Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100136
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$385,288.00
Summary
The influence of naturalistic context on visual short-term memory. This project aims to understand visual short-term memory in natural visual environments using a combination of behavioural and brain data. Visual short-term memory is thought to be critical to complex cognitive tasks such as learning and problem solving, but how low-level image context and high-level semantic information influence short-term memory is poorly understood. This project will use advanced computational image processin ....The influence of naturalistic context on visual short-term memory. This project aims to understand visual short-term memory in natural visual environments using a combination of behavioural and brain data. Visual short-term memory is thought to be critical to complex cognitive tasks such as learning and problem solving, but how low-level image context and high-level semantic information influence short-term memory is poorly understood. This project will use advanced computational image processing tools, neuro-imaging, and psychophysical experiments to provide a comprehensive analysis of short-term memory in naturalistic images. The expected outcome is a better understanding of the neural bottlenecks that limit short-term memory, and a model that predicts memory constraints in natural visual environments.Read moreRead less
Linking human brain structure to function with ultra-high resolution fMRI. This project will examine the structure and function of the sensory cortex of the human brain using ultra-high resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (7 Tesla MRI). The project pushes new boundaries for resolution with ultra-high field MRI (7 Tesla) and, as such, will advance techniques for the acquisition, analysis, and computational modelling of high-resolution fMRI brain imaging, providing detail of the funct ....Linking human brain structure to function with ultra-high resolution fMRI. This project will examine the structure and function of the sensory cortex of the human brain using ultra-high resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (7 Tesla MRI). The project pushes new boundaries for resolution with ultra-high field MRI (7 Tesla) and, as such, will advance techniques for the acquisition, analysis, and computational modelling of high-resolution fMRI brain imaging, providing detail of the functional organisation of the sensory cortex at a level never previously possible in the living human brain. This will provide new understanding of the neural-level networks that underpin attention and touch perception in the human brain.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100433
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,058.00
Summary
Cortical layer specific functional imaging of the human brain. This project aims to record layer specific cortical activity in humans by leveraging ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging. It expects to yield robust techniques for the general analysis of neuroimaging-based, layer-specific measurements. This project will progress the fields of cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging as well as bring the field of neuroimaging closer to that of neurophysiology and thus facilitate collaboration ....Cortical layer specific functional imaging of the human brain. This project aims to record layer specific cortical activity in humans by leveraging ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging. It expects to yield robust techniques for the general analysis of neuroimaging-based, layer-specific measurements. This project will progress the fields of cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging as well as bring the field of neuroimaging closer to that of neurophysiology and thus facilitate collaboration among researchers.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100790
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$419,308.00
Summary
Understanding how the brain combines sensory information. The ease with which we perceive the external world belies the complexity involved in integrating different sensory inputs. How does the brain achieve this fundamental operation? The project will address this question using a multidisciplinary approach that combines computational modelling, brain imaging, and psychophysical techniques. The expected outcomes of the project are a better understanding of how people perceive the world through ....Understanding how the brain combines sensory information. The ease with which we perceive the external world belies the complexity involved in integrating different sensory inputs. How does the brain achieve this fundamental operation? The project will address this question using a multidisciplinary approach that combines computational modelling, brain imaging, and psychophysical techniques. The expected outcomes of the project are a better understanding of how people perceive the world through optimal integration of sensory cues. In addition to advancing basic scientific knowledge, the findings will illuminate perceptual anomalies in normally developing children and will provide a foundation for reducing a debilitating side effect of virtual reality systems known as ‘cybersickness’.Read moreRead less
Vision and lighting in the age of melanopsin. This project aims to develop innovative new technologies, which will advance understanding of the effects of light on human behavior mediated via the recently discovered melanopsin photopigment in the eye. The project expects to create a cutting-edge visual display technology, which will deliver the foundation knowledge of melanopsin shapes visual perception. The project will redefine current knowledge of human vision and provide a practical lighting ....Vision and lighting in the age of melanopsin. This project aims to develop innovative new technologies, which will advance understanding of the effects of light on human behavior mediated via the recently discovered melanopsin photopigment in the eye. The project expects to create a cutting-edge visual display technology, which will deliver the foundation knowledge of melanopsin shapes visual perception. The project will redefine current knowledge of human vision and provide a practical lighting solution to suit the biological needs of humans, especially in relation to the human body’s internal (circadian) clock. Read moreRead less
‘Super-human’ colour vision: how does it improve animal visual performance? Colour vision enables animals to find food, attract mates and avoid predators. Many animals, including fish, birds and insects, have ‘super-human’ colour vision systems and process colour using 4 or 5 spectral channels, instead of our 3. Yet we do not know how information is combined across these different channels to achieve colour vision. This project will develop new technology to measure UV vision in a range of anima ....‘Super-human’ colour vision: how does it improve animal visual performance? Colour vision enables animals to find food, attract mates and avoid predators. Many animals, including fish, birds and insects, have ‘super-human’ colour vision systems and process colour using 4 or 5 spectral channels, instead of our 3. Yet we do not know how information is combined across these different channels to achieve colour vision. This project will develop new technology to measure UV vision in a range of animal taxa, and show how animals with 4 or 5 spectral channels integrate or partition visual information to perceive colour. The Fellowship will provide new biological models for the development of next-generation multispectral cameras used in medical, military, security and remote sensing applications.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100620
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$424,856.00
Summary
Phenotypic plasticity of reef fish vision in a changing world. This project aims to investigate why fishes have more colour vision channels than any other vertebrate on the planet by studying representatives from the most vibrant ecosystem on earth, the Great Barrier Reef. It is currently not clear how vision is controlled on the molecular level and how this translates to the performance and survival of an animal. Through an innovative approach to understanding colour vision and animal behaviour ....Phenotypic plasticity of reef fish vision in a changing world. This project aims to investigate why fishes have more colour vision channels than any other vertebrate on the planet by studying representatives from the most vibrant ecosystem on earth, the Great Barrier Reef. It is currently not clear how vision is controlled on the molecular level and how this translates to the performance and survival of an animal. Through an innovative approach to understanding colour vision and animal behaviour, this project expects to advance Australia’s leadership in neuroscience and ecology, while also increasing the capacity for international collaborations. Beyond the scientific benefit, it will create public awareness about an endangered ecosystem, inform reef guardianship and may inspire new sensory technology.Read moreRead less
A role for sleep in optimising attention. All animal brains are prediction machines, which allows even tiny flies to effectively navigate complex environments. To predict what will happen next is important for guiding attention, but also for detecting anything surprising. This project aims to understand how prediction is optimized by sleep in Drosophila flies. We aim to use electrophysiology and calcium imaging to map visual prediction error signals across the fly brain, and then determine how g ....A role for sleep in optimising attention. All animal brains are prediction machines, which allows even tiny flies to effectively navigate complex environments. To predict what will happen next is important for guiding attention, but also for detecting anything surprising. This project aims to understand how prediction is optimized by sleep in Drosophila flies. We aim to use electrophysiology and calcium imaging to map visual prediction error signals across the fly brain, and then determine how genetically controlled delivery of sleep regulates the quality and distribution of these signals. This knowledge will benefit our understanding of how brains balance a capacity for prediction versus surprise, by examining how evolution has solved this difficult problem in the smallest brains.Read moreRead less
Stomatopods v Cephalopods: discovery from an information coding arms-race. This proposal aims to unlock the power of a 400 million year old evolutionary arms race between two of earth's most successful predators, cephalopods (e.g. octopus) and mantis shrimp (stomatopods). New knowledge in vision (sensor design), neural coding (circuits and information flow) and behavioural (decisions and actions) innovations from these two groups will have fundamental and applied outcomes. The interdisciplinary ....Stomatopods v Cephalopods: discovery from an information coding arms-race. This proposal aims to unlock the power of a 400 million year old evolutionary arms race between two of earth's most successful predators, cephalopods (e.g. octopus) and mantis shrimp (stomatopods). New knowledge in vision (sensor design), neural coding (circuits and information flow) and behavioural (decisions and actions) innovations from these two groups will have fundamental and applied outcomes. The interdisciplinary and comparative nature of the project aims to amplify outcomes in questions of efficient neural coding, optical design and bio-inspired solutions. Benefits from the study include GPS-free navigation in marine engineering and rapid exposure of research results to millions of people through existing communication programs. Read moreRead less
Network activity and the role of NMDA receptors in associative learning. The brain is the most complex machine we know, and its activity shapes every aspect our lives. Studies over decades using tools from molecular and cellular neuroscience and behavioural experiments have discovered the parts of the brain involved in learning and memory formation. Much is understood about the neural circuits that mediate learning but how memories are formed and stored are not understood. The aim of this proj ....Network activity and the role of NMDA receptors in associative learning. The brain is the most complex machine we know, and its activity shapes every aspect our lives. Studies over decades using tools from molecular and cellular neuroscience and behavioural experiments have discovered the parts of the brain involved in learning and memory formation. Much is understood about the neural circuits that mediate learning but how memories are formed and stored are not understood. The aim of this project is to understand learning and memory formation using a simple Pavlovian learning paradigm, fear conditioning. Using cutting-edge molecular tools we will label the circuits in the amygdala that mediate this learning and the nature of the memory trace. In the long term, these results may drive novel storage devices.Read moreRead less