Visualising Retinal Microglia as a Window into Brain Inflammation. This project aims to use the unique autofluorescence signature of immune cells, microglia, imaged in the retina, as an index of brain inflammation. This project expects to provide the fundamental knowledge to allow us to image microglia non-invasively and identify the presence of brain inflammation without needing to access the brain-proper. Expected outcomes include full characterisation of microglial autofluorescence in the ret ....Visualising Retinal Microglia as a Window into Brain Inflammation. This project aims to use the unique autofluorescence signature of immune cells, microglia, imaged in the retina, as an index of brain inflammation. This project expects to provide the fundamental knowledge to allow us to image microglia non-invasively and identify the presence of brain inflammation without needing to access the brain-proper. Expected outcomes include full characterisation of microglial autofluorescence in the retina and how it relates to brain inflammation. This should provide significant downstream benefits for the detection of inflammatory brain disease well before visible symptoms develop with substantial benefit for livestock, pets, zoo and conservation animals, as well as research knowledge. Read moreRead less
Engineered plant receptors as orthogonal neuronal switches. This project aims to develop synthetic biology methods to study brain function by utilising engineered plant receptors. This project will expand our ability to manipulate nerve cell function with high specificity and without side effects in freely behaving animals. Plant receptors will be developed into molecular tools in an iterative process that improves key properties using rational protein design. Expected outcomes include innovativ ....Engineered plant receptors as orthogonal neuronal switches. This project aims to develop synthetic biology methods to study brain function by utilising engineered plant receptors. This project will expand our ability to manipulate nerve cell function with high specificity and without side effects in freely behaving animals. Plant receptors will be developed into molecular tools in an iterative process that improves key properties using rational protein design. Expected outcomes include innovative and broadly-applicable neuroscience methods and an understanding of receptors involved in plant growth and defense. Benefits of this project include an enhanced capacity to generate knowledge, multidisciplinary training opportunities and patentable synthetic biology technologies.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100401
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$393,903.00
Summary
Deconstructing the brain circuits of reward-seeking. This project aims to deconstruct the brain circuits that shape reward-seeking behaviour in different environments. The anticipated significance of this project is to provide mechanistic insights into why we choose to seek rewards in safe, but not dangerous environments. Expected outcomes include answering fundamental questions about how the environment shapes our behaviour by identifying projection cell subtypes important for reward-seeking, c ....Deconstructing the brain circuits of reward-seeking. This project aims to deconstruct the brain circuits that shape reward-seeking behaviour in different environments. The anticipated significance of this project is to provide mechanistic insights into why we choose to seek rewards in safe, but not dangerous environments. Expected outcomes include answering fundamental questions about how the environment shapes our behaviour by identifying projection cell subtypes important for reward-seeking, characterising their neuronal activity and precisely defining their molecular phenotype. The benefits of this project are expected to provide a new knowledge base for understanding decision-making in a constantly changing world.Read moreRead less
Colour vision in marsupials. The ability to distinguish colours is a crucial aspect of vision, providing vital data for sexual selection, predator detection and food acquisition. Studies of mammalian colour vision have largely overlooked marsupials. Our recent investigation of spectral sensitivity in two Australian species revealed a colour discrimination capacity beyond that of placentals (excluding primates), implying disparate evolutionary pressures in the two groups. We will provide the fi ....Colour vision in marsupials. The ability to distinguish colours is a crucial aspect of vision, providing vital data for sexual selection, predator detection and food acquisition. Studies of mammalian colour vision have largely overlooked marsupials. Our recent investigation of spectral sensitivity in two Australian species revealed a colour discrimination capacity beyond that of placentals (excluding primates), implying disparate evolutionary pressures in the two groups. We will provide the first comprehensive description of colour vision in marsupials, studying species with differing rhythmicities, habitats and diets. Wavelength sensitivity and molecular structure of retinal visual pigments will be assessed in relation to evolutionary influences and ecological demands.
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Interactions between phenome and genome at developing CNS synapses during synaptic refinement. Activity-dependent changes in synaptic transmission are vital to development and function of central neuronal networks. However, the critical factors regulating developmental changes in synaptic signals remain largely unknown. We will correlate functional changes in synaptic responses at glutamate-releasing synapses with changes in glutamate receptor composition at a critical period during developmen ....Interactions between phenome and genome at developing CNS synapses during synaptic refinement. Activity-dependent changes in synaptic transmission are vital to development and function of central neuronal networks. However, the critical factors regulating developmental changes in synaptic signals remain largely unknown. We will correlate functional changes in synaptic responses at glutamate-releasing synapses with changes in glutamate receptor composition at a critical period during development, test whether synaptic activation of receptors is required for these changes and define the pattern of activity-dependent changes in gene expression necessary for developmental changes in synaptic transmission. Understanding this interaction between synaptic phenome and activity-dependent genomic expression will expand our understanding of brain development and function.Read moreRead less
Target detection in visual clutter. The interdisciplinary nature of the project will offer a stimulating environment for training a postdoctoral worker in the hot topic of computational neuroscience. While computationally expensive solutions to moving target detection in clutter have been implemented using conventional engineering, this project will offer insight into the efficiency of the biological brain (with benefit of millions of years of evolution towards compact, economical and optimal so ....Target detection in visual clutter. The interdisciplinary nature of the project will offer a stimulating environment for training a postdoctoral worker in the hot topic of computational neuroscience. While computationally expensive solutions to moving target detection in clutter have been implemented using conventional engineering, this project will offer insight into the efficiency of the biological brain (with benefit of millions of years of evolution towards compact, economical and optimal solutions). The results will assist development of efficient artificial intelligence. It will also assist our ongoing collaborations with defence partners to develop and apply algorithms in artificial vision systems. Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354494
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
BRAINnet:
Brain Research And Integrative Neuroscience Network. The brain is the ultimate frontier of science, and its complexity requires an integrative approach to neuroscience. This initiative will facilitate a unique integration of disciplines (biological, physical, computational) and scales of focus (single neurons to networks to whole-brain), within a high profile Network of Australian and international players. The Network will be harnessed by a centralized hub for sharing of data and tec ....BRAINnet:
Brain Research And Integrative Neuroscience Network. The brain is the ultimate frontier of science, and its complexity requires an integrative approach to neuroscience. This initiative will facilitate a unique integration of disciplines (biological, physical, computational) and scales of focus (single neurons to networks to whole-brain), within a high profile Network of Australian and international players. The Network will be harnessed by a centralized hub for sharing of data and techniques, and mentoring of early career researchers. The principal socio-economic and discovery outcomes will flow from the exceptionally strong foundations in fundamental and applied science, established collaboration, and demonstrated capacity for development and commercialization of frontier biotechnologies.Read moreRead less
A new theory for retinotectal map formation. How brains become wired up during development is a question of
importance to both biology and computing. In this project we adopt a
novel computational approach to understanding the development of
topographic maps, a wiring pattern that is ubiquitous in biological
nervous systems. This project will build capacity for research in
computational neuroscience in Australia. It may also lead to
technological benefits such as new ideas for the design o ....A new theory for retinotectal map formation. How brains become wired up during development is a question of
importance to both biology and computing. In this project we adopt a
novel computational approach to understanding the development of
topographic maps, a wiring pattern that is ubiquitous in biological
nervous systems. This project will build capacity for research in
computational neuroscience in Australia. It may also lead to
technological benefits such as new ideas for the design of self-wiring
computing devices, and new insights into
the causes of wiring defects both during normal development and
rewiring after injury.
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Wiring up the nervous system: how do axons detect molecular gradients? This project will improve our understanding of how the nervous system
becomes wired up during development. This will ultimately allow better
therapies for some types of developmental disorders, and for repairing
damaged connections for instance in the spinal cord. The theoretical
models developed will improve our understanding of the computations
necessary to generate appropriate wiring of the nervous system, which
may ....Wiring up the nervous system: how do axons detect molecular gradients? This project will improve our understanding of how the nervous system
becomes wired up during development. This will ultimately allow better
therapies for some types of developmental disorders, and for repairing
damaged connections for instance in the spinal cord. The theoretical
models developed will improve our understanding of the computations
necessary to generate appropriate wiring of the nervous system, which
may facilitate the development of self-organizing computing
devices. The project will also provide unique research training at the
interface of biology and computation, building capacity for such
interdisciplinary research throughout Australia.
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Evolution and function of colour vision in mammals. The project aims to investigate colour vision in marsupials and monotremes (echidna and platypus) with differing phylogenies and biogeographic histories. Improving knowledge of the molecular structure of opsin genes mediating colour vision will be crucial to the understanding of evolution and function of this key mammalian (including human) sensory capacity. Understanding species colour discrimination will contribute to protective measures of ....Evolution and function of colour vision in mammals. The project aims to investigate colour vision in marsupials and monotremes (echidna and platypus) with differing phylogenies and biogeographic histories. Improving knowledge of the molecular structure of opsin genes mediating colour vision will be crucial to the understanding of evolution and function of this key mammalian (including human) sensory capacity. Understanding species colour discrimination will contribute to protective measures of Australia's unique fauna, presenting social and economic assets for the local and national community, and will set a standard that should be applied world-wide. Close international links and intellectual exchange will be invaluable to the Australian science community, including students.
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