The major histocompatibility complex and scent-mediated mate choice in a Procellariiform, Gould's petrel. In Australia, there are 25 species of Procellariiformes listed as threatened or endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Formulating comprehensive conservation plans for endangered species requires a good understanding of the species' breeding biology yet virtually nothing is known about the mechanisms involved in mate choice in the procellariiforms ....The major histocompatibility complex and scent-mediated mate choice in a Procellariiform, Gould's petrel. In Australia, there are 25 species of Procellariiformes listed as threatened or endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Formulating comprehensive conservation plans for endangered species requires a good understanding of the species' breeding biology yet virtually nothing is known about the mechanisms involved in mate choice in the procellariiforms. A better understanding of the traits these long-lived birds use when choosing their lifelong breeding partner could greatly benefit conservation strategies designed to protect them. This could be particularly beneficial where translocation is an option because birds being translocated could be assessed for compatibility prior to translocation.Read moreRead less
CENTRE for INTEGRATIVE LEGUME RESEARCH. Legumes are essential for environmental sustainability and are important for maintaining human health. The Centre combines innovative genomic approaches to investigate the causal phenotypic links required for regulation of legume growth. The unique coexistence of multiple pluripotent meristems in shoots, roots, flowers and nodules permits the discovery of new paradigms governing legume architecture, reproductive differentiation and root-nodule developmen ....CENTRE for INTEGRATIVE LEGUME RESEARCH. Legumes are essential for environmental sustainability and are important for maintaining human health. The Centre combines innovative genomic approaches to investigate the causal phenotypic links required for regulation of legume growth. The unique coexistence of multiple pluripotent meristems in shoots, roots, flowers and nodules permits the discovery of new paradigms governing legume architecture, reproductive differentiation and root-nodule development. New knowledge of the plant growth processes through mechanistic analysis of organ induction provides the tools to optimise the legume's productivity, quality, and environment adaptation.Read moreRead less
Mouse models for the identification of factors involved in muscle adaptation. The ability of muscle to adapt to meet functional demands is essential for mobility in normal daily life, in ageing well, in individuals with muscle diseases and nerve damage and in athletes. The ability of muscle to change its cellular composition is desirable for the livestock industry. Knowledge of how genes in muscle cells are regulated to adapt to demands has significant implications for public health and economic ....Mouse models for the identification of factors involved in muscle adaptation. The ability of muscle to adapt to meet functional demands is essential for mobility in normal daily life, in ageing well, in individuals with muscle diseases and nerve damage and in athletes. The ability of muscle to change its cellular composition is desirable for the livestock industry. Knowledge of how genes in muscle cells are regulated to adapt to demands has significant implications for public health and economic benefits. We have devised model systems that will allow us to identify the regulators of these genes in order to develop therapies to combat these changes in ageing and damaged muscle, to improve the quality of meat and optimise sport performance.Read moreRead less
The control of chromosome division during female meiosis. Mammalian eggs are stored life-long and finally mature in the hours before ovulation. This project examines how the chromosomes in the egg are separated properly so as to produce a mature egg capable of being fertilized by a sperm. Often in eggs chromosome division is imprecisely executed, and this project will help us understand why this occurs.
Do hotter and drier regions harbour adaptive variation for climate change? This project aims to improve our understanding of the capacity of trees to respond to climate change. This is essential for the maintenance of biodiversity, forest health and productivity. In south-west Australia, climate variation has increased the frequency and intensity of droughts, which has resulted in tree death and negatively affected essential ecosystem services. Adaptive land management is urgently needed to miti ....Do hotter and drier regions harbour adaptive variation for climate change? This project aims to improve our understanding of the capacity of trees to respond to climate change. This is essential for the maintenance of biodiversity, forest health and productivity. In south-west Australia, climate variation has increased the frequency and intensity of droughts, which has resulted in tree death and negatively affected essential ecosystem services. Adaptive land management is urgently needed to mitigate the risk of large-scale drought mortality in a rapidly changing climate. This project seeks to deliver a scientific basis for the adoption of assisted gene migration in south-west forests, through a detailed understanding of genetic adaptation and physiological tolerance, to improve drought-resilience under future hotter and drier climates.Read moreRead less
Investigating a new way in which diet impacts animal biology. This project aims to investigate the importance of a new way in which diet can alter animal biology. High fat or high sugar diets increase the binding of products of metabolism to chromosomes, which can completely alter the way that DNA is packaged and read. This project will use cell culture, rodent and fly models to identify the regions of the genome that are most affected by the new process. The project will also determine whether ....Investigating a new way in which diet impacts animal biology. This project aims to investigate the importance of a new way in which diet can alter animal biology. High fat or high sugar diets increase the binding of products of metabolism to chromosomes, which can completely alter the way that DNA is packaged and read. This project will use cell culture, rodent and fly models to identify the regions of the genome that are most affected by the new process. The project will also determine whether the cell is harmed, or in fact harnesses the process to control development or metabolism. This project has implications for our understanding of the ways in which genes interact with the environment especially in times of change.Read moreRead less
The role of chlorophyll f in photosynthesis. The knowledge of energetic limits of oxygenic photosynthesis will provide opportunities for improving the efficiency of photosynthesis by using a wider range of the solar spectrum. This project aims to understand the roles of newly discovered chlorophyll f in central photoreactions and its biosynthesis.