Drosophila Quantitative Genomics. This research proposal will be a key element in the emerging program in evolutionary and ecological functional genomics at the University of Queensland. Our studies utilize modern genomics approaches to address diverse national priorities from conservation of biological resources in the face of climate change, to understanding how genetic history contributes to drug susceptibility. The research will contribute to the intellectual foundation upon which rigorous ....Drosophila Quantitative Genomics. This research proposal will be a key element in the emerging program in evolutionary and ecological functional genomics at the University of Queensland. Our studies utilize modern genomics approaches to address diverse national priorities from conservation of biological resources in the face of climate change, to understanding how genetic history contributes to drug susceptibility. The research will contribute to the intellectual foundation upon which rigorous environmental and biomedical research is built. Social impact will be seen in the training of a new generation of integrative genome biologists, and the shaping of attitudes toward the role of genetics in human biology.Read moreRead less
Regulation of ion homeostasis by two-component signalling elements. Dryland salinity is continuously claiming Australian lands and is a serious threat to our agricultural industry, native flora and fauna, and infrastructure. Attempting to feed an increasing population whilst agricultural land is disappearing, places an ever-increasing burden on our remaining land. While there is no simple solution to this problem, understanding how plants regulate cellular ion concentrations will help to generat ....Regulation of ion homeostasis by two-component signalling elements. Dryland salinity is continuously claiming Australian lands and is a serious threat to our agricultural industry, native flora and fauna, and infrastructure. Attempting to feed an increasing population whilst agricultural land is disappearing, places an ever-increasing burden on our remaining land. While there is no simple solution to this problem, understanding how plants regulate cellular ion concentrations will help to generate plants that are suitable for restoration of damaged lands or crop plants that are more tolerant to saline soils. Furthermore, knowledge acquired from the proposed project will also be useful for generating healthier crop plants with enhanced levels of ions essential for the human diet. Read moreRead less
Omega-3 fats in vegetable oils: Improving their benefits. While authoritative health agencies in Western countries recommend increased intake of omega-3 fats, fish stocks world-wide are already under stress and could not sustain the general uptake of this advice. Nor could aquaculture expansion meet the demand for omega-3 fats with current practices of using wild fish or fish meal or fish oil for feed. This project will address the knowledge gap in how fish handle the omega-3 fatty acids from ve ....Omega-3 fats in vegetable oils: Improving their benefits. While authoritative health agencies in Western countries recommend increased intake of omega-3 fats, fish stocks world-wide are already under stress and could not sustain the general uptake of this advice. Nor could aquaculture expansion meet the demand for omega-3 fats with current practices of using wild fish or fish meal or fish oil for feed. This project will address the knowledge gap in how fish handle the omega-3 fatty acids from vegetable oils such as canola, flaxseed and echium. Australia is well placed in agriculture and aquaculture to capture the value of this research.Read moreRead less
Gene Discovery and Functional Analysis of Copper Homeostasis Genes in Drosophila. Copper is a vital nutrient required for the formation and maintenance of bones, blood vessels and the central nervous system, but copper is also potentially toxic when in excess. Homeostatic mechanisms are needed to maintain safe levels of copper in the body and disruptions to these mechanisms are associated with disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, heart disease and osteoporosis. We are investigating the regulat ....Gene Discovery and Functional Analysis of Copper Homeostasis Genes in Drosophila. Copper is a vital nutrient required for the formation and maintenance of bones, blood vessels and the central nervous system, but copper is also potentially toxic when in excess. Homeostatic mechanisms are needed to maintain safe levels of copper in the body and disruptions to these mechanisms are associated with disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, heart disease and osteoporosis. We are investigating the regulation of a key copper pump, the Menkes protein, which helps control copper levels in the body and we are using the genetic advantages of the fruit fly Drosophila to discover new genes that regulate Menkes activity and therefore copper levels. These studies could lead to novel therapies for a range of copper-related disorders.Read moreRead less
Role of ferroxidases in intestinal iron transport. This project will investigate the mechanism by which the body absorbs the essential nutrient iron from the diet. These studies will enhance our knowledge of an important nutritional pathway and improve our capacity to treat diseases where iron absorption is defective, such as the iron loading disorder haemochromatosis.