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Vulnerability to cocaine use: discovering common mechanisms conserved across animal phyla. Drug abuse costs Australia an estimated $ 20 billion each year, and research is urgently needed to understand how drugs cause long-term behavioural dysfunction. Our research will identify the basal cellular mechanisms underlying drug abuse and addiction, which are likely to be the best targets for therapies to prevent and cure addiction. Our findings are also relevant to other neuropsychiatric disorders r ....Vulnerability to cocaine use: discovering common mechanisms conserved across animal phyla. Drug abuse costs Australia an estimated $ 20 billion each year, and research is urgently needed to understand how drugs cause long-term behavioural dysfunction. Our research will identify the basal cellular mechanisms underlying drug abuse and addiction, which are likely to be the best targets for therapies to prevent and cure addiction. Our findings are also relevant to other neuropsychiatric disorders related to drug abuse (e.g. depression, anxiety) that are on the increase in Australia. Our work will enhance Australia's reputation for neuroscience research, and will provide training for students in neuropharmacology and molecular neurobiology.Read moreRead less
Mechanosensitive properties and modulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors by lipid environment. This project will provide new information about the molecular determinants which influence NMDA receptor channel gating that will significantly advance our understanding of a link between NMDA receptor function and many neurodegenerative diseases as well as pain and learning and memory. The outcomes of this project may lead to the discovery of novel lipid-based biomaterials for application i ....Mechanosensitive properties and modulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors by lipid environment. This project will provide new information about the molecular determinants which influence NMDA receptor channel gating that will significantly advance our understanding of a link between NMDA receptor function and many neurodegenerative diseases as well as pain and learning and memory. The outcomes of this project may lead to the discovery of novel lipid-based biomaterials for application in medicine and the drug industry. This research is highly significant in relation to human health. The biological and nutritional aspects of polyunsaturated lipids and dietary fish oils have long been recognized. Thus this project will provide further knowledge that could benefit the health of the nation with consequent reduced health care costs.Read moreRead less
Molecular dissection of the effects of alpha-actinin-3 deficiency on normal variation in skeletal muscle function. We will study the mechanisms by which a common genetic variant influences muscle bulk, muscle strength and the metabolic efficiency of muscle in the general population. Common genetic variants that influence skeletal muscle function have major potential public health implications as they are likely to influence individuals' response to exercise and diet, and to contribute to suscept ....Molecular dissection of the effects of alpha-actinin-3 deficiency on normal variation in skeletal muscle function. We will study the mechanisms by which a common genetic variant influences muscle bulk, muscle strength and the metabolic efficiency of muscle in the general population. Common genetic variants that influence skeletal muscle function have major potential public health implications as they are likely to influence individuals' response to exercise and diet, and to contribute to susceptibility to common diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and the loss of muscle strength in the elderly. In addition, the identification of genetic factors that influence muscle bulk in vertebrates has implications for breeding programs in sheep and cattle and may provide commercial benefit to the livestock industry.Read moreRead less
How do interactions between axon guidance molecules bring about directed axon growth? This project deals with a fundamental, yet poorly understood biological problem at the cutting edge of international science - how axons navigate to their targets. A better understanding of this basic biological process will greatly assist the development of therapies to treat a wide range of clinical conditions in which axonal connections between neurons are disrupted by trauma or disease.
Specialized glial cells within the hippocampus of the brain regulate important morphological events in embryonic development. Memories of past experiences, and our ability to learn new information, is processed in a region of the brain called the hippocampus. In order for this to occur, the cells that make up the hippocampus must form correctly during embryonic development. This proposal investigates the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating hippocampal formation. The national benefit of ....Specialized glial cells within the hippocampus of the brain regulate important morphological events in embryonic development. Memories of past experiences, and our ability to learn new information, is processed in a region of the brain called the hippocampus. In order for this to occur, the cells that make up the hippocampus must form correctly during embryonic development. This proposal investigates the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating hippocampal formation. The national benefit of this work is to provide basic knowledge about the processes that underlie correct brain formation and function, and to understand what processes are disrupted when the brain fails to function correctly. Such disruptions lead to mental retardation and learning difficulties, and in the aged, an inability to form and store new memories, as occurs in dementia.Read moreRead less
Single minded 1 in neuron development and satiety signalling. An understanding of how Single minded 1 (SIM1) regulates target genes may allow new pharmaceutical approaches to be designed to combat obesity. As Sim1 belongs to a family of closely related gene regulatory proteins which function in early development and homeostasis, deciphering the molecular control mechanisms of Sim1 may help understand how the related factors function in processes such as angiogenesis, response to low oxygen stres ....Single minded 1 in neuron development and satiety signalling. An understanding of how Single minded 1 (SIM1) regulates target genes may allow new pharmaceutical approaches to be designed to combat obesity. As Sim1 belongs to a family of closely related gene regulatory proteins which function in early development and homeostasis, deciphering the molecular control mechanisms of Sim1 may help understand how the related factors function in processes such as angiogenesis, response to low oxygen stress, invasion of environmental pollutants and autism spectrum diseases. The ability to manipulate these factors would be of great benefit in treating a range of disorders, but a thorough molecular understanding of these factors needs be obtained prior to attempting design of pharmaceuticals.Read moreRead less
Olfactory signal transduction in Drosophila melanogaster. This project will strengthen Australia's research capabilities in the areas of molecular neurobiology and neurogenetics. The project will equip students with the intellectual and technical skills needed to work in priority areas such as genomics and biotechnology, as well as in medical and agricultural research, and education. The research has possible long term applications in modifying the behaviour of insects of agricultural or medical ....Olfactory signal transduction in Drosophila melanogaster. This project will strengthen Australia's research capabilities in the areas of molecular neurobiology and neurogenetics. The project will equip students with the intellectual and technical skills needed to work in priority areas such as genomics and biotechnology, as well as in medical and agricultural research, and education. The research has possible long term applications in modifying the behaviour of insects of agricultural or medical importance. For example, by inhibiting the ability of insects to perceive specific odours it may ultimately be possible to prevent insects that carry disease from identifying target animals, or plant pests from locating their host plants.Read moreRead less
Olfactory signalling and coding in Drosophila and other insects. Animals rely on olfactory cues to detect food, danger, and others of the same species. The olfactory systems of Drosophila and other insects are simpler than those of mammals, yet complex enough to offer fascinating systems for studying neural information processing. This project aims to investigate the role of the Drosophila odorant receptors in olfactory coding, and to use multiple approaches to isolate components of the poorly u ....Olfactory signalling and coding in Drosophila and other insects. Animals rely on olfactory cues to detect food, danger, and others of the same species. The olfactory systems of Drosophila and other insects are simpler than those of mammals, yet complex enough to offer fascinating systems for studying neural information processing. This project aims to investigate the role of the Drosophila odorant receptors in olfactory coding, and to use multiple approaches to isolate components of the poorly understood insect olfactory signal transduction pathway. In addition, the role of the NO/cGMP pathway in olfactory signalling will be studied using an olfactory mutant that has nitric oxide synthase defects.Read moreRead less