The Role Of Meninges In Midbrain Dopamine Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$378,311.00
Summary
Dopamine neurons are important for the control of movement, emotion and cognitive function, and are affected in a number of disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. Instrumental in improving our knowledge of disease etiology and the development of new therapies will be a greater understanding of how these cells are initially born during development. This project examines the role of the brain’s meninges in dopamine development and repair and will identify proteins and signaling pathways involved.
Transcriptional control of neural stem cell differentiation during development and disease. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that control how neural stem cells differentiate is critical to provide potential therapeutic treatment for neurodegenerative diseases and for brain cancer. This project will aim to discover, using an animal model system, the genes and molecules regulating these key biological processes.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100074
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$520,000.00
Summary
Facilities for automated high-throughput slide scanning and stereology. The equipment requested will facilitate the work of the Australian Mouse Brain Mapping Consortium, a consortium of Australian research groups collaborating to provide the only mouse model brain mapping capability in the country. The consortium brings together laboratory, neuroimaging and computational expertise in a comprehensive framework for imaging the mouse brain. This will help researchers to study mouse models of genet ....Facilities for automated high-throughput slide scanning and stereology. The equipment requested will facilitate the work of the Australian Mouse Brain Mapping Consortium, a consortium of Australian research groups collaborating to provide the only mouse model brain mapping capability in the country. The consortium brings together laboratory, neuroimaging and computational expertise in a comprehensive framework for imaging the mouse brain. This will help researchers to study mouse models of genetic and acquired disorders across the life-span. Remote viewing and analysis capabilities will help overcome the 'tyranny of distance', increasing national access to the facility. Repositories of digitised images will increase the availability of valuable research material to other Australian and international researchers.Read moreRead less
Understanding The Molecular Basis Of Central Nervous System Myelination
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,388.00
Summary
Oligodendrocytes are the cell type in the central nervous system that produce myelin, the insulating layer around nerve cells. Loss of oligodendrocytes and myelin are key features of multiple sclerosis. This project aims to clarify the mechanisms that control the myelination of nerve cells during normal development, allowing the development of strategies to promote myelin repair in human diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis.
Investigating Underlying Mechanisms Linking Type 2 Diabetes With Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$701,950.00
Summary
With type-2 diabetes representing a major risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, it is important to understand the underlying mechanisms. This project will provide significant insight into how T2D impacts the brain with a focus on how deficiencies in brain inuslin signaling drives neurodegeneration. We will also evaluate novel inuslin like molecules at improving brain insulin siganling and preventing or slowing down the neurodegenerative process.
Cellular and Neurochemical Basis of Drug Addiction. Addiction to the major drugs of abuse, including heroin, amphetamines, cocaine, nicotine and alcohol damage the lives and cause premature death of more than 20% of Australians. Addiction produces long-term disruption of brain processes that lead to loss of control over urges to consume drugs and persistent cycles of relapse to drug taking. This research will apply new neurochemical approaches to discover mechanisms of disrupted brain function t ....Cellular and Neurochemical Basis of Drug Addiction. Addiction to the major drugs of abuse, including heroin, amphetamines, cocaine, nicotine and alcohol damage the lives and cause premature death of more than 20% of Australians. Addiction produces long-term disruption of brain processes that lead to loss of control over urges to consume drugs and persistent cycles of relapse to drug taking. This research will apply new neurochemical approaches to discover mechanisms of disrupted brain function that occur during development of addiction and relapse that are critical for development of better strategies to treat the disorder. Read moreRead less
Molecular control of adult neural stem cell quiescence. The objective of this project is to improve our understanding of adult neural stem cell biology and function. Within the central nervous system of the brain, neural stem cells persist throughout adult life. These cells continually produce new neurons that are pivotal for processes including learning and memory, and deficits in adult neurogenesis have been linked to age-related cognitive decline. Adult neural stem cells are predominantly qui ....Molecular control of adult neural stem cell quiescence. The objective of this project is to improve our understanding of adult neural stem cell biology and function. Within the central nervous system of the brain, neural stem cells persist throughout adult life. These cells continually produce new neurons that are pivotal for processes including learning and memory, and deficits in adult neurogenesis have been linked to age-related cognitive decline. Adult neural stem cells are predominantly quiescent, dividing rarely to ensure that they are not prematurely exhausted. However, the factors that maintain this quiescence are very poorly defined. The project aims to understand how stem cell quiescence is controlled at both a molecular and cellular level in vivo within the adult mouse brain.Read moreRead less
Transcriptional regulation of brain size during development. This project aims to understand the fundamental mechanisms through which intermediate progenitor cell (IPC) formation is regulated within the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex plays a key role in functions central to our existence, including emotion, behaviour, learning and memory. During development, cortical neural stem cells produce neurons via IPCs. This project expects to discover the genetic programs regulating neuronal produc ....Transcriptional regulation of brain size during development. This project aims to understand the fundamental mechanisms through which intermediate progenitor cell (IPC) formation is regulated within the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex plays a key role in functions central to our existence, including emotion, behaviour, learning and memory. During development, cortical neural stem cells produce neurons via IPCs. This project expects to discover the genetic programs regulating neuronal production, providing significant conceptual advances in this key field. This will provide significant benefits, such as enhancing our understanding of how overall brain size is regulated during development.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101578
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,000.00
Summary
How does neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus influence learning & memory? One of the primary brain structures critical for learning and memory in animals and humans is the hippocampus, where regulated production of new neurons throughout life (i.e. adult neurogenesis) underpins these cognitive functions. The project aims to unravel how adult-born neurons exert their influence over behaviour by determining when newly born neurons become critical for behaviour and the connections made by these c ....How does neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus influence learning & memory? One of the primary brain structures critical for learning and memory in animals and humans is the hippocampus, where regulated production of new neurons throughout life (i.e. adult neurogenesis) underpins these cognitive functions. The project aims to unravel how adult-born neurons exert their influence over behaviour by determining when newly born neurons become critical for behaviour and the connections made by these cells within the hippocampal network. It aims to provide fundamental new insight into the stages at which these neurons are important for the acquisition of spatial task versus the recall of spatial tasks.Read moreRead less