Redefining the immune landscape of the human ocular surface. At the ocular surface, the cornea and limbus need to mount effective immune responses to maintain corneal transparency for clear vision. The current paradigm is that the human cornea houses the same innate immune cell subsets (dendritic cells and macrophages) as naïve mice in pathogen-free facilities. Our pilot data challenge this premise, with early evidence that innate and adaptive cells (T cells) coexist in normal human corneas. Int ....Redefining the immune landscape of the human ocular surface. At the ocular surface, the cornea and limbus need to mount effective immune responses to maintain corneal transparency for clear vision. The current paradigm is that the human cornea houses the same innate immune cell subsets (dendritic cells and macrophages) as naïve mice in pathogen-free facilities. Our pilot data challenge this premise, with early evidence that innate and adaptive cells (T cells) coexist in normal human corneas. Integrating state-of-the-art techniques, we will advance understanding of immune regulation at the human ocular surface by comprehensively defining immune cell biology and dynamics. We will define the effect of age on immune cells in these tissues, and relationships between the tear proteome and cell behaviours.Read moreRead less
Role of the superior colliculus in sensory processing. The ability of an organism to attend to, and orient towards, stimuli in the environment is critical for survival. In the mammalian brain, the principal brain region performing this function is the superior colliculus. Despite its importance, little is known about the role the superior colliculus plays in sensory perception. This project addresses this issue by leveraging revolutionary new recording techniques to determine how the superior co ....Role of the superior colliculus in sensory processing. The ability of an organism to attend to, and orient towards, stimuli in the environment is critical for survival. In the mammalian brain, the principal brain region performing this function is the superior colliculus. Despite its importance, little is known about the role the superior colliculus plays in sensory perception. This project addresses this issue by leveraging revolutionary new recording techniques to determine how the superior colliculus codes sensory information and ultimately drives behaviour. The outcomes will be of immediate benefit to scientists studying sensory processing and perceptual decision making, and will help keep Australia at the forefront of brain-inspired engineering and the neuroscience-based knowledge economy.Read moreRead less