How the gut nervous system interacts with bacteria. This project aims to reveal how the enteric nervous system of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract interacts with the gut microbiota. Gut function has largely been studied without considering microbiota. The project will use genetically modified animal models, image analysis of gut motility and sequencing of gut microbes, and develop neurophysiological methods to understand gut function. Expected benefits include better understanding of mechanisms u ....How the gut nervous system interacts with bacteria. This project aims to reveal how the enteric nervous system of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract interacts with the gut microbiota. Gut function has largely been studied without considering microbiota. The project will use genetically modified animal models, image analysis of gut motility and sequencing of gut microbes, and develop neurophysiological methods to understand gut function. Expected benefits include better understanding of mechanisms underlying antibiotic resistance, risks associated with discretionary caesarean sections and the benefits of breastfeeding.Read moreRead less
How the brain regulates blood pressure. This project will test whether a group of nerve cells in the rostral ventrolateral medulla generate sympathetic activity in blood vessels. The brain regulates blood pressure through several pathways, including nerves in the sympathetic nervous system that constrict blood vessels and increase the heart rate. Activity of these sympathetic nerves regulates blood pressure, but it is unknown which nerve cells in the brain cause this activity. This information i ....How the brain regulates blood pressure. This project will test whether a group of nerve cells in the rostral ventrolateral medulla generate sympathetic activity in blood vessels. The brain regulates blood pressure through several pathways, including nerves in the sympathetic nervous system that constrict blood vessels and increase the heart rate. Activity of these sympathetic nerves regulates blood pressure, but it is unknown which nerve cells in the brain cause this activity. This information is essential to understand how blood pressure is controlled under healthy conditions.Read moreRead less
Understanding brain mechanisms that control autonomic function. This project aims to understand the how the brain regulates sympathetic nerve activity, thereby increasing our understanding of the biology and function of nascent neurons on the adult brain stem. This challenges the current notion that new neurons are only made during development. The project will also determine how brain inflammation impacts blood-brain barrier function and affects sympathetic nerve regulation. The basic fundament ....Understanding brain mechanisms that control autonomic function. This project aims to understand the how the brain regulates sympathetic nerve activity, thereby increasing our understanding of the biology and function of nascent neurons on the adult brain stem. This challenges the current notion that new neurons are only made during development. The project will also determine how brain inflammation impacts blood-brain barrier function and affects sympathetic nerve regulation. The basic fundamental insights and conceptual advances into how autonomic function is controlled by the brain will provide a better understanding of these fundamental processes and will contribute to Australia’s priority research areas to improve health and advance product development.Read moreRead less
Cellular bases of enteric neural circuitry underlying gut propulsion. This project aims to investigate the neural bases of behaviour in the mammalian gut. The Enteric Nervous System (ENS) plays a critical role in the propulsion of intestinal contents. This project expects to establish how specific functional classes of enteric neurons control propulsion along the gut. By recording the simultaneous neural activity from hundreds of different functional classes of enteric nerve cells simultaneously ....Cellular bases of enteric neural circuitry underlying gut propulsion. This project aims to investigate the neural bases of behaviour in the mammalian gut. The Enteric Nervous System (ENS) plays a critical role in the propulsion of intestinal contents. This project expects to establish how specific functional classes of enteric neurons control propulsion along the gut. By recording the simultaneous neural activity from hundreds of different functional classes of enteric nerve cells simultaneously, whilst recording intestinal muscle electrical activity and the movements of the gut wall, the project expects to identify which enteric neurochemical classes of neurons generate specific motor patterns along the intestine.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100992
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
The role of neuropeptides driving plasticity in the control of blood pressure and breathing. This project aims to understand how pathways in the brain, that control blood pressure, develop 'memory' after repeated episodes of low oxygen, as occurs in sleep apnoea. Based on the assumption that long-lasting excitatory actions are responsible for this change in nerve behaviour this project will increase knowledge about how the brain controls blood pressure.
Activity-based chemogenetics: a novel approach to modulating brain function. Aim: To unravel the astounding complexity of the vertebrate brain by developing a completely novel method, that enables manipulation of the activity of defined nerve cells to study behaviour. Significance: Such technical advances are essential for understanding the intricate function of the brain. Expected outcomes: We will provide a technical advance of broad scope that will lead to novel neuroscience throughout the wo ....Activity-based chemogenetics: a novel approach to modulating brain function. Aim: To unravel the astounding complexity of the vertebrate brain by developing a completely novel method, that enables manipulation of the activity of defined nerve cells to study behaviour. Significance: Such technical advances are essential for understanding the intricate function of the brain. Expected outcomes: We will provide a technical advance of broad scope that will lead to novel neuroscience throughout the world. We will also increase understanding of body weight control through the experiments planned to validate our tool. Benefit: Our technical advance has the potential to alter experimental protocols, and the information obtained by experimental neuroscience, across all areas attempting to understand brain function.Read moreRead less
Pontine control of adaptive breathing behaviour in health and disease. This project will develop an understanding of the fundamental brain mechanisms associated with adaptive breathing during behaviour such as speech or swallowing. Adaptive breathing is impaired in lung disease, dementia and autism. This project will provide new insight to global brain function and treatment of central respiratory disorder.