The role of turgor in hyphal extension of the Ascomycete Neurospora crassa. Cellular expansion is an absolute necessity during the growth and development of plants and fungi. This process relies heavily upon the accumulation of inorganic ions. Osmotically driven water influx then creates the hydrostatic pressure that underlies the increase in cell volume. Cellular expansion is normally asymmetric and localised in one small region, such as hyphal tip. How does the cell maintain the turgor that dr ....The role of turgor in hyphal extension of the Ascomycete Neurospora crassa. Cellular expansion is an absolute necessity during the growth and development of plants and fungi. This process relies heavily upon the accumulation of inorganic ions. Osmotically driven water influx then creates the hydrostatic pressure that underlies the increase in cell volume. Cellular expansion is normally asymmetric and localised in one small region, such as hyphal tip. How does the cell maintain the turgor that drives expansion? How is expansion controlled spatially? These questions will be addressed in this project by comprehensive study of ion transport processes in a model organism, Neurospora crassa, using osmotic sensitive and transport mutants.Read moreRead less
Visualising neuron-glia interactions in the injured central nervous system. The adult brain and spinal cord recovery poorly from injury. Attempts to overcome this problem include methods to promote the intrinsic regenerative capacity of injured neurons, and modulating the inhibitory extracellular environment to become permissive to regeneration. The goal of this project is to investigate an endogenous regenerative mechanism in the injured brain. This project will use the latest, cutting-edge mic ....Visualising neuron-glia interactions in the injured central nervous system. The adult brain and spinal cord recovery poorly from injury. Attempts to overcome this problem include methods to promote the intrinsic regenerative capacity of injured neurons, and modulating the inhibitory extracellular environment to become permissive to regeneration. The goal of this project is to investigate an endogenous regenerative mechanism in the injured brain. This project will use the latest, cutting-edge microscopy techniques to visualise whether the endogenous astrocyte protein metallothionein can promote regeneration in the injured nervous system of living zebrafish. The successful outcomes of this project will provide significant insight into understanding how the brain responds to injury.Read moreRead less
Placental nutrient transport shows how complex traits evolve. This project aims to use amino acid transport in the vertebrate placenta as a model to demonstrate how genes are recruited and modified to produce a major organ. Using an innovative combination of a new technology, selected reaction monitoring, and transcriptomic and molecular approaches, plus carefully selected Australian species pairs, this project will study the evolution of a complex trait (placental amino acid transport). The pr ....Placental nutrient transport shows how complex traits evolve. This project aims to use amino acid transport in the vertebrate placenta as a model to demonstrate how genes are recruited and modified to produce a major organ. Using an innovative combination of a new technology, selected reaction monitoring, and transcriptomic and molecular approaches, plus carefully selected Australian species pairs, this project will study the evolution of a complex trait (placental amino acid transport). The project will provide fundamental advances in our knowledge of the nutrient transport during pregnancy that is required to produce a healthy baby.Read moreRead less
From The Synchrotron To The Clinic: Translation Of A Novel Functional Lung Imaging Technology
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$891,834.00
Summary
Our team has recently developed a synchrotron technology with a startling capacity for dynamic functional imaging that can act as a sensitive regional indicator of lung disease. We will demonstrate that this technology can be translated from the synchrotron to the lab and eventually the clinic. We will provide proof of this concept by the application of this technology to emphysema, asthma, lung cancer, cystic fibrosis lung disease and neonatal resuscitation.
Remotely sensed forest water use in space and time. Remotely sensed forest water use in space and time. This project aims to develop and apply new methods to scale forest water use from plot to catchment-level, using relationships between plot-level annual evapotranspiration and biophysical and biochemical properties of stands detectable by unmanned aircraft systems and other remote sensing platforms. Australia's water security depends on understanding how changes in forests from disturbance and ....Remotely sensed forest water use in space and time. Remotely sensed forest water use in space and time. This project aims to develop and apply new methods to scale forest water use from plot to catchment-level, using relationships between plot-level annual evapotranspiration and biophysical and biochemical properties of stands detectable by unmanned aircraft systems and other remote sensing platforms. Australia's water security depends on understanding how changes in forests from disturbance and climate change influence catchment water yields. This project will estimate water yields over time and space in ungauged catchments with disturbed eucalypt forests. This research is expected to enable more effective risk mitigation and planning for augmentations; improved fire management strategies; and better water management of the Murray Darling Basin.Read moreRead less
Investigating the molecular function of alpha-Haemoglobin stabilising protein. The research described in this proposal will provide new insights into haemoglobin regulation and redox chemistry in erythrocytes. Deregulation of these processes gives rise to a number of debilitating diseases, including varieties of anaemia and thalassaemia-in Australia it is estimated that 3% of the population could be carriers of b-thalassaemia mutations. Given the contribution of free aHb to the pathology of b-th ....Investigating the molecular function of alpha-Haemoglobin stabilising protein. The research described in this proposal will provide new insights into haemoglobin regulation and redox chemistry in erythrocytes. Deregulation of these processes gives rise to a number of debilitating diseases, including varieties of anaemia and thalassaemia-in Australia it is estimated that 3% of the population could be carriers of b-thalassaemia mutations. Given the contribution of free aHb to the pathology of b-thalassaemia, understanding the specific aHb-binding factor, AHSP is a goal of national significance. In the long term, manipulation of AHSP function through gene therapy may have a direct role in the treatment of thalassaemia.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100606
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$450,400.00
Summary
Effects of environmental change on seafood micronutrients: a SE Asian focus. This project aims to track variability in flows of essential micronutrients through marine food webs, to quantify how environmental changes will affect micronutrient supply to humans in seafood – findings that will be highly significant as governments grapple with increases in both malnutrition and ecological degradation. Expected outcomes: world-first models for accurately estimating nutrient production from SE Asian r ....Effects of environmental change on seafood micronutrients: a SE Asian focus. This project aims to track variability in flows of essential micronutrients through marine food webs, to quantify how environmental changes will affect micronutrient supply to humans in seafood – findings that will be highly significant as governments grapple with increases in both malnutrition and ecological degradation. Expected outcomes: world-first models for accurately estimating nutrient production from SE Asian reef fisheries up to 2050, under conditions of predicted climate change. Major expected benefits: new capacity to plan for food and nutrition security into an uncertain future, for Australia, our region, and beyond; with improvements to human nutrition and health, in accord with UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger).Read moreRead less
Identifying the specific structural features of metallothionein that regulate its ability to modulate astrogliosis. This project contributes directly to the Designated National Research Priority 2 and could potentially have a significant impact upon the broader Australian Community by identifying a novel and powerful therapeutic agent based upon metallothionein proteins with the ultimate aim of helping patients who have a brain injury or a neurodegenerative disease. It is important to note that ....Identifying the specific structural features of metallothionein that regulate its ability to modulate astrogliosis. This project contributes directly to the Designated National Research Priority 2 and could potentially have a significant impact upon the broader Australian Community by identifying a novel and powerful therapeutic agent based upon metallothionein proteins with the ultimate aim of helping patients who have a brain injury or a neurodegenerative disease. It is important to note that the partnership between UTAS and Bestenbalt LLC is a critical step in the development of these exciting research discoveries into commercially viable outcomes for the Australian Biotechnology Industry and the broader Australian community.Read moreRead less
Using metallothioneins as a model for understanding cellular and biochemical interactions between neurons and astrocytes within the brain. This research will reveal some of the changes that occur in the relationship between neurons and astrocytes as a consequence injury, aging or disease to the human brain. In national terms, it will contribute to the concerted effort by Australian scientists to understand how and why neurons die following brain injury or in neurodegenerative diseases. These a ....Using metallothioneins as a model for understanding cellular and biochemical interactions between neurons and astrocytes within the brain. This research will reveal some of the changes that occur in the relationship between neurons and astrocytes as a consequence injury, aging or disease to the human brain. In national terms, it will contribute to the concerted effort by Australian scientists to understand how and why neurons die following brain injury or in neurodegenerative diseases. These are significant community issues in both economical and social terms. Furthermore, this research contributes directly to the Designated National Research Priorities by identifying some of the earliest cellular processes associated with aging or disease of the brain, and will provide clues to promoting healthy aging.Read moreRead less
Redefining the metallothionein's role in the injured brain: extracellular metallothioneins play an important role in astrocyte-neuron responses to injury. This project is being performed by an Australian team of researchers who are leaders in this field of research, and has significant national benefits in supporting this team reveal fundamental information on the cellular interactions that occur between astrocytes and neurons within the injured brain. In national terms, it will contribute to th ....Redefining the metallothionein's role in the injured brain: extracellular metallothioneins play an important role in astrocyte-neuron responses to injury. This project is being performed by an Australian team of researchers who are leaders in this field of research, and has significant national benefits in supporting this team reveal fundamental information on the cellular interactions that occur between astrocytes and neurons within the injured brain. In national terms, it will contribute to the concerted effort by Australian scientists to understand how and why neurons die following brain injury or neurodegenerative disease. Furthermore, this research contributes directly to the Designated National Research Priorities by identifying some of the earliest biochemical and cellular processes associated with aging or disease of the brain.Read moreRead less