Ecology, morphology and the diversification of Australian lizards. This project aims to determine the factors driving the spectacular radiation of lizards in Australia. To date, most investigations of lizard anatomy have focused exclusively on external characteristics. This project will examine the underlying internal anatomy to investigate whether morphological innovation is associated with enhanced rates of ecological, life-history and species diversification. The project expects to shed light ....Ecology, morphology and the diversification of Australian lizards. This project aims to determine the factors driving the spectacular radiation of lizards in Australia. To date, most investigations of lizard anatomy have focused exclusively on external characteristics. This project will examine the underlying internal anatomy to investigate whether morphological innovation is associated with enhanced rates of ecological, life-history and species diversification. The project expects to shed light on the evolution of Australia’s most diverse vertebrate lineage, and provide comparative data with which to interpret the lizard fossil record in Australia, and the range declines and relative extinction risks of native lizard species.Read moreRead less
Target Of Rapamycin control of nutrient uptake. This project aims to study nutrient uptake in eukaryotes. It is expected to generate new knowledge of critical and conserved features of environmental and Target Of Rapamycin (TOR)-mediated control of nutrient uptake, specifically endocytosis, building on novel preliminary data that identifies novel TOR control points. The expected outcomes include new insights into mechanisms controlling nutrient uptake and fostering institutional collaboration. T ....Target Of Rapamycin control of nutrient uptake. This project aims to study nutrient uptake in eukaryotes. It is expected to generate new knowledge of critical and conserved features of environmental and Target Of Rapamycin (TOR)-mediated control of nutrient uptake, specifically endocytosis, building on novel preliminary data that identifies novel TOR control points. The expected outcomes include new insights into mechanisms controlling nutrient uptake and fostering institutional collaboration. This knowledge is highly relevant to any industry or research project utilising living organisms, as nutrient availability supports survival, cell growth and proliferation.Read moreRead less
Use of mitochondrial electron transport chain mutants to evaluate how non-phosphorylating respiration influences plant metabolite profiles and stress tolerance. This project uses transgenic plant technology to elucidate how mitochondrial function impacts on the profile of metabolites in plant cell and tissues and whether altering these profiles influences a plant's ability tog row in harsh conditions. It will contribute to our fundamental knowledge of plant metabolism using a metabolomic anaylsi ....Use of mitochondrial electron transport chain mutants to evaluate how non-phosphorylating respiration influences plant metabolite profiles and stress tolerance. This project uses transgenic plant technology to elucidate how mitochondrial function impacts on the profile of metabolites in plant cell and tissues and whether altering these profiles influences a plant's ability tog row in harsh conditions. It will contribute to our fundamental knowledge of plant metabolism using a metabolomic anaylsis of plant stress response. This will be achieved using new high-throughput technologies, allowing reliable qualitative and quantitative analysis of large numbers of samples. This approach will compliment existing genomic and proteomic analyses of plants exposed to abiotic stress.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0561229
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$518,427.00
Summary
Establishment of a Multiphoton Microscope Imaging Platform for Live Cell and Tissue, and Optical Imaging. This proposal seeks to establish a multidisciplinary multiphoton imaging laboratory, expanding the imaging capabilities of a Core Regional Imaging Facility. This Facility supports researchers across all Monash campuses and hospital-based research Schools, as well as outside research groups in the Victorian region. Furthermore, this equipment will support significant fiber optic research at V ....Establishment of a Multiphoton Microscope Imaging Platform for Live Cell and Tissue, and Optical Imaging. This proposal seeks to establish a multidisciplinary multiphoton imaging laboratory, expanding the imaging capabilities of a Core Regional Imaging Facility. This Facility supports researchers across all Monash campuses and hospital-based research Schools, as well as outside research groups in the Victorian region. Furthermore, this equipment will support significant fiber optic research at Victoria University for the development of communication and endoscopic technology. The instrument design will allow multiple use of the lightsource and choice of specific imaging devices (microscopes) to ensure that applications in biocellular imaging, intravital microscopy and fiber optic design and imaging are individually optimised.Read moreRead less
The mechanisms and roles of receptor clustering in cell activation and wound healing by growth factors. Growth factors regulate cell proliferation, migration and differentation by interaction with receptors. Such receptors are usually localized at the cell surface, and require intracellular transduction systems to transmit the signal to the cell interior. We have recently shown the hormone-induced clustering of heterologous hormone receptors in cells, and that this occurs with the co-clustering ....The mechanisms and roles of receptor clustering in cell activation and wound healing by growth factors. Growth factors regulate cell proliferation, migration and differentation by interaction with receptors. Such receptors are usually localized at the cell surface, and require intracellular transduction systems to transmit the signal to the cell interior. We have recently shown the hormone-induced clustering of heterologous hormone receptors in cells, and that this occurs with the co-clustering of downstream signalling molecules at sites of engagement with the extracellular matrix. In addition, we have found that cells presented with an extracellular matrix respond better to subsequent growth factor stimulation. The project aims to determine the cellular mechanisms underlying receptor clustering and the basis of the receptor-extracellular matrix interaction. This will enhance our understanding of growth factor function in a number of conditions, including wound healing. We will extend our in vitro results to the animal model to define parameters for enhanced wound repair.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0347607
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$306,000.00
Summary
FishWorks - collaborative infrastructure for zebrafish research. Zebrafish have emerged as a powerful and cost-effective animal model for studying development, biology, and disease. FishWorks represents a large-scale co-operative initiative to develop state-of-the-art zebrafish housing, manipulation, genomics and screening infrastructure in Australia. This will both support and further enhance a core group of high quality researchers to engage in cutting-edge research in areas of acknowledged ex ....FishWorks - collaborative infrastructure for zebrafish research. Zebrafish have emerged as a powerful and cost-effective animal model for studying development, biology, and disease. FishWorks represents a large-scale co-operative initiative to develop state-of-the-art zebrafish housing, manipulation, genomics and screening infrastructure in Australia. This will both support and further enhance a core group of high quality researchers to engage in cutting-edge research in areas of acknowledged expertise as well as priority within their respective institutions. In addition, it will facilitate wide-ranging collaborative arrangements to further develop and exploit this research area.Read moreRead less
Determining the regulation of vitamin D metabolism. The proposed project will lead to a better understanding of factors that influence the biological function of vitamin D. This will impact in several areas of human health and will provide new avenues for the development of preventative approaches and treatment of cancer. This project is based on the use of 'Frontier Technologies' that will be applied to elucidate basic biological questions.
Differentiation of Cord Blood Stem cells into Thymus (T) cells with regulatory phenotype and function. This project will develop technologies for a stem cell therapy platform based on cord blood stem cells, to enable treatment of autoimmune diseases or transplants. Building on the University of Adelaide's frontier demonstration of differentiation of regulatory Thymus (T) cells from cord blood stem cells, the project will develop techniques to expand the numbers of T cells generated. This has the ....Differentiation of Cord Blood Stem cells into Thymus (T) cells with regulatory phenotype and function. This project will develop technologies for a stem cell therapy platform based on cord blood stem cells, to enable treatment of autoimmune diseases or transplants. Building on the University of Adelaide's frontier demonstration of differentiation of regulatory Thymus (T) cells from cord blood stem cells, the project will develop techniques to expand the numbers of T cells generated. This has the potential to maintain Australia's lead in differentiation of cord blood stem cells and to provide a significant breakthrough in potential treatments of autoimmune diseases (e.g. type 1 diabetes) or transplantation. These diseases affect both a healthy start to life and healthy ageing, and an Australian invention to treat or cure them would have global impact.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0452977
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$329,504.00
Summary
Upgrade and expansion of Newcastle Plant Growth Facility. The project will upgrade and expand the Newcastle Plant Growth Facility. The upgrades will improve glasshouse environments for the production of high quality plant material. This outcome will be achieved through increasing solar transmittance and more effective temperature control. Expansion will address unmet demand for standard and PC2 plant growth space. Together the infrastructure additions will enhance productivity and excellence ....Upgrade and expansion of Newcastle Plant Growth Facility. The project will upgrade and expand the Newcastle Plant Growth Facility. The upgrades will improve glasshouse environments for the production of high quality plant material. This outcome will be achieved through increasing solar transmittance and more effective temperature control. Expansion will address unmet demand for standard and PC2 plant growth space. Together the infrastructure additions will enhance productivity and excellence of core areas of plant biology research at Newcastle in nutrient transport, cell development as well as environment management and rehabilitation . In addition, they will underpin new collaborative initiatives at the interfaces between plant biology with transgenic delivery of reproductive vaccines and phytoremediation.Read moreRead less
Understanding The Role Of The Atypical Cadherin Fat4 In Lymphatic Vascular Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,006,248.00
Summary
This application will define the role of a large cell adhesion molecule, FAT4, in lymphatic vascular development. By understanding how FAT4 functions in lymphatic vessels, we will gain insight to the mechanisms by which mutations in the gene that encodes this protein cause a human lymphoedema syndrome.