Comprehensive transcriptional mapping of emergent division-linked cell fate decisions. This project proposal will lead to a better understanding of the molecular mechanics that drive certain cellular behaviors. To do this, we will use a frontier technology, RNA sequencing, which we think has the potential to revolutionise Australian science and make Australia an even more attractive place for young researchers. The community at large benefits from novel technologies as they create new opportunit ....Comprehensive transcriptional mapping of emergent division-linked cell fate decisions. This project proposal will lead to a better understanding of the molecular mechanics that drive certain cellular behaviors. To do this, we will use a frontier technology, RNA sequencing, which we think has the potential to revolutionise Australian science and make Australia an even more attractive place for young researchers. The community at large benefits from novel technologies as they create new opportunities for university research and attract young minds to the challenges of maths and science.Read moreRead less
Identification of the basic elements of Plasmodium transcription. This Discovery Project falls under the NRP for safeguarding Australia. Australian troops stationed in malaria endemic areas face the threat of infection and require medical attention upon return.Any research on malaria will expand our knowledge on prevention and treatment. Australia near malariaendemic locations such as Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.These countries do not have the means to support effective basic research into ....Identification of the basic elements of Plasmodium transcription. This Discovery Project falls under the NRP for safeguarding Australia. Australian troops stationed in malaria endemic areas face the threat of infection and require medical attention upon return.Any research on malaria will expand our knowledge on prevention and treatment. Australia near malariaendemic locations such as Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.These countries do not have the means to support effective basic research into the disease and wealthier countries such as Australia have the responsibility to fill this void.Furthermore, the aims of this Discovery Project are unique within the Australian malaria research community and the results fully complement other studies on transcription regulation of antigenic genes. Read moreRead less
Chromatin barriers in Plasmodium falciparum gene regulation. Malaria is a major world disease that kills around 2 million people annually. The genome of the causative agent has now been completely sequenced, but we still know very little of how and why some genes are activated while their neighbours are turned off. I will study the DNA barriers that separate such genes, and the proteins that interact with these regions to better understand how genetic regulation functions in these parasites. A b ....Chromatin barriers in Plasmodium falciparum gene regulation. Malaria is a major world disease that kills around 2 million people annually. The genome of the causative agent has now been completely sequenced, but we still know very little of how and why some genes are activated while their neighbours are turned off. I will study the DNA barriers that separate such genes, and the proteins that interact with these regions to better understand how genetic regulation functions in these parasites. A better understanding of gene regulation in malaria parasites will help us to better combat the tricks utilised by this and other organisms to elude our immune systems.Read moreRead less
Identifying Novel Biosynthetic Pathways in Mycobacteria using DNA Microarray Technology. DNA microarrays are a powerful new bioinformatics-based technology and an ideal tool for characterising complex biosynthetic pathways since the expression of all genes in the bacterial genome can be monitored in a single experiment. In this project we aim to construct and use a DNA microarray to identify novel biosynthetic pathways in mycobacteria. Of particular interest are pathways used to create compone ....Identifying Novel Biosynthetic Pathways in Mycobacteria using DNA Microarray Technology. DNA microarrays are a powerful new bioinformatics-based technology and an ideal tool for characterising complex biosynthetic pathways since the expression of all genes in the bacterial genome can be monitored in a single experiment. In this project we aim to construct and use a DNA microarray to identify novel biosynthetic pathways in mycobacteria. Of particular interest are pathways used to create components of the highly complex and poorly characterised cell wall. Since this structure is unique in the bacterial world, we expect to identify and characterise pathways that are unique to mycobacteria.Read moreRead less
Bayesian Statistical Inference for Implicitly defined Probability Models. Bayesian statistics has recently been used to provide solutions for a large number of hitherto intractable problems in science and technology. The success of Bayesian statistics has mainly been due to the application of so-called Markov chain Monte Carlo computational techniques. We aim to improve these algorithms, by providing fast, simple and efficient computational implementations. We will use the results to give ins ....Bayesian Statistical Inference for Implicitly defined Probability Models. Bayesian statistics has recently been used to provide solutions for a large number of hitherto intractable problems in science and technology. The success of Bayesian statistics has mainly been due to the application of so-called Markov chain Monte Carlo computational techniques. We aim to improve these algorithms, by providing fast, simple and efficient computational implementations. We will use the results to give insight by carefully quantifying and modelling uncertainty for such topics as the transmission rate of infectious diseases, the spatial distribution of plant and animal species, investigating biological theory for the genome of a virus, and changes in human fertility.Read moreRead less
Discovery of pathways to embryogenesis in pathogenic flatworm parasites using microdissection and transcriptomic technologies. The cost to Australia of flatworm parasites to animal production and human health is substantial (hundreds of millions of dollars per year). This research will give new insights into how flatworms reproduce and equip their progeny for survival, providing impetus for new vaccine or drug therapies to be developed. As these pathogens are more significant in Australia's ne ....Discovery of pathways to embryogenesis in pathogenic flatworm parasites using microdissection and transcriptomic technologies. The cost to Australia of flatworm parasites to animal production and human health is substantial (hundreds of millions of dollars per year). This research will give new insights into how flatworms reproduce and equip their progeny for survival, providing impetus for new vaccine or drug therapies to be developed. As these pathogens are more significant in Australia's near neighbours, this project will strengthen Australia's international leadership in this field. Our study will provide, for the first time for any helminth parasite, a freely available genetic database that profiles the gene expression repertoire of individual parasite tissues, a development likely to enhance the international effort in controlling these harmful diseases.Read moreRead less
Phasevarions of Haemophilus influenzae: mechanisms and origins of a novel epigenetic system controlling coordinated random switching in expression of multiple genes. Central to the utilisation of biological information is our ability to identify and interpret DNA sequence information from genomes. In bacteria that cause disease, these investigations can identify key aspects of the infectious process or potential components of vaccines or new targets for antibiotics. Our recent work has identifie ....Phasevarions of Haemophilus influenzae: mechanisms and origins of a novel epigenetic system controlling coordinated random switching in expression of multiple genes. Central to the utilisation of biological information is our ability to identify and interpret DNA sequence information from genomes. In bacteria that cause disease, these investigations can identify key aspects of the infectious process or potential components of vaccines or new targets for antibiotics. Our recent work has identified a new genetic system, the 'phasevarion', that mediates random expression of multiple genes. The proposed research aims to advance our understanding of gene expression at the most basic level, revealing how bacteria generate diverse populations to evade environmental and immune stresses, and facilitating improved interpretation and use of DNA sequences for researchers and industry in this field.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0453920
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$108,680.00
Summary
Molecular diagnostics based on real-time polymerase chain reactions for emerging tropical infectious diseases aimed at protecting Australia from invasive diseases. The project aims to use the technique of real-time polymerase chain reaction to rapidly detect and quantify the organisms associated with emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases of man and animals. It will also be used to determine related gene expression.
The equipment will be used to support a wide range of projects that req ....Molecular diagnostics based on real-time polymerase chain reactions for emerging tropical infectious diseases aimed at protecting Australia from invasive diseases. The project aims to use the technique of real-time polymerase chain reaction to rapidly detect and quantify the organisms associated with emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases of man and animals. It will also be used to determine related gene expression.
The equipment will be used to support a wide range of projects that require the detection of specific RNA or DNA and it will allow the rapid, cost effective and efficient processing of either RNA or DNA from large numbers of samples. Minor variations in organisms will be detected using this equipment.
Read moreRead less
Using integrated frontier and smart technologies to identify new drug targets for parasites causing major diseases in humans and animals. The national/community benefits are (1) enhanced focus on animal and human health biotechnology through the development of anti-parasite compounds and/or vaccines; (2) improved and sustainable control of important parasites with decreased risk of induction of drug resistance; (3) increased profitability of agricultural animal production; (4) consolidation of a ....Using integrated frontier and smart technologies to identify new drug targets for parasites causing major diseases in humans and animals. The national/community benefits are (1) enhanced focus on animal and human health biotechnology through the development of anti-parasite compounds and/or vaccines; (2) improved and sustainable control of important parasites with decreased risk of induction of drug resistance; (3) increased profitability of agricultural animal production; (4) consolidation of a technology platform for further applications in genomics and post-genomics of pathogens of global significance and construction of a pipeline for the validation of drug targets; (5) capturing the benefits from fundamental research and strengthening links between fundamental and applied research; (6) increasing the quality and quantity of scientifically skilled people in biotechnology.Read moreRead less
Automated, smart genomic data integration for the exploration of developmentally regulated molecules in parasites of major socioeconomic importance. The national/community benefits are (1) enhanced focus on animal and human health biotechnology through the development of safe anti-parasite compounds/vaccines; (2) improved and sustainable control of key parasites with decreased risk of induction of drug resistance; (3) increased profitability of agricultural animal production; (4) consolidation o ....Automated, smart genomic data integration for the exploration of developmentally regulated molecules in parasites of major socioeconomic importance. The national/community benefits are (1) enhanced focus on animal and human health biotechnology through the development of safe anti-parasite compounds/vaccines; (2) improved and sustainable control of key parasites with decreased risk of induction of drug resistance; (3) increased profitability of agricultural animal production; (4) consolidation of a technology platform for further applications in genomics and post-genomics of pathogens of global significance and construction of a pipeline for the validation of drug targets; (5) capturing the benefits from fundamental research and strengthening links between fundamental and applied research; (6) increasing the quality and quantity of scientifically skilled people in biotechnology.Read moreRead less