Systems modelling of the cardiac fibroblast. The cardiac fibroblast is a specialised cell in the heart. New evidence shows that this cell type is central to heart function, but relatively little is known about how and why. This project will develop mathematical modelling to characterise how the cardiac fibroblast regulates the functioning of the adult heart.
Nuclear architecture in a living cell facilitates navigation of the genome. This project aims to investigate the role of nuclear architecture in regulating genome function by development of a new microscopy method to quantify the diffusive route of fluorescent proteins in live cells. The anticipated outcomes of this project include an insight into how chromatin dynamics facilitate DNA target search and an analytical tool for cell biologists to probe how genomes work in their natural environment ....Nuclear architecture in a living cell facilitates navigation of the genome. This project aims to investigate the role of nuclear architecture in regulating genome function by development of a new microscopy method to quantify the diffusive route of fluorescent proteins in live cells. The anticipated outcomes of this project include an insight into how chromatin dynamics facilitate DNA target search and an analytical tool for cell biologists to probe how genomes work in their natural environment (the cell nucleus).Read moreRead less
Regulation of AMPK enzyme by xenobiotics and a-subunit phosphorylation. Living cells balance energy production and consumption in order to survive. An enzyme AMPK regulates burning and storage of fuels such as fat and sugars and mediates control of appetite and energy expenditure. This project will advance understandings of the regulation of AMPK and explain how some natural products modulate metabolism.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140101268
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$386,820.00
Summary
Stochastic mathematical modelling of the Wnt signalling pathway. The Wnt signalling pathway is pivotal in multicellular organisms, regulating cellular processes such as proliferation, apoptosis and migration. Faulty Wnt signalling is associated with degenerative diseases, developmental disorders and cancers and is therefore a potential target for therapeutic drugs. This project will perform a stochastic spatial simulation of the Wnt signalling pathway which will be matched to experimental data. ....Stochastic mathematical modelling of the Wnt signalling pathway. The Wnt signalling pathway is pivotal in multicellular organisms, regulating cellular processes such as proliferation, apoptosis and migration. Faulty Wnt signalling is associated with degenerative diseases, developmental disorders and cancers and is therefore a potential target for therapeutic drugs. This project will perform a stochastic spatial simulation of the Wnt signalling pathway which will be matched to experimental data. The model will be extended to integrate with the cell cycle. Increased proliferation in tumours has been linked to mutations in Wnt components. Using the extended model, the effect of Wnt-targeting therapeutic cancer drugs on cancer cell proliferation rates will be predicted and compared to experiments.Read moreRead less
Regulation of neurite outgrowth by an inhibitor of PI3K signalling. PIPP is an enzyme which inhibits important cellular functions such as cell maturation. We have shown the amount of PIPP is increased in Alzheimer's disease brains. This project will characterise the mechanisms by which PIPP regulates brain cell function to identify how PIPP may be acting to exacerbate Alzheimer's disease development/progression.
How protein tyrosine phosphatases select their substrates. Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are enzymes that control the response of cells to divergent environmental stimuli. This project will determine how individual PTPs exert selective effects on cellular communication networks to coordinate organismal development, growth and survival.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE150100163
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$560,000.00
Summary
Single molecule imaging laboratory. Single molecule imaging laboratory: The goal of the project is to establish a single molecule imaging laboratory to close the gap between structural imaging and cellular imaging. Utilising the expertise of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, the aim of the project is to design, build and apply three microscopes that go beyond the current commercial solutions for single molecule localisation microscopy such as Photo-Activation Localisati ....Single molecule imaging laboratory. Single molecule imaging laboratory: The goal of the project is to establish a single molecule imaging laboratory to close the gap between structural imaging and cellular imaging. Utilising the expertise of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, the aim of the project is to design, build and apply three microscopes that go beyond the current commercial solutions for single molecule localisation microscopy such as Photo-Activation Localisation Microscopy (PALM) and Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM) and perform single molecule imaging: deep inside cells and tissue.The facility will have a fast acquisition rate to monitor highly dynamic molecular events, and improved precision to image molecules and complexes in intact cells with less than or equal to one nanometre resolution. There is currently no comparable imaging facility in the world.Read moreRead less
The importance of exosomal membrane composition in intercellular signaling. Exosomes, microvesicles secreted by cells, are powerful signaling organelles. This project will explore the similarities and differences between the exosomal and host cell membrane. Membrane molecules exclusively present in exosomes may have important signaling implications and can aid in the uptake/fusion of exosomes by/with target cells.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE110100161
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$366,384.00
Summary
The Victorian integrated plasmonics facility. This integrated plasmonics facility will create a centre for the design and application of metal nanostructures in a range of applications by biologists, chemists, physicists and engineers.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100157
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$600,000.00
Summary
Confocal and single molecule microscopes for systems microscopy. This project aims to establish Australia’s first system microscopy facility with dedicated live-cell confocal and single-molecule fluorescence microscopes. In systems microscopy, the imaging workflow is automated so that large and unbiased data sets of the spatiotemporal organisation of molecules and cells can be generated. Combined with statistical and bioinformatics analyses, image-derived data provides system-wide information th ....Confocal and single molecule microscopes for systems microscopy. This project aims to establish Australia’s first system microscopy facility with dedicated live-cell confocal and single-molecule fluorescence microscopes. In systems microscopy, the imaging workflow is automated so that large and unbiased data sets of the spatiotemporal organisation of molecules and cells can be generated. Combined with statistical and bioinformatics analyses, image-derived data provides system-wide information that is not easily obtainable with other approaches. The project will enable Australian researchers to image and analyse the full complexity of biological systems, potentially transforming cell biology, drug development and understanding the molecular basis of disease. It will also demonstrate how the capacity of microscopy facilities can be enhanced and bias in imaging data reduced by automating data acquisition and mining of image-based data.Read moreRead less