Epigenetic Regulation Of Cell Lineage Differentiation In The Early Embryo
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$440,983.00
Summary
Exposure of embryos to a range of stresses can increase the predisposition to chronic diseases of adulthood. Stressing embryos at critical stages of development cause errors in reorganization of the nucleus that are required for normal gene expression. These errors are propagated into adulthood. This project will map the normal processes of nuclear reorganization and define how stress to the embryo changes this process, allowing an understanding of the causes of some important chronic diseases.
Epigenetic Reprogramming Within The Pluripotent Lineage Of The Early Embryo
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$663,050.00
Summary
Cells of the early embryo have the remarkable capacity to form all of the different tissues and organs in the body. This property requires re-organisation of the embryo’s genetic material in a manner analogous to re-booting a computer. This project will define the properties of this rebooting process. This information will allow much better strategies for building spare parts for regenerative medicine and provide the information required to reduce the incidence of inborn defects.
Epigenetics Of Human Placental Development And Pregnancy-associated Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$85,526.00
Summary
Mounting evidence suggests that epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation during pregnancy may play an important role in adverse pregnancy outcomes and modulation of disease risk later in life. We have identified a range of distinct DNA methylation events in human placental cells that are likely to play a role in both normal human placentation and aspects of placental dysfunction. We believe that disruption of this epigenetic profile contributes to adverse pregnancy outcomes
The normal processes of development of the embryo require that the information encoded in chromosomes be reprogrammed soon after fertilization. This process is rather fragile and disturbance of the early embryo can upset it. Recent studies for the chief investigator's provide new understanding of the normal processes of reprogramming. The project will explore and validate the implications of these new discoveries and provide a basis for future alleviation of abnormalities to development.
Characterisation Of The Pathways Leading To DNA Demethylation In The Embryo.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$634,573.00
Summary
Complex living creatures like humans have specialised cells that co-operate to form important organs like brains and reproductive organs. Specialised cells have specific genes locked on or off. When a sperm fertilises an egg, all the switches of the genes that are locked on or off get reset to neutral so that the fertilised egg can divide and grow into all cell types in the body. We do not know how this resetting happens in the egg. This project seeks to discover the mechanism involved.
Reprogramming maternal and paternal genomes during development: new perspectives from marsupials. This project will use marsupials to examine programming of the germ cell lineage (cells that become eggs and sperm) and the evolution of these mechanisms that control their development. Using the unique features of our Australian native animals, this research will contribute to the understanding of the transmission of life.