Investigating the activator function of the Bim protein. Apoptosis is a research area where Australia has had long standing success. The first observations of this important process were made by Prof John Kerr in the 60's and 70's. A molecular renaissance developed in the late 80's and has led to the current explosion in this area of research. Many of these recent studies have been conducted at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. Our scientific endeavour is aimed at broadening the understanding ....Investigating the activator function of the Bim protein. Apoptosis is a research area where Australia has had long standing success. The first observations of this important process were made by Prof John Kerr in the 60's and 70's. A molecular renaissance developed in the late 80's and has led to the current explosion in this area of research. Many of these recent studies have been conducted at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. Our scientific endeavour is aimed at broadening the understanding of the mechanisms of cell death using genetically modified mouse models. Insights gained through this project will have far reaching implications for the design of new drugs to combat cancer and degenerative diseases.Read moreRead less
Genes to phenotype: Exploiting the marsupial model. This research will exploit one of Australia's finest natural resources, its marsupial fauna. The features of marsupial reproduction and development provide a unique opportunity to answer fundamental biological questions. This research will show how the minor differences in key developmental genes that have arisen in their 100 million year isolation give rise to the characteristic differences in developmental timing and reproduction between mar ....Genes to phenotype: Exploiting the marsupial model. This research will exploit one of Australia's finest natural resources, its marsupial fauna. The features of marsupial reproduction and development provide a unique opportunity to answer fundamental biological questions. This research will show how the minor differences in key developmental genes that have arisen in their 100 million year isolation give rise to the characteristic differences in developmental timing and reproduction between marsupials and other mammals. The focus on reproduction and development will also provide invaluable knowledge to underpin efforts to conserve our endangered species and to control those that are overabundant.Read moreRead less
Re-uniting marsupials and eutherians by embryonic micromanipulation. The unique responsibility for transmitting life from generation to generation normally depends on the gametes. This project will use new reproductive technologies to investigate the properties of the oocyte in reprogramming somatic cell nuclei, and will use the nuclei of both marsupial and eutherian somatic cells to test this. We will also use both marsupial and eutherian genes to insert into the oocyte to create the first tra ....Re-uniting marsupials and eutherians by embryonic micromanipulation. The unique responsibility for transmitting life from generation to generation normally depends on the gametes. This project will use new reproductive technologies to investigate the properties of the oocyte in reprogramming somatic cell nuclei, and will use the nuclei of both marsupial and eutherian somatic cells to test this. We will also use both marsupial and eutherian genes to insert into the oocyte to create the first transgenic marsupials. We will also investigate the ability of spermatozoa from species of increasing genetic distance to ferttilise marsupial eggs using intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).Read moreRead less
Mechanisms of cell death regulation by the Bcl-2 protein family. Through the proposed study, the expected outcome is a better understanding of the important process of how the Bcl-2 family of proteins interact with each to control cell death. Furthermore, as dysfunctional apoptosis signalling contributes to diseases such as autoimmune conditions, neurodegenerative disorders and cancer, a detailed and sound understanding of how the cell death machinery operates should enable the design of more ef ....Mechanisms of cell death regulation by the Bcl-2 protein family. Through the proposed study, the expected outcome is a better understanding of the important process of how the Bcl-2 family of proteins interact with each to control cell death. Furthermore, as dysfunctional apoptosis signalling contributes to diseases such as autoimmune conditions, neurodegenerative disorders and cancer, a detailed and sound understanding of how the cell death machinery operates should enable the design of more effective and importantly, safer therapies against these pathologies.Read moreRead less
Development of sympathetic nerve pathways. The mature nervous system contains many types of neurons connected in precise ways. Developing neurons must make many decisions about what type of neuron to become and what connections to make. This study looks at the mechanisms that guide the developing neurons in these important decisions.
Quantifying the adaptive immune response. The aim of this project is to develop mathematical models and computer software capable of predicting immune responses in infection and disease. The ability to predict immune responses should allow better vaccine design and better understanding of what causes the immune system to attack its own body, causing autoimmune disease, or fail to respond, causing immunodeficiency. The models and software will also be applicable to other areas of cell biology, ....Quantifying the adaptive immune response. The aim of this project is to develop mathematical models and computer software capable of predicting immune responses in infection and disease. The ability to predict immune responses should allow better vaccine design and better understanding of what causes the immune system to attack its own body, causing autoimmune disease, or fail to respond, causing immunodeficiency. The models and software will also be applicable to other areas of cell biology, such as describing growth and development. Thus, this project will lead to advances in understanding of fundamental biology, as well as potential improvements in treatments for a range of diseases.Read moreRead less
Regulation of DNA replication initiation during Drosophila development. This proposal addresses the fundamental issue of the regulation of DNA
replication during development, using the animal model system, Drosophila melanogaster. This research uses a whole animal genetic and cell biological approach to explore DNA replication regulatory mechanisms that are present in multicellular organisms but not in yeast. The work undertaken here will make a significant contribution to our understanding of ....Regulation of DNA replication initiation during Drosophila development. This proposal addresses the fundamental issue of the regulation of DNA
replication during development, using the animal model system, Drosophila melanogaster. This research uses a whole animal genetic and cell biological approach to explore DNA replication regulatory mechanisms that are present in multicellular organisms but not in yeast. The work undertaken here will make a significant contribution to our understanding of DNA replication regulation within a developing organism that will be relevant to all animals.Read moreRead less
Identification of Proteins that Regulate Apoptosis Through Interaction With IAPS. Apoptosis is the process by which multicellular organisms eliminate unwanted cells. Identifying proteins involved in cell death regulation is central to our understanding of disease states arising from aberrations in this process. The mammalian protein DIABLO, promotes cell death by interacting with and antagonising inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPS). Given the existence of several IAP regulatory proteins (IRPs ....Identification of Proteins that Regulate Apoptosis Through Interaction With IAPS. Apoptosis is the process by which multicellular organisms eliminate unwanted cells. Identifying proteins involved in cell death regulation is central to our understanding of disease states arising from aberrations in this process. The mammalian protein DIABLO, promotes cell death by interacting with and antagonising inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPS). Given the existence of several IAP regulatory proteins (IRPs) in insects, other mammalian IRPs probably also exist. These may be of equal importance in regulating apoptosis, especially in tissues where DIABLO is not expressed. The main aim of the proposed study is to idenitify and characterise other IRPs in mammalian cells.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0226463
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$160,000.00
Summary
Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Facility. The aim of this proposal is to establish the first fluorescence lifetime imaging facility (FLIM) in Australia. The imaging technique provided by the new facility when combined with the use of novel fluorescent protein technology will enable many different events, represented by protein-protein interactions, to be non-invasively, visualised spatially and temporally inside the living cell. The new facility will provide timely state-of -the-art infrastructu ....Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Facility. The aim of this proposal is to establish the first fluorescence lifetime imaging facility (FLIM) in Australia. The imaging technique provided by the new facility when combined with the use of novel fluorescent protein technology will enable many different events, represented by protein-protein interactions, to be non-invasively, visualised spatially and temporally inside the living cell. The new facility will provide timely state-of -the-art infrastructure necessary for research groups to further develop and maintain their international reputations, will build stronger research collaborations between partner institutions and will attract researchers from overseas.Read moreRead less
Genetic analysis of cohesin function and regulation in Drosophila. In yeast, a multiprotein complex, called cohesin, holds newly replicated chromatids together until the cell is ready to partition each chromatid into its daughter cells. We and others have shown that cohesins are regulated differently in animal cells. We propose to combine classical genetic analyses with two new and innovative techniques, time-lapse confocal microscopy of fluorescent proteins in living cells and gene-specific kno ....Genetic analysis of cohesin function and regulation in Drosophila. In yeast, a multiprotein complex, called cohesin, holds newly replicated chromatids together until the cell is ready to partition each chromatid into its daughter cells. We and others have shown that cohesins are regulated differently in animal cells. We propose to combine classical genetic analyses with two new and innovative techniques, time-lapse confocal microscopy of fluorescent proteins in living cells and gene-specific knockout techniques to study key cohesin regulators in Drosophila. These studies will provide us with novel insights into how multicellular organisms regulate the structure and stability of their chromosomes.Read moreRead less