Determination Of Sympathetic Preganglionic Neuronal Phenotype
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$241,527.00
Summary
The nervous system is the single most complex part of our body. Its function depends on millions of connections between neurons, all of which must form correctly during development. Furthermore, each neuron must select a neurotransmitter with which to talk to its target neuron. A neurotransmitter is a chemical released from a neuron, which passes a signal to a target cell. Some neurotransmitters cause excitation of the target cell, others inhibition. Each neurotransmitter signals to the target c ....The nervous system is the single most complex part of our body. Its function depends on millions of connections between neurons, all of which must form correctly during development. Furthermore, each neuron must select a neurotransmitter with which to talk to its target neuron. A neurotransmitter is a chemical released from a neuron, which passes a signal to a target cell. Some neurotransmitters cause excitation of the target cell, others inhibition. Each neurotransmitter signals to the target cell via receptor molecule, matched to the neurotransmitter. Thus, a neuron is faced not only with making choices about what connections to make within the developing brain, but also it must select from a range of potential neurotransmitters and receptor molecules. We are interested in how neurons select the appropriate neurotransmitter. There are a number of ways that a neuron might be guided to the correct choice. It is possible that it could receive from the target cell a signal that guides the choice of neurotransmitter. We wish to examine this hypothesis to see if it is applicable to the autonomic nervous system, that part of the nervous system that controls functions like changes in blood pressure and heart rate. Our laboratory is expert in identifying the chemistry of autonomic neurons. We will use this knowledge to see what happens when we deliberately perturb the normal connections of autonomic neurons. Do they persist in expressing the neurotransmitters they would have done prior to the perturbation? Alternatively, do they adapt to the change of target via a signal received from the new target cell and express the appropriate phenotype? The results of these experiments will give insights into how the brain develops. The results will be important for both our basic understanding of biology and as a basis for the development of techniques for reversing neuronal damage.Read moreRead less
Decoding Conserved Mechanisms That Control Neuronal Migration
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$526,950.00
Summary
During brain development, nerve cells interact with each other and their surrounding environment through a forest of molecules that are essential for precise cellular communication. Deficient signaling between these molecules causes defects in development and leads to disease. By employing genetic and biochemical approaches we propose to identify new mechanisms through which the brain develops, to better understand how brain diseases such as epilepsy and schizophrenia occur.
Development of normal brain function requires information transfer and integration from outside and within the brain. Normal brain wiring is guided by genetic and environmental cues, whose relative contributions remain controversial. This project investigates the physiological and behavioural consequences of abnormal brain wiring, and the potential for controlled environments and targeted interventions to overcome the deficits. Relevance includes neurotrauma as well as mental illnesses.
Aurora Kinase: Molecular, Cellular And Functional Studies Deciphering Its Role In Stroke Injury
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$580,993.00
Summary
In stroke patients, oxygen deprivation indirectly induces massive nerve cell death by activating an enzyme called aurora kinase A (AURKA). We aim at unravelling (i) how AURKA is activated by oxygen deprivation, (ii) where the activated AURKA is localised in cells, and (iii) how the activated AURKA induces nerve cell death.The study will benefit development of therapeutic strategies to protect against brain damage in stroke since this is novel and different target for drug targeting.
Signalling Mechanisms Regulating Neurogenesis And Neurite Outgrowth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$486,000.00
Summary
Injury and diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), such as traumatic injury, stroke, Parkinson's, Huntington's and Alzheimer's disease, affect a substantial number of Australians each year and often have long-term consequences for sufferers and their families. This is primarily due to a lack of robust repair of the damage and a paucity of therapeutic strategies available for treatment. However, although many hurdles are yet to be faced, there is a substantial body of evidence that has emer ....Injury and diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), such as traumatic injury, stroke, Parkinson's, Huntington's and Alzheimer's disease, affect a substantial number of Australians each year and often have long-term consequences for sufferers and their families. This is primarily due to a lack of robust repair of the damage and a paucity of therapeutic strategies available for treatment. However, although many hurdles are yet to be faced, there is a substantial body of evidence that has emerged in recent years, that has led to the view that repair of the central nervous system following injury of disease may indeed be a possibility. Effective neural repair is likely to require a multi-factorial approach, including blockage of neuronal death, replacement of lost neurons by neural stem cells, and regulation of appropriate subsequent neurite outgrowth and formation of correct connections. We have shown that a regulator of cytokine signaling, SOCS2, promotes neuronal differentiation and neurite outgrowth. This project aims to continue our investigations of the role of SOCS2 and interacting factors in regulating neuronal differentiation as well as substantially expanding our investigations into the role of SOCS2 in regulating neurite outgrowth, using both in vitro and in vivo models. An understanding of the mechanisms involved in these processes may allow us to derive therapies for the repair of the nervous system after injury or disease.Read moreRead less
The amygdala is a part of the brain that processes and lays down emotional memories. Dysfunction in the amygdala is responsible for anxiety related disorders such post-traumatic stress disorder. I will study the neural circuits in the amygdala using innovative recordings and stimulation techniques. These studies will provide insight into the circuits that underpin anxiety related neurological disorders and provide targets for development of novel anxiolytic agents.