Improving the efficiency of CRISPR gene editing in cells. Human red blood cells are well-characterised and the globin gene locus is a model system for the study of gene regulation. Gene editing technologies and delivery tools are evolving rapidly and the globin gene locus is the perfect model for gene editing optimisation. This collaboration between UNSW Sydney and CSL aims to bring together our combined expertise and new technologies to develop an optimal platform for genetic modification in a ....Improving the efficiency of CRISPR gene editing in cells. Human red blood cells are well-characterised and the globin gene locus is a model system for the study of gene regulation. Gene editing technologies and delivery tools are evolving rapidly and the globin gene locus is the perfect model for gene editing optimisation. This collaboration between UNSW Sydney and CSL aims to bring together our combined expertise and new technologies to develop an optimal platform for genetic modification in a red blood cell line. Simultaneously, this project aims to generate fundamental insights into mechanisms of human gene regulation. The technological and biological outcomes of this project will be of benefit for future gene editing applications.Read moreRead less
Transcription factors find their targets by reading the epigenetic code. This project aims to elucidate how transcription factors, proteins that regulate gene expression, find their target genes. The hypothesis is that non-DNA binding domains play an essential role in this process. This project expects to transform our understanding of transcription factor families, and how factors in families with the same DNA-binding domain manage to regulate different genes. Expected outcomes of this project ....Transcription factors find their targets by reading the epigenetic code. This project aims to elucidate how transcription factors, proteins that regulate gene expression, find their target genes. The hypothesis is that non-DNA binding domains play an essential role in this process. This project expects to transform our understanding of transcription factor families, and how factors in families with the same DNA-binding domain manage to regulate different genes. Expected outcomes of this project include revealing how accessory proteins help transcription factors identify their targets in the genome by reading epigenetic marks. This should provide significant benefits including improved design of artificial transcription factors to up- or down-regulate specific genes in research and agriculture.Read moreRead less
Regulating the composition of biomolecular condensates in living cells. Biomolecular condensation is a novel organising principle of living cells, driven by ‘unmixing’ of the cellular contents into compartments. It is observed from plants to animals and is involved in diverse processes from how cells repair DNA to how they perceive signals. This project aims to reveal how human cells control the composition of condensates, which is critical for their function. It expects to uncover new regulator ....Regulating the composition of biomolecular condensates in living cells. Biomolecular condensation is a novel organising principle of living cells, driven by ‘unmixing’ of the cellular contents into compartments. It is observed from plants to animals and is involved in diverse processes from how cells repair DNA to how they perceive signals. This project aims to reveal how human cells control the composition of condensates, which is critical for their function. It expects to uncover new regulatory principles of cellular organisation by combining methods from quantitative cell biology and statistical physics. Expected benefits include building Australia’s capability in the potentially transformational field of biomolecular condensates, which has diverse future biotechnology applications in health and agriculture.Read moreRead less
The Social Life of Death. This project aims to investigate experiences of death, dying and bereavement amidst rapid social, economic and political transformation. In the wake of COVID19, and as Australia’s anticipated ‘death boom’ approaches, how to foster good deaths has never been more uncertain, nor more urgent. Drawing on innovative methods and socio-cultural theory, and working in partnership with families and communities, this project aims to generate new knowledge to better inform and imp ....The Social Life of Death. This project aims to investigate experiences of death, dying and bereavement amidst rapid social, economic and political transformation. In the wake of COVID19, and as Australia’s anticipated ‘death boom’ approaches, how to foster good deaths has never been more uncertain, nor more urgent. Drawing on innovative methods and socio-cultural theory, and working in partnership with families and communities, this project aims to generate new knowledge to better inform and improve policy and spark cultural renewal around the end of life. Expected outcomes include setting the international benchmark for novel scholarly understandings of death, dying and bereavement, and centring community voices in addressing contemporary challenges to dying well.
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Confronting everyday harms: preventing abuse of people with disability. The findings of the Disability Royal Commission necessitate new approaches to prevent violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Framed by recognition theory, this project proposes empirical research with young people with cognitive disability, using a new concept of ‘everyday harms’ in their paid relationships. The results will inform early responses to poor quality interactions in disability support. The strategic alliance ....Confronting everyday harms: preventing abuse of people with disability. The findings of the Disability Royal Commission necessitate new approaches to prevent violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Framed by recognition theory, this project proposes empirical research with young people with cognitive disability, using a new concept of ‘everyday harms’ in their paid relationships. The results will inform early responses to poor quality interactions in disability support. The strategic alliances with the government, industry and community partners will develop a practice framework to prevent everyday harms and the escalation to abuse, and to promote safety and wellbeing. The research has policy benefits for capacity-building in the sector to act on the rights and voices of people with disability. Read moreRead less
How does an essential histone variant effect changes in gene expression? The mechanisms that determine how genes are switched on and off in different tissues and at different times are not clearly known. It is well established that gene expression patterns are determined in part by the molecular signals transmitted by variation in the proteins that package eukaryotic DNA. Our aim is to understand new aspects of these mechanisms that revolve around how our DNA is packaged. This foundational knowl ....How does an essential histone variant effect changes in gene expression? The mechanisms that determine how genes are switched on and off in different tissues and at different times are not clearly known. It is well established that gene expression patterns are determined in part by the molecular signals transmitted by variation in the proteins that package eukaryotic DNA. Our aim is to understand new aspects of these mechanisms that revolve around how our DNA is packaged. This foundational knowledge will deepen our understanding of gene regulation in all complex organisms and will inform future efforts to rationally modulate gene expression patterns in agriculture, research and other important areas.Read moreRead less
Sick, lonely and left behind? A sociological study of loneliness. Loneliness is a serious and rapidly growing social problem in Australia. Although the negative health effects and mounting healthcare costs of loneliness are known, effective responses to loneliness are not. Taking a sociological approach, this project aims to generate new knowledge about the experience and meanings of loneliness for people and communities, and the social factors implicated in the rise of loneliness in contemporar ....Sick, lonely and left behind? A sociological study of loneliness. Loneliness is a serious and rapidly growing social problem in Australia. Although the negative health effects and mounting healthcare costs of loneliness are known, effective responses to loneliness are not. Taking a sociological approach, this project aims to generate new knowledge about the experience and meanings of loneliness for people and communities, and the social factors implicated in the rise of loneliness in contemporary Australia. By focusing on loneliness in people with long-term health conditions, this knowledge will be used to develop policy and practice recommendations for the health- and community-care sectors in how to support people and communities experiencing loneliness.Read moreRead less
Placental nutrient transport shows how complex traits evolve. This project aims to use amino acid transport in the vertebrate placenta as a model to demonstrate how genes are recruited and modified to produce a major organ. Using an innovative combination of a new technology, selected reaction monitoring, and transcriptomic and molecular approaches, plus carefully selected Australian species pairs, this project will study the evolution of a complex trait (placental amino acid transport). The pr ....Placental nutrient transport shows how complex traits evolve. This project aims to use amino acid transport in the vertebrate placenta as a model to demonstrate how genes are recruited and modified to produce a major organ. Using an innovative combination of a new technology, selected reaction monitoring, and transcriptomic and molecular approaches, plus carefully selected Australian species pairs, this project will study the evolution of a complex trait (placental amino acid transport). The project will provide fundamental advances in our knowledge of the nutrient transport during pregnancy that is required to produce a healthy baby.Read moreRead less
Deciphering the regulatory principles of metazoan development. This proposal aims to elucidate how regulatory elements in the genome, known as enhancers, determine the identity and function of animal tissues. Currently, it is believed that enhancers cannot be traced across evolutionarily distant animals. The project uses novel concepts, computational and molecular approaches to identify deeply conserved enhancers. It further dissects the mechanism of function by proteomics and high-throughput ge ....Deciphering the regulatory principles of metazoan development. This proposal aims to elucidate how regulatory elements in the genome, known as enhancers, determine the identity and function of animal tissues. Currently, it is believed that enhancers cannot be traced across evolutionarily distant animals. The project uses novel concepts, computational and molecular approaches to identify deeply conserved enhancers. It further dissects the mechanism of function by proteomics and high-throughput genomics. The expected outcomes will overturn our current view on enhancer evolution and reposition our understanding of how enhancers are functionally encoded in the genome. The work is an important contribution to understanding cellular complexity and species evolution with wide-ranging impact in genetics.Read moreRead less
Lived experiences of treatment for hepatitis C in Australia. This project aims to support uptake of new hepatitis C treatments. With the introduction of new treatments in 2016, the Australian Government adopted the WHO’s goal of eliminating the disease by 2030. While early treatment rates were high, they have since plateaued, with stigma and poor information considered key obstacles. This project will generate new knowledge on treatment decisions and experiences, using a proven qualitative metho ....Lived experiences of treatment for hepatitis C in Australia. This project aims to support uptake of new hepatitis C treatments. With the introduction of new treatments in 2016, the Australian Government adopted the WHO’s goal of eliminating the disease by 2030. While early treatment rates were high, they have since plateaued, with stigma and poor information considered key obstacles. This project will generate new knowledge on treatment decisions and experiences, using a proven qualitative methodology. In doing so, it will produce a website covering personal experiences of treatment, issues in treatment decision-making, and advice on enhancing life on treatment and after. It will tackle hepatitis C-related stigma, and inform and benefit potential treatment users, families and relevant professionals.
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