Understanding the potency and role of individual stem cells in the skin using Rainbow technology. To renew itself, the skin and its components rely on the activity of stem cells. This project will define more precisely the role of each individual stem cell by labelling them with a unique colour and following its fate. This project has the potential to change our current view on how the skin maintains and repairs itself.
Characterisation of p14ARF intracellular trafficking pathways. Over 3500 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed in NSW each year, and one of the most important proteins involved in suppressing melanoma initiation or growth is p14ARF. This project will characterise the movement and functions of this protein with the aim of identifying novel targets for more effective drug therapies.
Control of developmental switches by importin 5. Aims: This project will study a key molecular switch called IPO5, a protein that is required for cells and organs to form and function normally, and it will reveal how it works.
Significance: These experiments will provide the first complete description of how this molecular switch controls the behaviour of a cell across its lifespan. IPO5 is highly conserved, so these studies will be relevant to a wide range of animals.
Expected Outcomes: This k ....Control of developmental switches by importin 5. Aims: This project will study a key molecular switch called IPO5, a protein that is required for cells and organs to form and function normally, and it will reveal how it works.
Significance: These experiments will provide the first complete description of how this molecular switch controls the behaviour of a cell across its lifespan. IPO5 is highly conserved, so these studies will be relevant to a wide range of animals.
Expected Outcomes: This knowledge will reveal how IPO5 controls formation of sperm by revealing what other proteins it binds to and how this affects cell signaling and responses to the environment.
Benefits: This will provide information about potential interventions to control fertility or to repair abnormal cells.
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A novel DNA damage repair protein as a regulator of DNA double strand break repair and genome integrity. This project aims to define the function of a novel DNA damage repair protein. These data will provide a better understanding of DNA repair biology and may reveal novel diagnostic and treatment options for many diseases associated with DNA repair defects, including cancer.
Role of endocytic mechanisms in mammalian cytokinesis. Cell division requires endocytic proteins and failed cell division can contribute to cancer. This project aims to understand how endocytic proteins function to complete cell division successfully and has implications for the development of chemotherapeutic agents to treat cancer.
Role of Musashi in the regulation of cell cycle proteins. We have identified a protein family that directs cell fate and maintains male fertility. This project will provide new avenues for generation of contraceptives in male animals and to regulate stem cells for production of specialised cell types in biotechnological applications.
Modelling the human nervous system with human pluripotent stem cells. The human nervous system is one of the most complex structures evolved to date. In order to understand how it functions, and dysfunctions in a diseased state, it is fundamental to decipher how it develops to generate various neuronal populations that form this elaborate network. Human stem cells provide a valuable source to study such processes. The aim of this project is to use human stem cells to study how early progenitor c ....Modelling the human nervous system with human pluripotent stem cells. The human nervous system is one of the most complex structures evolved to date. In order to understand how it functions, and dysfunctions in a diseased state, it is fundamental to decipher how it develops to generate various neuronal populations that form this elaborate network. Human stem cells provide a valuable source to study such processes. The aim of this project is to use human stem cells to study how early progenitor cell types that structure the nervous system are generated and how their neuronal derivatives form connectivity and functional synapses. The outcome of these studies is that we will establish a cellular model of human neurogenesis that can be utilised to study developmental disease processes.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100032
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$379,264.00
Summary
Banking on spermatogonial stem cells to safeguard Australian native fauna. Spermatogonial stem cells in the testis are an untapped resource for species conservation. This project aims to characterise metabolic pathways that control spermatogonial stem cell function, and define the conserved nature of these pathways between model species (mouse) and vulnerable Australian native fauna. Expected outcomes of this project include an enhanced capacity to culture koala spermatogonia in vitro, which wil ....Banking on spermatogonial stem cells to safeguard Australian native fauna. Spermatogonial stem cells in the testis are an untapped resource for species conservation. This project aims to characterise metabolic pathways that control spermatogonial stem cell function, and define the conserved nature of these pathways between model species (mouse) and vulnerable Australian native fauna. Expected outcomes of this project include an enhanced capacity to culture koala spermatogonia in vitro, which will be a first step towards using spermatogonial biobanking as a tool to maintain genetic diversity in this species. Outcomes from this study should provide significant benefits in safeguarding our unique Australian native species, which is of particular importance following the catastrophic 2019/20 bushfire season.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100001
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$345,475.00
Summary
Pushing the limits of fluorescence microscopy with adaptive optics. This project aims to establish an adaptive optics, super-resolution optical microscopy facility to image cellular events with the highest possible spatial resolution, in a whole cell or tissue context. Sophisticated computer-controlled deformable mirrors will be used to correct the way light is distorted as it passes through specimens, thereby overcoming aberrations found in thick and complex samples. This adaptive optics system ....Pushing the limits of fluorescence microscopy with adaptive optics. This project aims to establish an adaptive optics, super-resolution optical microscopy facility to image cellular events with the highest possible spatial resolution, in a whole cell or tissue context. Sophisticated computer-controlled deformable mirrors will be used to correct the way light is distorted as it passes through specimens, thereby overcoming aberrations found in thick and complex samples. This adaptive optics system will enable researchers to study complex behaviour of biological specimens, at the optical resolution limit in plant and animal tissues, leading to basic biology and biotechnology outcomes in biofuels, biomaterials and biomedicines.Read moreRead less
Enhancing neurogenesis in the adult primate brain. New neurons are robustly generated in the subependymal zone (SEZ) during human development. Thus, the SEZ may represent an endogenous modifiable source of neurons to enhance plasticity and therapeutic potential in the brain. However, despite our preliminary data, SEZ neurogenesis beyond the first months of life is controversial. This project aims to understand changes in the capacity for human SEZ proliferation from birth through to ageing and w ....Enhancing neurogenesis in the adult primate brain. New neurons are robustly generated in the subependymal zone (SEZ) during human development. Thus, the SEZ may represent an endogenous modifiable source of neurons to enhance plasticity and therapeutic potential in the brain. However, despite our preliminary data, SEZ neurogenesis beyond the first months of life is controversial. This project aims to understand changes in the capacity for human SEZ proliferation from birth through to ageing and whether neurogenesis may be induced by inflammation in the adult. Using transcriptomics we will also determine how the neurogenic environment changes with age/inflammation. This project is an important step in proving that the brain's potential to generate new neurons extends beyond infancy.Read moreRead less