Efficient strategies for visually guided flight: from insects to drones. Flying in real environments, that are densely cluttered with obstacles, is a major challenge limiting the proliferation of aerial robotic technology yet flying insects such as honeybees accomplish this task with ease. This project will seek to uncover the salient vision-based flight-control strategies implemented by insects to deal with clutter. These will be used to develop sensory and information processing frameworks for ....Efficient strategies for visually guided flight: from insects to drones. Flying in real environments, that are densely cluttered with obstacles, is a major challenge limiting the proliferation of aerial robotic technology yet flying insects such as honeybees accomplish this task with ease. This project will seek to uncover the salient vision-based flight-control strategies implemented by insects to deal with clutter. These will be used to develop sensory and information processing frameworks for implementation in miniature robotic systems which will allow them to navigate autonomously in complex environments even when GPS positioning is denied. Such capabilities will expand the operational domain and potential applications for small autonomous vehicles while improving our knowledge of insect locomotion.Read moreRead less
Viral and host RNA methylation in mosquitoes. Mosquitoes transmit a variety of viruses to humans and animals through blood feeding. This project aims to investigate one of the most common modifications of RNA molecules, known as N6-methyladenosine (m6A), in an important mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti, and its alterations upon infection with pathogenic as well as mosquito-specific viruses. In addition, m6A modification of viral genomic RNA and its importance in virus replication will be investiga ....Viral and host RNA methylation in mosquitoes. Mosquitoes transmit a variety of viruses to humans and animals through blood feeding. This project aims to investigate one of the most common modifications of RNA molecules, known as N6-methyladenosine (m6A), in an important mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti, and its alterations upon infection with pathogenic as well as mosquito-specific viruses. In addition, m6A modification of viral genomic RNA and its importance in virus replication will be investigated. Expected outcomes of this project include fundamental understanding of RNA methylation in mosquitoes and their role in mosquito biology and virus replication.Read moreRead less
Understanding mosquito smell system: a new frontier in mosquito control. This project aims to identify and functionally investigate mosquito smell receptors, which are critical in detecting volatile compounds and locating their hosts from a considerable distance away. Mosquitoes display preferences for certain hosts over others, primarily determined by volatile chemicals produced by hosts. This study builds on recently discovered, novel, host-derived volatile compounds, which can elicit robust r ....Understanding mosquito smell system: a new frontier in mosquito control. This project aims to identify and functionally investigate mosquito smell receptors, which are critical in detecting volatile compounds and locating their hosts from a considerable distance away. Mosquitoes display preferences for certain hosts over others, primarily determined by volatile chemicals produced by hosts. This study builds on recently discovered, novel, host-derived volatile compounds, which can elicit robust responses and attractiveness from mosquitoes. Expected outcomes of the project are enhanced understanding of mosquito smell system and behaviours. This could provide significant benefits to how we can fight mosquitoes and mosquito-transmitted diseases in a more efficient and environmentally responsible way.Read moreRead less
A novel approach in understanding regulation of development in mosquitoes. This project aims to explore the role of microRNAs in regulation of the synthesis of a key hormone, juvenile hormone, involved in mosquito development and reproductive maturation. The development of novel approaches in mosquito control or inhibition of transmission are urgently required to combat against mosquito-borne pathogens. One such approach is to interrupt the reproduction or reduce the fitness of mosquitoes. This ....A novel approach in understanding regulation of development in mosquitoes. This project aims to explore the role of microRNAs in regulation of the synthesis of a key hormone, juvenile hormone, involved in mosquito development and reproductive maturation. The development of novel approaches in mosquito control or inhibition of transmission are urgently required to combat against mosquito-borne pathogens. One such approach is to interrupt the reproduction or reduce the fitness of mosquitoes. This project will increase our understanding of the regulation of mosquito reproduction and development, but also lead to the discovery of potential target molecules to interfere with mosquito reproduction/development.Read moreRead less
Wolbachia endosymbionts: novel strain dynamics in Australian Drosophila. This project aims to understand Wolbachia infections across Australian Drosophila flies. Wolbachia bacteria that live inside the cells of insects and other invertebrates are widely seen as a promising tool for pest and disease control. This project will assess the population distribution, host phenotypic effects, population dynamics and evolutionary context of multiple Wolbachia infections across Australian Drosophila flies ....Wolbachia endosymbionts: novel strain dynamics in Australian Drosophila. This project aims to understand Wolbachia infections across Australian Drosophila flies. Wolbachia bacteria that live inside the cells of insects and other invertebrates are widely seen as a promising tool for pest and disease control. This project will assess the population distribution, host phenotypic effects, population dynamics and evolutionary context of multiple Wolbachia infections across Australian Drosophila flies. The outcome will include new and novel strains for applied projects, new information on the fate of Wolbachia infections, and new insights into the factors that dictate the fate of Wolbachia infections across populations.Read moreRead less
Combining biomechanics and movement ecology of kangaroos and relatives. Kangaroos and their relatives are unique in their body form, hopping gait and by the fact that increased speed does not come at an increased energetic cost. This project aims to build 3D musculoskeletal models to understand how muscles and tendons interact, enabling greater distances to be travelled using less energy. Further, it will use animal tracking devices and machine-learning tools to quantify movements in the wild. T ....Combining biomechanics and movement ecology of kangaroos and relatives. Kangaroos and their relatives are unique in their body form, hopping gait and by the fact that increased speed does not come at an increased energetic cost. This project aims to build 3D musculoskeletal models to understand how muscles and tendons interact, enabling greater distances to be travelled using less energy. Further, it will use animal tracking devices and machine-learning tools to quantify movements in the wild. This framework will provide novel insights into how energetics, morphology, and habitat have shaped the evolution of this unique group. This may open doors to a range of future ecological, physiological, and conservation studies and provide biological inspiration for energetically efficient robotic and assistive devices.Read moreRead less
Connectomes arising: linking structure and function in neocortical wiring. The cerebral cortex underpins human cognition, yet exactly how it becomes connected is unknown due to a lack of live developmental assays. We overcome this using prematurely born marsupials, which allow to study cortical development from embryo-like stages with remarkable resolution. This project will study how neural activity arises as the first connections are formed, and link functional and structural networks across d ....Connectomes arising: linking structure and function in neocortical wiring. The cerebral cortex underpins human cognition, yet exactly how it becomes connected is unknown due to a lack of live developmental assays. We overcome this using prematurely born marsupials, which allow to study cortical development from embryo-like stages with remarkable resolution. This project will study how neural activity arises as the first connections are formed, and link functional and structural networks across development in vivo. Experimental manipulations of activity, and computational models will discover developmental rules for precise wiring of cortical connections. Benefits include new methods to study cortical development, and outlining electrical, molecular and neuroanatomical signatures of early mammalian brain formation.Read moreRead less
Molecular mechanisms that regulate the kinetics of neurotransmitter release. Information processing in the human brain plays important roles in normal behaviour and cognition, most of which require rapid and precisely timed neurotransmitter release. However, the molecular mechanisms that control the speed and timing of this release remain largely unclear. This research project will use a novel mix of electrophysiology, electron microscopy, genetics, biochemistry, and imaging to investigate how t ....Molecular mechanisms that regulate the kinetics of neurotransmitter release. Information processing in the human brain plays important roles in normal behaviour and cognition, most of which require rapid and precisely timed neurotransmitter release. However, the molecular mechanisms that control the speed and timing of this release remain largely unclear. This research project will use a novel mix of electrophysiology, electron microscopy, genetics, biochemistry, and imaging to investigate how the speed of neurotransmitter release is controlled by the most important synaptic protein UNC-13 and its binding partners. This project expects to generate significant knowledge in the area of synaptic transmission. The outcomes will deepen our understanding of neuronal communication and information processing in the brain.Read moreRead less
Brain states and their roles in evasive behaviour. Using cutting-edge custom microscopy, neuroinformatics, and optogenetics in the larval zebrafish model, this project aims to describe the neurons, circuits, and networks that govern brain states. These brain states, by altering sensory-response relationships, allow animals to tune their behaviour to their circumstances, and the small transparent brains of zebrafish offer the possibility to observe activity across all neurons in the brain while t ....Brain states and their roles in evasive behaviour. Using cutting-edge custom microscopy, neuroinformatics, and optogenetics in the larval zebrafish model, this project aims to describe the neurons, circuits, and networks that govern brain states. These brain states, by altering sensory-response relationships, allow animals to tune their behaviour to their circumstances, and the small transparent brains of zebrafish offer the possibility to observe activity across all neurons in the brain while these processes occur in real time. Benefits would include knowledge gained about this fundamental property of the brain, further refinement of technologies in microscopy and biophyisics, and the training of Australia’s next generation of optical physicists, neuroscientists, and mathematicians. Read moreRead less
Adaptive Morphology and Evolution of Invasive Rabbits and Hares. This project aims to uncover the morphological variation that allows rapid adaptive evolution in two invasive species, the rabbit and hare. This project expects to generate new knowledge at the interface between invasion biology and evolutionary biology, using cutting-edge methods to phenotype widespread populations. This project will address key inter-related hypotheses of rapid adaptive evolution at temporal, spatial and phylogen ....Adaptive Morphology and Evolution of Invasive Rabbits and Hares. This project aims to uncover the morphological variation that allows rapid adaptive evolution in two invasive species, the rabbit and hare. This project expects to generate new knowledge at the interface between invasion biology and evolutionary biology, using cutting-edge methods to phenotype widespread populations. This project will address key inter-related hypotheses of rapid adaptive evolution at temporal, spatial and phylogenetic scales, particularly about changing morphologies involved role in locomotion and dispersal ability. Expected outcomes of this project include a comprehensive phenotypic database of these two species and identifying how these invasive species are adapting to the Australian landscape.Read moreRead less