Media Formulations To Enhance Embryo Formation In Assisted Reproduction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$660,133.00
Summary
The increasing age of parenthood has led to an explosion in the demand for assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF). This procedure has a poor success rate and is limited by the ability of fertilised eggs to mature into early embryos in the lab prior to being transferred into women. We will develop new compounds that improve embryo growth in the clinic, which will improve IVF success rates.
The Functional Roles Of ADAMs In The Regulation Of Embryo Implantation.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$211,527.00
Summary
The initiation of pregnancy in humans and rodents hinges upon the ability of the embryo to attach to the wall of the uterus and invade into the uterine tissue. This process of embryo implantation is tightly regulated and depends on the secretion of enzymes and regulators of these enzymes. A newly identified family of enzymes which might be important in this process is the ADAMs family. These enzymes have the potential to facilitate both cell attachment and cell invasion and also to activate othe ....The initiation of pregnancy in humans and rodents hinges upon the ability of the embryo to attach to the wall of the uterus and invade into the uterine tissue. This process of embryo implantation is tightly regulated and depends on the secretion of enzymes and regulators of these enzymes. A newly identified family of enzymes which might be important in this process is the ADAMs family. These enzymes have the potential to facilitate both cell attachment and cell invasion and also to activate other enzymes and growth factors. Recent studies in our laboratory have shown the ADAMs to be expressed both at the most invasive time of implantation and when invasion is being down-regulated. This project will examine the role of the ADAMs in embryo implantation facilitating attachment and invasion into the uterus by acting enzymatically on the uterine tissue and by activating other enzymes. It will also determine the role of ADAMs in down-regulating invasion potentially by activating a growth factor, TNF-alpha. Knowledge of this process and particularly its regulation is important for the treatment of pregnancy associated diseases that arise from improper implantation. These include infertility, placenta accreta, choriocarcinoma, miscarriage and pre-eclampsia. Furthermore, an understanding of the regulation of implantation will contribute to the treatment of other conditions associated with cell invasion such as cancer metastasis.Read moreRead less
Designing effective learning experiences: Investigating novice and expert teachers’ design processes. Quality teaching leads to quality learning outcomes for students. Primary school teachers are responsible for designing learning experiences for their students in an increasingly complex environment. This project will advance understanding by: characterising and identifying differences in how novice and expert teachers approach the design of learning experiences for their students; capturing exp ....Designing effective learning experiences: Investigating novice and expert teachers’ design processes. Quality teaching leads to quality learning outcomes for students. Primary school teachers are responsible for designing learning experiences for their students in an increasingly complex environment. This project will advance understanding by: characterising and identifying differences in how novice and expert teachers approach the design of learning experiences for their students; capturing expert design processes through practice examples; and investigating how expert practice examples stimulate novice teachers to design learning experiences. This new understanding of teachers' design processes is necessary to enhance teacher preparation and continued professional learning.Read moreRead less
Early career teacher induction: Supporting precarious teachers. This project aims to investigate the ways in which Australian induction policies support precariously employed early career teachers to effectively manage student classroom behaviour. This project expects to generate new knowledge of workforce development and induction experiences of early career teachers employed on casual and short-term contracts. Expected outcomes of this project include alternative policy and practice recommenda ....Early career teacher induction: Supporting precarious teachers. This project aims to investigate the ways in which Australian induction policies support precariously employed early career teachers to effectively manage student classroom behaviour. This project expects to generate new knowledge of workforce development and induction experiences of early career teachers employed on casual and short-term contracts. Expected outcomes of this project include alternative policy and practice recommendations to support the transition of insecure replacement teachers within the profession. The benefits of this research include, improving teachers’ classroom management practices; the retention of new teachers; improving teacher workforce development; and building a healthier education system. Read moreRead less
Investigating the effectiveness of teacher education for early career teachers in diverse settings: a longitudinal study. This project investigates the effectiveness of teacher education programs in Victoria and Queensland in preparing teachers for the variety of school settings in which they begin their careers. The findings will inform state and national policy, as well as the work of professional regulation authorities and teacher education providers.
Intercultural understanding in primary and secondary schools. What facilitates or impedes intercultural understanding in children, adolescents and schools? How can this be addressed? How can we know what makes a difference? This project answers these questions at the individual, school and national level using a novel cultural systems approach and methodological and technological innovations.
Naming the world: early years literacy and sustainability learning. The project seeks to produce knowledge about new forms of literacy emerging in sustainability education. For children born in the 21st century, the enmeshing of natural and human forces in the survival of the planet requires conceptual and practical innovation. Early childhood education can be a fundamental driver in this process. This project aims to integrate literacy and sustainability to produce powerful new learning for you ....Naming the world: early years literacy and sustainability learning. The project seeks to produce knowledge about new forms of literacy emerging in sustainability education. For children born in the 21st century, the enmeshing of natural and human forces in the survival of the planet requires conceptual and practical innovation. Early childhood education can be a fundamental driver in this process. This project aims to integrate literacy and sustainability to produce powerful new learning for young children. It plans to theorise new forms of literacy emerging in sustainability education, articulate innovative pedagogies, and inform national and international policy and practice to address 21st century learning imperatives.Read moreRead less
Supporting teachers and teaching in flexible and non-traditional schools . This project aims to address a critical gap in knowledge about the experiences and conditions of people who teach in flexible and non-traditional schools in Australia. These schools provide a second chance at education for young people with challenging behaviours and/or learning problems. This project expects to generate new knowledge about the experiences and needs of these teachers, using a combination of in-depth resea ....Supporting teachers and teaching in flexible and non-traditional schools . This project aims to address a critical gap in knowledge about the experiences and conditions of people who teach in flexible and non-traditional schools in Australia. These schools provide a second chance at education for young people with challenging behaviours and/or learning problems. This project expects to generate new knowledge about the experiences and needs of these teachers, using a combination of in-depth research methods. Expected outcomes include detailed understanding of support needs for this workforce. This will significantly benefit teachers, sponsors and principals through recommendations on best practice management of this important work, along with evidence-based training artefacts for staff recruitment and retention.
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Would more highly-qualified teachers and trainers help to address quality problems in the Australian vocational education and training system? This project examines whether and how higher-level qualifications for vocational education and training (VET) teachers would improve quality in the VET system. Government documents and public commentary indicate that the VET sector suffers from some fairly serious quality problems. This is significant because VET provides training that underpins all Austr ....Would more highly-qualified teachers and trainers help to address quality problems in the Australian vocational education and training system? This project examines whether and how higher-level qualifications for vocational education and training (VET) teachers would improve quality in the VET system. Government documents and public commentary indicate that the VET sector suffers from some fairly serious quality problems. This is significant because VET provides training that underpins all Australian industries. Most VET teachers are qualified only to a Certificate IV level. A more highly qualified VET teaching workforce is likely to lead to improvements in quality; however there is currently no firm evidence to establish this link, as the 2011 Productivity Commission report on the VET workforce pointed out. This project aims to provide much-needed evidence to guide policy.Read moreRead less
Beyond global discourses of data: Storying learning in marginalised schools. Globally, Australian school education is seen as under-performing. Consequently, attention to data, particularly numeric and standardised test data, in schools have become pervasive. This project aims to understand how teachers and educators in schools and school systems actually engage with a broader conception of data for enhanced learning, on a truly global scale, particularly in schools serving struggling communiti ....Beyond global discourses of data: Storying learning in marginalised schools. Globally, Australian school education is seen as under-performing. Consequently, attention to data, particularly numeric and standardised test data, in schools have become pervasive. This project aims to understand how teachers and educators in schools and school systems actually engage with a broader conception of data for enhanced learning, on a truly global scale, particularly in schools serving struggling communities. This project will reveal the myriad ways educators in diverse settings - England, Australia, Singapore and Bangladesh - engage with data. The project will re-conceptualise how data are understood globally, and will provide significant benefits including informing education policy-making and improving teaching practices.Read moreRead less