Shaping the heart in early development - new insights into cellular modelling processes. Heart health is an important contributor to quality of life and longevity. This research will provide new insights into the way hormonal influences early in development shape a healthy heart. The project builds on the application of recently patented, sophisticated cell imaging techniques. Research students and trainees recruited to this project will benefit from their involvement with this leading edge tech ....Shaping the heart in early development - new insights into cellular modelling processes. Heart health is an important contributor to quality of life and longevity. This research will provide new insights into the way hormonal influences early in development shape a healthy heart. The project builds on the application of recently patented, sophisticated cell imaging techniques. Research students and trainees recruited to this project will benefit from their involvement with this leading edge technology. These studies are important in providing a basis for developing optimal management strategies for congenital heart conditions and preterm infants. Improved knowledge of the cardiac effects of fetal and neonatal exposure to steroids (to assist with lung maturation in prematurity or to control maternal asthma) will be gained.Read moreRead less
Structural Determinants of an Intracellular Calcium Store. Understanding the molecular interactions between key proteins in calcium signalling in muscle and the heart will allow calcium signalling to be used as a platform for a variety of purposes. These include reducing the debilitating effects of changes in calcium signalling and muscle performance in aging and in genetically- or drug-induced disorders. The project will have benefits for Australian biotechnology since it will facilitate the de ....Structural Determinants of an Intracellular Calcium Store. Understanding the molecular interactions between key proteins in calcium signalling in muscle and the heart will allow calcium signalling to be used as a platform for a variety of purposes. These include reducing the debilitating effects of changes in calcium signalling and muscle performance in aging and in genetically- or drug-induced disorders. The project will have benefits for Australian biotechnology since it will facilitate the design of novel compounds for treating muscle disorders in animals and humans, for improving meat quality and for use as insecticides. The project will facilitate graduate and undergraduate training in basic science with exposure to biotechnology, through our commercial partner Biotron.Read moreRead less
Molecular mechanisms of stem cell self-renewal. Muscle growth and regeneration is critically dependent on its stem cell compartment. We have discovered that the p38 MAPK pathway is essential for stem cell self-renewal in the C2C12 myogenic cell line. This proposal seeks to understand the molecular basis of stem cell self-renewal in skeletal muscles, data that may be applicable to many stem cell systems, and to the enormous promise of stem cell therapies for injury and diseases of the aged. We wi ....Molecular mechanisms of stem cell self-renewal. Muscle growth and regeneration is critically dependent on its stem cell compartment. We have discovered that the p38 MAPK pathway is essential for stem cell self-renewal in the C2C12 myogenic cell line. This proposal seeks to understand the molecular basis of stem cell self-renewal in skeletal muscles, data that may be applicable to many stem cell systems, and to the enormous promise of stem cell therapies for injury and diseases of the aged. We will attempt to alter the balance of stem cell production by enforced p38 expression, and take microarray and proteomics approaches to define stem cell pathways.Read moreRead less
Regulation of mammalian heart development by transcription factors FHL2, GATA-4 & FOG-2. FHL2 is involved in many biological processes including intracellular signaling and gene transcription. GATA and FOG proteins are critical for the development of diverse tissues, including the heart. Knowledge gained in this project will advance our understanding of many cellular processes, including heart development, and will contribute to our knowledge in Biology, Zoology and Veterinary Science. More spe ....Regulation of mammalian heart development by transcription factors FHL2, GATA-4 & FOG-2. FHL2 is involved in many biological processes including intracellular signaling and gene transcription. GATA and FOG proteins are critical for the development of diverse tissues, including the heart. Knowledge gained in this project will advance our understanding of many cellular processes, including heart development, and will contribute to our knowledge in Biology, Zoology and Veterinary Science. More specifically, it will contribute to Stem Cell research, a 'hot' area in the biotechnology industry, particularly towards building a strong base of expertise, skills and technological capability in this new field, and may even lead to the development of a commercial product e.g. a heart muscle cell-coated biomaterial to aid failing heart.Read moreRead less
New Materials for an Implantable Blood Pump. Rotary blood pumps are at the leading edge of heart assist technology. VentrAssist has developed an innovative rotary blood pump with a hydro-dynamically suspended impeller. Advanced surface modifications will enable the device to be fabricated from polymers; this will make the device light, more compatible with the human body and less costly to produce. Surface treatments and coatings will be applied using ion implantation, to impart the required ....New Materials for an Implantable Blood Pump. Rotary blood pumps are at the leading edge of heart assist technology. VentrAssist has developed an innovative rotary blood pump with a hydro-dynamically suspended impeller. Advanced surface modifications will enable the device to be fabricated from polymers; this will make the device light, more compatible with the human body and less costly to produce. Surface treatments and coatings will be applied using ion implantation, to impart the required dimensional stability, impermeability and wear resistance. Following sophisticated experiments of modified materials, the best candidates will be used in prototype devices, for final selection of the optimal materials for the new device.Read moreRead less
Electrophysiological and Anatomical Characterization of the Coronary Sinus Musculature and its Relationship to the Atria. This series of experiments will characterise the normal coronary sinus musculature and its connectivity to the atria of the heart and establish their electrical relationships. The underlying characteristics of the muscular connections will also be evaluated with a view to possible future manipulations of the system. Understanding normal heart impulse propagation is paramount ....Electrophysiological and Anatomical Characterization of the Coronary Sinus Musculature and its Relationship to the Atria. This series of experiments will characterise the normal coronary sinus musculature and its connectivity to the atria of the heart and establish their electrical relationships. The underlying characteristics of the muscular connections will also be evaluated with a view to possible future manipulations of the system. Understanding normal heart impulse propagation is paramount before we can understand and develop treatments for dealing with heart problems. This information will facilitate the development of techniques to treat and prevent heart rhythm disorders that are a common cause of morbidity in the community.Read moreRead less
Novel sources of nitric oxide (NO) in cells: Implications for an endocrine role for NO. Communication between cells is essential for coordinating and controlling a healthy body. A key regulator and cell-communicating molecule is the gas, nitric oxide. Although nitric oxide is a simple substance we still do not fully understand all aspects of its cellular functions. It is assumed that nitric oxide is synthesised in the body and, after release, is rapidly metabolized and eliminated. Reductions in ....Novel sources of nitric oxide (NO) in cells: Implications for an endocrine role for NO. Communication between cells is essential for coordinating and controlling a healthy body. A key regulator and cell-communicating molecule is the gas, nitric oxide. Although nitric oxide is a simple substance we still do not fully understand all aspects of its cellular functions. It is assumed that nitric oxide is synthesised in the body and, after release, is rapidly metabolized and eliminated. Reductions in the levels of nitric oxide in the body are associated with several diseases states and states of dysfunction including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and also impotence. Professor Triggle's study seeks to characterize how tissues may store nitric oxide, thus prolonging the life of nitric oxide, and how such stores are released. Read moreRead less
Ginger-based agents for delaying the onset of metabolic syndrome: type-2 diabetes and dyslipidemia. We will determine the potential of ginger, a relatively safe and popular food and spice, to be developed as a preventative nutraceutical agent to delay the onset of type 2 diabetes and its complications. Our research will allow us to formulate a standardised ginger preparation of known mechanism of action that delivers safe and reproducible effects The project has the capacity to reduce the debili ....Ginger-based agents for delaying the onset of metabolic syndrome: type-2 diabetes and dyslipidemia. We will determine the potential of ginger, a relatively safe and popular food and spice, to be developed as a preventative nutraceutical agent to delay the onset of type 2 diabetes and its complications. Our research will allow us to formulate a standardised ginger preparation of known mechanism of action that delivers safe and reproducible effects The project has the capacity to reduce the debilitating effects of type 2 diabetes in the nation's health and its high economic costs, and to improve the quality of life of the Australian community, more than 1 million of whom are affected by this growing epidemic.Read moreRead less
Central command neurons integrating cardiorespiratory drive in exercise. The ability to perform exercise is fundamental to human health and welfare. This ability depends upon the co-ordination by the brain of respiratory and cardiovascular function, such that the delivery of oxygen to exercising muscles is maximised. This project will test the idea that there is a specific group of neurons in the brain that drive both the respiratory and cardiovascular changes that occur during exercise, and w ....Central command neurons integrating cardiorespiratory drive in exercise. The ability to perform exercise is fundamental to human health and welfare. This ability depends upon the co-ordination by the brain of respiratory and cardiovascular function, such that the delivery of oxygen to exercising muscles is maximised. This project will test the idea that there is a specific group of neurons in the brain that drive both the respiratory and cardiovascular changes that occur during exercise, and will determine the location and functions of such neurons. Such new knowledge will help us understand how the brain optimises the ability of the body to perform exercise. This is of fundamental importance in sports science, a field in which Australia excels.Read moreRead less
Molecular basis of G protein receptor-effector coupling in epithelial cells. Hundreds of extracellular stimuli act on specific receptors in the plasma membrane of cells resulting in an increase in intracellular calcium which acts as a second messenger to alter cell behaviour. There are, however, many receptors acting through a number of closely related proteins involving tightly regulated interactions which remain poorly understood. This project uses novel techniques to elucidate the molecular b ....Molecular basis of G protein receptor-effector coupling in epithelial cells. Hundreds of extracellular stimuli act on specific receptors in the plasma membrane of cells resulting in an increase in intracellular calcium which acts as a second messenger to alter cell behaviour. There are, however, many receptors acting through a number of closely related proteins involving tightly regulated interactions which remain poorly understood. This project uses novel techniques to elucidate the molecular basis for these interactions by identifying the roles individual proteins play in this complex process.Read moreRead less