The Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) invites you to participate in a short survey about your
interaction with the ARDC and use of our national research infrastructure and services. The survey will take
approximately 5 minutes and is anonymous. It’s open to anyone who uses our digital research infrastructure
services including Reasearch Link Australia.
We will use the information you provide to improve the national research infrastructure and services we
deliver and to report on user satisfaction to the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research
Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) program.
Please take a few minutes to provide your input. The survey closes COB Friday 29 May 2026.
Complete the 5 min survey now by clicking on the link below.
Androgen Receptor Activity In Normal And Abnormal Human Ovarian Function
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$416,696.00
Summary
Androgens are hormones normally associated with men, but women also produce androgens and they are essential for normal female health and reproduction. Imbalances in female androgen activity could account for approximately 50% of female infertility, but exactly how androgens behave in women is not well understood. Making too much androgen is the most common hormonal problem experienced by women in their reproductive years, and it affects the ovary in a way that can cause infertility. Women with ....Androgens are hormones normally associated with men, but women also produce androgens and they are essential for normal female health and reproduction. Imbalances in female androgen activity could account for approximately 50% of female infertility, but exactly how androgens behave in women is not well understood. Making too much androgen is the most common hormonal problem experienced by women in their reproductive years, and it affects the ovary in a way that can cause infertility. Women with this problem have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Gaining weight increases the chance of having problems with fertility and increases the risk of diabetes and heart problems in women with PCOS. The cause of PCOS is unknown, but it can occur in families, which indicates that some genetic factor is involved. On the other hand, the concept that some women do not produce enough androgen is only beginning to emerge and remains a controversial topic among medical experts. Part of the problem with this notion is that normal female androgen levels are very difficult to measure accurately, so no one can say for certain how much is too little. A recent scientific study in female mice indicates that poor androgen action causes infertility early in life because the ovary is ageing too quickly. A similar thing could possibly occur in women, but this has never been scientifically explored. However, we have some early evidence that shows abnormally low androgen levels in infertile women with signs of early aging in the ovary. Our study aims to understand the role that androgens play in normal and abnormal ovarian function. A large part of this study involves investigation of the androgen receptor, a molecule that controls what androgens can do inside body organs. We think that abnormal activity of this receptor will be involved in ovarian diseases that cause infertility in women. This understanding may lead to new means of diagnosing and treating infertility in women.Read moreRead less
Androgen Receptor Mechanims In Female Reproductive Physiology
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$539,773.00
Summary
Infertility occurs in one in six Australian couples with 50% attributable to females, thus, enhancing our understanding of ovarian and uterine function is of great importance. This project tests the proposal that androgens (steroid hormones) play a major role in regulating female reproductive physiology through their interaction with the androgen receptor. We have developed novel mouse models which we will use to determine the roles of androgens in regulating female reproductive function.
Discriminating The Roles Of Inhibin A And B In Reproductive Systems
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$312,576.00
Summary
Inhibin A and B are essential for the regulation of fertility based on their dual inhibitory actions on follicle stimulating hormone secretion by the pituitary and egg and sperm production in the gonads. An understanding of the mechanisms involved in inhibin A and B actions will: (1) identify novel biomarkers for the diagnosis of reproductive disorders (2) enhance the management of reproductive disorders (3) identify targets for the development of therapeutic means of modulating fertility
This study is aiming to develop an unique mouse model in which to study the question whether testosterone plays an essential role in female reproductive and general health. It will develop a genetic mouse model for a biological state of complete resistance to the effects of androgens. Such mice and humans are well known among genetic males but this cannot occur naturally among genetic female mammals. By creating such a mouse line, this project will be able to test for the first time indetail whe ....This study is aiming to develop an unique mouse model in which to study the question whether testosterone plays an essential role in female reproductive and general health. It will develop a genetic mouse model for a biological state of complete resistance to the effects of androgens. Such mice and humans are well known among genetic males but this cannot occur naturally among genetic female mammals. By creating such a mouse line, this project will be able to test for the first time indetail whether testosterone has an impotant role in the development and function of the ovary and of other female tissues such as bone, muscle and the brain.Read moreRead less
Cytoprotection By Erythropoietin In Hypoxia-ischaemia Of The Kidney And Brain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$477,661.00
Summary
We aim to make a significant research impact by describing the complex mechanisms responsible for protecting kidney and brain cells from stress caused by a lack of oxygen. In particular we will establish whether the compound erythropoietin (Epo), which occurs naturally in the human body but its human recombinant form can also be used as a treatment, may be useful in protecting cells from death following a shortage of oxygen. . We have already described how Epo can protect the kidney, but no one ....We aim to make a significant research impact by describing the complex mechanisms responsible for protecting kidney and brain cells from stress caused by a lack of oxygen. In particular we will establish whether the compound erythropoietin (Epo), which occurs naturally in the human body but its human recombinant form can also be used as a treatment, may be useful in protecting cells from death following a shortage of oxygen. . We have already described how Epo can protect the kidney, but no one has yet described its action on kidney cell differentiation or its effect on structural and vascular support in the injured kidney. When might Epo treatment be effective? Could it protect against chronic renal disease? Likewise, whilst more very pre-term babies survive, this is a crucial period when they are at heightened sensitivity to lack of oxygen and they are at risk of brain damage and poor development because of lack of maturation of key structural cells in the brain. The role of Epo in aiding brain cell maturation and on blood vessel formation and function in this faulty development period is not known. Both of these health problems are major issues causing huge costs to society both financial and emotional. Despite the early evidence of a useful role for Epo in human disease treatment, current experimental and clinical data demonstrate the importance of further thorough investigation of mechanisms and cellular pathways that will underpin improvements in clinical outcomes. A particular strength of our project is that by comparing similarities and differences in the kidney and brain, we will be able to elucidate the mechanisms of action of Epo and its analogues.Read moreRead less
The Role Of Oocyte-secreted Proteins In Primate Follicular Cell Function
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$176,320.00
Summary
Mammalian eggs grow and develop in fluid filled sacks in the ovary called follicles. These structures nurture the egg for prolonged periods preparing it for ovulation and fertilisation. It has been known for some time that the quality of the follicular environment determines, in part, the developmental potential of the egg. Recent studies in mice have shown that the interaction between the egg and the follicle is in fact a two-way process, and that the egg is able to influence development of the ....Mammalian eggs grow and develop in fluid filled sacks in the ovary called follicles. These structures nurture the egg for prolonged periods preparing it for ovulation and fertilisation. It has been known for some time that the quality of the follicular environment determines, in part, the developmental potential of the egg. Recent studies in mice have shown that the interaction between the egg and the follicle is in fact a two-way process, and that the egg is able to influence development of the follicle. This project proposes to investigate these processes further in the laboratory mouse using new reagents available to us, and to extend these findings by investigating this communication pathway for the first time in a primate species. Because of the difficulty of undertaking such research using human material, we will use the marmoset monkey as a model. This exciting new development has important implications for women's health because it may help us understand why some women suffer from premature menopause or cystic ovaries, and in the longer term could help in the development of new types of contraceptives.Read moreRead less
RNA Binding Protein Musashi: Role In Folliculogenesis And Oocyte Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$419,223.00
Summary
Women in Australian have opted for social and economic reasons to delay both marriage and childbirth. Both infertility and congenital abnormality is associated with advancing maternal age as the ovarian pool of oocytes declines in number and quality. In this project we aim to gain an understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning healthy oocyte development. Insights gained have the potential to alleviate miscarriage, infertility and congenital abnormalities in Australian families.
Xenobiotics - Oxidative Stress In The Mammalian Ovary
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$377,922.00
Summary
Synthetic chemicals called xenobiotics in the environment are capable of interfering with female fertility. Xenobiotics can trigger oocyte depletion of the ovary and infertility. Exhaustion of the oocyte population results in the menopause, loss of ovarian hormones and profoundly affects female health through increasing susceptibility to heart and bone disease. This research will characterise xenobiotic effects on the ovary and will lead to significant advances in reproductive healthcare.
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia – A Regenerative Medicine Approach
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$480,406.00
Summary
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is a major leading cause of morbidity and mortality in premature babies. There is no cure. We have previously shown that amnion epithelial cells can reduce the extent of lung damage during early stages of lung development. We aim to understand how amnion cells can promote repair by interacting with existing cell types in order to restore normal lung structure and function. The outcomes from this study will help design clinical trials and develop new therapies.
Second Trimester Intra-amniotic Treatment For Early Preterm Birth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$392,420.00
Summary
Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal death and disability in Australia today, with those born before 32 weeks' completed gestation at the highest risk. Preventing these early preterm births requires treatment of the causative uterine infection. This proposal is to conduct the first study of direct intraamniotic antibiotic treatment of uterine Ureaplasma infection in a clinically relevant, large animal model of second trimester pregnancy.