Discovery Projects - Grant ID: DP160105003

Funding Activity

Website
http://dataportal.arc.gov.au/NCGP/Web/Grant/Grant/DP160105003

Funding Status
Closed

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Funded Activity Summary

Mechanisms underlying the repellent effects of predator odours in rodents. Rodents show innate fear towards the fur and skin odours of cats. This project seeks to describe the mechanisms behind this phenomenon and determine the potential of cat fur odours as rodent repellents in the field. The project plans to first verify the repellent effects of cat fur on various rat species and house mice in various field locations. It then plans to isolate, identify and synthesise the molecules in cat fur that cause rodent repellent effects and determine their action on rodent pheromone-sensing receptors. Novel cat fur-derived molecules identified in the laboratory will be further tested in the field. Expected project outcomes will be a powerful new rodent repellent with the potential to protect crops and homes, and an understanding of the precise physiological mechanisms whereby feline odours can repel rats and mice which could be used to further develop novel rodent repellents.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2016

End Date: 30-12-2019

Funding Scheme: Discovery Projects

Funding Amount: $390,400.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Biological Psychology (Neuropsychology, Psychopharmacology, Physiological Psychology) | Sensory Processes, Perception and Performance | Psychology | Behavioural Ecology

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

Control of Animal Pests, Diseases and Exotic Species in Farmland, Arable Cropland and Permanent Cropland Environments | Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences | Expanding Knowledge in Psychology and Cognitive Sciences |

Other Keywords

Behavioural Ecology | Biological Psychology (Neuropsychology, Psychopharmacology, Physiological Psychology) | Control of Animal Pests, Diseases and Exotic Species in Farmland, Arable Cropland and Permanent Cropland Environments | Expanding Knowledge in Psychology and Cognitive Sciences | Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences | Psychology | Sensory Processes, Perception and Performance

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