Electric field effects on cochlear tissues. The project aims to solve the underlying biology of how electricity flows through the cochlear tissues, where and how electrical stimulation excites the auditory neurons, and what the effects of sustained electrical stimulation are on the nerve fibre growth and function. The research aims to show how electric fields can be controlled in the cochlea, and how auditory nerve fibres are affected at the cellular and molecular level. The long-term aim is to ....Electric field effects on cochlear tissues. The project aims to solve the underlying biology of how electricity flows through the cochlear tissues, where and how electrical stimulation excites the auditory neurons, and what the effects of sustained electrical stimulation are on the nerve fibre growth and function. The research aims to show how electric fields can be controlled in the cochlea, and how auditory nerve fibres are affected at the cellular and molecular level. The long-term aim is to utilise these findings to improve the control of neuronal excitability, for development of interfaces with the nervous system.Read moreRead less
How Spinal Afferent Neurons Control Appetite and Thirst . This project aims to provide major new insights about how the gut communicates with the brain, to regulate how much food and fluids have been consumed. The proposal expects to generate new knowledge about gut-brain communication and how one of the major sensory nerves from the gut relays information about thirst and appetite sensations. The project addresses fundamental questions that rely on techniques only recently developed in our labo ....How Spinal Afferent Neurons Control Appetite and Thirst . This project aims to provide major new insights about how the gut communicates with the brain, to regulate how much food and fluids have been consumed. The proposal expects to generate new knowledge about gut-brain communication and how one of the major sensory nerves from the gut relays information about thirst and appetite sensations. The project addresses fundamental questions that rely on techniques only recently developed in our laboratory. We expect to demonstrate a major new sensory nerve pathway from the gut to the brain that plays a major role in appetite and thirst sensations. We will learn how gut to brain communication underlies the feeling of "fullness" when people consume food and drink.
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Age-related mechanisms of amino acid signalling in skeletal muscle. This project aims to increase our understanding of the role of glycine receptor-mediated signalling and its metabolism in the amino acid sensing capacity of mTORC1, a key enzyme regulating muscle protein synthesis. Ageing is associated with a progressive decline in skeletal muscle mass, weakness, and impaired regeneration after injury. Impaired anabolic signalling after food intake has been proposed as a key contributor, yet the ....Age-related mechanisms of amino acid signalling in skeletal muscle. This project aims to increase our understanding of the role of glycine receptor-mediated signalling and its metabolism in the amino acid sensing capacity of mTORC1, a key enzyme regulating muscle protein synthesis. Ageing is associated with a progressive decline in skeletal muscle mass, weakness, and impaired regeneration after injury. Impaired anabolic signalling after food intake has been proposed as a key contributor, yet the metabolic pathways responsible for nutrient sensing and regulation of protein synthesis remain unresolved. The project will assess defective amino acid sensing and protein synthesis in old mammals, identifying the role of glycine signalling in these processes. The project expects to underpin development of muscle-specific modulators of muscle homeostasis with broad relevance to Australia’s ageing population.Read moreRead less
How appetite-suppressing brain cells maintain normal function and prevent the development of obesity. The brain plays a critical role in body weight gain by balancing appetite-inducing and appetite-suppressing signals. An imbalance in this process causes obesity and promotes diabetes. The aim of this research is to identify how appetite-suppressing brain cells maintain normal function and prevent the development of obesity.
Unified framework of intestinal motility. The project aims to establish how a few fundamental mechanisms determine the large repertoire of intestinal motor patterns responsible for moving nutrients along the digestive tract. The project will combine experimental and theoretical data, with biomechanical and electrophysiological models to create a new understanding of this essential function of the body.
Skeletal endocrine signalling in the regulation of glucose metabolism. This project seeks to explore a highly novel and interesting recent development in bone biology: the fact that the skeleton is a central regulator of glucose metabolism. Currently, the mechanisms involved in this process remain unclear. mTORC1 has been identified as a signalling pathway in bone cells that modulates glucose metabolism. This project plans to selectively delete mTORC1 in the bone cells of mice to examine how ske ....Skeletal endocrine signalling in the regulation of glucose metabolism. This project seeks to explore a highly novel and interesting recent development in bone biology: the fact that the skeleton is a central regulator of glucose metabolism. Currently, the mechanisms involved in this process remain unclear. mTORC1 has been identified as a signalling pathway in bone cells that modulates glucose metabolism. This project plans to selectively delete mTORC1 in the bone cells of mice to examine how skeletal mTORC1 signalling regulates glucose metabolism, and identify novel pathways and circulating factors involved in this process. These studies may provide greater understanding of the basic biology of glucose metabolism, and may have applications in animal husbandry and the future management of diabetes.Read moreRead less
Activity-based chemogenetics: a novel approach to modulating brain function. Aim: To unravel the astounding complexity of the vertebrate brain by developing a completely novel method, that enables manipulation of the activity of defined nerve cells to study behaviour. Significance: Such technical advances are essential for understanding the intricate function of the brain. Expected outcomes: We will provide a technical advance of broad scope that will lead to novel neuroscience throughout the wo ....Activity-based chemogenetics: a novel approach to modulating brain function. Aim: To unravel the astounding complexity of the vertebrate brain by developing a completely novel method, that enables manipulation of the activity of defined nerve cells to study behaviour. Significance: Such technical advances are essential for understanding the intricate function of the brain. Expected outcomes: We will provide a technical advance of broad scope that will lead to novel neuroscience throughout the world. We will also increase understanding of body weight control through the experiments planned to validate our tool. Benefit: Our technical advance has the potential to alter experimental protocols, and the information obtained by experimental neuroscience, across all areas attempting to understand brain function.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100282
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
The formation and regulation of ovarian follicular fluid. At ovulation in mammals the egg and its surrounding fluid are released from the ovary, yet we understand very little about how fluid accumulates in the ovary in the first place. This project will for the first time discover how this fluid forms, and what controls its rate of formation.
Environmental Control of Developmental Plasticity of Vertebrate Cardio-Pulmonary Systems. Our research will generate the first comprehensive picture of how environmental conditions are transduced to control the development of the vertebrate respiratory and cardiovascular systems over the perinatal period. The research will demonstrate how physiological systems are modified and hence evolve. Moreover, understanding the developmental pathology in embryos induced by changing environmental condition ....Environmental Control of Developmental Plasticity of Vertebrate Cardio-Pulmonary Systems. Our research will generate the first comprehensive picture of how environmental conditions are transduced to control the development of the vertebrate respiratory and cardiovascular systems over the perinatal period. The research will demonstrate how physiological systems are modified and hence evolve. Moreover, understanding the developmental pathology in embryos induced by changing environmental conditions (especially exposure to steroid-like pollutants) is crucial to support breeding programs of endangered species and may improve veterinary and medicinal treatment of premature animals and humans. This multi-disciplinary, international collaboration provides an international training ground and two-way exchange of students and postdocs.Read moreRead less
Coping With Pressure: Respiratory Biology of Marine Mammals. Many marine mammals undergo severe, protracted lung collapse during deep dives. They also exhibit prolonged periods of apnea during sleep. In humans, lung collapse and sleep apnea both represent severe respiratory dysfunction. Pulmonary surfactant, a complex mixture that lines the lung, stabilises the lungs in terrestrial mammals, preventing lung collapse. Here, we propose a comprehensive examination of respiratory function in marine m ....Coping With Pressure: Respiratory Biology of Marine Mammals. Many marine mammals undergo severe, protracted lung collapse during deep dives. They also exhibit prolonged periods of apnea during sleep. In humans, lung collapse and sleep apnea both represent severe respiratory dysfunction. Pulmonary surfactant, a complex mixture that lines the lung, stabilises the lungs in terrestrial mammals, preventing lung collapse. Here, we propose a comprehensive examination of respiratory function in marine mammals. This study will significantly advance our knowledge of the diving physiology of Australian marine mammals. A detailed examination of the respiratory and surfactant systems of marine mammals may also reveal adaptations that enable these animals to endure sleep apnea and lung collapse.Read moreRead less