A Critical New Signaling Axis In Lymphatic Vascular Angiogenesis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$700,784.00
Summary
The lymphatic vasculature is a crucial part of our vascular system required for tissue fluid drainage and maintenance of fluid homeostasis. Lymphatic vessels play major roles in vascular pathologies and in the spread of solid tumours during cancer progression. We have discovered a new molecular regulator controlling the formation of lymphatic vessels. This project will determine the signalling pathway employed by this new regulator and potential for future therapeutic applications.
Genetic And Metabolic Control Of Pancreatic Acinar To Beta Cell Transdifferentiation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,817.00
Summary
Diabetes occurs when the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin are destroyed by the immune system or fail to keep up with demand. We have developed a method for converting other pancreatic cell types into insulin producing cells. The proposed research aims to improve the efficiency of our approach and to test its therapeutic potential in preclinical diabetes models.
Identifying Genes Required For Vertebral Column And Heart Formation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$950,418.00
Summary
Birth defects occur in about 3% of live births. These originate as the embryo forms, and we have previously shown that some of these are caused by gene mutation and/or environmental factors during gestation. However, the origins of many such defects remain unexplained. We will examine the DNA of patients to find gene mutations causing such defects. We will also test if mutations in these genes increase the likelihood of the embryo developing a defect if it is exposed to environmental stressors.
The research focuses on how gene function is networked and the ways that cells talk to each other to coordinate their activity in the formation of organs and body parts. Knowledge gleaned from these investigations will enhance our understanding of the genetic control underpinning normal development and the errors that lead to birth defects. The elucidation of the process that turns naive cells into the right cell type is essential for the use of stem cells for cell therapy and tissue repair.
The Role Of Innate Immune Responses In Cardiac Muscle Regeneration
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$543,678.00
Summary
Heart attack is a life-threatening disease that damages heart muscle. Zebrafish can naturally restore lost heart muscle after injury, providing a model to understand mechanisms of heart regeneration. Here, we will explore previously uncharacterized events involved in heart regeneration, with particular focus on the immune response. We will study how immune responses are involved in heart muscle regeneration in zebrafish to find new insights for repairing damaged muscle in the human heart.
Systemic Approaches Of Muscle Stem Cell Quiescence And Differentiation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$532,883.00
Summary
In the repair of injured muscles, after physical exercise, as part of the ageing process, and in muscle disorders, activated muscle stem cells proliferate and differentiate to replace affected tissues. The aim of this project is to apply systemic, genome-wide approaches to identify the gene networks involved in the balance between the differentiation or the self-renewing state of muscle stem cells.
Molecular Mechanisms That Generate And Activate Muscle Stem Cells During Growth And Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$596,086.00
Summary
This study aims answer long standing questions in the field of muscle stem cells. Understanding how stem cell-driven muscle repair occurs has profound implications for our understanding of the pathology and treatment of muscle disease. Muscular dystrophies and myopathies are amongst the largest group of inherited disorders to afflict the human condition. It is our hope that the results of this research will lead to a better understanding of how treatments, stem cell based or otherwise, could be ....This study aims answer long standing questions in the field of muscle stem cells. Understanding how stem cell-driven muscle repair occurs has profound implications for our understanding of the pathology and treatment of muscle disease. Muscular dystrophies and myopathies are amongst the largest group of inherited disorders to afflict the human condition. It is our hope that the results of this research will lead to a better understanding of how treatments, stem cell based or otherwise, could be employed to correct such disorders.Read moreRead less
Aberrant Mesenchymal-epithelial Transition: A Pathogenic Mechanism In Tissue Maintenance And Differentiation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$522,299.00
Summary
The causative genetic factors associated with aberrant changes of cellular properties are identified by analysing the profile and the control mechanism of gene expression. Specifically,this project will reveal how the transition of different patterns of tissue organization may be manifested in birth defects and malignant diseases.
Identification And Characterization Of The Molecular Mechanisms Of Cardiac Muscle Regeneration Regulated By The Epicardium In Zebrafish
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$540,772.00
Summary
Heart attack is a life-threatening disease that damages cardiac muscle. The human heart cannot create new muscle after the damage, which partly contributes to the high morbidity and mortality of this disease. Unlike humans, zebrafish, a small tropical freshwater fish, can naturally create cardiac muscle after injury. In this project, we will understand at the molecular level how zebrafish regenerate cardiac muscle, and provide insights for repairing damaged muscle in the human heart.