Fisheries genomics of snapper in Australia and New Zealand Waters. This industry-driven project aims to assemble a strategic research alliance to generate and apply knowledge to a highly significant fisheries resource. It involves collaboration between the five major state government fisheries agencies in Australia, the New Zealand’s Crown Research Institute for seafood and two Australian labs with leadership in fish genetics and genomics. It expects to generate and integrate genomic, environmen ....Fisheries genomics of snapper in Australia and New Zealand Waters. This industry-driven project aims to assemble a strategic research alliance to generate and apply knowledge to a highly significant fisheries resource. It involves collaboration between the five major state government fisheries agencies in Australia, the New Zealand’s Crown Research Institute for seafood and two Australian labs with leadership in fish genetics and genomics. It expects to generate and integrate genomic, environmental and phenotypic datasets for snapper populations from across vast coastal regions of the two countries. The outcomes should substantially enhance intra- and inter-jurisdictional fisheries management and aquaculture initiatives, providing commercial, social and environmental benefits for many stakeholders.Read moreRead less
Identification of Biological pathways regulated by circular RNAs. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a, recently discovered molecule. circRNAs are highly abundant and expressed in a tissue and disease specific manner. Yet, currently the understanding of how circRNAs regulate biological processes is very poor. This project aims to use pooled shRNA libraries to screen a large panel of cell lines and systematically identify cellular activities that are regulated by circRNAs. The expected outcome of this ....Identification of Biological pathways regulated by circular RNAs. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a, recently discovered molecule. circRNAs are highly abundant and expressed in a tissue and disease specific manner. Yet, currently the understanding of how circRNAs regulate biological processes is very poor. This project aims to use pooled shRNA libraries to screen a large panel of cell lines and systematically identify cellular activities that are regulated by circRNAs. The expected outcome of this study will be a catalogue of functionally active circRNAs. Over the past decades, the wealth of knowledge on the function of linear mRNAs has had a significant impact on medicine and agriculture. Similarly understanding how circRNAs regulate cellular activities may have an analogous impact on humans.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100257
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$446,857.00
Summary
Molecular biosecurity: Genomic databanks for managing new pest invasions. This project aims to develop a set of genomics-based approaches for analysing new pest invasions. By producing and analysing genomic databanks for four insect pest species, including three that have recently invaded Australia, this project expects to identify invasion origins and to track new pest incursions within Australia. The project should also provide insights into pest ecology, including movement rates and populatio ....Molecular biosecurity: Genomic databanks for managing new pest invasions. This project aims to develop a set of genomics-based approaches for analysing new pest invasions. By producing and analysing genomic databanks for four insect pest species, including three that have recently invaded Australia, this project expects to identify invasion origins and to track new pest incursions within Australia. The project should also provide insights into pest ecology, including movement rates and population change over time. This information can enable more efficient deployment of biosecurity resources and pave the way for genomics to be used pre-emptively to stop new invasions. This can help make genomics a go-to response to new pest invasions and position Australia at the forefront of genomics-based pest biosecurity.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL190100134
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,010,635.00
Summary
Sexual conflict and evolutionary dynamics of insecticide resistance genes. This project aims to develop new approaches to mitigate resistance evolution by applying sexual selection theory to predict evolution of insecticide resistance in flies. A key assumption of current agriculture management strategies is that resistance carries fecundity or survival costs, but this is rarely demonstrated, especially in nature. Not all resistance mutations are novel; many represent pre-existing variants maint ....Sexual conflict and evolutionary dynamics of insecticide resistance genes. This project aims to develop new approaches to mitigate resistance evolution by applying sexual selection theory to predict evolution of insecticide resistance in flies. A key assumption of current agriculture management strategies is that resistance carries fecundity or survival costs, but this is rarely demonstrated, especially in nature. Not all resistance mutations are novel; many represent pre-existing variants maintained by balancing selection i.e. opposing effects in males and females, or by environmental fluctuations. This research will provide new insight into how resistance evolves and is maintained in natural populations and may result in potential reduction in pesticide use with associated economic and biodiversity benefits. Read moreRead less
The T cell genome in 3D: linking chromatin structure to cellular function. Adaptive immune cell activation results in the acquisition and long term maintenance of specific cellular function that enables efficient immune control of infections. Using advanced cellular and genomic approaches, combined with high-resolution microscopy and cutting edge computational biology, this proposal aims to address major gaps in our knowledge about how alterations in genomic 3D architecture and targeted biochemi ....The T cell genome in 3D: linking chromatin structure to cellular function. Adaptive immune cell activation results in the acquisition and long term maintenance of specific cellular function that enables efficient immune control of infections. Using advanced cellular and genomic approaches, combined with high-resolution microscopy and cutting edge computational biology, this proposal aims to address major gaps in our knowledge about how alterations in genomic 3D architecture and targeted biochemical modifications impact cell specific gene nuclear positioning and how this regulates changes in gene expression associated with immune cell activation. An outcome will be identification of novel molecular mechanisms that will have broad applicability across cellular biology, and provide novel targets for drug development.Read moreRead less
Sex-specific epigenetic atlas across lifespan . This project aims to uncover sex-specific molecular marks that either predict or mediate healthy ageing across multiple tissues in humans. This project expects to generate new knowledge of cellular heterogeneity and epigenetic control of phenotype and healthy ageing. Further, we anticipate to uncover age-associated changes that differ between males and females, an area of chronic research under representation. These outcomes will lead to a comprehe ....Sex-specific epigenetic atlas across lifespan . This project aims to uncover sex-specific molecular marks that either predict or mediate healthy ageing across multiple tissues in humans. This project expects to generate new knowledge of cellular heterogeneity and epigenetic control of phenotype and healthy ageing. Further, we anticipate to uncover age-associated changes that differ between males and females, an area of chronic research under representation. These outcomes will lead to a comprehensive understanding of fundamental biological processes across lifespan, and our development of an open access atlas will underpin evidence-based personalised health strategies to keep Australians healthier for longer. Read moreRead less
Histone H3.3-dependent transcriptional control and B cell differentiation. This project aims to investigate the fundamental way cells assemble transcriptional machinery to turn on genes and retain transcriptional memory. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the areas of both chromatin biology and immunology, using interdisciplinary approaches. Expected outcomes of this project include an enhanced capacity, through institutional and international collaborations, to determine whether ....Histone H3.3-dependent transcriptional control and B cell differentiation. This project aims to investigate the fundamental way cells assemble transcriptional machinery to turn on genes and retain transcriptional memory. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the areas of both chromatin biology and immunology, using interdisciplinary approaches. Expected outcomes of this project include an enhanced capacity, through institutional and international collaborations, to determine whether the rapid transcription and function characteristic of immune memory in response to stimuli is due to histone H3 variant and its associated nuclear bodies. This should provide significant benefits, such as understanding epigenetic mechanisms that underlie transcription initiation and maintenance across many species.Read moreRead less
Genetic networks regulating gene silencing by intronic repeat expansions . Changes in the copy number of DNA repeats are associated with phenotypic variations in several species. Expansions of DNA repeats underlie several human genetic diseases, including Friedreich’s ataxia. The molecular mechanisms that mediate these genetic abnormalities are currently unclear. This project aims to identify the novel genetic pathways and mechanisms mediating these genetic disorders. Using a plant model in an .... Genetic networks regulating gene silencing by intronic repeat expansions . Changes in the copy number of DNA repeats are associated with phenotypic variations in several species. Expansions of DNA repeats underlie several human genetic diseases, including Friedreich’s ataxia. The molecular mechanisms that mediate these genetic abnormalities are currently unclear. This project aims to identify the novel genetic pathways and mechanisms mediating these genetic disorders. Using a plant model in an innovative way this project will discover novel genes, uncover fundamental molecular mechanisms and reveal the genetic networks that govern gene silencing caused by triplet repeat expansions. This project, in addition to revealing fundamental biological mechanisms, will also have implications for human disease.
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Some like it hot: invasive species, hybridisation, and a warming world. Temperatures are rising and invasive species are becoming more prevalent. This project aims to understand how climate change and hybridisation between exotic and native marine species leads to rapid adaptation. Using integrative approaches from genomics and physiology and focusing on Australian blue mussels, this proposal will test leading hypotheses about how climate change and hybridisation can enable rapid adaptation and ....Some like it hot: invasive species, hybridisation, and a warming world. Temperatures are rising and invasive species are becoming more prevalent. This project aims to understand how climate change and hybridisation between exotic and native marine species leads to rapid adaptation. Using integrative approaches from genomics and physiology and focusing on Australian blue mussels, this proposal will test leading hypotheses about how climate change and hybridisation can enable rapid adaptation and the spread of exotic species. Outcomes will include strategies for minimising impacts of invasive mussels and boosting warm-temperature adaptation in aquaculture mussels and restored shellfish reefs. This project will yield fundamental insights into how marine species can quickly adapt to warming seas.Read moreRead less
Improving the efficiency of CRISPR gene editing in cells. Human red blood cells are well-characterised and the globin gene locus is a model system for the study of gene regulation. Gene editing technologies and delivery tools are evolving rapidly and the globin gene locus is the perfect model for gene editing optimisation. This collaboration between UNSW Sydney and CSL aims to bring together our combined expertise and new technologies to develop an optimal platform for genetic modification in a ....Improving the efficiency of CRISPR gene editing in cells. Human red blood cells are well-characterised and the globin gene locus is a model system for the study of gene regulation. Gene editing technologies and delivery tools are evolving rapidly and the globin gene locus is the perfect model for gene editing optimisation. This collaboration between UNSW Sydney and CSL aims to bring together our combined expertise and new technologies to develop an optimal platform for genetic modification in a red blood cell line. Simultaneously, this project aims to generate fundamental insights into mechanisms of human gene regulation. The technological and biological outcomes of this project will be of benefit for future gene editing applications.Read moreRead less