Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100604
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$436,600.00
Summary
How do cells sense and react to mechanical forces? There is accumulating evidence that mechanical forces exerted on tissues and cells strongly influences their behaviour. My research aims to understand how cells sense and respond to forces experienced throughout life. Using a combination of three-dimensional cell and tissue culture methods, I will investigate how compressive forces change the biochemistry of cells and their functionality. This work is aimed at generating fundamental knowledge to ....How do cells sense and react to mechanical forces? There is accumulating evidence that mechanical forces exerted on tissues and cells strongly influences their behaviour. My research aims to understand how cells sense and respond to forces experienced throughout life. Using a combination of three-dimensional cell and tissue culture methods, I will investigate how compressive forces change the biochemistry of cells and their functionality. This work is aimed at generating fundamental knowledge to improve our comprehension of how cells respond to force. The expected outcome is a greater understanding of mechanical and biochemical relationships between cells and the environment, to inform fields of tissue engineering of culture scaffolds to better mimic natural cell-tissue settings.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230101081
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$458,238.00
Summary
Developing CRISPR Prime Editing for highly efficient precise gene editing. This project will further develop a recent breakthrough in gene editing technology named CRISPR prime editing to improve its performance in generating specific genome modifications in cells and organisms. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding optimal strategies for its deployment as well as create novel enhanced versions of the technology. This would significantly enhance our ability to perform precise ....Developing CRISPR Prime Editing for highly efficient precise gene editing. This project will further develop a recent breakthrough in gene editing technology named CRISPR prime editing to improve its performance in generating specific genome modifications in cells and organisms. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding optimal strategies for its deployment as well as create novel enhanced versions of the technology. This would significantly enhance our ability to perform precise genome modification of organisms and lead to substantial benefits for a vast array of applications in fundamental and applied biology. Future applications will include generating mutations in cells and model organisms for basic research and creating genetically enhanced agricultural animals or plants.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100346
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,000.00
Summary
Improving salt tolerance by optimising ion transport in chloroplasts. This project aims to discover the ion transport mechanisms and their molecular origins in chloroplasts that differentiate halophytes from glycophytes, allowing halophytes to optimise photosynthesis during salt stress. Yield losses in crop plants are linked to the effects of salt stress on their chloroplasts, but some plants maintain growth and yield irrespective of high soil salinity. This project will use biophysics to charac ....Improving salt tolerance by optimising ion transport in chloroplasts. This project aims to discover the ion transport mechanisms and their molecular origins in chloroplasts that differentiate halophytes from glycophytes, allowing halophytes to optimise photosynthesis during salt stress. Yield losses in crop plants are linked to the effects of salt stress on their chloroplasts, but some plants maintain growth and yield irrespective of high soil salinity. This project will use biophysics to characterise mutants deficient in targeted chloroplast transporters, comparing a model glycophyte and closely related halophyte. The expected outcome of these fundamental molecular is salt-tolerant crop plants.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100575
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,575.00
Summary
Getting to the root of salt-tolerance in the model cereal crop, barley. The root system is the first part of the plant to sense high concentrations of sodium and chloride ions in saline soils. The ability of roots to maintain growth in response to salinity is an important adaptation, increasing root soil exploration for nutrient and water uptake. The aim of this project is to identify the molecular mechanisms that control and regulate root growth in response to salinity using barley as a cereal ....Getting to the root of salt-tolerance in the model cereal crop, barley. The root system is the first part of the plant to sense high concentrations of sodium and chloride ions in saline soils. The ability of roots to maintain growth in response to salinity is an important adaptation, increasing root soil exploration for nutrient and water uptake. The aim of this project is to identify the molecular mechanisms that control and regulate root growth in response to salinity using barley as a cereal model. The knowledge gained in barley will provide important information for increasing salinity tolerance in other Australian cereal crops, most notably wheat.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101807
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Fat sensing in the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract: role in the regulation of gastrointestinal function and energy intake in health and obesity. This project will determine whether a reduced capacity to sense, or taste, the presence of fats in the oral cavity and the gastrointestinal tract diminishes the effects of fat on those aspects of gut function that regulate appetite and suppress energy intake. The project will, accordingly, provide important insights into the pathophysiology of ob ....Fat sensing in the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract: role in the regulation of gastrointestinal function and energy intake in health and obesity. This project will determine whether a reduced capacity to sense, or taste, the presence of fats in the oral cavity and the gastrointestinal tract diminishes the effects of fat on those aspects of gut function that regulate appetite and suppress energy intake. The project will, accordingly, provide important insights into the pathophysiology of obesity.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100837
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$354,000.00
Summary
Engineering enzymes controlling plant polysaccharide properties. This project will aim to use data to define how the synthesis and interconversion of nucleotide sugars is regulated and how this controls the properties of arabinoxylan in economically important plants. Dietary consumption of arabinoxylan reduces chronic diseases. Additionally, the attributes of arabinoxylan influence the cost of processing plant biomass. However, genetic control of the properties of the plant polysaccharide arabin ....Engineering enzymes controlling plant polysaccharide properties. This project will aim to use data to define how the synthesis and interconversion of nucleotide sugars is regulated and how this controls the properties of arabinoxylan in economically important plants. Dietary consumption of arabinoxylan reduces chronic diseases. Additionally, the attributes of arabinoxylan influence the cost of processing plant biomass. However, genetic control of the properties of the plant polysaccharide arabinoxylan is unresolved. A major control point in the partitioning of carbon from photosynthesis into arabinoxylan is the activity of sugar nucleotide interconverting enzymes. To characterise these enzymes, genomic, glycomic and enzyme kinetic data will be combined and the target enzymes will be modified in transgenic plants.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100304
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Biomimetic systems for species preservation and fertility restoration. Using a novel 3-D culture system the project will examine the biomechanics of ovary follicle and egg development in vitro, generating new knowledge with directly translatable research outcomes. In vitro egg production has implications for human fertility and threatened species preservation, significantly benefitting health and biodiversity in Australia.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100403
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$468,582.00
Summary
Defining how gut bacteria regulate metabolism: a role for gut serotonin. This project aims to understand how serotonin-producing cells in the gut interact with gut bacteria (the microbiome), using a combination of cells in culture and live germ-free and genetically modified mice. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding cellular interactions that underlie important physiological pathways, such as the control of blood glucose and fat storage. The intended outcomes of this project ....Defining how gut bacteria regulate metabolism: a role for gut serotonin. This project aims to understand how serotonin-producing cells in the gut interact with gut bacteria (the microbiome), using a combination of cells in culture and live germ-free and genetically modified mice. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding cellular interactions that underlie important physiological pathways, such as the control of blood glucose and fat storage. The intended outcomes of this project are to identify how gut bacteria communicate with serotonin-producing cells to regulate metabolism, and whether diet acts via a gut microbiome-serotonin axis to impact physiology. The expected benefit of this project will be to provide a new understanding of highly complex physiological systems that regulate our health.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100804
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$370,000.00
Summary
Controlling chloride in plants. This project aims to discover novel components that control how plants acquire and manage chloride. Chloride is one of the two ions that commonly cause salt stress, which is a major threat to Australia’s agriculture. Regions affected by salinity are increasing worldwide due to changing weather patterns and poor land management. Knowledge of plant chloride management is underdeveloped, despite the reduction in crop yield caused by high chloride accumulation. The an ....Controlling chloride in plants. This project aims to discover novel components that control how plants acquire and manage chloride. Chloride is one of the two ions that commonly cause salt stress, which is a major threat to Australia’s agriculture. Regions affected by salinity are increasing worldwide due to changing weather patterns and poor land management. Knowledge of plant chloride management is underdeveloped, despite the reduction in crop yield caused by high chloride accumulation. The anticipated outcome of this project will inform strategies aimed at selecting for optimised chloride management traits to generate crops with improved yield.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100620
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$378,000.00
Summary
Mechanisms of controlled gene expression in cells and organisms. The goal of this project is to reveal the nature of a cellular mechanism that has a major influence on gene expression in all eukaryotic cells. How gene expression is controlled is of fundamental importance to all life forms. The project plans to develop molecular tools that enable the visualisation and interrogation of this gene regulatory mechanism in live cells, tissues and whole organisms. The outcomes are anticipated to lead t ....Mechanisms of controlled gene expression in cells and organisms. The goal of this project is to reveal the nature of a cellular mechanism that has a major influence on gene expression in all eukaryotic cells. How gene expression is controlled is of fundamental importance to all life forms. The project plans to develop molecular tools that enable the visualisation and interrogation of this gene regulatory mechanism in live cells, tissues and whole organisms. The outcomes are anticipated to lead to an essential understanding of how cells respond to physiological and environmental cues by coordinating changes in gene expression, and to provide potential avenues towards manipulation for pharmaceutical, agricultural and biotechnology purposes.Read moreRead less