Structural and neural determinants of stress and strain in human muscle. This project aims to further our understanding of the biomechanical stress and strains experienced by contracting human muscles. Using innovative imaging techniques such as microendoscopy and supersonic shear imaging, we expect to generate new significant evidence on the structural and neural factors that lead to areas of high stress in human muscles. Outcomes of this project include not only a new understanding of muscle d ....Structural and neural determinants of stress and strain in human muscle. This project aims to further our understanding of the biomechanical stress and strains experienced by contracting human muscles. Using innovative imaging techniques such as microendoscopy and supersonic shear imaging, we expect to generate new significant evidence on the structural and neural factors that lead to areas of high stress in human muscles. Outcomes of this project include not only a new understanding of muscle design on multi-scale level, but also of muscle function and adaptation. This should provide significant benefits in better predicting muscle injury and prescribing safe exercise, knowledge that would benefit biomechanical engineers and sport and exercise professionals.Read moreRead less
Regulation of salt gland activity in the estuarine crocodile: phenotypic plasticity and control mechanisms. The estuarine crocodile excretes excess sodium and chloride ions through salt glands located on the tongue, enabling the crocodile to live in seawater. This study will investigate the regulation of salt gland secretory capacity and activity, by examining both the phenotypic plasticity of the gland to changes in environmental salinity and diet, and by determining the neural/humoral mech ....Regulation of salt gland activity in the estuarine crocodile: phenotypic plasticity and control mechanisms. The estuarine crocodile excretes excess sodium and chloride ions through salt glands located on the tongue, enabling the crocodile to live in seawater. This study will investigate the regulation of salt gland secretory capacity and activity, by examining both the phenotypic plasticity of the gland to changes in environmental salinity and diet, and by determining the neural/humoral mechanisms controlling secretory rate. In vivo measurements of blood flow and salt gland secretory rate, together with perfused gland preparations will reveal extrinsic and intrinsic factors controlling salt gland activity and the degree of coupling between blood flow and secretory rate.Read moreRead less
The preservation and management of Koala genetic diversity using reproductive biotechnology and molecular genetics: A model for endangered Australian marsupials. Assisted breeding technology will provide a new paradigm for solving problems associated with the preservation and management of captive and wild Koala populations. This project aims to improve methods of koala sperm cryopreservation and its subsequent use in artificial insemination and to establish a functional frozen sperm bank screen ....The preservation and management of Koala genetic diversity using reproductive biotechnology and molecular genetics: A model for endangered Australian marsupials. Assisted breeding technology will provide a new paradigm for solving problems associated with the preservation and management of captive and wild Koala populations. This project aims to improve methods of koala sperm cryopreservation and its subsequent use in artificial insemination and to establish a functional frozen sperm bank screened for the most prevalent pathogens. Important outcomes will include (1) a reliable, cost effective and disease free approach to the transfer of Koala genetic material into international and national zoos; (2) a technique for the management of free-range genetically restricted Koala populations and (3) successful cryostorage of Koala spermatozoa for the long-term maintenance of genetic potential.Read moreRead less
Specialized glial cells within the hippocampus of the brain regulate important morphological events in embryonic development. Memories of past experiences, and our ability to learn new information, is processed in a region of the brain called the hippocampus. In order for this to occur, the cells that make up the hippocampus must form correctly during embryonic development. This proposal investigates the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating hippocampal formation. The national benefit of ....Specialized glial cells within the hippocampus of the brain regulate important morphological events in embryonic development. Memories of past experiences, and our ability to learn new information, is processed in a region of the brain called the hippocampus. In order for this to occur, the cells that make up the hippocampus must form correctly during embryonic development. This proposal investigates the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating hippocampal formation. The national benefit of this work is to provide basic knowledge about the processes that underlie correct brain formation and function, and to understand what processes are disrupted when the brain fails to function correctly. Such disruptions lead to mental retardation and learning difficulties, and in the aged, an inability to form and store new memories, as occurs in dementia.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101503
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Design of a biologically inspired running and climbing robotic lizard. Watch any movie and it will tell you that robots are the future. The trouble is that recent attempts to build running and climbing robots have had limited success. This project explores locomotion of lizards to improve upon shortfalls in current robotic design, to build biologically inspired robots capable of running and climbing up and down walls.
Extreme acid tolerance: Overcoming the challenges of life at low pH. This project aims to investigate tolerance to low pH freshwaters, focusing on the mechanisms that underpin acid tolerance, physiological plasticity, the interactions between low pH and other environmental variables (e.g. temperature), and the costs and/or trade-offs to living in such physiologically challenging environments. Low pH waters are toxic to most animals, yet some freshwater vertebrates have managed to colonise some o ....Extreme acid tolerance: Overcoming the challenges of life at low pH. This project aims to investigate tolerance to low pH freshwaters, focusing on the mechanisms that underpin acid tolerance, physiological plasticity, the interactions between low pH and other environmental variables (e.g. temperature), and the costs and/or trade-offs to living in such physiologically challenging environments. Low pH waters are toxic to most animals, yet some freshwater vertebrates have managed to colonise some of the lowest pH environments on Earth. In our rapidly changing world, this study is expected to provide an important fundamental understanding of the capacity of some organisms to flourish at environmental extremes and their ability to respond to increased variability both within and between environmental stressors.Read moreRead less
Seeing without eyes: the evolution of non-visual photoreceptors in vertebrates. Australia's underwater biodiversity is second to none with endemic species representing the earliest stages in vertebrate evolution, many of them relying heavily on vision for survival. Tracing the evolution of light detection and image formation will provide crucial information about the lifestyles of our vertebrate ancestors, the environmental selection pressures driving speciation and colour communication. Charact ....Seeing without eyes: the evolution of non-visual photoreceptors in vertebrates. Australia's underwater biodiversity is second to none with endemic species representing the earliest stages in vertebrate evolution, many of them relying heavily on vision for survival. Tracing the evolution of light detection and image formation will provide crucial information about the lifestyles of our vertebrate ancestors, the environmental selection pressures driving speciation and colour communication. Characterisation of optimal light environments and extra-ocular light detection will also help protect and manage endemic species in wild and captive environments. Read moreRead less
A contractile cochlear frame - a possible new mechanism of sound adaptation. It is generally accepted that the rigid frame that harbours sensory structures in the hearing organs of modern higher vertebrates has only a passive supporting role. We have discovered a contractile component in the cartilaginous cochlear frame of the lizard Teratoscincus scincus and demonstrated that the tonus of the contractile tissue can be regulated. We hypothesize a new, previously unknown mechanism of slow mechani ....A contractile cochlear frame - a possible new mechanism of sound adaptation. It is generally accepted that the rigid frame that harbours sensory structures in the hearing organs of modern higher vertebrates has only a passive supporting role. We have discovered a contractile component in the cartilaginous cochlear frame of the lizard Teratoscincus scincus and demonstrated that the tonus of the contractile tissue can be regulated. We hypothesize a new, previously unknown mechanism of slow mechanical adaptation in the vertebrate hearing organ. The aim of the proposed project is to examine this hypothesis in more detail.
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The evolution of periodic ventilation in insects. The primary outcome of this research initiative is a new approach to the understanding of the evolution of periodic ventilation in insects. It involves researchers from four Australian universities, and will showcase the strength of Australian research and the diversity of the Australian insect fauna, and demonstrate the utility of the Australian environment as a model system for the study of fundamental biological problems. The research deals wi ....The evolution of periodic ventilation in insects. The primary outcome of this research initiative is a new approach to the understanding of the evolution of periodic ventilation in insects. It involves researchers from four Australian universities, and will showcase the strength of Australian research and the diversity of the Australian insect fauna, and demonstrate the utility of the Australian environment as a model system for the study of fundamental biological problems. The research deals with the influence of microclimate on the physiology of insects. This will lead to an appreciation of the ability of these species to respond to climate change.Read moreRead less
The evolution of breathing patterns in animals. Although breathing is usually regarding as a continuous process, many species voluntarily hold their breath for up to several hours at a time. This pattern of periodic breathing is shown by a range of animals including mammals, reptiles, and insects, yet the reasons why they hold their breath is unknown. This project will examine the evolution of breathing patterns in the context of climate and atmospheric conditions. The outcomes of this project w ....The evolution of breathing patterns in animals. Although breathing is usually regarding as a continuous process, many species voluntarily hold their breath for up to several hours at a time. This pattern of periodic breathing is shown by a range of animals including mammals, reptiles, and insects, yet the reasons why they hold their breath is unknown. This project will examine the evolution of breathing patterns in the context of climate and atmospheric conditions. The outcomes of this project will provide insight into the evolution of fundamental characteristic of animals (breathing), describe the role of climate in shaping how animals breathe, and demonstrate how animals will cope with climate change.Read moreRead less