The transcriptional control of lymphatic vessel development. Lymphatic vessels are a vital, but often overlooked, component of the cardiovascular system. These specialised vessels return tissue fluid to the bloodstream, absorb dietary lipids and transport cells of the immune system throughout the body. Defects in the growth and development of lymphatic vessels result in disorders including lymphedema, obesity, inflammatory diseases and cancer. This project aims to define how transcription factor ....The transcriptional control of lymphatic vessel development. Lymphatic vessels are a vital, but often overlooked, component of the cardiovascular system. These specialised vessels return tissue fluid to the bloodstream, absorb dietary lipids and transport cells of the immune system throughout the body. Defects in the growth and development of lymphatic vessels result in disorders including lymphedema, obesity, inflammatory diseases and cancer. This project aims to define how transcription factors program lymphatic vessel identity and control the development of lymphatic vessel valves. This knowledge will provide new insight into the fundamental mechanisms by which the lymphatic vasculature is constructed during development.Read moreRead less
HEN1 is a regulator of piRNA metabolism, transcriptional regulation and mammalian male fertility. This project is to define the biochemistry of a previously uncharacterized protein in male fertility using a unique mouse model and innovative DNA and protein technologies. This project will define a novel, and essential, pathway for male fertility and may ultimately have relevance to the maintenance of health or improving fertility.
Ageing and the muscle stem cell niche. Adult stem cells are critical for repair and maintenance of tissues and ageing tissues show reduced stem cell function. This project will focus on how ageing leads to disruption of communication between muscle stem cells and their niche. The project aims to identify new therapeutic targets for age-related muscle wasting and reduced mobility in the elderly.
The genetic regulation of organogenesis: endoderm development in the Drosophila embryo. Embryonic development is an important research field in biology, not only for its extraordinary complexity but also because of the insights it provides into molecular processes that underpin a variety of diseases. This project aims to discover genes and molecules that regulate the normal development of one of the most important organs, the gut.
Genetic control of spermatogenesis: defining the role of SOX3 in spermatogonial progenitor cells. The transcription factor (TF) SOX3 is a key regulator of neural stem/progenitor cells. Recently, this project has also shown that SOX3 is active in sperm progenitors (spermatogonia) and is required for spermatogenesis. Using our Sox3 KO mouse model and extensive expertise in spermatogonial cell culture, ChIP-seq technology and bioinformatics, this project will investigate crucial aspects of SOX3 fun ....Genetic control of spermatogenesis: defining the role of SOX3 in spermatogonial progenitor cells. The transcription factor (TF) SOX3 is a key regulator of neural stem/progenitor cells. Recently, this project has also shown that SOX3 is active in sperm progenitors (spermatogonia) and is required for spermatogenesis. Using our Sox3 KO mouse model and extensive expertise in spermatogonial cell culture, ChIP-seq technology and bioinformatics, this project will investigate crucial aspects of SOX3 function in the testes including stem versus progenitor cell activity and genome-wide target gene regulation. These studies will uncover the molecular and cellular mechanism by which SOX3 controls spermatogenesis and provide unique insight into how a single TF controls context-dependent differentiation in sperm versus brain progenitor cells.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.
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.
Understanding the evolution of the alternation of generations in the land plant life cycle. This project will investigate the genetic basis and evolution of the land plant life cycle, in which both haploid and diploid phases consist of complex multicellular bodies. The project's findings, which will be made using two model laboratory plants, will be applicable to all plants and will help understand important processes such as pollen and seed production.
Why do only some exotics become invasive? Combining ecological and genomic approaches to address alternative hypotheses in a recent Australian weed. This project will specifically test alternative hypotheses about how weeds become invasive. As invasive weeds affect both agricultural and native ecosystems equally, research on understanding the mechanisms of weed invasion is critical. Outcomes will benefit Australia by allowing better prioritisation of management against exotic plants already i ....Why do only some exotics become invasive? Combining ecological and genomic approaches to address alternative hypotheses in a recent Australian weed. This project will specifically test alternative hypotheses about how weeds become invasive. As invasive weeds affect both agricultural and native ecosystems equally, research on understanding the mechanisms of weed invasion is critical. Outcomes will benefit Australia by allowing better prioritisation of management against exotic plants already in the country by providing predictive tools to estimate likelihood of spread. For formal Pest Risk Analysis by regulators (eg Biosecurity Australia), our project will provide genomic tools by which the potential weediness of a regulated plant can be assessed through genetic screening, and forms part of an international effort to identify 'weedy genes'. Read moreRead less
Using phylogenomics to record the impacts of climate change, extinction and population fragmentation. This project will use ancient DNA from permafrost-preserved Steppe bison bones and bovid exome capture systems to build a detailed record of the genomic impacts of rapid climate and environmental change at the end of the Pleistocene (30 to 11 kyr). The project will analyse how ancestral genetic diversity is distributed amongst surviving bison populations, and the role of nuclear loci under selec ....Using phylogenomics to record the impacts of climate change, extinction and population fragmentation. This project will use ancient DNA from permafrost-preserved Steppe bison bones and bovid exome capture systems to build a detailed record of the genomic impacts of rapid climate and environmental change at the end of the Pleistocene (30 to 11 kyr). The project will analyse how ancestral genetic diversity is distributed amongst surviving bison populations, and the role of nuclear loci under selection and drift. It will create a novel temporal dataset of genomic adaptation and evolution, and will generate critical data for studies of evolutionary processes such as extinctions, speciation and conservation biology and management.Read moreRead less