A longitudinal study of neuropsychological and neuromotor effects of low level manganese exposure. This study will investigate the neuropsychological and neuromotor effects of low level exposure to mangenese particulate. Previous studies have indicated symptomology of high level exposure, but there is contention in the literature regarding the effects of low levels of exposure. Our aim is to refine measures of cumulative exposure and develop a more comprehensive and senstitive testing protocol t ....A longitudinal study of neuropsychological and neuromotor effects of low level manganese exposure. This study will investigate the neuropsychological and neuromotor effects of low level exposure to mangenese particulate. Previous studies have indicated symptomology of high level exposure, but there is contention in the literature regarding the effects of low levels of exposure. Our aim is to refine measures of cumulative exposure and develop a more comprehensive and senstitive testing protocol than has been reported thus far. These measures and protocols will be incorporated into a longitudinal design, which has not been conducted in research studies to date. In addition, a database of exposure variables will be developed to facilitate long-term, accurate research into the effects of the low levels of exposure.Read moreRead less
Stochastic Modelling of Genetic Regulatory Networks: Subtitle - Genetic Regulation is a Noisy Business. The completion of the human genome marked the culmination of one hundred years of reductionist science in cell biology. Although further bioinformatics analysis will continue, the focus is shifting towards synthesis and understanding how the regulatory genetic components dynamically interact to form functional phenotypes. The key to this is the understanding of the roles of stochasticity in ....Stochastic Modelling of Genetic Regulatory Networks: Subtitle - Genetic Regulation is a Noisy Business. The completion of the human genome marked the culmination of one hundred years of reductionist science in cell biology. Although further bioinformatics analysis will continue, the focus is shifting towards synthesis and understanding how the regulatory genetic components dynamically interact to form functional phenotypes. The key to this is the understanding of the roles of stochasticity in cellular processes. This project will explore these roles and will develop an integrated complex systems modelling, simulation and visualisation framework. This will be used on an exemplar application for lineage commitment in haematopoiesis and for exploring and validating genetic regulatory models in general.Read moreRead less
Preparatory processes in rapid interceptive action. This project investigates the nature of the processes involved in preparing to act in response to a moving object: actions that elite sportspeople perform with amazing precision: timing to within a few thousandths of a second is routine when hitting a ball in tennis and cricket. The average person can be capable of something similar and it means being ready to make the right movement at the right time. Understanding the preparatory processes in ....Preparatory processes in rapid interceptive action. This project investigates the nature of the processes involved in preparing to act in response to a moving object: actions that elite sportspeople perform with amazing precision: timing to within a few thousandths of a second is routine when hitting a ball in tennis and cricket. The average person can be capable of something similar and it means being ready to make the right movement at the right time. Understanding the preparatory processes involved will be a significant scientific advance and knowledge of their workings and limits can contribute to the development of strategies for improving safety in dynamic environments such as city roads. This project will put an Australian laboratory at the cutting edge in this area of research.Read moreRead less
Insect host/vector genetic responses to rhabdovirus infection. Rhabdoviruses cause important diseases in humans, animals and plants. These viruses are transmitted by insect vectors in which they persist and propagate, an intimate and specific association. Insect-rhabdovirus interactions will be studied at the molecular level using a planthopper-maize rhabdovirus model. Insect genes specifically induced by rhabdovirus infection as well as the viral genes themselves will be identified and characte ....Insect host/vector genetic responses to rhabdovirus infection. Rhabdoviruses cause important diseases in humans, animals and plants. These viruses are transmitted by insect vectors in which they persist and propagate, an intimate and specific association. Insect-rhabdovirus interactions will be studied at the molecular level using a planthopper-maize rhabdovirus model. Insect genes specifically induced by rhabdovirus infection as well as the viral genes themselves will be identified and characterized using genomics and bioinformatics tools. We will extend the same approaches to a comparative analysis of these planthopper genes with other insect-rhabdovirus systems under investigation in our institutes. Identification of viral genes expressed in insects, the insect genes that respond to virus infection, and interpretation of the roles of these genes in insects, may indicate new opportunities to control serious plant and animal diseases through control of virus transmission.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0882357
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
A Computational Facility for Multi-scale Modelling in Bio and Nanotechnology. Bio- and nanotechnology have the potential to transform Australian industry and research, and to bring significant benefits for consumers. The scope will include materials for energy storage, medical diagnostics and cellular imaging, bioengineering, drug and gene delivery, improved foods by molecular design, novel materials for electronics, improved techniques for particle processing, and molecular sieves for filtering ....A Computational Facility for Multi-scale Modelling in Bio and Nanotechnology. Bio- and nanotechnology have the potential to transform Australian industry and research, and to bring significant benefits for consumers. The scope will include materials for energy storage, medical diagnostics and cellular imaging, bioengineering, drug and gene delivery, improved foods by molecular design, novel materials for electronics, improved techniques for particle processing, and molecular sieves for filtering/purifying water and gases. The dedicated computing facility will enable a fast interactive cycle between simulation and experiment in these areas, accelerating the pace of research and applications.Read moreRead less
Efficient Estimation of Statistical Models with Many Parameters. Statistical models are used extensively in business, engineering and the sciences to describe the behavior of systems subject to uncertainty. There are often many unknowns in such models and relatively little data to estimate them. The object of the research is to develop methods that make these statistical models practical to use. The research team will apply the methodology to solve problems in economics, finance, marketing and t ....Efficient Estimation of Statistical Models with Many Parameters. Statistical models are used extensively in business, engineering and the sciences to describe the behavior of systems subject to uncertainty. There are often many unknowns in such models and relatively little data to estimate them. The object of the research is to develop methods that make these statistical models practical to use. The research team will apply the methodology to solve problems in economics, finance, marketing and the analysis of gene expression data. The project will also train doctoral and postdoctoral students and enhance Australia's reputation for research excellence in the Statistical and Mathematical Sciences. Read moreRead less
Theory and Applications of Computer-Intensive Statistical Methods. The availability of powerful computing equipment has had a dramatic impact on statistical methods and thinking. It has motivated development of novel approaches to data analysis, whose conception
and appreciation, even their application, often demand sophisticated and complex theoretical methods. In this context, the project will develop new approaches to solving non-standard statistical problems. These techniques will eithe ....Theory and Applications of Computer-Intensive Statistical Methods. The availability of powerful computing equipment has had a dramatic impact on statistical methods and thinking. It has motivated development of novel approaches to data analysis, whose conception
and appreciation, even their application, often demand sophisticated and complex theoretical methods. In this context, the project will develop new approaches to solving non-standard statistical problems. These techniques will either have direct application to solving practical problems of national or community concern, or provide a better understanding of the nature of such problems.Read moreRead less
Saddlepoint approximation, likelihood analysis and ancestral graphs for strong and weak natural selection, genetic drift and population subdivision. Building new research strength in theoretical population genetics and related statistical techniques will enhance Australia's capability in harnessing the power of post-genomic information. Sophisticated statistical techniques that make smart use of genetic data are being developed in this project. The extent to which natural selection and migrati ....Saddlepoint approximation, likelihood analysis and ancestral graphs for strong and weak natural selection, genetic drift and population subdivision. Building new research strength in theoretical population genetics and related statistical techniques will enhance Australia's capability in harnessing the power of post-genomic information. Sophisticated statistical techniques that make smart use of genetic data are being developed in this project. The extent to which natural selection and migration affect current genetic polymorphism on a population level can be quantified using these new methods. New modeling provides a rigorous foundation with which to construct inference techniques currently beyond computational approaches to the data. Assessing selective effects on genetic mutations associated with human disease will be a consequence of this new statistical methodology.Read moreRead less
Understanding social cancers: Intra-specific parasitism by honeybee workers. Our project will study the conditions under which normally altruistic honeybee workers parasitise other colonies. Thus we will explore a fundamental question: how is the expression of selfish behaviour normally controlled? Outcomes of this project will be important to our understanding of insect societies but will also have application for those studying the development of tumours in multicellular organisms, the develop ....Understanding social cancers: Intra-specific parasitism by honeybee workers. Our project will study the conditions under which normally altruistic honeybee workers parasitise other colonies. Thus we will explore a fundamental question: how is the expression of selfish behaviour normally controlled? Outcomes of this project will be important to our understanding of insect societies but will also have application for those studying the development of tumours in multicellular organisms, the development of metazoan bodies, and social cohesion in human and non-human societies. Our project will also help protect Australia's honey industry from the devastating social parasites that have ruined the industry in South Africa.Read moreRead less
Alternative reproductive tactics and threshold evolution. This research is focussed at the highest level in the field of evolutionary biology; testing recent theory for the evolution of alternative reproductive tactics and using these species to test hypotheses about adaptation. The proposal involves collaborations with high-profile researchers from three European countries and will increase Australia's standing as a world-leader in evolutionary biology. Australian students will benefit from exp ....Alternative reproductive tactics and threshold evolution. This research is focussed at the highest level in the field of evolutionary biology; testing recent theory for the evolution of alternative reproductive tactics and using these species to test hypotheses about adaptation. The proposal involves collaborations with high-profile researchers from three European countries and will increase Australia's standing as a world-leader in evolutionary biology. Australian students will benefit from exposure to high quality international collaborators. We will also increase our understanding of the biology of the European earwig, a pest species in Australia. Reproductive tactics are exciting topics for media attention and this research will reach a wide and interested Australian and world audience.Read moreRead less