Understanding the generation of hypothalamic sleep neurons. This Project aims to investigate the mechanisms controlling the formation of the sleep neurons in the hypothalamus. We all sleep, and normal sleep-wake cycles play a central role in our biology. The functional role of these sleep neurons in the mature brain are well established. However, how the neurons are generated during development is very poorly defined. This project aims to address this critical knowledge gap, and will greatly inc ....Understanding the generation of hypothalamic sleep neurons. This Project aims to investigate the mechanisms controlling the formation of the sleep neurons in the hypothalamus. We all sleep, and normal sleep-wake cycles play a central role in our biology. The functional role of these sleep neurons in the mature brain are well established. However, how the neurons are generated during development is very poorly defined. This project aims to address this critical knowledge gap, and will greatly increase our understanding of how the development of this critical aspect of organismal function is orchestrated during development. This project will also develop bioinformatics tools with broad utility within the biosciences field and enhance the capacity for interdisciplinary international collaborations.Read moreRead less
The jugular vagal sensory connectome regulating visceral function. Internal body organs have a rich supply of sensory nerve fibres that serve important roles in monitoring the local environment for normal and abnormal sensory stimuli. These nerve fibres have different origins and wire into brain circuits that regulate widely diverse physiological responses. In this study we aim to study the neural circuits and responses mediated by a group of these sensory nerves which has not been investigated ....The jugular vagal sensory connectome regulating visceral function. Internal body organs have a rich supply of sensory nerve fibres that serve important roles in monitoring the local environment for normal and abnormal sensory stimuli. These nerve fibres have different origins and wire into brain circuits that regulate widely diverse physiological responses. In this study we aim to study the neural circuits and responses mediated by a group of these sensory nerves which has not been investigated appreciably in the past. We believe that these sensory neural circuits will reveal important new insights into how internal organs perform their diverse and essential functions to sustain life.Read moreRead less
Old brain cells perform new tricks to allow life-long learning. In the brain, nerve cells transmit electrical signals more quickly and reliably when they are insulated. The insulating cells undergo small adaptive changes that speed up information transfer during learning, and the faster the electrical signal, the better the learning outcomes. This project aims to understand the signals that direct insulating cells to adapt and support life-long learning. In the longer term, this knowledge may be ....Old brain cells perform new tricks to allow life-long learning. In the brain, nerve cells transmit electrical signals more quickly and reliably when they are insulated. The insulating cells undergo small adaptive changes that speed up information transfer during learning, and the faster the electrical signal, the better the learning outcomes. This project aims to understand the signals that direct insulating cells to adapt and support life-long learning. In the longer term, this knowledge may be used to: develop interventions that improve learning and educational outcomes; counteract age-related memory decline and enable longer work force participation; develop strategies to circumvent the memory loss caused by brain diseases, or improve the design of computer hardware.Read moreRead less
Mapping sites of visceral convergence connecting the colon and bladder. This project aims to develop multiple neuroanatomical approaches to identify where in the central nervous system the sensory signalling from the colon and bladder merge. The combination of such technologies is novel to the study of the central circuits relaying colon/bladder convergence into the brain and will generate new and detailed knowledge of the central pathways in which pelvic organ sensory (discomfort) and motor (de ....Mapping sites of visceral convergence connecting the colon and bladder. This project aims to develop multiple neuroanatomical approaches to identify where in the central nervous system the sensory signalling from the colon and bladder merge. The combination of such technologies is novel to the study of the central circuits relaying colon/bladder convergence into the brain and will generate new and detailed knowledge of the central pathways in which pelvic organ sensory (discomfort) and motor (defecation/urination) functions are coordinated. The expected outcomes are predicted to aid future discovery of mechanisms of cross-organ sensitisation and are anticipated to provide significant benefit to therapy development for chronic visceral pain syndromes associated with bowel and bladder dysfunction.Read moreRead less
Coding of olfactory information in the piriform cortex. This project aims to understand how electrical activity in the primary olfactory (piriform) cortex enables mice to recognise and remember odours. By using optical recording techniques together with genetic tools, the project expects to generate new knowledge about how the mammalian brain builds internal representations of the external world. Specific outcomes of the project include new insights into the functional architecture of the pirifo ....Coding of olfactory information in the piriform cortex. This project aims to understand how electrical activity in the primary olfactory (piriform) cortex enables mice to recognise and remember odours. By using optical recording techniques together with genetic tools, the project expects to generate new knowledge about how the mammalian brain builds internal representations of the external world. Specific outcomes of the project include new insights into the functional architecture of the piriform cortex and fresh understanding of how olfactory information is encoded and stored in neural circuits. More broadly, the project aims to advance our understanding of how the brain works, with benefits for future improvements in artificial intelligence and brain-machine interfaces.Read moreRead less
Listen and learn - statistical learning and the adapting auditory brain. This project aims to explore the link between rapid neural adaptation - a form of learning referred to as statistical learning - and human listening performance in noisy environments. The project aims to generate a new understanding of mechanisms that contribute to listeners' abilities to understand speech in noise, and to complex communication disorders such as dyslexia. Expected outcomes will include increased capacity to ....Listen and learn - statistical learning and the adapting auditory brain. This project aims to explore the link between rapid neural adaptation - a form of learning referred to as statistical learning - and human listening performance in noisy environments. The project aims to generate a new understanding of mechanisms that contribute to listeners' abilities to understand speech in noise, and to complex communication disorders such as dyslexia. Expected outcomes will include increased capacity to investigate a broad range of cognitive and communication functions. Benefits will include potential technologies and algorithms to assist listening (in devices such as hearing aids), language development and reading.Read moreRead less
Microglia and the inflammation spectrum - not just good or bad. Cell-mediated tissue clearance following brain injury is a universal mechanism. However, our understanding of the cells that perform these tasks is very limited. Our project will characterise this inflammatory response at a single-cell level using the zebrafish spinal cord as a versatile experimental model. The project is expected to strongly contribute to the molecular understanding of the mechanisms underlying debris removal and w ....Microglia and the inflammation spectrum - not just good or bad. Cell-mediated tissue clearance following brain injury is a universal mechanism. However, our understanding of the cells that perform these tasks is very limited. Our project will characterise this inflammatory response at a single-cell level using the zebrafish spinal cord as a versatile experimental model. The project is expected to strongly contribute to the molecular understanding of the mechanisms underlying debris removal and will advance innovative technologies that facilitate intellectual progress in neuroscience. It will produce new insights into the process of neuronal degeneration, promote Australia’s growing reputation as a global leader in neuroscience, and provide high quality training for early career researchers.Read moreRead less
Phenotyping doublecortin+ cells to unravel human adult neurogenesis. This project investigates one of the brain’s most remarkable phenomena: adult neurogenesis, the birth of new brain cells in a specialised brain area (the hippocampus) occurring well into adulthood. This process contributes to many species’ capacity to learn, remember and regenerate. However whether this process occurs in humans is heavily debated. Using new neuroscience tools, this project will produce new insights into human a ....Phenotyping doublecortin+ cells to unravel human adult neurogenesis. This project investigates one of the brain’s most remarkable phenomena: adult neurogenesis, the birth of new brain cells in a specialised brain area (the hippocampus) occurring well into adulthood. This process contributes to many species’ capacity to learn, remember and regenerate. However whether this process occurs in humans is heavily debated. Using new neuroscience tools, this project will produce new insights into human adult neurogenesis by deeply examining hippocampal cells that express the newborn cell marker, doublecortin. This will enable clarification of the existence and extent of adult neurogenesis in humans, and provide the foundation to leverage this process for improving learning, memory and brain regeneration in people.Read moreRead less
Understanding multiday cycles underpinning human physiology. We recently discovered long-term rhythms modulating activities of our brains and hearts ranging in duration from 3-60 days. The cause of these longer, ‘multiday cycles’ remain unknown. This project aims to understand; causes of multiday cycles (measuring the nervous and autonomic nervous system), their effects (on cognition, sleep, and stress), and quantify the relationship between coupled cyclical systems. The research outcomes can pr ....Understanding multiday cycles underpinning human physiology. We recently discovered long-term rhythms modulating activities of our brains and hearts ranging in duration from 3-60 days. The cause of these longer, ‘multiday cycles’ remain unknown. This project aims to understand; causes of multiday cycles (measuring the nervous and autonomic nervous system), their effects (on cognition, sleep, and stress), and quantify the relationship between coupled cyclical systems. The research outcomes can provide fundamental new knowledge about cyclic dynamics governing human physiology, leading to improved rigour in life sciences research. Commercial outcomes include technology to optimise individual productivity, learning, health, and wellbeing based on physiological cycles, with diverse benefits to society.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms of memory integration in brain systems. Learning from our interactions with the environment is one of the brain’s most important functions, yet how and where this process takes place at the neural network level has proven difficult to establish. This Project seeks to investigate how major neuromodulatory signals in the brain coordinate the encoding of reward-based learning in large ensembles of neurons. These studies will combine novel behavioural paradigms with the most recent neuros ....Mechanisms of memory integration in brain systems. Learning from our interactions with the environment is one of the brain’s most important functions, yet how and where this process takes place at the neural network level has proven difficult to establish. This Project seeks to investigate how major neuromodulatory signals in the brain coordinate the encoding of reward-based learning in large ensembles of neurons. These studies will combine novel behavioural paradigms with the most recent neuroscience techniques for functional mapping and manipulation of specific neural circuits in behaving mice. The outcomes of this research will lead to a significant shift in our understanding of the mechanisms underpinning the integration of learning in brain systems and its implications for behaviour.Read moreRead less