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Defining unconscious and artificial selection. In 1868 Charles Darwin proposed that the process of domestication can be divided into two independent selective processes we now call unconscious and artificial selection. In this project, we include the Australian dingo as a functional intermediate between the wild wolf and domestic dogs and test Darwin's hypothesis using modern molecular and statistical techniques. It is now widely accepted that the dingo was not domesticated by indigenous Austral ....Defining unconscious and artificial selection. In 1868 Charles Darwin proposed that the process of domestication can be divided into two independent selective processes we now call unconscious and artificial selection. In this project, we include the Australian dingo as a functional intermediate between the wild wolf and domestic dogs and test Darwin's hypothesis using modern molecular and statistical techniques. It is now widely accepted that the dingo was not domesticated by indigenous Australians and is therefore the ideal extant population for the project. The project is significant because it will be a critical test of Darwin's hypothesis. The outcome could be an improved understanding of the genomic basis for selection that can inform the process of domestication.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE240100080
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
Acquisition of an advanced Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorter for Tasmania. Tasmania has immediate need for contemporary flow cytometry infrastructure to maintain world-class research for local and global benefit. This project aims to establish next generation, single cell sorting capability to study the impact of ageing and environmental stressors on human, animal and plant biology. Outcomes of this project include: 1) multi-disciplinary expansion across the areas of neuroscience, ecology, evol ....Acquisition of an advanced Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorter for Tasmania. Tasmania has immediate need for contemporary flow cytometry infrastructure to maintain world-class research for local and global benefit. This project aims to establish next generation, single cell sorting capability to study the impact of ageing and environmental stressors on human, animal and plant biology. Outcomes of this project include: 1) multi-disciplinary expansion across the areas of neuroscience, ecology, evolutionary biology, oceanography, epi/genomics and immunology, 2) ability to develop innovative assays and vaccines, and 3) increase the scale of national and international collaborations. This project will provide direct benefit through our contribution of new knowledge, commercial uptake and impact on policy.Read moreRead less
Phenotypic profiling from DNA using genetic and epigenetic information. The project intends to quantify how much information about a person can be inferred from a DNA sample. A DNA sample contains epigenomic information additional to the genome sequence. This information can reflect age and the past and present lifestyle of the individual whose sample it is. The project aims to quantify the accuracy of lifestyle and phenotypic prediction from DNA. Existing genome-wide genotype and methylation ar ....Phenotypic profiling from DNA using genetic and epigenetic information. The project intends to quantify how much information about a person can be inferred from a DNA sample. A DNA sample contains epigenomic information additional to the genome sequence. This information can reflect age and the past and present lifestyle of the individual whose sample it is. The project aims to quantify the accuracy of lifestyle and phenotypic prediction from DNA. Existing genome-wide genotype and methylation array data from thousands of blood samples from human subjects will be statistically analysed to develop and validate predictors for chronological age, smoking, caffeine use, pesticide exposure, diet and body mass index. Potential applications of epigenomic prediction are widespread, ranging from forensics to ecology.Read moreRead less
Diet influences the selective advantage of mitochondrial DNA mutations. This project aims to examine critical mechanisms that affect mitochondrial DNA variation within species. It aims to test the hypothesis that mitochondrial DNA haplotypes have the potential to be under nutritionally induced balancing selection as a consequence of cellular signalling and/or Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production by mitochondria. Diet can vary both seasonally and geographically and is a key environmental param ....Diet influences the selective advantage of mitochondrial DNA mutations. This project aims to examine critical mechanisms that affect mitochondrial DNA variation within species. It aims to test the hypothesis that mitochondrial DNA haplotypes have the potential to be under nutritionally induced balancing selection as a consequence of cellular signalling and/or Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production by mitochondria. Diet can vary both seasonally and geographically and is a key environmental parameter that influences the ability of a species to colonise new habitats. The project plans to characterise the functional links between specific mitochondrial DNA haplotypes, mitochondrial functions and organismal traits. The expected outcome is a more precise grasp of the processes influencing genetic variation within and among species, which would inform current issues in ecology and genetics.Read moreRead less
Evolutionary analyses of short-read sequences from pooled samples. This project aims to provide biologists with a means of making sound, statistical inferences about evolution by using next-generation data from mixed samples. When biologists make statements about history, they use evolutionary trees, frequently reconstructed from the genetic data of many individuals. Next-generation sequencing provides large amounts of genetic data at low cost, but biologists have difficulty using these data for ....Evolutionary analyses of short-read sequences from pooled samples. This project aims to provide biologists with a means of making sound, statistical inferences about evolution by using next-generation data from mixed samples. When biologists make statements about history, they use evolutionary trees, frequently reconstructed from the genetic data of many individuals. Next-generation sequencing provides large amounts of genetic data at low cost, but biologists have difficulty using these data for evolutionary research, particularly when they sample mixtures of DNA from many individuals. The anticipated value of this project is that it allows evolutionary biologists to capitalise on the benefits of next-generation sequencing, without sacrificing their ability to make reliable inferences about history.Read moreRead less
Non-coding RNAs in mammalian reproduction. This project aims to investigate the role of non-coding RNAs in mammalian sex chromosome biology and reproduction. Non-protein coding RNAs are a major regulatory mechanism in eukaryotic genomes; they can bind other RNAs or chromatin modifying complexes. However, the evolutionary trajectory and function of non-coding RNAs in sex chromosome biology and sexual development is largely unknown. This project will study non-coding RNAs in Australian mammals to ....Non-coding RNAs in mammalian reproduction. This project aims to investigate the role of non-coding RNAs in mammalian sex chromosome biology and reproduction. Non-protein coding RNAs are a major regulatory mechanism in eukaryotic genomes; they can bind other RNAs or chromatin modifying complexes. However, the evolutionary trajectory and function of non-coding RNAs in sex chromosome biology and sexual development is largely unknown. This project will study non-coding RNAs in Australian mammals to try to answer fundamental questions about how non-coding RNAs function in mammalian sexual development.Read moreRead less
Genomics and evolution of symbiont transmission in coral reefs. This project aims to understand more deeply the symbiosis between coral and the alga Symbiodinium that underpins the primary productivity, biodiversity and economic impacts of Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef. Reef-building corals are sustained by symbiosis between the coral and the alga Symbiodinium, and breakdown of symbiosis under environmental stress leads to coral bleaching and death. This project aims to understand how ge ....Genomics and evolution of symbiont transmission in coral reefs. This project aims to understand more deeply the symbiosis between coral and the alga Symbiodinium that underpins the primary productivity, biodiversity and economic impacts of Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef. Reef-building corals are sustained by symbiosis between the coral and the alga Symbiodinium, and breakdown of symbiosis under environmental stress leads to coral bleaching and death. This project aims to understand how genomes of differently acquired Symbiodinium have evolved to support symbiosis with corals, through sequencing of algal genomes of Symbiodinium. This knowledge will improve the precision in predicting change to inform decision-making strategies in the conservation and restoration of coral reefs.Read moreRead less
Symbiodinium: the evolutionary transition to coral reef symbiont. Coral reefs are sustained by symbiosis between the coral host and dinoflagellates of genus Symbiodinium. Breakdown of this symbiosis under environmental stress results in coral bleaching and eventual death. This project aims to understand how dinoflagellate genomes have evolved to support a symbiotic lifestyle. The project aims to sequence genomes of Symbiodinium from reef corals and other hosts, and two free-living relatives. Thi ....Symbiodinium: the evolutionary transition to coral reef symbiont. Coral reefs are sustained by symbiosis between the coral host and dinoflagellates of genus Symbiodinium. Breakdown of this symbiosis under environmental stress results in coral bleaching and eventual death. This project aims to understand how dinoflagellate genomes have evolved to support a symbiotic lifestyle. The project aims to sequence genomes of Symbiodinium from reef corals and other hosts, and two free-living relatives. This should enable the identification of genes that have been gained or lost, or are under adaptive selection. This genome-scale perspective on the molecular systems implicated in the evolution of this symbiotic lifestyle has potential to inform strategies for preserving Australia's Great Barrier Reef in the face of climate variations.Read moreRead less
Perceptual suppression mechanisms in the Drosophila brain. This project will investigate common processes underlying three means to losing conscious perception: selective attention, sleep and general anaesthesia. By studying these suppression mechanisms in a genetic model, the fly Drosophila melanogaster, fundamental processes will be highlighted that are required in the brain for maintaining perception in general.
The Epigenetics of Sex in the Dragon. Genetic codes do not directly translate to phenotypes -- environment acts through epigenetics to modify development. We use advanced molecular techniques to examine how epigenetics responds to temperature to reverse sex in our novel animal model, the dragon lizard. How does the cell sense temperature? Once the extrinsic signal is captured, how does it influence chromatin modification to release or suppress key genes in the sex differentiation pathway? Which ....The Epigenetics of Sex in the Dragon. Genetic codes do not directly translate to phenotypes -- environment acts through epigenetics to modify development. We use advanced molecular techniques to examine how epigenetics responds to temperature to reverse sex in our novel animal model, the dragon lizard. How does the cell sense temperature? Once the extrinsic signal is captured, how does it influence chromatin modification to release or suppress key genes in the sex differentiation pathway? Which sex genes are targets? Epigenetic enzymes are astonishingly conserved, providing exciting opportunities to draw from human systems to unravel novel signatures of temperature-induced sex switching in reptiles. This project will advance knowledge of developmental programming generally.Read moreRead less