The contribution of South Asia to the peopling of Australasia. This project focuses on the human fossil record from three regions critical to understanding the origins of our species, Homo sapiens. Australia is crucial in view of its diverse array of "gracile" and "robust" human remains of Late Pleistocene/early Holocene age. Equally important are South and Southeast Asia as they lined the tropical route between Africa, our species' Late Pleistocene homeland according to the Out of Africa theory ....The contribution of South Asia to the peopling of Australasia. This project focuses on the human fossil record from three regions critical to understanding the origins of our species, Homo sapiens. Australia is crucial in view of its diverse array of "gracile" and "robust" human remains of Late Pleistocene/early Holocene age. Equally important are South and Southeast Asia as they lined the tropical route between Africa, our species' Late Pleistocene homeland according to the Out of Africa theory, and Australia. Osteological and archaeological evidence of the selection pressures that operated on earlier hunter-gatherers will be employed to explain the observed patterns of morphological evolution throughout the study region.Read moreRead less
Who were the ancestors of Homo floresiensis? The discovery of a tiny, new hominid species living in Indonesia until just 12,000 years ago, at the same time as modern humans in the region, has sparked world-wide public interest and debate. Finding the ancestors of this species will further promote Australian research as high profile, high calibre and cutting edge. Collaboration with researchers and institutions in Indonesia, USA, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of Georgia will stre ....Who were the ancestors of Homo floresiensis? The discovery of a tiny, new hominid species living in Indonesia until just 12,000 years ago, at the same time as modern humans in the region, has sparked world-wide public interest and debate. Finding the ancestors of this species will further promote Australian research as high profile, high calibre and cutting edge. Collaboration with researchers and institutions in Indonesia, USA, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of Georgia will strengthen our links with these nations.Read moreRead less
The Flores hobbit - Homo floresiensis or microcephalic eastern Indonesian? The hobbit is so controversial as it implies that a tiny hominin with a miniature brain coexisted for 30,000 years with modern humans in our region. This would have immense, fundamental implications for understanding the human colonisation of our region and the role of brain size in human evolution. Our research will determine whether the alternative explanation of microcephalic pathology is viable. If so the hobbit would ....The Flores hobbit - Homo floresiensis or microcephalic eastern Indonesian? The hobbit is so controversial as it implies that a tiny hominin with a miniature brain coexisted for 30,000 years with modern humans in our region. This would have immense, fundamental implications for understanding the human colonisation of our region and the role of brain size in human evolution. Our research will determine whether the alternative explanation of microcephalic pathology is viable. If so the hobbit would still be of unique signficance as the only known microcephalic hunter-gatherer who had survived to adulthood. The role of Australian scientists in spearheading the hobbit discovery places a high priority on resolving the debate objectively.Read moreRead less
3D analysis of facial features for proof of identity across Australia's ethnically diverse population. The forensic sciences concerned with establishing Human identity play a vital role in safeguarding Australia. Certainty in Human identification is required by police and intelligence agencies because knowing the identity of perpetrators (or potential perpetrators) of crime allows effective preventative intervention. This is particularly important during surveillance operations and in the contex ....3D analysis of facial features for proof of identity across Australia's ethnically diverse population. The forensic sciences concerned with establishing Human identity play a vital role in safeguarding Australia. Certainty in Human identification is required by police and intelligence agencies because knowing the identity of perpetrators (or potential perpetrators) of crime allows effective preventative intervention. This is particularly important during surveillance operations and in the context of border protection. When crime has already been committed, the identification of victims and perpetrators is important for the exoneration of the innocent and successful prosecution of the guilty. The full utilisation of 3D morphometric analysis of faces will provide criteria robust enough for legal proof of identity. Read moreRead less
Implications of morphological and molecular measures of diversity in papionine primates for interpretation of hominid phylogeny. Landmark morphometrics, superquadric modeling based on 3-D surface point mapping and conventional osteometric measurements, will be used to gauge morphological differences among macaques and baboons that are known to exchange genes across taxonomic boundaries. Morphological findings will be compared with genetic data (mitochondrial and some nuclear gene measures) on th ....Implications of morphological and molecular measures of diversity in papionine primates for interpretation of hominid phylogeny. Landmark morphometrics, superquadric modeling based on 3-D surface point mapping and conventional osteometric measurements, will be used to gauge morphological differences among macaques and baboons that are known to exchange genes across taxonomic boundaries. Morphological findings will be compared with genetic data (mitochondrial and some nuclear gene measures) on the same populations, to test for congruity between genetic and morphological divergence. The same techniques for measuring morphological divergence will be used on early hominid specimens (Miocene through Plio/Pleistocene). Comparisons between extents of morphological dispersion among hominids and monkeys will be used to test taxonomic and phylogenetic hypotheses about human evolution.Read moreRead less
Deciphering genome function in animal development. The normal development of an embryo depends on complex and finely tuned gene regulatory mechanisms. In this Fellowship, I will use sophisticated new technologies to discover which of our 30,000 genes is important for embryonic development, reveal the roles of these genes, and identify the control mechanisms that can go awry to cause birth defects. Our research will suggest new ways to diagnose and deal with these conditions, and will be applicab ....Deciphering genome function in animal development. The normal development of an embryo depends on complex and finely tuned gene regulatory mechanisms. In this Fellowship, I will use sophisticated new technologies to discover which of our 30,000 genes is important for embryonic development, reveal the roles of these genes, and identify the control mechanisms that can go awry to cause birth defects. Our research will suggest new ways to diagnose and deal with these conditions, and will be applicable to stem cell technologies, tissue regeneration, cancer biology, conservation, pest management and livestock breeding, thus delivering significant economic and social benefits to Australia. Read moreRead less
Understanding an exotic disease: Initiation of sex and infection by the sugarcane smut Ustilago scitaminea. Australian sugar exports generate almost $2 billion in annual sales, making the sugar industry a critical facet of the Australian economy. In 2006, Australia's primary sugar producing region came under threat when an outbreak of sugarcane smut caused by the fungus Ustilago scitaminea first appeared in Queensland. Management of this potentially devastating disease has focused on breeding pr ....Understanding an exotic disease: Initiation of sex and infection by the sugarcane smut Ustilago scitaminea. Australian sugar exports generate almost $2 billion in annual sales, making the sugar industry a critical facet of the Australian economy. In 2006, Australia's primary sugar producing region came under threat when an outbreak of sugarcane smut caused by the fungus Ustilago scitaminea first appeared in Queensland. Management of this potentially devastating disease has focused on breeding programmes aimed at developing resistant sugarcane cultivars, a complex process hampered by a lack of information about the mechanisms of smut resistance. Our research will provide key insight into the mechanisms by which U. scitaminea infects sugarcane, directing future breeding efforts and protecting this valuable industry against further outbreaks.Read moreRead less
Genetic and epigenetic control of developmental competence. Development is an important biological process of life and understanding development has important medical and economic benefits for Australia. This research aims to study development using a simple, easily manipulated and well established experimental organism, a fungus, as a model for development in other organisms, including humans. In addition, fungi directly impact on life at many levels. Fungi can be pathogens of humans, other ani ....Genetic and epigenetic control of developmental competence. Development is an important biological process of life and understanding development has important medical and economic benefits for Australia. This research aims to study development using a simple, easily manipulated and well established experimental organism, a fungus, as a model for development in other organisms, including humans. In addition, fungi directly impact on life at many levels. Fungi can be pathogens of humans, other animals or plants significantly affecting our health, agriculture and industry. Fungi are also beneficial to other organisms, especially to many plants, and are used to manufacture pharmaceuticals and enzymes used in the health and biotechnology industries.Read moreRead less
Half a Genome is Better than None: The Evolution of Haplodiploidy in Mites. It is our normal experience that males and females are about equally common. We also expect both sexes to receive half their genes from each parent. In many successful animal groups, however, these normal expectations are not met: males are rare and have only half as many chromosomes as females (haplodiploidy) or are non-existent. We will investigate multiple origins of haplodiploid and all-female genetic systems in a ....Half a Genome is Better than None: The Evolution of Haplodiploidy in Mites. It is our normal experience that males and females are about equally common. We also expect both sexes to receive half their genes from each parent. In many successful animal groups, however, these normal expectations are not met: males are rare and have only half as many chromosomes as females (haplodiploidy) or are non-existent. We will investigate multiple origins of haplodiploid and all-female genetic systems in a group of mites that includes many useful biocontrol agents and important parasites. The implications of this research have both pure scientific merit and potential practical value in controlling the reproduction of pests.Read moreRead less
Differential expression and functional analysis of genes controlling metamorphosis and early neurogenesis of a model lower animal, the coral Acropora. This study will analyse, at a molecular level, the response of coral larvae to stimuli inducing settlement from the plankton and the process of establishment of a sessile, calcified colony. The knowledge gained will facilitate induction of settlement on demand in the most effective way. We will characterise known candidate genes which may be invo ....Differential expression and functional analysis of genes controlling metamorphosis and early neurogenesis of a model lower animal, the coral Acropora. This study will analyse, at a molecular level, the response of coral larvae to stimuli inducing settlement from the plankton and the process of establishment of a sessile, calcified colony. The knowledge gained will facilitate induction of settlement on demand in the most effective way. We will characterise known candidate genes which may be involved in settlement, and reveal a more complete picture using subtractive hybridisation. Studies of the nervous system and the changes that it undergoes at metamorphosis will promote understanding of the control of metamorphosis, and insights into how more complex nervous systems may have evolved.Read moreRead less