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Placental nutrient transport shows how complex traits evolve. This project aims to use amino acid transport in the vertebrate placenta as a model to demonstrate how genes are recruited and modified to produce a major organ. Using an innovative combination of a new technology, selected reaction monitoring, and transcriptomic and molecular approaches, plus carefully selected Australian species pairs, this project will study the evolution of a complex trait (placental amino acid transport). The pr ....Placental nutrient transport shows how complex traits evolve. This project aims to use amino acid transport in the vertebrate placenta as a model to demonstrate how genes are recruited and modified to produce a major organ. Using an innovative combination of a new technology, selected reaction monitoring, and transcriptomic and molecular approaches, plus carefully selected Australian species pairs, this project will study the evolution of a complex trait (placental amino acid transport). The project will provide fundamental advances in our knowledge of the nutrient transport during pregnancy that is required to produce a healthy baby.Read moreRead less
Lively reproduction: do common molecules underlie all vertebrate live birth? Most animals lay eggs, but some (most mammals, including humans and some reptiles) give birth to live young. This project will reveal the molecules underlying the evolution of live birth and fundamental processes of early pregnancy, which potentially will lead to future developments in reproductive science.
Ecology and management of the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat. Ecology and management of the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat. This project aims to use the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat as a model species to evaluate ecological models for evidence-based continental and site-specific management of native fauna. Predators and climate change threaten Australia's arid-zone wildlife. Wildlife management, especially in areas of human–wildlife conflict, relies on empirical evidence for abundance and distribution ....Ecology and management of the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat. Ecology and management of the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat. This project aims to use the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat as a model species to evaluate ecological models for evidence-based continental and site-specific management of native fauna. Predators and climate change threaten Australia's arid-zone wildlife. Wildlife management, especially in areas of human–wildlife conflict, relies on empirical evidence for abundance and distribution of species and to understand what controls species abundance in space and time. Modern spatial technologies can make such information easier to find. This project’s species distribution model is expected to improve wildlife management.Read moreRead less
Evolution of cognition and sociality in vertebrates. This project aims to understand better the selective forces shaping cognition and sociality in animals and to determine if 'social intelligence' theory, which predicts more sophisticated cognition as species become increasingly social, provides a general explanation for the evolution of intelligence.
Understanding the koala microbiome: unlocking the secrets of koala health and dietary specialisation, and successful husbandry and translocation. This project aims to discover how the composition and function of koala gastrointestinal microbial communities differ in space and time in response to the varying nutritional quality and chemical composition of koala diets. Using detailed chemical analysis, cutting edge metagenomic and bioinformatic pipelines and powerful approaches to study enzyme fun ....Understanding the koala microbiome: unlocking the secrets of koala health and dietary specialisation, and successful husbandry and translocation. This project aims to discover how the composition and function of koala gastrointestinal microbial communities differ in space and time in response to the varying nutritional quality and chemical composition of koala diets. Using detailed chemical analysis, cutting edge metagenomic and bioinformatic pipelines and powerful approaches to study enzyme functions in the koala’s gut, the investigators aims to reveal the role of microbes in detoxification of plant toxins and degradation of recalcitrant fibre fractions. The outcomes aim to facilitate the use of faecal transplants to improve digestive function for translocated and rehabilitated koalas, enhancing options for koala management and conservation.Read moreRead less
Significance and mechanisms of evaporative water loss control by endotherms. This project plans to examine the novel hypothesis that mammals and birds can control and minimise their evaporative water loss in dry environments. Water balance is fundamental for the survival of mammals and birds. As a large component of total water loss, evaporative water loss is particularly critical for species in arid habitats and areas undergoing desertification and other habitat modifications. Control of water ....Significance and mechanisms of evaporative water loss control by endotherms. This project plans to examine the novel hypothesis that mammals and birds can control and minimise their evaporative water loss in dry environments. Water balance is fundamental for the survival of mammals and birds. As a large component of total water loss, evaporative water loss is particularly critical for species in arid habitats and areas undergoing desertification and other habitat modifications. Control of water loss is a previously unappreciated ability in mammals and birds. Determining the mechanistic basis for evaporative homeostasis would fundamentally change our knowledge of animal function, and may help us to predict and understand the effects of environmental change on survival and distribution limits for Australian fauna.Read moreRead less
The link between the angiogenesis of live birth and cancer: a lizard model. The possible link between live birth and cancer will be tested in this project. Lizards that express a growth factor that helps the growth of human cancer tumours will be studied to determine the action of the factor in a whole animal and in human cancer cells.
Macrophage control of mammalian growth and development. The immediate postnatal period in mammals is crucial for survival, long term health and productivity. This project is an international collaboration that aims to investigate how cells of the innate immune system called macrophages control somatic growth and development of mature organ function in the early postnatal period. The project aims to build upon investment in new animals models and a novel discovery to generate significant new know ....Macrophage control of mammalian growth and development. The immediate postnatal period in mammals is crucial for survival, long term health and productivity. This project is an international collaboration that aims to investigate how cells of the innate immune system called macrophages control somatic growth and development of mature organ function in the early postnatal period. The project aims to build upon investment in new animals models and a novel discovery to generate significant new knowledge that will challenge current concepts of mammalian growth control. The outcomes will enhance Australia's international reputation in the fields of physiology, immunology and developmental biology. Read moreRead less
Diversity and Defence: Characterisation of Extremely Variable Defensive Proteins from Sea Urchins. Antibiotic resistance is a global problem. In this project, we will study a new class of potential antibiotics - purpuratins - from sea urchins. Purpuratins are unique when compared to other antimicrobials because of their extreme structural diversity. By investigating that diversity, we will shed new light on biological methods for targeted drug design. This information will be critical to the de ....Diversity and Defence: Characterisation of Extremely Variable Defensive Proteins from Sea Urchins. Antibiotic resistance is a global problem. In this project, we will study a new class of potential antibiotics - purpuratins - from sea urchins. Purpuratins are unique when compared to other antimicrobials because of their extreme structural diversity. By investigating that diversity, we will shed new light on biological methods for targeted drug design. This information will be critical to the development of tailor-made antibiotics that are fine-tuned to kill particular micro-organisms. Our work represents a collaboration between researchers in Australia and the United States. It contributes directly to international scientific co-operation whilst providing high level training for young Australian researchers and students. Read moreRead less
Do crayfish use the information carried by low-level electrical signals in the environment? Many vertebrates detect electric fields. Fish communicate electrically. No invertebrate has been shown to do so. We have evidence that crayfish change their behaviour following exposure to low-level, waterborne electrical signals. Crayfish behaviour is currently the preferred model for studying the neurobiology of social hierarchies in animals. Evidence that information is passing from either predators or ....Do crayfish use the information carried by low-level electrical signals in the environment? Many vertebrates detect electric fields. Fish communicate electrically. No invertebrate has been shown to do so. We have evidence that crayfish change their behaviour following exposure to low-level, waterborne electrical signals. Crayfish behaviour is currently the preferred model for studying the neurobiology of social hierarchies in animals. Evidence that information is passing from either predators or conspecifics through an undescribed electrosensory channel would fundamentally change the direction of that research. Behaviour modification using electrical signals could also prove to be a valuable tool in crustacean aquaculture. This is a proposal to discover the nature and behavioural implications of crayfish electroreception.Read moreRead less