Uncovering microRNA decay regulation in mammalian cells. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute a novel mechanism used by cells to regulate gene expression, however, very little is known about the mechanisms affecting miRNA accumulation. Characterisation of the kinetics of miRNA turnover is of paramount importance to establish the reliability of miRNAs as novel biomarkers. This project aims to characterise miRNA stability in mammalian cells, investigate mechanisms of turnover and establish their importan ....Uncovering microRNA decay regulation in mammalian cells. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute a novel mechanism used by cells to regulate gene expression, however, very little is known about the mechanisms affecting miRNA accumulation. Characterisation of the kinetics of miRNA turnover is of paramount importance to establish the reliability of miRNAs as novel biomarkers. This project aims to characterise miRNA stability in mammalian cells, investigate mechanisms of turnover and establish their importance on the regulatory function of miRNAs. Such information is critical in the future development of targeted therapeutics.Read moreRead less
Systems Biology Of Asthma Development In Early Childhood
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$763,800.00
Summary
Recent studies have established that both human genetic susceptibility and viral infections during early childhood are important drivers of asthma development. It has also been noted that asthmatics’ airways are colonized with different bacteria to non-asthmatics. In this project we will examine how genetic susceptibility and interactions between bacteria and viruses in children's airways promote the development of allergy and asthma.
Integrative Genomics And Prediction Of Cardiovascular Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$766,820.00
Summary
Technologies that measure whole molecular systems are just beginning to reveal the complexity of living organisms and the underlying molecular networks that govern them. Cardiovascular diseases emerge out of these networks as a result of genetic and molecular perturbations. This project aims to characterize the role molecular networks play in cardiovascular disease risk as well as how they react to genetic risk factors. In doing so, it will identify potential therapeutics and personalized approa ....Technologies that measure whole molecular systems are just beginning to reveal the complexity of living organisms and the underlying molecular networks that govern them. Cardiovascular diseases emerge out of these networks as a result of genetic and molecular perturbations. This project aims to characterize the role molecular networks play in cardiovascular disease risk as well as how they react to genetic risk factors. In doing so, it will identify potential therapeutics and personalized approaches to target pathogenesis.Read moreRead less
System Biology Approaches To Uncovering Non-coding RNAs' Roles In Characterising Cancer Subtypes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
I aim to investigate non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs)’ roles in cancer development, and how they characterise cancer subtypes. The outcomes of the proposed research are twofold: computational methods to stratify tumor subtypes and computational methods to identify groups of ncRNAs acting as drivers for each cancer subtype. The research outcomes will enable prediction of new patients’ cancer subtypes and contribute to the design of efficient treatment therapies.
Role Of RNA-binding Proteins In Cardiomyocyte Physiology
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$880,494.00
Summary
Interactions between ribonucleic acids and proteins are of critical importance to gene expression and may also connect it to cell metabolism in unexpected ways. We hypothesise that this is of particular importance in cardiac health and disease. We will employ the tools of proteomics and transcriptomics to characterise the topology and function of RNA-protein interaction networks in heart muscle cells, and thus contribute to the search for better treatment.
Transcription factor – enhancer – promoter based regulatory networks. This project aims to develop new understanding on how multicellular organisms (including humans) develop, and how mutations in distant regions of the genome can affect human traits. The way the human genome is interpreted by the cellular machinery is still a mystery. We have a reference sequence and know where the majority of coding genes are, but we are far from understanding how the genome is regulated to generate the divers ....Transcription factor – enhancer – promoter based regulatory networks. This project aims to develop new understanding on how multicellular organisms (including humans) develop, and how mutations in distant regions of the genome can affect human traits. The way the human genome is interpreted by the cellular machinery is still a mystery. We have a reference sequence and know where the majority of coding genes are, but we are far from understanding how the genome is regulated to generate the diversity of cell types in our bodies. Enhancer regions interact with proximal promoters to regulate gene expression level and tissue-specificity. This project aims to develop transcriptional regulatory network models using high throughput chromatin interaction data and expression perturbation to link promoter and enhancers genome-wide.Read moreRead less
Commensal benefits: genomic basis for suppressing plant pathogens with Pseudomonas biocontrol species. Food security is an issue of mounting significance due to unpredictable climate trends and increasing global population growth. A feature of paramount importance to reliable crop production is the capacity to control plant diseases. This project investigates natural plant colonising bacteria as a tool for protecting plants from disease.
Charting The Interface Between Cellular Metabolic States And Gene Regulation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$653,196.00
Summary
The research successes of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry have given us detailed pictures of the regulatory and metabolic states of cells and tissues, yet we know little about how these states affect each other. We hypothesise the existence of regulatory interactions between ribonucleic acids, enzymes and metabolites to connect gene expression and metabolism. We will employ novel RNA Biology methods to discover such regulatory interactions in medically important cellular contexts.
Computational systems biology: understanding mammalian cell fates using genome-scale network models. Mutations can disrupt the cellular networks that control normal development, causing cells to develop abnormally including in ways that lead to cancer. The project will analyse genome sequences from more than 700 pancreatic cancers and matched controls to precisely map the causative trail from mutations to disrupted networks to altered cell development.
Transcriptional regulation by microRNAs. This project aims to better understand microRNAs, which are of central importance to how genes are regulated. Despite recent data indicating microRNAs may also play more extensive and diverse roles as nuclear regulators of gene transcription, research has been restricted to their well known mechanism of action in the cytoplasm where they post transcriptionally silence genes. This project will investigate the potential for microRNAs to regulate transcripti ....Transcriptional regulation by microRNAs. This project aims to better understand microRNAs, which are of central importance to how genes are regulated. Despite recent data indicating microRNAs may also play more extensive and diverse roles as nuclear regulators of gene transcription, research has been restricted to their well known mechanism of action in the cytoplasm where they post transcriptionally silence genes. This project will investigate the potential for microRNAs to regulate transcription on a genome-wide scale and will thereby reveal the full extent of mechanisms by which these important genetic switches control gene expression networks the characteristics of cells. This is of fundamental significance to our understanding of gene regulation.Read moreRead less