Neurological cell replacement therapies: improving outcomes by matching developmental profiles of transplanted cells with the damaged brain area. Stem cell transplantation offers a way to replace nerve cells lost due to acute CNS injury or chronic degenerative conditions such as Parkinson's Disease. However, to date, results have been disappointing because of poor differentiation, survival and integration of stem cells confounded by ethical issues associated with the use of embryos as the source ....Neurological cell replacement therapies: improving outcomes by matching developmental profiles of transplanted cells with the damaged brain area. Stem cell transplantation offers a way to replace nerve cells lost due to acute CNS injury or chronic degenerative conditions such as Parkinson's Disease. However, to date, results have been disappointing because of poor differentiation, survival and integration of stem cells confounded by ethical issues associated with the use of embryos as the source of stem cells. The experiments conducted in this study will provide strategies to improve the efficacy of stem cell transplantation into the damaged CNS as well as developing the use of autologous bone marrow stem cells for repair. Outcomes will be improved transplant methodologies and expertise for the bio-technology industry. Read moreRead less
Brain lateralization: its function, evolution, development and change with ageing. Brain research is undoubtedly one of the key research fields today. This project involves highly innovative research at the highest international level, keeping Australia at the forefront of research on brain lateralization, a very important field of brain research in humans and animals (co-founded by the applicant). This project 1) investigates dynamic changes of the developing, mature and ageing brain for vital ....Brain lateralization: its function, evolution, development and change with ageing. Brain research is undoubtedly one of the key research fields today. This project involves highly innovative research at the highest international level, keeping Australia at the forefront of research on brain lateralization, a very important field of brain research in humans and animals (co-founded by the applicant). This project 1) investigates dynamic changes of the developing, mature and ageing brain for vital functions using animal models, thus contributing importantly to our understanding of normal functions of the human brain, including some forms of mental dysfunction and also ageing; 2) trains postgraduate students at the highest standards and 3) maintains important collaboration with colleagues in Europe. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100164
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$387,551.00
Summary
How do neural circuits coordinate to produce adaptive changes in behaviour? This project aims to discover how neurons alter their function in coordinated ways to produce adaptive changes in behaviour. Behavioural outputs result from the activity of multiple cells in a functional network, but current methods are limited to studying signalling effects on single neurons. To address this, I will develop new methods to visualise every cell in the brain of the living nematode worm to provide a unique ....How do neural circuits coordinate to produce adaptive changes in behaviour? This project aims to discover how neurons alter their function in coordinated ways to produce adaptive changes in behaviour. Behavioural outputs result from the activity of multiple cells in a functional network, but current methods are limited to studying signalling effects on single neurons. To address this, I will develop new methods to visualise every cell in the brain of the living nematode worm to provide a unique systems-level understanding of a model brain. Through collaboration with engineers and psychologists, I will describe molecular switches that trigger reorganisation of entire neural networks. Expected outcomes include new insights on neural circuit plasticity, which will advance discovery in neuroscience and robotics.Read moreRead less
Using magnetic nanotechnology to aid recovery from neurotrauma. Nanotechnology is an exciting new field that holds great promise to solve challenging health issues including neurotrauma associated with brain and spinal cord injury. Current methods to deliver drugs and stimulate tissue repair after neurotrauma do not work effectively and new approaches are urgently need. The recently established research team brings together expertise in nanotechnology and neuroscience to develop new, safe ways t ....Using magnetic nanotechnology to aid recovery from neurotrauma. Nanotechnology is an exciting new field that holds great promise to solve challenging health issues including neurotrauma associated with brain and spinal cord injury. Current methods to deliver drugs and stimulate tissue repair after neurotrauma do not work effectively and new approaches are urgently need. The recently established research team brings together expertise in nanotechnology and neuroscience to develop new, safe ways to deliver drugs and stimulate tissue repair after neurotrauma, and provide quality research training. Specifically designed nanomaterials will deliver drugs slowly over time and act as scaffolds to stop cells dying and stimulate them to restore broken connections and work again. Read moreRead less
Assessing gene function in the developing brain using zebrafish as a model system. As the average life expectancy in western countries increases there is an increasing incidence of mental health problems in the general population. Therapeutic approaches to Alzhemier's and Parkinson's disease as well as to brain injury arising from stroke rely on a thorough understanding of the molecular and physiological mechanisms of normal growth of this tissue. These are the very processes that need to be rea ....Assessing gene function in the developing brain using zebrafish as a model system. As the average life expectancy in western countries increases there is an increasing incidence of mental health problems in the general population. Therapeutic approaches to Alzhemier's and Parkinson's disease as well as to brain injury arising from stroke rely on a thorough understanding of the molecular and physiological mechanisms of normal growth of this tissue. These are the very processes that need to be reactivated in these diseases for recovery of function. This project seeks to understand normal development of the brain and in doing so it will expose novel targets for therapy in the aged. Read moreRead less
Targeted enzymatic treatment of the injured central nervous system using innovative nanotechnology. Nanotechnology and other frontier areas in science have exciting potential to solve major challenges of the 21st century, including health. The proposed research provides the real possibility of discovering ways to alleviate the many complex problems associated with neurotrauma following, for example, brain and spinal cord injury. Current delivery of therapeutics do not work effectively and new ap ....Targeted enzymatic treatment of the injured central nervous system using innovative nanotechnology. Nanotechnology and other frontier areas in science have exciting potential to solve major challenges of the 21st century, including health. The proposed research provides the real possibility of discovering ways to alleviate the many complex problems associated with neurotrauma following, for example, brain and spinal cord injury. Current delivery of therapeutics do not work effectively and new approaches are urgently needed. The recently established powerful multidisciplinary research team combines expertise in nanotechnology, glycobiology and neuroscience to develop novel, safe ways to deliver therapeutic enzymes over biological time-courses. We aim to make broken connections work again, while providing quality research training.Read moreRead less
Mechanism of transmission of calcium waves by glial cells. This research concerns determining the fundamental properties of cells that occupy about 70% of the brain, the glial cells. Two very important discoveries on glial cells have recently been made, namely that they can convey information in the form of patterns of waves and that they possess molecules on their surface membranes that have been implicated in psychotic disorders. One such molecule is called the D2 receptor and its malfunctioni ....Mechanism of transmission of calcium waves by glial cells. This research concerns determining the fundamental properties of cells that occupy about 70% of the brain, the glial cells. Two very important discoveries on glial cells have recently been made, namely that they can convey information in the form of patterns of waves and that they possess molecules on their surface membranes that have been implicated in psychotic disorders. One such molecule is called the D2 receptor and its malfunctioning has been implicated in schizophrenia. Our research will determine the way in which information is propagated in the glial system of the brain and also illuminate the function of several of the molecules found on the surface of the glial cells.Read moreRead less
Quiet sleep is for repair, active sleep is for learning. Sleep is thought to achieve many different functions, from brain waste clearance to regulating emotions and perception. Understanding sleep functions in animal models has been difficult because sleep has been typically reduced to a single state. Our discovery of distinct sleep stages in the fruit fly provides a powerful way to study how different conserved sleep functions are regulated. This project will use new strategies for manipulating ....Quiet sleep is for repair, active sleep is for learning. Sleep is thought to achieve many different functions, from brain waste clearance to regulating emotions and perception. Understanding sleep functions in animal models has been difficult because sleep has been typically reduced to a single state. Our discovery of distinct sleep stages in the fruit fly provides a powerful way to study how different conserved sleep functions are regulated. This project will use new strategies for manipulating sleep stages in flies to understand their respective physiology and functions. We will test our hypothesis that different categories of sleep functions have been segregated by evolution into different stages: a quiet stage concerned primarily with brain repair and an active stage important for learning.
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The role of omega-3 fatty acids in brain mechanisms that regulate water and salt balance. The ability of mammals to survive is heavily dependent upon their ability to maintain body fluid balance. This project aims to elucidate brain mechanisms for the behavioural regulation of water and salt balance, with specific investigation of the role of dietary fatty acids within these processes. It is hypothesised that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) affect intake of water and salt by affecti ....The role of omega-3 fatty acids in brain mechanisms that regulate water and salt balance. The ability of mammals to survive is heavily dependent upon their ability to maintain body fluid balance. This project aims to elucidate brain mechanisms for the behavioural regulation of water and salt balance, with specific investigation of the role of dietary fatty acids within these processes. It is hypothesised that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) affect intake of water and salt by affecting the sensitivity of various receptors, or the hormones used by this body system. Omega-3 PUFA are known to play a role in regulating genes, and therefore, may also affect the production of key proteins, such as receptors, hormones or enzymes involved in the regulation of salt and water intake.Read moreRead less
Neuron-microglia signalling mechanisms. This research concerns determining the fundamental mechanisms by which one of the principal non-neuronal cells in the brain , the microglial cell, interacts with neurons to change their properties. The correct functioning of neural networks is necessary for our normal behaviour. Such networks can be disrupted and indeed destroyed by the release of inflammatory molecules from microglial cells. In this work the way in which anti-inflammatory molecules are re ....Neuron-microglia signalling mechanisms. This research concerns determining the fundamental mechanisms by which one of the principal non-neuronal cells in the brain , the microglial cell, interacts with neurons to change their properties. The correct functioning of neural networks is necessary for our normal behaviour. Such networks can be disrupted and indeed destroyed by the release of inflammatory molecules from microglial cells. In this work the way in which anti-inflammatory molecules are released from the microglia will be elucidated, thus providing insight into how to prevent the destructive actions of the inflammatory molecules on the nervous system. Read moreRead less