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Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100259
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$467,964.00
Summary
Interrogating the adaptive potential of skeletal muscle. Disruptions to muscle oxidative capacity and growth signalling underpin atrophy and dysfunction with ageing, which impacts on an individual’s quality of life. These biological processes are thought to be mutually exclusive and compete during muscle adaptation. This project aims to define how these processes regulate the extent of muscle adaptation, and how modifying these attributes influence functional capacity in the context of ageing. T ....Interrogating the adaptive potential of skeletal muscle. Disruptions to muscle oxidative capacity and growth signalling underpin atrophy and dysfunction with ageing, which impacts on an individual’s quality of life. These biological processes are thought to be mutually exclusive and compete during muscle adaptation. This project aims to define how these processes regulate the extent of muscle adaptation, and how modifying these attributes influence functional capacity in the context of ageing. This project will provide fundamental new knowledge in understanding how modifying muscle attributes influence successful ageing. This knowledge will improve resilience, productivity, and wellbeing of all Australians, with implications for reducing societal and economic burden.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100304
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Biomimetic systems for species preservation and fertility restoration. Using a novel 3-D culture system the project will examine the biomechanics of ovary follicle and egg development in vitro, generating new knowledge with directly translatable research outcomes. In vitro egg production has implications for human fertility and threatened species preservation, significantly benefitting health and biodiversity in Australia.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130101168
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$364,900.00
Summary
Enhancement of light-driven electricity generation by cyanobacteria: en route to biosolar panels. Some species of naturally occurring cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) exhibit a special metabolic feature, which enables them to convert sunlight into electricity. This project will unveil the chemical and biological secrets behind this process and will lead to the creation of the first entirely biological solar panel.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100080
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,058.00
Summary
Examining lipid transport by direct visualisation and quantification. This project aims to investigate the least understood aspect of plasma triglyceride metabolism; mechanisms of transport across capillary endothelial cells. This transport regulates plasma triglyceride levels, which are an important factor in determining risk for coronary diseases. An improved understanding of these mechanisms will lead in the long term to better understandings of both heart failure and atherosclerotic heart di ....Examining lipid transport by direct visualisation and quantification. This project aims to investigate the least understood aspect of plasma triglyceride metabolism; mechanisms of transport across capillary endothelial cells. This transport regulates plasma triglyceride levels, which are an important factor in determining risk for coronary diseases. An improved understanding of these mechanisms will lead in the long term to better understandings of both heart failure and atherosclerotic heart diseases.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100058
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,000.00
Summary
Molecular reporters for measuring proteostasis capacity in cells. This project aims to develop fluorescent dyes to report on the change in unfolded protein load, which reflects the proteostasis status in real time in cells under stress conditions. Proteostasis is a housekeeping process cells undertake to maintain the proper folding and functions of proteins. Perturbation of proteostasis has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases, but chemical probes cannot measure the proteostasis capacity in ....Molecular reporters for measuring proteostasis capacity in cells. This project aims to develop fluorescent dyes to report on the change in unfolded protein load, which reflects the proteostasis status in real time in cells under stress conditions. Proteostasis is a housekeeping process cells undertake to maintain the proper folding and functions of proteins. Perturbation of proteostasis has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases, but chemical probes cannot measure the proteostasis capacity in cells. Intended outcomes include a mechanistic understanding of the relationship between protein misfolding, aggregation and proteostasis. This is expected to ultimately benefit the diagnosis of protein folding diseases, including dementia, and improve the quality of life.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102687
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Development of sensors for biological redox state. The plethora of antioxidant supplements on the market to prevent aging and disease highlights the great importance of oxidation state in the body. This project involves the development of chemical compounds that can be used to measure oxidation state in living tissue by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or microscopy and help us understand various diseases.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100859
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,058.00
Summary
Phosphatidylserine: a regulator of muscle and mitochondrial biology? This project aims to characterise a novel pathway involved in regulating skeletal muscle mass through effects on mitochondrial function. This project will examine how degradation causes mitochondrial abnormalities leading to severe muscle wasting. This project is expected to advance understanding of how pathways interact, thus identifying novel mechanisms that impact on muscle structure and function. Understanding what makes mu ....Phosphatidylserine: a regulator of muscle and mitochondrial biology? This project aims to characterise a novel pathway involved in regulating skeletal muscle mass through effects on mitochondrial function. This project will examine how degradation causes mitochondrial abnormalities leading to severe muscle wasting. This project is expected to advance understanding of how pathways interact, thus identifying novel mechanisms that impact on muscle structure and function. Understanding what makes muscle vulnerable to atrophy is fundamental to developing strategies to counteract muscle wasting conditions. Methodologies developed will have broad application in the field of life sciences research.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100864
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,334.00
Summary
Discovering The Effect of alpha-actinin-3 Deficiency on Muscle Adaptations to Exercise Training in Humans. The protein alpha-actinin-3 is expressed in fast muscle fibres. A common gene variant results in complete deficiency in alpha-actinin-3 that has been shown to influence athletic performance. A mouse model has been previously generated to demonstrate that alpha-actinin-3 deficiency results in a significant shift in fast muscle fibres, towards the slow, more efficient muscle fibres. This proj ....Discovering The Effect of alpha-actinin-3 Deficiency on Muscle Adaptations to Exercise Training in Humans. The protein alpha-actinin-3 is expressed in fast muscle fibres. A common gene variant results in complete deficiency in alpha-actinin-3 that has been shown to influence athletic performance. A mouse model has been previously generated to demonstrate that alpha-actinin-3 deficiency results in a significant shift in fast muscle fibres, towards the slow, more efficient muscle fibres. This project will demonstrate the effects of alpha-actinin-3 deficiency on the characteristics of human muscle pre and post exercise training. Outcomes will include major applications for personalising health recommendations and in designing preventative programs for ageing.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100032
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$379,264.00
Summary
Banking on spermatogonial stem cells to safeguard Australian native fauna. Spermatogonial stem cells in the testis are an untapped resource for species conservation. This project aims to characterise metabolic pathways that control spermatogonial stem cell function, and define the conserved nature of these pathways between model species (mouse) and vulnerable Australian native fauna. Expected outcomes of this project include an enhanced capacity to culture koala spermatogonia in vitro, which wil ....Banking on spermatogonial stem cells to safeguard Australian native fauna. Spermatogonial stem cells in the testis are an untapped resource for species conservation. This project aims to characterise metabolic pathways that control spermatogonial stem cell function, and define the conserved nature of these pathways between model species (mouse) and vulnerable Australian native fauna. Expected outcomes of this project include an enhanced capacity to culture koala spermatogonia in vitro, which will be a first step towards using spermatogonial biobanking as a tool to maintain genetic diversity in this species. Outcomes from this study should provide significant benefits in safeguarding our unique Australian native species, which is of particular importance following the catastrophic 2019/20 bushfire season.Read moreRead less