The transcriptional control of lymphatic vessel development. Lymphatic vessels are a vital, but often overlooked, component of the cardiovascular system. These specialised vessels return tissue fluid to the bloodstream, absorb dietary lipids and transport cells of the immune system throughout the body. Defects in the growth and development of lymphatic vessels result in disorders including lymphedema, obesity, inflammatory diseases and cancer. This project aims to define how transcription factor ....The transcriptional control of lymphatic vessel development. Lymphatic vessels are a vital, but often overlooked, component of the cardiovascular system. These specialised vessels return tissue fluid to the bloodstream, absorb dietary lipids and transport cells of the immune system throughout the body. Defects in the growth and development of lymphatic vessels result in disorders including lymphedema, obesity, inflammatory diseases and cancer. This project aims to define how transcription factors program lymphatic vessel identity and control the development of lymphatic vessel valves. This knowledge will provide new insight into the fundamental mechanisms by which the lymphatic vasculature is constructed during development.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
A novel DNA damage repair protein as a regulator of DNA double strand break repair and genome integrity. This project aims to define the function of a novel DNA damage repair protein. These data will provide a better understanding of DNA repair biology and may reveal novel diagnostic and treatment options for many diseases associated with DNA repair defects, including cancer.
The genetic regulation of organogenesis: endoderm development in the Drosophila embryo. Embryonic development is an important research field in biology, not only for its extraordinary complexity but also because of the insights it provides into molecular processes that underpin a variety of diseases. This project aims to discover genes and molecules that regulate the normal development of one of the most important organs, the gut.
Genetic analysis of lymphatic vascular development. This project investigates the fundamental molecular components that regulate lymphatic vascular system development in the zebrafish embryo. Lymphatic vessels play critical roles in vascular diseases and cancer metastasis. This study will identify and examine key new molecules that will further our basic understanding of lymphatic development.
The molecular control of lymphatic vascular differentiation. This project aims to improve our understanding of how a new vascular system forms and the molecules that control this process. Lymphatic vasculature plays roles in fluid drainage, inflammation, obesity, metastasis and tissue repair, yet we cannot readily promote or inhibit lymphatic vessel formation. This project aims to build new knowledge that is expected to improve our ability to generate lymphatic vessels for stem cell application ....The molecular control of lymphatic vascular differentiation. This project aims to improve our understanding of how a new vascular system forms and the molecules that control this process. Lymphatic vasculature plays roles in fluid drainage, inflammation, obesity, metastasis and tissue repair, yet we cannot readily promote or inhibit lymphatic vessel formation. This project aims to build new knowledge that is expected to improve our ability to generate lymphatic vessels for stem cell applications, tissue engineering, tissue repair and regeneration. This project will use zebrafish embryos, new genomic datasets and novel tools to uncover the genetic control of this process, and should have implications in stem cell biology, tissue engineering, repair and regeneration.Read moreRead less
A multi-model approach to characterise conserved regulators of lymphatic vascular development. Lymphatic vessels are important in a number of diseases affecting Australia. There is a significant gap in our basic knowledge of how lymphatic vessels form. This study will characterise key genes that control lymphatic development, providing a base of knowledge contributing to the promotion and maintenance of good health in Australia.
Determining the molecular regulation of blood vessel development and angiogenesis. Abnormal blood vessel growth is associated with diseases including cancer, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and chronic inflammation. This project focuses on understanding normal blood vessel growth in order to gather clues to help discover ways of preventing abnormal blood vessel growth during disease.
Targeting mitochondria with mitocans to treat cancer: mechanistic aspects. Mitochondria are the power-house of the cell and also the reservoir of proteins causing the demise of cancer cells, therefore suppressing tumour progression. This project proposes a novel way to modify certain compounds, increasing their level in mitochondria in order to maximise their anti-cancer effect.
Characterisation of p14ARF intracellular trafficking pathways. Over 3500 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed in NSW each year, and one of the most important proteins involved in suppressing melanoma initiation or growth is p14ARF. This project will characterise the movement and functions of this protein with the aim of identifying novel targets for more effective drug therapies.