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Uncovering Oxytocin And Vasopressin Release And Functions With Novel Optical Tools
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$631,634.00
Summary
Oytocin and vasopressin are peptides in the brain that act as releasable neuromodulators and the balance of these peptides is implicated in the control of social behaviour and anxiety. We aim to investigate the release and function of these neuropeptides with 3 novel protein-based tools in a stressful learning paradigm and anxious behaviour. The understanding of their function will have important implications in the development of therapeutics for neurological conditions and drug addictions.
Examining The Metabolic And Cognitive Deficits Caused By Insulin Resistance In The Ventral Striatum
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,372.00
Summary
Brain insulin resistance is thought to cause metabolic and cognitive deficits, but the underlying neural mechanisms remain elusive. This project addresses this gap in our knowledge by examining how brain insulin resistance disrupts the metabolic regulation of food intake and the cognitive control of actions. The outcomes will provide new insights in disorders characterised by brain insulin resistance such as obesity and dementia.
Motivation For Starvation: Understanding The Neurobiology Of Anorexia Nervosa
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$773,142.00
Summary
Anorexia nervosa is a debilitating psychiatric disorder which is currently untreatable. It is characterised by disrupted reward and cognitive processing. This project, which will ultimately inform treatment strategies, utilises the activity-based anorexia rat model combined with innovative behavioural paradigms and sophisticated techniques to manipulate and record from neural circuits. This will furnish a comprehensive understanding of the neurobiology involved in pathological weight loss.
Neonatal Therapy For Improving Myelination And Long Term Outcome Following Preterm Birth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$799,883.00
Summary
Preterm birth leads to the early loss of the nurturing uterine environment which supports key developmental processes. This results in behavioural disorders later in life including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and anxiety. Preterm birth leads to loss of support for the maturation of oligodendrocyte cells and myelination which contributes to these disorders. This work will delineate therapies for preterm neonates that restore myelination and improve long-term behavioural outcomes.
Intergenerational Impacts Of Paternal Immune Activation On Brain Function And Dysfunction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$997,690.00
Summary
We recently discovered that infection of male mice with a parasite (Toxoplasma gondii) before conception can change the epigenetic information in the sperm and alter behaviour of the offspring. This is the first evidence that pathogenic infection in males can affect the next generation. We will investigate how infection with other major pathogens, including bacteria and the virus causing COVID-19, may affect sperm epigenetics and offspring health, including their brain function and dysfunction.
Narcolepsy With Cataplexy: A Brain Orexin Replacement Strategy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$810,784.00
Summary
Narcolepsy with cataplexy is a debilitating, life-long sleep-wake disorder, caused by the irreversible loss of the brain peptide 'orexin'. There is no satisfactory and safe treatment. We aim to develop an orexin analogue, delivered directly to the brain of sheep (relevant in size and translatable to patients) by a programmable pump to timely activate the orexin 'wake-up' switch. This innovative precision medicine project will significantly improve the quality of life of narcolepsy patients.
Creating A Phenotypic Catalogue Of Synaptic Vesicle Cycling Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$876,975.00
Summary
Developmental disorders affect 2-5% of children. In order to understand how these mutations will likely affect neurological function in these individuals, and to develop a tailored care and treatment program, we must first understand how these mutations affect neuronal communication. This research program will identify the underlying cause of neurological dysfunction in a subset of these disorders (synaptic vesicle cycle disorders), affecting 1200-3000 children in Australia alone.
The Future In Our Hands: Screening For Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease By Analysing Hand Movements
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$899,782.00
Summary
Alzheimer's disease (AD) starts damaging the brain 10-20 years before memory problems begin. By the time of diagnosis, it is hard to treat because the damage is so severe. We need a way to detect AD much earlier. We will develop a simple new computer test to detect early signs of AD by recording and analysing hand movements. Then people can start prevention earlier and scientists can research better treatments to improve people's quality of life and reduce the number of people with dementia.
Ataxia-Telangiectasia: An Emerging Role For Inflammation In Driving Neurodegeneration And Premature Ageing
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$437,436.00
Summary
Ataxia-Telangiectasia (A-T) is a devastating genetic disease that arises in early childhood and causes patients to die in their twenties. To date there is no cure, and therapeutics are desperately needed. This project will use state-of-the-art brain organoids derived from stem cells of A-T patients in order to better understand this disease and evaluate novel drugs that target the molecular mechanisms that drive chronic inflammation and brain neurodegeneration in children with A-T.
Finely Tuned Glutamate Receptor Inhibitors As Novel Therapeutics For Neurodegenerative Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,168,829.00
Summary
Neurodegenerative disorders are among the leading causes of death and disease burden. New drugs are needed to treat both symptoms and disease progression. This project aims to understand the properties of different drug-like compounds to inhibit proteins on the surface of brain cells (glutamate receptors) to impact disease progression and symptoms in a preclinical disease models. The project will yield a better understanding of how best to target glutamate receptors for therapeutic effect.