Sugar and water handling by honeyeaters and sunbirds. Honeyeaters are the major vertebrate pollinators in Australia, playing a vital role in maintenance of healthy ecosystems. These birds are faced with extreme physiological challenges due to their diet, ingesting 2-5 times their body mass in nectar to obtain their daily sugar requirement. Nectarivores are, consequently, masters at processing and assimilating sugars and water; comparative physiology of these charismatic birds will provide deep u ....Sugar and water handling by honeyeaters and sunbirds. Honeyeaters are the major vertebrate pollinators in Australia, playing a vital role in maintenance of healthy ecosystems. These birds are faced with extreme physiological challenges due to their diet, ingesting 2-5 times their body mass in nectar to obtain their daily sugar requirement. Nectarivores are, consequently, masters at processing and assimilating sugars and water; comparative physiology of these charismatic birds will provide deep understanding of sugar and water handling mechanisms. Understanding gut and renal physiology and morphology contributes to the broad base of knowledge required to address pathological and clinical conditions in man, and will enhance our ability to predict effects of environmental change on these birds.Read moreRead less
A shared genetic basis for development of the nervous system and glands. Fruit flies possess strikingly similar versions of the genes that promote normal human development. The list of systems with genetic parallels between humans and fruit flies includes the respiratory and circulatory systems; cardiovascular development and disease; sleep; learning and memory; brain development and disease; taste, sight, smell and hearing. This project could add at least some human glands, the mucous-secreting ....A shared genetic basis for development of the nervous system and glands. Fruit flies possess strikingly similar versions of the genes that promote normal human development. The list of systems with genetic parallels between humans and fruit flies includes the respiratory and circulatory systems; cardiovascular development and disease; sleep; learning and memory; brain development and disease; taste, sight, smell and hearing. This project could add at least some human glands, the mucous-secreting goblet cells, to this list, providing a potentially useful model for studying human diseases associated with gland dysfunction. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100217
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$450,000.00
Summary
In-Vivo Multispectral and X-ray Micro-CT Imaging: Founding a Western Australian small animal imaging core facility. The Western Australian Small Animal Imaging facility will provide wide access for the West Australian research community to a multimodality functional and dynamic core bioimaging facility to characterise in-vivo animal models, including extensive postgraduate research training. Wide-ranging research outcomes of national and community benefit include imaging tumour development, bone ....In-Vivo Multispectral and X-ray Micro-CT Imaging: Founding a Western Australian small animal imaging core facility. The Western Australian Small Animal Imaging facility will provide wide access for the West Australian research community to a multimodality functional and dynamic core bioimaging facility to characterise in-vivo animal models, including extensive postgraduate research training. Wide-ranging research outcomes of national and community benefit include imaging tumour development, bone metabolism (osteoporosis), neural function (Alzheimer's disease) and regeneration, and infection mechanisms in live animals, which will result in improvements in human health. Imaging and monitoring coral growth, fish age, and soil structure will improve the economics and sustainability of Australia's marine ecosystems and agricultural food production.Read moreRead less