How brains become lateralised. This project aims to understand how the left and right sides of the brain become specialised for different cognitive functions, a phenomenon called lateralisation. Lateralisation is one of the least understood organisational principles of the brain, yet is crucial to the way we think and behave. Manifested most clearly as handedness, the brain is lateralised for many cognitive tasks such as language, reasoning, memory and emotion. However, the developmental origin ....How brains become lateralised. This project aims to understand how the left and right sides of the brain become specialised for different cognitive functions, a phenomenon called lateralisation. Lateralisation is one of the least understood organisational principles of the brain, yet is crucial to the way we think and behave. Manifested most clearly as handedness, the brain is lateralised for many cognitive tasks such as language, reasoning, memory and emotion. However, the developmental origin and anatomical substrate of most cognitive asymmetries are unknown. This project will use a chick model of brain lateralisation to quantify and localise to specific brain circuits the patterns of differential gene expression that give rise to anatomical and functional asymmetries.Read moreRead less
Is SPINT1 a key regulator of placental development? . The placenta is an essential organ required for reproduction in placental species. This project aims to elucidate the fundamental biology of SPINT1 in placental development. It will generate new knowledge about whether the spatial and temporal expression of SPINT1 is conserved across several species; cow, sheep, lizard, mouse and human. It will also define the molecular mechanisms by which SPINT1 directs formation, maturation and expansion o ....Is SPINT1 a key regulator of placental development? . The placenta is an essential organ required for reproduction in placental species. This project aims to elucidate the fundamental biology of SPINT1 in placental development. It will generate new knowledge about whether the spatial and temporal expression of SPINT1 is conserved across several species; cow, sheep, lizard, mouse and human. It will also define the molecular mechanisms by which SPINT1 directs formation, maturation and expansion of the placental exchange interface which is critical for offspring survival.
The project will increase understanding of placental development, enhance collaboration and research knowhow, and promote future applied projects in all species that reproduce via placental support.Read moreRead less
Using Drosophila to analyse a master regulator of epithelial homeostasis. Aims:
This proposal aims to use genetic and cell biological analysis of the vinegar fly, Drosophila, to identify the function of the grainyhead gene in intestinal regeneration.
Significance:
This gene is conserved in all animal species and appears to be a master regulator of epithelial tissue development but it is unclear how it can both influence stem cell maintenance and production of functional cell types.
Expected out ....Using Drosophila to analyse a master regulator of epithelial homeostasis. Aims:
This proposal aims to use genetic and cell biological analysis of the vinegar fly, Drosophila, to identify the function of the grainyhead gene in intestinal regeneration.
Significance:
This gene is conserved in all animal species and appears to be a master regulator of epithelial tissue development but it is unclear how it can both influence stem cell maintenance and production of functional cell types.
Expected outcomes:
We will identify a new mechanism that governs tissue development, and introduce new imaging and genetic technologies to the Australian research community.
Benefit:
We expect potential economic and commercial interest in development of new gene analysis tools and biotechnological tissue manipulation applications.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100032
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$379,264.00
Summary
Banking on spermatogonial stem cells to safeguard Australian native fauna. Spermatogonial stem cells in the testis are an untapped resource for species conservation. This project aims to characterise metabolic pathways that control spermatogonial stem cell function, and define the conserved nature of these pathways between model species (mouse) and vulnerable Australian native fauna. Expected outcomes of this project include an enhanced capacity to culture koala spermatogonia in vitro, which wil ....Banking on spermatogonial stem cells to safeguard Australian native fauna. Spermatogonial stem cells in the testis are an untapped resource for species conservation. This project aims to characterise metabolic pathways that control spermatogonial stem cell function, and define the conserved nature of these pathways between model species (mouse) and vulnerable Australian native fauna. Expected outcomes of this project include an enhanced capacity to culture koala spermatogonia in vitro, which will be a first step towards using spermatogonial biobanking as a tool to maintain genetic diversity in this species. Outcomes from this study should provide significant benefits in safeguarding our unique Australian native species, which is of particular importance following the catastrophic 2019/20 bushfire season.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100103
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$459,674.00
Summary
Fortifying animal and plant germ cells against proteotoxic stress. Cellular stress is responsible for widespread inefficiencies in plant and animal reproduction. Using high resolution proteomics and cryo-electron microscopy, this project aims to investigate how plant and animal germ cells respond to environmental stresses that are known to disrupt fertility, and assess two novel strategies to decrease the sensitivity of cells to stress. This project is expected to generate new global knowledge i ....Fortifying animal and plant germ cells against proteotoxic stress. Cellular stress is responsible for widespread inefficiencies in plant and animal reproduction. Using high resolution proteomics and cryo-electron microscopy, this project aims to investigate how plant and animal germ cells respond to environmental stresses that are known to disrupt fertility, and assess two novel strategies to decrease the sensitivity of cells to stress. This project is expected to generate new global knowledge in the area of fertility regulation with the potential to improve the tolerance of crop species to heat stress, prevent economic losses and help to secure future food production. Further, this project has the intended benefit of improving the fertility of animal species that suffer from stress-induced infertility.
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