Testing links between life-history and genome evolution. Chromosomes are fundamental units of inheritance. They often differ in number, size and structure between species, and may also differ between individuals within a species. The evolution of chromosomes is tied to that of organisms themselves, making them important for understanding the generation and maintenance of biodiversity. Yet, our understanding of the forces that influence chromosome evolution remains limited. This project will inve ....Testing links between life-history and genome evolution. Chromosomes are fundamental units of inheritance. They often differ in number, size and structure between species, and may also differ between individuals within a species. The evolution of chromosomes is tied to that of organisms themselves, making them important for understanding the generation and maintenance of biodiversity. Yet, our understanding of the forces that influence chromosome evolution remains limited. This project will investigate the formation of unusual chains of chromosomes that are increasingly being found in various vertebrate and invertebrate taxa, using an organism in which they are most commonly found: termites. We will test the hypothesis that inbreeding drives the evolution of meiotic sex linked chromosomes.Read moreRead less
The developmental and evolutionary origins of vertebrate fins and limbs. This project aims to investigate the origin of paired appendages, a major event in early vertebrate history that changed ecological opportunity and fuelled the radiation of jawed vertebrates. This project expects to generate new knowledge on the mechanism that drove this innovation, which despite over a century of debate, remains one
of the great unknowns of comparative vertebrate evolution. Expected outcomes of this projec ....The developmental and evolutionary origins of vertebrate fins and limbs. This project aims to investigate the origin of paired appendages, a major event in early vertebrate history that changed ecological opportunity and fuelled the radiation of jawed vertebrates. This project expects to generate new knowledge on the mechanism that drove this innovation, which despite over a century of debate, remains one
of the great unknowns of comparative vertebrate evolution. Expected outcomes of this project include uncovering the anatomical changes underpinning the origin of the vertebrate appendicular system. This should provide significant benefits as it will inform our own natural history and provide a paradigm for studying gene network
conservation, phylogenetic modifications, and the acquisition of novel structures.Read moreRead less
Origin and evolution of animal-bacterial symbiosis. This project seeks to understand how interactions between animals and their microbial symbionts – the holobiont – evolved, and how they are influenced by the environment over an animal's life. Using a homegrown Australian model, a sea sponge from the Great Barrier Reef, and advanced multi-omic approaches (genomics plus cell biology), this project aims to uncover the mechanisms underlying the establishment and maintenance of the holobiont throug ....Origin and evolution of animal-bacterial symbiosis. This project seeks to understand how interactions between animals and their microbial symbionts – the holobiont – evolved, and how they are influenced by the environment over an animal's life. Using a homegrown Australian model, a sea sponge from the Great Barrier Reef, and advanced multi-omic approaches (genomics plus cell biology), this project aims to uncover the mechanisms underlying the establishment and maintenance of the holobiont through development, and under changing ecological and environmental conditions. Because of the evolutionary position of sponges, outcomes of this project expect to reveal cardinal rules governing animal-microbe interactions that are fundamental to the health and conservation of most animals and ecosystems.Read moreRead less
Untangling environmental effects on bee health in the face of Varroa . This project aims to assess bee health, disease and evolution in European honeybees and bumblebees. Bee viruses transmitted by the destructive Varroa mite cause worldwide pollinator declines. Factors determining bee health will be identified across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, which differ in Varroa impact and bee introduction histories. Harnessing Australia’s currently threatened Varroa-free status, the bum ....Untangling environmental effects on bee health in the face of Varroa . This project aims to assess bee health, disease and evolution in European honeybees and bumblebees. Bee viruses transmitted by the destructive Varroa mite cause worldwide pollinator declines. Factors determining bee health will be identified across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, which differ in Varroa impact and bee introduction histories. Harnessing Australia’s currently threatened Varroa-free status, the bumblebee invasion in Tasmania, and cutting-edge multi-omics techniques (for microbiomes, viruses and genomes), predictors of disease dynamics will be identified for two globally important bee pollinators. The project outcomes will boost Australia's capacity to manage threats to pollination services at landscape scales.Read moreRead less
Asgard archaea: the first eukaryotic cells? . This project aims to uncover the role of unique microorganisms (Asgard archaea) in the origin of eukaryotes. These archaea may represent a ‘missing-link’ in eukaryotic evolution and are in abundance in the stromatolites in Shark Bay, Western Australia. Employing an innovative and interdisciplinary approach of cutting-edge molecular biology and high-resolution microscopy, this project expects to generate insights into fundamental aspects of evolution ....Asgard archaea: the first eukaryotic cells? . This project aims to uncover the role of unique microorganisms (Asgard archaea) in the origin of eukaryotes. These archaea may represent a ‘missing-link’ in eukaryotic evolution and are in abundance in the stromatolites in Shark Bay, Western Australia. Employing an innovative and interdisciplinary approach of cutting-edge molecular biology and high-resolution microscopy, this project expects to generate insights into fundamental aspects of evolution and cell biology. Expected outcomes include the discovery of unique branches of life and the proposal of new models for the emergence of eukaryotes. This research should allow for benefits across a spectrum of environmental and social gains, including improved ties with Indigenous communities.Read moreRead less
Hybridisation leading to lost sex: genomic and experimental insights. The project intends to apply advanced genomics to two classic Australian systems and quantitative genetics to one to address long-standing questions about why asexual reproduction is rare. It aims to test for rapid changes in genomes accompanying hybrid-origins of asexuals and whether this new diversity enables their ongoing evolution. The significance is that support for this hypothesis would challenge current theory for why ....Hybridisation leading to lost sex: genomic and experimental insights. The project intends to apply advanced genomics to two classic Australian systems and quantitative genetics to one to address long-standing questions about why asexual reproduction is rare. It aims to test for rapid changes in genomes accompanying hybrid-origins of asexuals and whether this new diversity enables their ongoing evolution. The significance is that support for this hypothesis would challenge current theory for why sex is so common. The expected outcome is to understand how variation is generated in natural populations with different ways of reproducing. Benefits would include significant contributions to global science, evolutionary training and potential applications in using hybridisation to manage threatened species or pests.Read moreRead less
Dynamic evolution of mutation rates: causes and impacts on genomic analysis. This project aims to illuminate the role of variation in mutation rate in driving evolutionary change. Mutation rate is a core parameter in evolutionary analyses in essential applications including epidemiology, conservation and medicine, yet remains a “black box” given arbitrary universal values. This project will take a whole-of-biodiversity approach to understanding the forces shaping mutation rate, impact on evoluti ....Dynamic evolution of mutation rates: causes and impacts on genomic analysis. This project aims to illuminate the role of variation in mutation rate in driving evolutionary change. Mutation rate is a core parameter in evolutionary analyses in essential applications including epidemiology, conservation and medicine, yet remains a “black box” given arbitrary universal values. This project will take a whole-of-biodiversity approach to understanding the forces shaping mutation rate, impact on evolution of biodiversity and effect on accuracy and precision of phylogenetic analyses. Using Australian case studies, the expected outcome of this project will be a greater understanding variation in mutation rate between species, providing significant benefits in developing more sophisticated and reliable phylogenetic analyses.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100188
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$426,245.00
Summary
Sensory and bioengineering approaches to predict hearing abilities in fish. This project aims to understand the factors responsible for the extraordinary diversity in the shape and size of fish ears and why some fishes are more sensitive to sound than others, which is little understood. Using innovative techniques and a multidisciplinary approach, expected outcomes of this project include the first model representing the hearing function of fish underwater. This may allow unique insights into th ....Sensory and bioengineering approaches to predict hearing abilities in fish. This project aims to understand the factors responsible for the extraordinary diversity in the shape and size of fish ears and why some fishes are more sensitive to sound than others, which is little understood. Using innovative techniques and a multidisciplinary approach, expected outcomes of this project include the first model representing the hearing function of fish underwater. This may allow unique insights into the importance of sound for fish, as well as inspire the development of new sensor technologies, including in robotics and biomedical applications. Benefits include the ability to predict the vulnerability of a fish species to noise pollution and to inform conservation strategies and policy guidelines.Read moreRead less
Sex Differences in Trait Associations & Shapes: Analysis beyond Average. This project aims to identify and address current knowledge gaps in research on sex differences by employing different methodologies (bibliometrics, systematic mapping) and developing novel methods of meta-analysis. This project expects to generate a more holistic and complete view of sex differences than currently appreciated, by (meta-)analyzing the shapes of traits and associations between traits. Expected outcomes of th ....Sex Differences in Trait Associations & Shapes: Analysis beyond Average. This project aims to identify and address current knowledge gaps in research on sex differences by employing different methodologies (bibliometrics, systematic mapping) and developing novel methods of meta-analysis. This project expects to generate a more holistic and complete view of sex differences than currently appreciated, by (meta-)analyzing the shapes of traits and associations between traits. Expected outcomes of the project include taking the field of sex differences to the next level, and creating new and powerful meta-analytic methods, opening new avenues for research synthesis. This should provide significant benefits by directing future research in related fields and inspiring new kinds of (meta-)analyses across disciplines.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100003
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$387,373.00
Summary
The evolution of venom and its role in shaping biodiversity. This project aims to study how venom, nature's most powerful weapon, evolves and shapes biodiversity. Using the iconic Australian and New Guinean venomous snakes as a model, this project expects to develop a novel approach to profile venom composition from museum specimens, test competing hypotheses on the evolution of venoms, and test for the association between the evolution of venoms and the evolution of diversity in species richnes ....The evolution of venom and its role in shaping biodiversity. This project aims to study how venom, nature's most powerful weapon, evolves and shapes biodiversity. Using the iconic Australian and New Guinean venomous snakes as a model, this project expects to develop a novel approach to profile venom composition from museum specimens, test competing hypotheses on the evolution of venoms, and test for the association between the evolution of venoms and the evolution of diversity in species richness and morphology. Expected outcomes include the largest venom database for any animal group and a better understanding of how venoms evolve and what role they play in earth’s biodiversity. The generated venom data has potential to be used in future studies to aid in the development of anti-venoms and drugs.Read moreRead less