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Creating new stochastic models to understand the evolution of gene families. This project aims to extend stochastic modelling techniques in order to develop mathematically rigorous and biologically relevant models for the evolution of gene families. The project expects to model evolutionary processes such as gene retention, duplication and loss, and the generation of new gene functions. The duplication and subsequent re-purposing of genes is thought to be a key mechanism for generating evolution ....Creating new stochastic models to understand the evolution of gene families. This project aims to extend stochastic modelling techniques in order to develop mathematically rigorous and biologically relevant models for the evolution of gene families. The project expects to model evolutionary processes such as gene retention, duplication and loss, and the generation of new gene functions. The duplication and subsequent re-purposing of genes is thought to be a key mechanism for generating evolutionary novelty. By applying these models to genome data, the project expects to be able to quantify the importance of these different evolutionary mechanisms. The project will strengthen collaborative links between researchers in stochastic modelling and molecular evolutionary biology.Read moreRead less
A new universal mechanism controlling body proportions in animals. This project aims to establish that a recently-discovered mechanism, the inhibitory cascade, determines the basic proportions of appendages and body segments in a diverse range of animal groups, particularly vertebrates and arthropods. The goals of the project are to reveal the molecular mechanisms in mice and insects, and build computer simulations to show how to manipulate the control of development by the inhibitory cascade. T ....A new universal mechanism controlling body proportions in animals. This project aims to establish that a recently-discovered mechanism, the inhibitory cascade, determines the basic proportions of appendages and body segments in a diverse range of animal groups, particularly vertebrates and arthropods. The goals of the project are to reveal the molecular mechanisms in mice and insects, and build computer simulations to show how to manipulate the control of development by the inhibitory cascade. The project should benefit bioengineering by establishing control mechanisms for the manipulation and regeneration of teeth and limbs.Read moreRead less
Algebraically informed models of biological sequence evolution. To make sense of the patterns they see in the natural world, biologists across fields as diverse as genetics, epidemiology and biogeography need an accurate picture of evolutionary history. DNA sequences provide an exciting means to establish this picture of the past, but to decode it successfully requires mathematical models of how DNA evolves. Mathematical inconsistencies have been identified with current approaches. In particular ....Algebraically informed models of biological sequence evolution. To make sense of the patterns they see in the natural world, biologists across fields as diverse as genetics, epidemiology and biogeography need an accurate picture of evolutionary history. DNA sequences provide an exciting means to establish this picture of the past, but to decode it successfully requires mathematical models of how DNA evolves. Mathematical inconsistencies have been identified with current approaches. In particular, understanding the effect of natural selection in different parts of the tree of life requires models that behave robustly in the face of shifting evolutionary processes. This project aims to use insights from algebraic methods to construct mathematically consistent models of wide biological utility.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130100423
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$369,061.00
Summary
Group theory and phylogenetics: exploiting symmetry to uncover evolutionary history. Using advanced algebra, structural symmetries inherent in phylogenetic methods will be studied and improved approaches will be derived. DNA sequences contain a wealth of information about evolutionary events that occurred millions of years ago, but extracting this information requires the application of robust methods.
Morphological development of the kidney – a paradigm for organogenesis. This project aims to shed new light on how the kidney develops, how normal adult function is established and how congenital kidney malformations occur. It aims to investigate a mathematical pattern that has been discovered in the program of branching morphogenesis which dictates kidney development. By combining cutting-edge genetic approaches, morphological analysis and mathematical modelling, this project plans to explore h ....Morphological development of the kidney – a paradigm for organogenesis. This project aims to shed new light on how the kidney develops, how normal adult function is established and how congenital kidney malformations occur. It aims to investigate a mathematical pattern that has been discovered in the program of branching morphogenesis which dictates kidney development. By combining cutting-edge genetic approaches, morphological analysis and mathematical modelling, this project plans to explore how this pattern is established, how it dictates kidney development and whether it constitutes an ancient mechanism central to organ formation. Project outcomes may improve understanding of fundamental developmental processes and developmental disease and variation. Project findings may also be important for understanding the development of other organ systems.Read moreRead less
Interpreting biological sequence information: untangling hybridisation. Hybridisation is believed to be important during adaptive radiations where species rapidly colonise new niches and respond to new environments, e.g. in times of climate change. This project will create the statistical tools and software required for evolutionary biologists to understand how hybridisation has helped shape the Australian flora.