Prion-like Behaviour In Immunity: Super-sized Signalling Platforms?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$611,995.00
Summary
Prions have been mostly associated with pathologies but recent discoveries show that prion-like behaviour may be beneficial, enhancing our immune response for example. To test this, we want to systematically explore all human proteins involved in the defence against pathogens, find new prion-like trends and probe their role in the innate immune response.
Modifiable Risks And Interventions For Cognitive Decline, Depression And Dementia In Older People
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$430,055.00
Summary
This research proposal will explore the modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline (ie. changes in memory and thinking functions) in older people. It will examine the pertinence of critical contributors to glial-neuronal networks including depression, cardiovascular disease, sleep-wake systems, mental and physical exercise, inflammatory processes and diet, as well as test interventions that target these risk factors. It will use sophisticated brain scanning methods to examine which factors pr ....This research proposal will explore the modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline (ie. changes in memory and thinking functions) in older people. It will examine the pertinence of critical contributors to glial-neuronal networks including depression, cardiovascular disease, sleep-wake systems, mental and physical exercise, inflammatory processes and diet, as well as test interventions that target these risk factors. It will use sophisticated brain scanning methods to examine which factors promote neuroplasticity.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms of Recovery after Extinction of Conditioned Behaviour. Old habits die hard and may never die at all. My previous ARC-funded research has revealed that extinguished learning can be recovered rapidly and in unsuspected ways. This project is aimed at building a neural network to explain how old learning can recovered. In practical terms, rapid recovery has both benefits, e.g., our ability to regain old skills with brief refresher training, and costs, e.g., relapse after therapies for anx ....Mechanisms of Recovery after Extinction of Conditioned Behaviour. Old habits die hard and may never die at all. My previous ARC-funded research has revealed that extinguished learning can be recovered rapidly and in unsuspected ways. This project is aimed at building a neural network to explain how old learning can recovered. In practical terms, rapid recovery has both benefits, e.g., our ability to regain old skills with brief refresher training, and costs, e.g., relapse after therapies for anxiety disorders and substance abuse. In theoretical terms, understanding recovery in biological systems will inform research concerning both the neural basis of memory and the design of robots.Read moreRead less
Signalling Pathways And Fungal Virulence – The Inositol Polyphosphate Kinase Pathway In Cryptococcus Neoformans
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$545,189.00
Summary
Bloodstream fungal infections kill millions of people per year world-wide and are costly to treat. A potentially fruitful strategy for developing new, urgently-needed drugs to fight these infections, is to target signalling pathways, which in fungi, are essential for establishing infection. This proposal investigates how one such pathway, the inositolpolyphosphate kinase pathway, allows fungi to establish infection and will determine which components are suitable targets for drug development.
Design of dynamic visual signals. Models of the design of visual signals depend heavily upon analyses of static ornaments. Nothing is known about dynamic visual signals. We will use an array of new techniques to tackle this problem for the first time. Motion analyses will define the task faced by the visual system. Sensory limitations will be measured to identify constraints on signal evolution. Digital video playback studies will assess recognition and explain aspects of signal design. Results ....Design of dynamic visual signals. Models of the design of visual signals depend heavily upon analyses of static ornaments. Nothing is known about dynamic visual signals. We will use an array of new techniques to tackle this problem for the first time. Motion analyses will define the task faced by the visual system. Sensory limitations will be measured to identify constraints on signal evolution. Digital video playback studies will assess recognition and explain aspects of signal design. Results will test the generality of principles that have been developed in studies of female mate choice and extend these ideas to address intra-sexual selection operating through opponent assessment.Read moreRead less
Invasive fungal infections are a serious, escalating health issue. They cause severe disease with high death rates and are very costly to the health system. Current drugs often have suboptimal efficacy and cause side effects. New drugs are needed urgently. Many fungi, including the AIDS-related pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans, secrete phospholipase B (Plbp) to facilitate infection. We will identify and investigate the Plbp secretion pathway as a novel anti-fungal drug target.
Non-invasive prediction of adverse neural events using brain wave activity. This project aims to develop intelligent decision-making systems for non-invasive identification of adverse neural events (fatigue/freezing of gait) through real-time monitoring of brain wave activity. Analyses of the effectiveness of the changes in physiological parameters associated with electroencephalography (EEG) signals, advanced biomedical instrumentation, and optimal computational intelligence will form a basis f ....Non-invasive prediction of adverse neural events using brain wave activity. This project aims to develop intelligent decision-making systems for non-invasive identification of adverse neural events (fatigue/freezing of gait) through real-time monitoring of brain wave activity. Analyses of the effectiveness of the changes in physiological parameters associated with electroencephalography (EEG) signals, advanced biomedical instrumentation, and optimal computational intelligence will form a basis for the development of platform technology capable of monitoring and detection of neural health status. Success is expected to yield a new generation of smart dynamic non-invasive systems that will be critical for developing effective solutions to counter life threating conditions for a large cross section of the Australian population.Read moreRead less
Memetic algorithms for multiobjective optimisation problems in bioinformatics. Many questions of paramount importance in life sciences can be formulated as optimisation problems but using just a single criterion can be misleading. This project will address this problem using multiobjective optimisation and leveraging Australia's investment in supercomputing with algorithms that mimic evolutionary processes in silico.
Meshless, numerical modelling for polymer processing. The new modelling technology will significantly improve Australian polymer producers' competitiveness and their ability to respond to international market forces. The technology will lead to new opportunities for Australian companies that develop simulation software. Our consumers will benefit from improvements in the design of polymer products. Our researchers in rheology and computational mechanics will gain further opportunities to extend ....Meshless, numerical modelling for polymer processing. The new modelling technology will significantly improve Australian polymer producers' competitiveness and their ability to respond to international market forces. The technology will lead to new opportunities for Australian companies that develop simulation software. Our consumers will benefit from improvements in the design of polymer products. Our researchers in rheology and computational mechanics will gain further opportunities to extend the advances this project will make.Read moreRead less
Memetic algorithms and adaptive memory metaheuristics for large scale combinatorial optimisation problems arising in biomarker discovery. Despite modern supercomputers, the world depends on combinatorial optimisation, the branch of mathematics and computer science that involves finding optimal solutions when it is impossible to enumerate all solutions. We bring complementary skills to address the core set of the five most challenging problems arising from novel biotechnologies.