Old brain cells perform new tricks to allow life-long learning. In the brain, nerve cells transmit electrical signals more quickly and reliably when they are insulated. The insulating cells undergo small adaptive changes that speed up information transfer during learning, and the faster the electrical signal, the better the learning outcomes. This project aims to understand the signals that direct insulating cells to adapt and support life-long learning. In the longer term, this knowledge may be ....Old brain cells perform new tricks to allow life-long learning. In the brain, nerve cells transmit electrical signals more quickly and reliably when they are insulated. The insulating cells undergo small adaptive changes that speed up information transfer during learning, and the faster the electrical signal, the better the learning outcomes. This project aims to understand the signals that direct insulating cells to adapt and support life-long learning. In the longer term, this knowledge may be used to: develop interventions that improve learning and educational outcomes; counteract age-related memory decline and enable longer work force participation; develop strategies to circumvent the memory loss caused by brain diseases, or improve the design of computer hardware.Read moreRead less
Identifying genes that influence clinical course and susceptibility in multiple sclerosis. This project aims to identify the genetic basis of multiple sclerosis (MS), the most common neurologic disease in young Australian adults. MS urgently needs research to identify predisposition, aid early diagnosis and provide bona fide molecular targets for new therapies. This will benefit people with MS and those susceptible to it. Crucial new knowledge identified will benefit other major areas of MS rese ....Identifying genes that influence clinical course and susceptibility in multiple sclerosis. This project aims to identify the genetic basis of multiple sclerosis (MS), the most common neurologic disease in young Australian adults. MS urgently needs research to identify predisposition, aid early diagnosis and provide bona fide molecular targets for new therapies. This will benefit people with MS and those susceptible to it. Crucial new knowledge identified will benefit other major areas of MS research including epidemiology, immunology and neurobiology. Collaboration of 8 major Australian institutions is also important for this project and future studies. The team will have access to a new national MS GeneBank (platform) with samples from 2240 patients that should generate findings important to world-wide MS genetic knowledge.Read moreRead less
Identifying the specific structural features of metallothionein that regulate its ability to modulate astrogliosis. This project contributes directly to the Designated National Research Priority 2 and could potentially have a significant impact upon the broader Australian Community by identifying a novel and powerful therapeutic agent based upon metallothionein proteins with the ultimate aim of helping patients who have a brain injury or a neurodegenerative disease. It is important to note that ....Identifying the specific structural features of metallothionein that regulate its ability to modulate astrogliosis. This project contributes directly to the Designated National Research Priority 2 and could potentially have a significant impact upon the broader Australian Community by identifying a novel and powerful therapeutic agent based upon metallothionein proteins with the ultimate aim of helping patients who have a brain injury or a neurodegenerative disease. It is important to note that the partnership between UTAS and Bestenbalt LLC is a critical step in the development of these exciting research discoveries into commercially viable outcomes for the Australian Biotechnology Industry and the broader Australian community.Read moreRead less
Using metallothioneins as a model for understanding cellular and biochemical interactions between neurons and astrocytes within the brain. This research will reveal some of the changes that occur in the relationship between neurons and astrocytes as a consequence injury, aging or disease to the human brain. In national terms, it will contribute to the concerted effort by Australian scientists to understand how and why neurons die following brain injury or in neurodegenerative diseases. These a ....Using metallothioneins as a model for understanding cellular and biochemical interactions between neurons and astrocytes within the brain. This research will reveal some of the changes that occur in the relationship between neurons and astrocytes as a consequence injury, aging or disease to the human brain. In national terms, it will contribute to the concerted effort by Australian scientists to understand how and why neurons die following brain injury or in neurodegenerative diseases. These are significant community issues in both economical and social terms. Furthermore, this research contributes directly to the Designated National Research Priorities by identifying some of the earliest cellular processes associated with aging or disease of the brain, and will provide clues to promoting healthy aging.Read moreRead less
Redefining the metallothionein's role in the injured brain: extracellular metallothioneins play an important role in astrocyte-neuron responses to injury. This project is being performed by an Australian team of researchers who are leaders in this field of research, and has significant national benefits in supporting this team reveal fundamental information on the cellular interactions that occur between astrocytes and neurons within the injured brain. In national terms, it will contribute to th ....Redefining the metallothionein's role in the injured brain: extracellular metallothioneins play an important role in astrocyte-neuron responses to injury. This project is being performed by an Australian team of researchers who are leaders in this field of research, and has significant national benefits in supporting this team reveal fundamental information on the cellular interactions that occur between astrocytes and neurons within the injured brain. In national terms, it will contribute to the concerted effort by Australian scientists to understand how and why neurons die following brain injury or neurodegenerative disease. Furthermore, this research contributes directly to the Designated National Research Priorities by identifying some of the earliest biochemical and cellular processes associated with aging or disease of the brain.Read moreRead less
The role of the Supplementary Motor Area in time processing. The neural bases of timing mechanisms (0.1-100s range) are the subject of much debate. We hypothesise that the Supplementary Motor Area (SMA), a major cortical structure involving important dopaminergic pathways, subtends duration encoding, in the way depicted by the 'accumulator model'. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the SMA, we will test healthy subjects in motor and perceptual timing tasks, compared to Parkinson' ....The role of the Supplementary Motor Area in time processing. The neural bases of timing mechanisms (0.1-100s range) are the subject of much debate. We hypothesise that the Supplementary Motor Area (SMA), a major cortical structure involving important dopaminergic pathways, subtends duration encoding, in the way depicted by the 'accumulator model'. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the SMA, we will test healthy subjects in motor and perceptual timing tasks, compared to Parkinson's disease patients whose timing performance is impaired due to dopaminergic dysfunction. We expect TMS inhibitory effects to induce predictable performance trends, providing support for the accumulator model and the key role of the SMA in timing.Read moreRead less
Microfluidic technology to help understand physical damage to brain cells. Understanding the organisation, structure and mechanisms of the human brain and nervous system remains one of the biggest challenges of science. This project aims to develop a new cell culture platform to form defined molecular networks of brain cells and to monitor changes throughout the network in response to a small localised injury within the network. This innovative platform will be used to help understand changes wi ....Microfluidic technology to help understand physical damage to brain cells. Understanding the organisation, structure and mechanisms of the human brain and nervous system remains one of the biggest challenges of science. This project aims to develop a new cell culture platform to form defined molecular networks of brain cells and to monitor changes throughout the network in response to a small localised injury within the network. This innovative platform will be used to help understand changes within cells in response to physical damage to networks of brain cells. This is one of the major causes of death and disability in developed nations, and is identified as a risk factor for a range of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and motor neuron disease.Read moreRead less
Cellular mechanisms that protect against copper-bound beta-amyloid. This project will investigate some of the brain’s own mechanisms for protecting itself against Alzheimer’s disease. Understanding these mechanisms will be important for developing future therapeutic strategies for treating Alzheimer’s disease.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0882701
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$300,000.00
Summary
Establishment of a confocal/multiphoton microscope for imaging of living systems. This facility will allow us to study the dynamic changes in living systems, from the smallest unicellular organisms in the ocean through to the sophisticated neural networks of the living brain. Not only will this imaging facility allow us to understand how living systems work, we will also be able to explore the dynamic changes that underlie human disease and injury.
Visualising neuron-glia interactions in the injured central nervous system. The adult brain and spinal cord recovery poorly from injury. Attempts to overcome this problem include methods to promote the intrinsic regenerative capacity of injured neurons, and modulating the inhibitory extracellular environment to become permissive to regeneration. The goal of this project is to investigate an endogenous regenerative mechanism in the injured brain. This project will use the latest, cutting-edge mic ....Visualising neuron-glia interactions in the injured central nervous system. The adult brain and spinal cord recovery poorly from injury. Attempts to overcome this problem include methods to promote the intrinsic regenerative capacity of injured neurons, and modulating the inhibitory extracellular environment to become permissive to regeneration. The goal of this project is to investigate an endogenous regenerative mechanism in the injured brain. This project will use the latest, cutting-edge microscopy techniques to visualise whether the endogenous astrocyte protein metallothionein can promote regeneration in the injured nervous system of living zebrafish. The successful outcomes of this project will provide significant insight into understanding how the brain responds to injury.Read moreRead less