Neourobiology Of Human Epilepsy: Genes, Cellular Mechanisms,network And Whole Brain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$17,652,824.00
Summary
The team is comprised of neurologists, molecular geneticists, physiologists and brain imaging specialists and leads the world in the discovery of the genetic causes of epilepsy. They will continue to identify genes underlying epilepsy and study how genetic variations result in development of seizures. Advanced brain imaging will be used to understand the effects of genetic variation on brain structure and function. This study may lead to new diagnostic methods and treatments for epilepsy.
Molecular Genetics Of Sex Determination And Gonad Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,580,898.00
Summary
Intersex disorders - ranging in severity from hypospadias (misplacement of the urethral opening) to complete sex reversal - are surprisingly common, with estimates as high as 4% of all live births. These disorders usually result in infertility, genital abnormalities, gender mis-assignment and long-term psychological trauma. The cause of these problems is most often the failure of the delicate network of gene regulation that is responsible for proper development of testes or ovaries in the embryo ....Intersex disorders - ranging in severity from hypospadias (misplacement of the urethral opening) to complete sex reversal - are surprisingly common, with estimates as high as 4% of all live births. These disorders usually result in infertility, genital abnormalities, gender mis-assignment and long-term psychological trauma. The cause of these problems is most often the failure of the delicate network of gene regulation that is responsible for proper development of testes or ovaries in the embryo. This research program will identify genes important for sex determination and development of the gonads, find out how these genes function and interact, and discover how they contribute to cases of aberrant sexual development in humans. Australia boasts three of the foremost international researchers in sex determination. Their contributions have been fundamental to the advancement of the field, including the identification and characterization of the master testis determining gene and other genes critical for sex determination. They now propose to pool their expertise in human molecular genetics, mouse developmental biology and protein chemistry to bring spectacular advances in our knowledge of human sexual development and its associated disorders. This information will be used to bring improved clinical care to patients withdisorders of sexual development.Read moreRead less