Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100295
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$455,563.00
Summary
Unlocking the helminth ‘early infection gap’ using 3D cell culture models. This project aims to revolutionise the study of critical early host-parasite interactions using innovative 3D cell culture models, reducing our dependence on animal infections. Liver fluke is the most economically important zoonotic parasite of Australian livestock and is a significant contributor to global food insecurity. Due to the reliance of parasites on mammalian hosts to survive, very little is known about the earl ....Unlocking the helminth ‘early infection gap’ using 3D cell culture models. This project aims to revolutionise the study of critical early host-parasite interactions using innovative 3D cell culture models, reducing our dependence on animal infections. Liver fluke is the most economically important zoonotic parasite of Australian livestock and is a significant contributor to global food insecurity. Due to the reliance of parasites on mammalian hosts to survive, very little is known about the early infection process. Expected outcomes include new knowledge on key migratory stimuli and liver fluke biology. Benefits include the identification of drug targets and vaccine candidates for use in livestock via the development of animal-free in vitro screening platforms that will serve as a prototype for other parasites.Read moreRead less
Wolbachia endosymbionts: novel strain dynamics in Australian Drosophila. This project aims to understand Wolbachia infections across Australian Drosophila flies. Wolbachia bacteria that live inside the cells of insects and other invertebrates are widely seen as a promising tool for pest and disease control. This project will assess the population distribution, host phenotypic effects, population dynamics and evolutionary context of multiple Wolbachia infections across Australian Drosophila flies ....Wolbachia endosymbionts: novel strain dynamics in Australian Drosophila. This project aims to understand Wolbachia infections across Australian Drosophila flies. Wolbachia bacteria that live inside the cells of insects and other invertebrates are widely seen as a promising tool for pest and disease control. This project will assess the population distribution, host phenotypic effects, population dynamics and evolutionary context of multiple Wolbachia infections across Australian Drosophila flies. The outcome will include new and novel strains for applied projects, new information on the fate of Wolbachia infections, and new insights into the factors that dictate the fate of Wolbachia infections across populations.Read moreRead less