As women age, the quality of their eggs decline and their chance of having a healthy baby plummets. The accumulation of DNA damage within the egg, and the reduced ability to repair this damage, may be one cause of compromised reproductive success in older women. This project will investigate the ability of eggs to repair DNA damage during maternal aging and will explore the importance of DNA repair to fertility and the transmission of high quality genetic material to their offspring.
Epigenetic Regulation Of Cell Lineage Differentiation In The Early Embryo
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$440,983.00
Summary
Exposure of embryos to a range of stresses can increase the predisposition to chronic diseases of adulthood. Stressing embryos at critical stages of development cause errors in reorganization of the nucleus that are required for normal gene expression. These errors are propagated into adulthood. This project will map the normal processes of nuclear reorganization and define how stress to the embryo changes this process, allowing an understanding of the causes of some important chronic diseases.
Epigenetic Reprogramming Within The Pluripotent Lineage Of The Early Embryo
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$663,050.00
Summary
Cells of the early embryo have the remarkable capacity to form all of the different tissues and organs in the body. This property requires re-organisation of the embryo’s genetic material in a manner analogous to re-booting a computer. This project will define the properties of this rebooting process. This information will allow much better strategies for building spare parts for regenerative medicine and provide the information required to reduce the incidence of inborn defects.
Determing Whether Breast Stem Cells Mediate The Risk Of Developing Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$433,894.00
Summary
Whilst the outcomes for women with breast cancer have improved significantly, the incidence of breast cancer continues to increase. Research needs to focus on prevention now to try to stop the increase. Apart from age, our reproductive behaviour is the largest risk factor for breast cancer. If a woman does not bear children, or has them after 35 years of age, she is at 25-50% increased risk of breast cancer. We would like to determine whether the breast stem cells play a role in this and why.