industry sector. Thus, new knowledge generated in this project will help solve problems of invasive pa ....Genome-wide discovery of translation control mechanisms. This project aims to reveal currently unknown molecular details of protein synthesis, a step of gene expression that is central to all of life. To achieve this, innovative methods based on next-generation sequencing will be deployed in the yeast model organism. Yeasts are of importance as pathogens as well as in the food and biotechnology industry sector. Thus, new knowledge generated in this project will help solve problems of invasive pathogenic behaviour and biomass production.Read moreRead less
Tracking factor footprints to reveal the intricacy and control of translation initiation. Messenger ribonucleic acid (RNA) translation is required for all of life and knowledge of how it works is central to modern life sciences. This project will develop novel ways of studying translation, generating entirely new descriptions of its inner workings that may transform knowledge of gene function and its use in medical and biotechnological processes.
Discovery of novel microRNA biogenesis and functional components. Discovery of novel microRNA components will provide new strategies for confronting a diverse array of challenges Australia faces, such as the increasing rates of certain cancers in our population, to stresses on our crop plants faced with environmental changes. The biological mechanisms underlying these disparate problems are unified by microRNA involvement in many instances. By finding microRNA controlling factors common to all h ....Discovery of novel microRNA biogenesis and functional components. Discovery of novel microRNA components will provide new strategies for confronting a diverse array of challenges Australia faces, such as the increasing rates of certain cancers in our population, to stresses on our crop plants faced with environmental changes. The biological mechanisms underlying these disparate problems are unified by microRNA involvement in many instances. By finding microRNA controlling factors common to all higher organisms, we expect our community will benefit from the increased knowledge base that will help our researchers adopt new strategies in fighting diseases and improving our agricultural industry.Read moreRead less
Chromatin structure and pervasive transcription. This project aims to understand mechanisms that repress pervasive transcription and to identify chromatin characteristics that repress transcription initiation outside the promoter regions. Chromatin characteristics, such as position, occupancy and turnover-rate of nucleosomes, establish an elaborate genomic indexing mechanism, which defines functional units in the genome. Defects in this process increase pervasive transcription, toxic accumulatio ....Chromatin structure and pervasive transcription. This project aims to understand mechanisms that repress pervasive transcription and to identify chromatin characteristics that repress transcription initiation outside the promoter regions. Chromatin characteristics, such as position, occupancy and turnover-rate of nucleosomes, establish an elaborate genomic indexing mechanism, which defines functional units in the genome. Defects in this process increase pervasive transcription, toxic accumulation of non-coding transcripts and genomic instability. This work aims to understand eukaryotic genome organisation and may have long-term therapeutic implications for cancer and ageing-related diseases.Read moreRead less
The role of Roquin in microRNA function and decay. The aim of this study is to understand how microRNAs (newly discovered genetic components that control cell growth and survival) function and are regulated. The expected discoveries will help understand how common cancers including breast cancer and autoimmune diseases emerge, and will help develop cutting edge genetic technologies.