Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775726
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$306,270.00
Summary
Australian Mirror of the UCSC Genome Database and Browser. Modern medical, biological, agricultural, and environmental research and industries are being transformed by access to genomic information that details the DNA sequence of various species, as well as of different strains and individuals within populations. This information is being generated at an exponentially increasing speed, and requires large computational resources. This facility will provide Australian researchers, R&D organizati ....Australian Mirror of the UCSC Genome Database and Browser. Modern medical, biological, agricultural, and environmental research and industries are being transformed by access to genomic information that details the DNA sequence of various species, as well as of different strains and individuals within populations. This information is being generated at an exponentially increasing speed, and requires large computational resources. This facility will provide Australian researchers, R&D organizations and industry with state-of-the-art genomic data storage and analysis capability, which will permit both public and proprietary access, and accelerate Australian research and development in genetic medicine, pharmaceuticals, animal breeding and biodiversity.Read moreRead less
Genetics of longevity and the delay of post-reproductive senescence. Ageing of the population in the coming decades will cause an increasing health care burden. Diseases of ageing such as Alzheimer's, heart disease, Parkinson's and a range of cancers, as well as impairments of ageing such as reduced mobility and cognitive ability are all caused or exacerbated by oxidative stress. With some exceptions, current medical practices focus on surgical repair or drug therapy to alleviate symptoms of ag ....Genetics of longevity and the delay of post-reproductive senescence. Ageing of the population in the coming decades will cause an increasing health care burden. Diseases of ageing such as Alzheimer's, heart disease, Parkinson's and a range of cancers, as well as impairments of ageing such as reduced mobility and cognitive ability are all caused or exacerbated by oxidative stress. With some exceptions, current medical practices focus on surgical repair or drug therapy to alleviate symptoms of ageing rather than addressing the physiological causes of ageing itself. Our project will provide understanding of natural systems that prevent age-related senescence due to oxidative stress. The goal is to identify novel and natural ways to maximise the fitness, well-being and self-sufficiency of people as they age.Read moreRead less
Insect age: an ecological genomics approach to understanding host-parasite interactions. The importance of insect age (or the age structure of a population of insects) in understanding relationships between insects and their abiotic and biotic environment has been stressed in many theoretical studies but seldom directly tested. This is because few tools exist that can accurately measure the age of a wild-caught insect with any accuracy. In this proposal we plan to use a genomics approach to deve ....Insect age: an ecological genomics approach to understanding host-parasite interactions. The importance of insect age (or the age structure of a population of insects) in understanding relationships between insects and their abiotic and biotic environment has been stressed in many theoretical studies but seldom directly tested. This is because few tools exist that can accurately measure the age of a wild-caught insect with any accuracy. In this proposal we plan to use a genomics approach to develop tools that can be used to efficiently determine the age of an insect and then apply these tools to better understand the relationship between insect age and the ability of an insect to transmit pathogens to humans, livestock or plants. These tools will also have future applicability in developing new approaches to control insect transmitted disease as well as provide methodology to determine the effectiveness of current control programs that seek to kill pest insect populations of agricultural or public health significance.Read moreRead less
Defining the earliest events in lymphatic vasculature formation from veins. Vascular system development is one of the earliest events that occurs in the embryo. The entire lymphatic vascular system forms from the embryo’s early veins. This project aims to define the earliest molecular and cellular changes essential to form an entire second vessel network from just a few precursor cells in the embryo. The project aims to utilise zebrafish and mouse embryos to greatly expand knowledge in the forma ....Defining the earliest events in lymphatic vasculature formation from veins. Vascular system development is one of the earliest events that occurs in the embryo. The entire lymphatic vascular system forms from the embryo’s early veins. This project aims to define the earliest molecular and cellular changes essential to form an entire second vessel network from just a few precursor cells in the embryo. The project aims to utilise zebrafish and mouse embryos to greatly expand knowledge in the formation of this essential vertebrate tissue. Ultimately, this is expected to provide new knowledge in stem and precursor cell differentiation, the evolution of complex organ systems and tissue formation. Outcomes may impact on future biotechnology in the areas of tissues engineering, stem cell differentiation and regeneration.Read moreRead less
A new statistical framework to understand the biological basis of Ankylosing Spondylitis and other complex diseases. Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is a highly heritable and common inflammatory arthritis which causes stiffness and progressive fusion of the spine, decreased quality of life and reduced lifespan. There is no known cure for the condition. This project aims to identify genes and biological pathways involved in AS pathogenesis using a new statistical framework that will be applied to tho ....A new statistical framework to understand the biological basis of Ankylosing Spondylitis and other complex diseases. Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is a highly heritable and common inflammatory arthritis which causes stiffness and progressive fusion of the spine, decreased quality of life and reduced lifespan. There is no known cure for the condition. This project aims to identify genes and biological pathways involved in AS pathogenesis using a new statistical framework that will be applied to thousands of individuals with the disease. This project will improve understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in AS pathophysiology, inform development of new drug treatments for the condition, and create a powerful new statistical approach that can be used to identify biological pathways which are important in the pathogenesis of other complex diseases.Read moreRead less
Evolution and function of fragmented animal mitochondrial genomes. This project will reveal why animal mitochondrial genomes are in pieces, and how fragmented mitochondrial genomes evolve and function. This project will discover whether or not fragmented mitochondrial genomes have functional advantages. Knowledge generated from this project will lead to new approaches to mitochondrial genetic diseases in humans.
Molecular characterization of the role of menin in embryonic development. Menin is a protein that is necessary to prevent development of tumours. Deletion of menin in mice causes embryonic death. We think this is because menin is necessary in the placenta. This project will examine the role of menin in the fetus and the placenta, and provide information about how normal pregnancy and fetal growth is controlled.
RNA-based analysis for prediction of islet death in diabetes. Death of insulin-producing cells is a common feature in diabetes. Presently, a blood glucose test remains the only blunt instrument to diagnose diabetes. The RNA-based analysis for prediction of islet death in diabetes (RAPID) study links with eight clinical trials to test this newly developed non-invasive assay for predicting diabetes. Early diagnosis will help to reduce diabetic complications in later life.
Perceptual suppression mechanisms in the Drosophila brain. This project will investigate common processes underlying three means to losing conscious perception: selective attention, sleep and general anaesthesia. By studying these suppression mechanisms in a genetic model, the fly Drosophila melanogaster, fundamental processes will be highlighted that are required in the brain for maintaining perception in general.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE140100164
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$167,990.00
Summary
High-throughput DNA sequencing facility at James Cook University. High-throughput DNA sequencing facility: Co-funding for an Illumina MiSeq DNA sequencer and aligned equipment will increase the efficiency of projects by allowing high-throughput sequencing. The outcome of access to this equipment will be wider adoption of powerful sequencing technologies to address questions of national and global importance.