Understanding gonadal development and disease using a unique model system, the avian embryo. This project will provide information on normal and abnormal gonadal development during embryonic life. The study will aid in the diagnosis and management of humans born with disorders of sexual development and will be useful for sex ratio manipulation in the poultry industry.
Genetic regulation of testis development in the chicken embryo. This project aims to shed light on the genetic control of testis development during embryonic life, using the chicken embryo as a model. The results will have implications for sex ratio manipulation in poultry and for our understanding of sexual disorders in humans.
Genetic regulation of wing reduction in the emu. This project aims to examine the genetic mechanisms that generate limb diversity, using wing reduction in the emu as a model. A hot topic in biology at present is evolutionary developmental biology, or how genes control morphological diversity. This project will explore the functions of two novel genes implicated in wing reduction. The project expects to expand knowledge in the area of developmental biology, and limb morphogenesis specifically. It ....Genetic regulation of wing reduction in the emu. This project aims to examine the genetic mechanisms that generate limb diversity, using wing reduction in the emu as a model. A hot topic in biology at present is evolutionary developmental biology, or how genes control morphological diversity. This project will explore the functions of two novel genes implicated in wing reduction. The project expects to expand knowledge in the area of developmental biology, and limb morphogenesis specifically. It will bear upon the phylogeny of flightlessness among birds. It also has potential implications for studying human limb deformities. Overall, the project will enhance our understanding of how genes control the great diversity that we see in nature.Read moreRead less
Specification of the nerve cell subtypes in the developing central nervous system. Different subtypes of nerve cells in the brain, which carry out distinct functions, are generated in the embryo by the co-ordinated action of many genes. This project aims to use the genetic advantages of the zebrafish to determine the role of genes in specifying the final fates of nerve cells in the retina, which analyses visual signals within the eye.
Defining a role for non-coding RNAs in gonadal sex differentiation. This project aims to increase knowledge in the area of developmental biology, studying how gene regulation by so-called non-coding RNAs contributes to tissue patterning. The project plans to use a unique model system: gonadal development in the chicken embryo. It also plans to use novel molecular approaches that exploit the chicken model to study the role of microRNAs and a long non-coding RNA in patterning the embryonic gonad. ....Defining a role for non-coding RNAs in gonadal sex differentiation. This project aims to increase knowledge in the area of developmental biology, studying how gene regulation by so-called non-coding RNAs contributes to tissue patterning. The project plans to use a unique model system: gonadal development in the chicken embryo. It also plans to use novel molecular approaches that exploit the chicken model to study the role of microRNAs and a long non-coding RNA in patterning the embryonic gonad. The project aims to provide a deeper understanding of how genes operate to control tissue patterning and organogenesis. It may thus inform the field of sex determination specifically, and, more broadly, stem cell biology and tissue engineering.Read moreRead less
Molecules and mechanisms regulating axonal degeneration and regeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans neurons. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying nerve degeneration and regeneration is essential to tackle and provide treatment for neurodegenerative diseases and injury of the nervous system. This project aims to discover, using a genetic approach and a simple animal model system, the molecules regulating these crucial biological processes.
Using mouse genetics to understand skin development and cell biology. During embryonic development the skin forms a protective barrier which permits life outside the womb and provides a window into the biology of cells. This project aims to use the skin to identify and characterise genes necessary for embryonic development and maintenance, the development of diseases and to explore their broader roles in other organs.
Morphological development of the kidney – a paradigm for organogenesis. This project aims to shed new light on how the kidney develops, how normal adult function is established and how congenital kidney malformations occur. It aims to investigate a mathematical pattern that has been discovered in the program of branching morphogenesis which dictates kidney development. By combining cutting-edge genetic approaches, morphological analysis and mathematical modelling, this project plans to explore h ....Morphological development of the kidney – a paradigm for organogenesis. This project aims to shed new light on how the kidney develops, how normal adult function is established and how congenital kidney malformations occur. It aims to investigate a mathematical pattern that has been discovered in the program of branching morphogenesis which dictates kidney development. By combining cutting-edge genetic approaches, morphological analysis and mathematical modelling, this project plans to explore how this pattern is established, how it dictates kidney development and whether it constitutes an ancient mechanism central to organ formation. Project outcomes may improve understanding of fundamental developmental processes and developmental disease and variation. Project findings may also be important for understanding the development of other organ systems.Read moreRead less
Effectiveness of social skills training for children with autism. Our industry partner, Aspect Australia, is one of the world's largest providers of educational and other services for people with autism. The demonstration of effectiveness of the program in Aspect classes will likely lead to widespread use and benefit of the program in the education sector nationally and internationally. This in turn would lead to potential lessening of disability in children with autism with improvements in thei ....Effectiveness of social skills training for children with autism. Our industry partner, Aspect Australia, is one of the world's largest providers of educational and other services for people with autism. The demonstration of effectiveness of the program in Aspect classes will likely lead to widespread use and benefit of the program in the education sector nationally and internationally. This in turn would lead to potential lessening of disability in children with autism with improvements in their mental health and significant cost savings to the community.Read moreRead less
The neurocognitive basis of dual-task co-ordination impairment in Alzheimer’s: defective coordination mechanism or differences in speed of processing? This project explores the effects of age, depression and Alzheimer’s disease on the ability to carry out two tasks at once, to determine whether difficulty doing so is due to slowed mental processing, or to a deficit in a mechanism responsible for task coordination. The project will advance cognitive theory and may help with diagnosis of dementia.