Targeting RCAN1 To Treat Type 2 Diabetes And Obesity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$814,468.00
Summary
Obesity and impaired insulin secretion are significant contributors to Type 2 diabetes. In this project we demonstrate that a protein called RCAN1 contributes to both fat mass and insulin secretion and that this contribution is exacerbated in obesity and in Type 2 diabetes. We will identify how RCAN1 controls these major metabolic pathways with outcomes including the development of new therapeutics for obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
Identifying Target Genes For Novel Anti-epileptic Therapies In The Mouse
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$469,802.00
Summary
Epilepsy is a disease which affects 2-4% of the population. There are a wide range of drugs available to treat the condition but there is consistently 30-40% of patients who do not respond well to any of these drugs and who continue to have seizures. The reason that there are no drugs available for these people is that most of the drugs available have been designed along the same principles. A new set of principles is needed to develop new drugs which will be able to treat those people not respo ....Epilepsy is a disease which affects 2-4% of the population. There are a wide range of drugs available to treat the condition but there is consistently 30-40% of patients who do not respond well to any of these drugs and who continue to have seizures. The reason that there are no drugs available for these people is that most of the drugs available have been designed along the same principles. A new set of principles is needed to develop new drugs which will be able to treat those people not responding to current therapy. This project is designed to identify new biologic pathways which may be interrupted with drugs to prevent seizures in people with epilepsy. This project uses a procedure to induce mutations into genes in mice and then screens for mice which do not seize when challenged with a drug which generates seizures in mice. Genetic studies will identify the mutated genes and these will be used as potential targets for new therapies or will identify new biological pathway which should expand the use of future anti-epileptic drugs.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989226
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$340,000.00
Summary
Multi-photon imaging for infection, immunity, and self recognition. This proposal will address a gap in our imaging capabilities, allowing us to visualise the movement of immune cells and infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses within living tissues. This will immensely improve our capacity to understand interactions between the immune system, invading organisms and the rest of our body. The intravital imaging system will provide novel insights into how the immune system works, which will ....Multi-photon imaging for infection, immunity, and self recognition. This proposal will address a gap in our imaging capabilities, allowing us to visualise the movement of immune cells and infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses within living tissues. This will immensely improve our capacity to understand interactions between the immune system, invading organisms and the rest of our body. The intravital imaging system will provide novel insights into how the immune system works, which will benefit the design of vaccines, the treatment of cancer, and our understanding of allergy. This state-of-the-art facility will also provide vital training in an emerging technology that will have application in many areas of biology.
Read moreRead less
A Tough Resilin Based Hydrogel Platform for Repair and Regeneration. This project seeks to develop novel hydrogels that mimic the properties of the body. In the field of repair and regeneration, our challenge is to make hydrogels that retain the fatigue and resilience properties of the natural body part, but are comprised of nontoxic material. Resilin is a remarkable material exhibiting a broad range of stimuli-responsive behaviour and outstanding elasticity. The project aim is to create a tough ....A Tough Resilin Based Hydrogel Platform for Repair and Regeneration. This project seeks to develop novel hydrogels that mimic the properties of the body. In the field of repair and regeneration, our challenge is to make hydrogels that retain the fatigue and resilience properties of the natural body part, but are comprised of nontoxic material. Resilin is a remarkable material exhibiting a broad range of stimuli-responsive behaviour and outstanding elasticity. The project aim is to create a tough and responsive hydrogel platform from this disordered protein family through greater understanding of structure and mechanical function and incorporating adequate stiffness, strength and biocompatibility. Such tough hydrogels would be applicable to a range of biotechnological applications (eg intervertebral disc repair or artificial skin tissue engineering).Read moreRead less
Development of novel therapies for the treatment of cancer. Both aging and obesity are significant risk factors for cancer and are becoming a burden on the health care budget. The proposed novel cancer therapy will improve current cancer treatments by enhancing their efficacy, thereby reducing the required dose and minimizing side effects. Such an outcome would not only benefit the well being of the individual but would achieve significant health care cost savings.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE160100090
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$250,000.00
Summary
Computational infrastructure for developing deep machine learning models. Computational infrastructure for developing deep machine learning models:
The computational infrastructure for developing deep machine learning models aims to enable new developments in machine learning of deep neural network models by providing the specialised computing necessary to train and evaluate the networks. In the last three years, deep networks have smashed previous performance ceilings for tasks such as object ....Computational infrastructure for developing deep machine learning models. Computational infrastructure for developing deep machine learning models:
The computational infrastructure for developing deep machine learning models aims to enable new developments in machine learning of deep neural network models by providing the specialised computing necessary to train and evaluate the networks. In the last three years, deep networks have smashed previous performance ceilings for tasks such as object recognition in images, speech recognition and automatic translation, bringing the prospect of machine intelligence closer than ever. Modern machine learning techniques have had huge impact in the last decade in fields such as robotics, computer vision and data analytics. The facility would enable Australian researchers to develop, learn and apply deep networks to problems of national importance in robotic vision and big data analytics. Read moreRead less
Characterisation of a new class of antimicrobial agent for multidrug-resistant infections. New drugs are required to combat the development of antibiotic resistance. This project will conduct further tests on a new compound that has shown initial activity against resistant superbugs by understanding how it works against bacteria and varying the chemical structure to improve effectiveness.
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354739
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$20,000.00
Summary
Network on eRAM: Environmental Risk Assessment and Management. The proposed network seeks to provide an understanding of the relationship between environmental agents/factors and public health. It provides Australia's first, unified effort to undertand the processes involved at a whole-of-environment level. By virtue of its operation, the network will co-ordinate and expand upon the largely scattered and matrix-specific research in this field that currently takes place. It will permit evaluat ....Network on eRAM: Environmental Risk Assessment and Management. The proposed network seeks to provide an understanding of the relationship between environmental agents/factors and public health. It provides Australia's first, unified effort to undertand the processes involved at a whole-of-environment level. By virtue of its operation, the network will co-ordinate and expand upon the largely scattered and matrix-specific research in this field that currently takes place. It will permit evaluation of environmental agents/factors, as they relate to public health under prevailing environmental conditions. Thus, the major outcome of the network will be effective risk assessment of the expected real-time effects of environmental agents/factors on public health.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE200100190
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$620,000.00
Summary
Electrophysiology Platform for Ion-channel Characterisation. Ion channels are ubiquitous pore-forming membrane proteins, with the human genome encoding >300 ion channels. The diverse roles of ion channels include action potential generation, control of ion flow across secretory and epithelial cells, and regulation of cell volume, motility and proliferation. Pharmacological modulators are powerful tools for probing ion channel function, but for most channels these tools are lacking. Thus, this p .... Electrophysiology Platform for Ion-channel Characterisation. Ion channels are ubiquitous pore-forming membrane proteins, with the human genome encoding >300 ion channels. The diverse roles of ion channels include action potential generation, control of ion flow across secretory and epithelial cells, and regulation of cell volume, motility and proliferation. Pharmacological modulators are powerful tools for probing ion channel function, but for most channels these tools are lacking. Thus, this project aims to develop the first comprehensive toolbox of ion channel modulators using an integrated in vitro/in vivo electrophysiology platform. These pharmacological tools will be made freely available to the Australian research community for probing the mechanism and physiological function of ion channels.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence for Robotic Vision. Robots are vital to Australia's future prosperity in the face of high relative wages, low or decreasing productivity, and impending labour shortages. However the work and workplaces of our most important industries are unstructured and changeable and current robots are challenged by their inability to quickly, safely and reliably "see" and "understand" what is around them. The Centre's research will create the fundamental science and technologies th ....ARC Centre of Excellence for Robotic Vision. Robots are vital to Australia's future prosperity in the face of high relative wages, low or decreasing productivity, and impending labour shortages. However the work and workplaces of our most important industries are unstructured and changeable and current robots are challenged by their inability to quickly, safely and reliably "see" and "understand" what is around them. The Centre's research will create the fundamental science and technologies that will allow robots to see as we do, and overcome the last barrier to the ubiquitous deployment of robots into society for the benefit of all.Read moreRead less