Signal transduction and the control of bacterial respiration by the NtrYX two component regulatory system. This proposal will define the structural and functional properties of the NtrYX two component signal transduction and define its role in the regulation of respiratory gene expression. The human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae will be used as a model organism for a diverse range of 'oxidase positive' bacteria that possess NtrYX. The outcome will be a major contribution to the understanding of ....Signal transduction and the control of bacterial respiration by the NtrYX two component regulatory system. This proposal will define the structural and functional properties of the NtrYX two component signal transduction and define its role in the regulation of respiratory gene expression. The human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae will be used as a model organism for a diverse range of 'oxidase positive' bacteria that possess NtrYX. The outcome will be a major contribution to the understanding of way in which respiratory gene expression is controlled in bacterial species for which Escherichia coli is not a suitable model. Read moreRead less
Redirecting Carbon Flow through Mesophyll and Bundle Sheath Cells of Sugarcane to Produce Poly-3-Hydroxybutyrate. This project is part of the National Priorities "Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries." Using innovative plant metabolic engineering technologies combined with sophisticated computer modeling we are generating green plants that produce renewable, biodegradable, bioplastics possessing properties such that they are suitable replacements for petrol ....Redirecting Carbon Flow through Mesophyll and Bundle Sheath Cells of Sugarcane to Produce Poly-3-Hydroxybutyrate. This project is part of the National Priorities "Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries." Using innovative plant metabolic engineering technologies combined with sophisticated computer modeling we are generating green plants that produce renewable, biodegradable, bioplastics possessing properties such that they are suitable replacements for petroleum-derived products in many applications. During the course of these studies, we are increasing our basic level of understanding of plant metabolism of important bioenergy crops. The production of renewable, bioplastics in sugarcane will help to diversify the Australian sugarcane industry by providing a value-added product with significant world-wide markets.Read moreRead less
Sleeping snails: investigating hypometabolism to reveal critical factors that aid life extension. The apparent state of eternal dormancy has fascinated people for hundreds of years. This project will explore new frontiers in life extension and snail control by defining those genes and peptides involved in snail hypometabolism. To achieve this, the project will interrogate the snails' natural state of hypometabolism called estivation.
Genetic variation of single cell transcriptional heterogeneity in HiPSCs. This project aims to investigate whether induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) can be used to study the functions of genetic variants associated with human phenotypes and cell fate decisions. The project will utilise technology to produce single cell RNA sequence data for 100,000s of cells. By sequencing individual cells, the genetic control of cellular heterogeneity both within and between cells can be identified, and in ....Genetic variation of single cell transcriptional heterogeneity in HiPSCs. This project aims to investigate whether induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) can be used to study the functions of genetic variants associated with human phenotypes and cell fate decisions. The project will utilise technology to produce single cell RNA sequence data for 100,000s of cells. By sequencing individual cells, the genetic control of cellular heterogeneity both within and between cells can be identified, and in doing so, will provide significant benefit by revealing the potential for iPSC to be used for functional translation of human genomics.Read moreRead less
Characterisation Of Two Novel Markers Of Osteosarcoma Metastasis As Potential Therapeutic Targets
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$624,500.00
Summary
Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common bone tumour in children and adolescents. In spite of aggressive chemotherapy, OS tumours that metastasise to the lungs result in dismal long-term survivals of only 10-20%. For these patients, new treatment options are desperately needed. In this proposal we show compelling data identifying two new markers of OS metastasis. This research aims to validate the suitability of these novel markers as therapeutic targets to prevent OS metastasis.
Decoding miRNA regulated genetic circuits. This project will aim to develop a much better understanding of how the process of making proteins from genes is regulated, and will develop scientific software capable of predicting how a cell will respond to changes in this regulation. The results will have widespread use, including assistance in deciding the best treatments for genetic diseases.
Photosynthetic traits as “key performance indicators” of coral health. The objective of this project is to advance knowledge on the healthy functioning of the coral–algal symbiosis, which defines the response of coral reef ecosystems to worldwide environmental change. Current approaches to address this problem have linked coral health to algal symbiont diversity but have been unable to resolve the fundamental symbiont functional traits that govern this link – the “key performance indicators (KPI ....Photosynthetic traits as “key performance indicators” of coral health. The objective of this project is to advance knowledge on the healthy functioning of the coral–algal symbiosis, which defines the response of coral reef ecosystems to worldwide environmental change. Current approaches to address this problem have linked coral health to algal symbiont diversity but have been unable to resolve the fundamental symbiont functional traits that govern this link – the “key performance indicators (KPIs)”. This project plans to couple advanced physiological and functional genomics techniques to transform our understanding of how algal symbiont metabolic KPIs regulate coral growth and stress susceptibility. This may provide new diagnostic capability for the assessment of coral health and may enable us to improve coral reef ecosystem management.Read moreRead less
Mediator: a new concept for controlled gene expression in plant biotechnology. The Mediator protein complex is a new control point for the activation of all genes in higher organisms and the purpose of this project is to understand how three Mediator subunits regulate disease resistance in plants. The outcomes provide a new concept to direct natural gene expression towards robust crop plants able to cope with climatic variations.
Genomics of temperature response in plants. Climate change is predicted to have negative impacts on Australian agriculture. This project will use genomic tools to uncover biological mechanisms for plant response to temperature that will help design crop varieties that are more tolerant to higher temperatures.
A macrophage-centric holistic view of postnatal development. The immediate postnatal period in mammals is crucial for survival, long term health and productivity. It is also a time when animals are especially susceptible to infectious disease. This project aims to investigate how cells of the innate immune system called macrophages control somatic growth and development of mature organ function in the early postnatal period. The project aims to build upon investment in new animal models and a no ....A macrophage-centric holistic view of postnatal development. The immediate postnatal period in mammals is crucial for survival, long term health and productivity. It is also a time when animals are especially susceptible to infectious disease. This project aims to investigate how cells of the innate immune system called macrophages control somatic growth and development of mature organ function in the early postnatal period. The project aims to build upon investment in new animal models and a novel discovery to generate significant new knowledge that challenges current concepts of mammalian growth control. The outcomes will enhance Australia's international reputation in the fields of physiology, immunology and developmental biology and may translate to improvements in health in animals and humans. Read moreRead less