How does timing affect mammalian brain development and evolution? This project aims to generate fundamental knowledge on the origin of diversity in mammalian brain circuits by studying development of marsupials and rodents. The expected outcome is to elucidate how differences in the timing, rate and sequence of development of gene expression, cell differentiation and circuit formation can relate to the origin of key evolutionary innovations in the mammalian brain. The significance of understandi ....How does timing affect mammalian brain development and evolution? This project aims to generate fundamental knowledge on the origin of diversity in mammalian brain circuits by studying development of marsupials and rodents. The expected outcome is to elucidate how differences in the timing, rate and sequence of development of gene expression, cell differentiation and circuit formation can relate to the origin of key evolutionary innovations in the mammalian brain. The significance of understanding the dynamics of developmental systems that shape complex brain traits includes establishing new developmental paradigms in evolutionary theory, generating new tools to investigate and manipulate brain gene expression in vivo, and the potential discovery of the causes of neurodevelopmental dysfunction.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE140100174
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$380,000.00
Summary
Development of a digital Transmission Electron Microscope Facility in Tasmania. Development of a digital transmission electron microscope facility: Transmission electron microscopy is a fundamental tool for the study of biological systems at the ultrastructural level. This project will establish a facility that will be accessible to a range of biological researchers, replacing aged and non-sustainable electron microscopy facilities. The instrument will revitalise cellular research and provide ad ....Development of a digital Transmission Electron Microscope Facility in Tasmania. Development of a digital transmission electron microscope facility: Transmission electron microscopy is a fundamental tool for the study of biological systems at the ultrastructural level. This project will establish a facility that will be accessible to a range of biological researchers, replacing aged and non-sustainable electron microscopy facilities. The instrument will revitalise cellular research and provide additional insights and outcomes related to the study of intracellular features in a diverse range of systems and models. This will add substantially to the knowledge base across a wide range of fields of research, increasing national contributions in the areas of neuroscience, separation science and marine science.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100900
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$366,000.00
Summary
Smart aptamer-guided nanoexosome as a novel biotechnology platform. This project aims to develop guided novel nanomaterials as a new biotechnological platform for in vivo targeted delivery of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) for gene editing. By systematically engineering the surface properties of natural nanovesicles known as exosomes, a novel nanotechnology platform should be established. The guided nano biotechnological platform should not only enable targete ....Smart aptamer-guided nanoexosome as a novel biotechnology platform. This project aims to develop guided novel nanomaterials as a new biotechnological platform for in vivo targeted delivery of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) for gene editing. By systematically engineering the surface properties of natural nanovesicles known as exosomes, a novel nanotechnology platform should be established. The guided nano biotechnological platform should not only enable targeted in vivo precision gene editing via CRISPR but also specific delivery of gene editing machinery across the blood brain barrier for better exploration of fundamental biology of the brain.Read moreRead less
Development of effective peptide-based drugs. There is huge interest in the development of bioactive peptides and proteins for the treatment of a wide range of diseases. The aim of this research project is to develop potent and effective peptide-based drugs that are able to resist the body's natural degradation pathways so that they can reach their biological target and act as effective drugs.
Central pathways regulating visceral pain. This project aims to investigate the neural pathways within the spinal cord and brain processing colorectal pain perception. The project aims to identify the spinal cord neurons relaying colorectal signalling into the brain and the influence of descending modulation from the brainstem upon these pathways. The outcomes will greatly benefit fundamental understanding of the central pathways processing visceral pain.
Transcriptional control of neural stem cell differentiation during development and disease. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that control how neural stem cells differentiate is critical to provide potential therapeutic treatment for neurodegenerative diseases and for brain cancer. This project will aim to discover, using an animal model system, the genes and molecules regulating these key biological processes.
How the brain regulates blood pressure. This project will test whether a group of nerve cells in the rostral ventrolateral medulla generate sympathetic activity in blood vessels. The brain regulates blood pressure through several pathways, including nerves in the sympathetic nervous system that constrict blood vessels and increase the heart rate. Activity of these sympathetic nerves regulates blood pressure, but it is unknown which nerve cells in the brain cause this activity. This information i ....How the brain regulates blood pressure. This project will test whether a group of nerve cells in the rostral ventrolateral medulla generate sympathetic activity in blood vessels. The brain regulates blood pressure through several pathways, including nerves in the sympathetic nervous system that constrict blood vessels and increase the heart rate. Activity of these sympathetic nerves regulates blood pressure, but it is unknown which nerve cells in the brain cause this activity. This information is essential to understand how blood pressure is controlled under healthy conditions.Read moreRead less
Psychiatric disorders in epilepsy. Psychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety and cognitive disorders, are frequently observed in patients with epilepsy. Although standard dogma suggests that psychiatric disorders are a consequence of living with epilepsy, recent evidence suggests a bidirectional relationship between these disorders, such that depression and other psychiatric illnesses act as risk factors for epilepsy development. This project will utilise basic science approaches to und ....Psychiatric disorders in epilepsy. Psychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety and cognitive disorders, are frequently observed in patients with epilepsy. Although standard dogma suggests that psychiatric disorders are a consequence of living with epilepsy, recent evidence suggests a bidirectional relationship between these disorders, such that depression and other psychiatric illnesses act as risk factors for epilepsy development. This project will utilise basic science approaches to understand the causal relationships between epilepsy and psychiatric disorders, and determine how and why psychiatric disorders and epilepsy co-exist. It is hoped that research conducted in this project will develop novel avenues to treatment of both epilepsy and psychiatric disorders.Read moreRead less
UNDERSTANDING THE BASIS OF COMPLEX BEHAVIOUR. This project is anchored in the fundamental understanding of complex vertebrate behaviours, namely cognition. Little is known about the molecular and neural substrates underpinning complex higher order information processing. This project aims to dissect the functional role of synaptic genes that are essential for organising neuronal connections, in distinct cognitive processes and how these functions may be regulated by other genes, drugs or environ ....UNDERSTANDING THE BASIS OF COMPLEX BEHAVIOUR. This project is anchored in the fundamental understanding of complex vertebrate behaviours, namely cognition. Little is known about the molecular and neural substrates underpinning complex higher order information processing. This project aims to dissect the functional role of synaptic genes that are essential for organising neuronal connections, in distinct cognitive processes and how these functions may be regulated by other genes, drugs or environmental factors. This project aims to employ state-of-the-art technologies to address the evolutionary biology of complex cognitive behaviours, towards further understandings how brain function evolved and the mechanisms that have enabled humans to perform highly complex and intricate tasks.Read moreRead less
Development of novel reagents that specifically counteract EphA4 to enhance axonal regeneration. This project will examine the role of EphA4, an important guidance protein, in neural cell regeneration. The goal is to understand the signalling mechanisms that inhibit regeneration in the central nervous system and to develop novel biological agents to overcome these processes and promote functional recovery after nervous system injury or disease.