Comprehending and modelling the workings of the animal brain. Truly understanding how the brain operates is a grand challenge of 21st century neuroscience. Progress toward this goal can be made through studying small-brained animals, like the honey bee. This project aims to use microscopy and pharmacology to analyse the neural mechanisms by which bees learn and classify complex things. This will enable the construction of a computational model of decision making in the bee brain. Analysing this ....Comprehending and modelling the workings of the animal brain. Truly understanding how the brain operates is a grand challenge of 21st century neuroscience. Progress toward this goal can be made through studying small-brained animals, like the honey bee. This project aims to use microscopy and pharmacology to analyse the neural mechanisms by which bees learn and classify complex things. This will enable the construction of a computational model of decision making in the bee brain. Analysing this model will test what is understood about the operation of the animal brain, and what simulates it. This project aims to reveal how neural circuits make complex decisions; establish key principles and foundational studies for comprehending larger more complex brains, and yield new approaches to machine learning.Read moreRead less
Neuronal Control of Adaptive Walking. This project seeks to understand how signals from the brain control motor circuits so that an animal can adaptively walk across varying terrains in pursuit of its ever-changing goals. It will focus on the fruit fly, Drosophila, as a model. The fly is an agile walker, its nervous system has been almost fully mapped at the synaptic level, and genetic reagents are available to selectively measure or manipulate the activity of single neurons. This project specif ....Neuronal Control of Adaptive Walking. This project seeks to understand how signals from the brain control motor circuits so that an animal can adaptively walk across varying terrains in pursuit of its ever-changing goals. It will focus on the fruit fly, Drosophila, as a model. The fly is an agile walker, its nervous system has been almost fully mapped at the synaptic level, and genetic reagents are available to selectively measure or manipulate the activity of single neurons. This project specifically focuses on the circuits that generate forward and backward walking, and switch between the two. It will enhance Australia's capacity in connectome-driven neuroscience research, deliver fundamental insights into neuronal motor control, and inspire the design of more agile robots.Read moreRead less
Overcoming limits of miniaturisation to enhance spatial memory capacities. Ensuring optimal efficiency at the smallest possible physical limit is a challenge for technical systems, which has been elegantly solved by biological systems. This project aims to identify how insects with miniature brains enhance their memory capacities. It will leverage previous ARC funded research on navigation of Australian ants and apply sophisticated analytical tools to quantify the neural connectivity in the brai ....Overcoming limits of miniaturisation to enhance spatial memory capacities. Ensuring optimal efficiency at the smallest possible physical limit is a challenge for technical systems, which has been elegantly solved by biological systems. This project aims to identify how insects with miniature brains enhance their memory capacities. It will leverage previous ARC funded research on navigation of Australian ants and apply sophisticated analytical tools to quantify the neural connectivity in the brain in the context of spatial memory. Expected outcomes include understanding how expensive neural tissue can be miniaturised for efficient spatial navigation, identifying the consequences of miniaturisation for developing miniature and autonomous agents, enhancing research capacity and institutional collaborations.Read moreRead less
Social insects as model systems in complexity science. Many optimisation algorithms are based on the behaviour of social insects. These algorithms function well under static conditions, when there is only one optimal solution. This project will determine how individual insect behaviour affects collective behaviour. Outcomes will allow the development of better algorithms.
A perimeter defence in Australian processionary caterpillars. Microscopic, detachable hairs on processionary caterpillars cause clinical reactions when they enter the skin or internal tissues of humans and animals. There is a time delay between exposure and the most serious effects, inferring an action more complex than simple irritation. The project aims to test a novel mechanism – how the hairs form a perimeter defence around caterpillars that primes the immune system of potential predators, ....A perimeter defence in Australian processionary caterpillars. Microscopic, detachable hairs on processionary caterpillars cause clinical reactions when they enter the skin or internal tissues of humans and animals. There is a time delay between exposure and the most serious effects, inferring an action more complex than simple irritation. The project aims to test a novel mechanism – how the hairs form a perimeter defence around caterpillars that primes the immune system of potential predators, how these hairs function within the layered caterpillar defensive system and how far setae can disperse. The research will inform relevant authorities and in particular veterinarians of the risks being exposed to processionary caterpillar hairs and add to the theory of predator-prey interaction.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140101281
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$384,589.00
Summary
Mechanisms influencing the evolutionary trajectories of extended phenotypes. Although we know how the environment and predator-prey interactions shape traits, we have a poor grasp of the evolution of extended phenotypes. The webs of spiders have switched repeatedly between two- and three-dimensional forms over time, so are excellent models for assessing extended phenotype evolution. This project will use innovative experiments to assess whether the prey capture performance of webs or their visib ....Mechanisms influencing the evolutionary trajectories of extended phenotypes. Although we know how the environment and predator-prey interactions shape traits, we have a poor grasp of the evolution of extended phenotypes. The webs of spiders have switched repeatedly between two- and three-dimensional forms over time, so are excellent models for assessing extended phenotype evolution. This project will use innovative experiments to assess whether the prey capture performance of webs or their visibility to insects drove the repeated This project will provide insights into the interactive roles of the environment and prey in shaping extended phenotype diversification. Read moreRead less