Identification of Biological pathways regulated by circular RNAs. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a, recently discovered molecule. circRNAs are highly abundant and expressed in a tissue and disease specific manner. Yet, currently the understanding of how circRNAs regulate biological processes is very poor. This project aims to use pooled shRNA libraries to screen a large panel of cell lines and systematically identify cellular activities that are regulated by circRNAs. The expected outcome of this ....Identification of Biological pathways regulated by circular RNAs. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a, recently discovered molecule. circRNAs are highly abundant and expressed in a tissue and disease specific manner. Yet, currently the understanding of how circRNAs regulate biological processes is very poor. This project aims to use pooled shRNA libraries to screen a large panel of cell lines and systematically identify cellular activities that are regulated by circRNAs. The expected outcome of this study will be a catalogue of functionally active circRNAs. Over the past decades, the wealth of knowledge on the function of linear mRNAs has had a significant impact on medicine and agriculture. Similarly understanding how circRNAs regulate cellular activities may have an analogous impact on humans.Read moreRead less
Endocardial sprouting and mechano-signalling in heart trabeculation. This project aims to understand how the ventricles, the pumping chambers of the mammalian heart, form during embryonic life. Critical is the elaboration of trabeculae, myocardial projections that form a sponge-like layer on the inner surface of the chamber wall and which play vital roles in contraction, oxygen and nutrient exchange, conduction and septation. The project expects to develop a deeper understanding of trabeculation ....Endocardial sprouting and mechano-signalling in heart trabeculation. This project aims to understand how the ventricles, the pumping chambers of the mammalian heart, form during embryonic life. Critical is the elaboration of trabeculae, myocardial projections that form a sponge-like layer on the inner surface of the chamber wall and which play vital roles in contraction, oxygen and nutrient exchange, conduction and septation. The project expects to develop a deeper understanding of trabeculation using high resolution, single cell methodologies, and to investigate how bio-mechanical forces from contraction or blood flow influence chambers formation.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100130
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$850,000.00
Summary
Systems biology: New generation DNA sequencing to functional analysis. The technique of DNA sequencing (or 'reading' the lines of the four repeating letters that make up the genetic code) illustrates how technological developments have become the main drivers in exploring the roles of genetic factors across a spectrum of research activities. Funding provided through this ARC grant will allow the purchase of the latest DNA sequencing platform, the Illumina Solexa, as well as equipment that will b ....Systems biology: New generation DNA sequencing to functional analysis. The technique of DNA sequencing (or 'reading' the lines of the four repeating letters that make up the genetic code) illustrates how technological developments have become the main drivers in exploring the roles of genetic factors across a spectrum of research activities. Funding provided through this ARC grant will allow the purchase of the latest DNA sequencing platform, the Illumina Solexa, as well as equipment that will be used to understand the biological function of the DNA sequencing results that are obtained. The equipment will allow Australian researchers to compete on an equal footing with the international leaders in understanding the roles played by genes in plants, microorganisms, animals and humans.Read moreRead less
Genetic And Evironmenal Risk Factors For Melanoma: Translation Into Behavioural Change
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$250,900.00
Summary
GenoMEL, formerly known as the Melanoma Genetics Consortium, has focused on the identification of familial high penetrance melanoma genes. The joint programme of research has been very successful in the identification of susceptibility genes and developing joint data collection for gene-environment interaction studies. In order to continue its proactive role, GenoMEL wishes to develop a multidisciplinary European platform, directed towards: 1. developing shared resources and activities 2. identi ....GenoMEL, formerly known as the Melanoma Genetics Consortium, has focused on the identification of familial high penetrance melanoma genes. The joint programme of research has been very successful in the identification of susceptibility genes and developing joint data collection for gene-environment interaction studies. In order to continue its proactive role, GenoMEL wishes to develop a multidisciplinary European platform, directed towards: 1. developing shared resources and activities 2. identification of new susceptibility genes and understanding the role of these genes in tumours 3. investigation of genotype-phenotype interaction and gene-environment interaction for known susceptibility genes 4. investigation of attitudes to risk of melanoma in Europe, and translation of that risk perception into behavioural change 5. spreading excellence by creating a widely accessible web-based content management system (CMS) to address prevention, early detection, dealing with the diagnosis of melanoma and genetic counselling. Through GenoMEL's jointly executed research, groups will support the network's goal to maintain excellence in research, increase institutional integration and create an enduring structure of translational melanoma genetics research in Europe and other countries. European integration will enhance dialogue, disseminate expertise and resources, provide training and allow mobility of scientists within Europe. It is aimed to keep the network open and dynamic by adding new partners, especially in Eastern Europe where melanoma incidence rates may rise most precipitously in the near future, if the expected increase in wealth results in greater levels of sun exposure. There will be participation from four new European groups and others from Australia, the USA and Israel to capitalize on latitudinal (sun exposure) differences between these groups.Read moreRead less
Regulatory architecture of the trunk-to-tail transition. This project aims to elucidate gene regulatory mechanisms that control how the head-to-tail axis is laid down during embryonic development. The project capitalises on unique pluripotent stem cell resources and cutting-edge genomic technology developed by the team. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of developmental biology and gene regulation that is anticipated to have wider application to the understanding of evol ....Regulatory architecture of the trunk-to-tail transition. This project aims to elucidate gene regulatory mechanisms that control how the head-to-tail axis is laid down during embryonic development. The project capitalises on unique pluripotent stem cell resources and cutting-edge genomic technology developed by the team. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of developmental biology and gene regulation that is anticipated to have wider application to the understanding of evolutionary mechanisms and ultimately regenerative medicine.Read moreRead less
Visualising genetic mosaicism during development. Genetic diversity is the variation in DNA sequence among individuals. We now know that there are also differences in the DNA sequences of cells within the same individual, known as genetic mosaicism. The aims of this proposal are 1) to develop a system to visualise genetic mosaicism 2) arising during embryonic development and 3) in the brain, driven by mobile DNA activity. The expected outcome of this proposal is an unprecedented understanding of ....Visualising genetic mosaicism during development. Genetic diversity is the variation in DNA sequence among individuals. We now know that there are also differences in the DNA sequences of cells within the same individual, known as genetic mosaicism. The aims of this proposal are 1) to develop a system to visualise genetic mosaicism 2) arising during embryonic development and 3) in the brain, driven by mobile DNA activity. The expected outcome of this proposal is an unprecedented understanding of the scope and consequences of mobile DNA-driven mosaicism. This work will have significant impacts in developmental genetics and neurogenetics, and has the benefit of introducing an innovative experimental system with the potential to spark international scientific collaboration and recognition.Read moreRead less
Early evolution of the endomesoderm gene regulatory network. This project aims to unravel the endomesoderm gene network’s evolutionary history by identifying its conserved components’ target genes in the calcareous sponge Sycon. Little is known about the evolutionary origin of the developmental gene regulatory networks active in the development of all Eumetazoans (animals with nerves and digestive systems). Sponges are key models to study the transition from protists to eumetazoans, and gene exp ....Early evolution of the endomesoderm gene regulatory network. This project aims to unravel the endomesoderm gene network’s evolutionary history by identifying its conserved components’ target genes in the calcareous sponge Sycon. Little is known about the evolutionary origin of the developmental gene regulatory networks active in the development of all Eumetazoans (animals with nerves and digestive systems). Sponges are key models to study the transition from protists to eumetazoans, and gene expression data supports homology between sponge and eumetazoan tissues and body plans. This project could illuminate the evolutionary history of the animal body plan.Read moreRead less
Genome-wide Combined Linkage-association Scan Of Multiply Phenotyped Twin Sibships
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,920,000.00
Summary
We have a large ongoing study of adolescent twins, their siblings and parents who are multiply phenotyped in many domains including melanoma risk factors, serum biochemistry, and cognition. We used our first Medical Genomics grant to obtain a 5cM linkage scan for>500 families and have identified linkage peaks for many different phenotypes. To fine map these it will be most efficient to carry out a genome-wide association scan. We request funds to type a 500k SNP chip on 1000 individuals.
Old genes learning new tricks: characterising regulatory changes driving increased heart complexity during vertebrate evolution. The heart has dramatically increased in morphological complexity during vertebrate evolution but the molecular basis driving these major changes remains unknown. Using comparative genomics approaches, this project will explore changes in the regulation of genes involved in heart formation that lead to changes in cardiac structure. It will elucidate for the first time t ....Old genes learning new tricks: characterising regulatory changes driving increased heart complexity during vertebrate evolution. The heart has dramatically increased in morphological complexity during vertebrate evolution but the molecular basis driving these major changes remains unknown. Using comparative genomics approaches, this project will explore changes in the regulation of genes involved in heart formation that lead to changes in cardiac structure. It will elucidate for the first time the cardiac regulatory repertoire in zebrafish and will compare it with that of fly and mouse using cutting-edge bioinformatics pipelines. This work will unravel cardiac-specific regulatory modifications that give rise to evolutionary changes. On a broader scale, it will shed new light on the role of regulatory innovations over gene innovations in the emergence of new traits.Read moreRead less
Developing the Dunnart as a Model Species for Marsupial Research. The project aims to develop a marsupial model capable of genome manipulations to take our understanding of marsupial biology to the next level. In doing so, the project would produce the first comprehensive transcriptome data defining early cell lineage specification in a marsupial. Combined with similar data from mouse and human, it would enable us to examine diversity in early mammals. In addition, it would identify cohorts of g ....Developing the Dunnart as a Model Species for Marsupial Research. The project aims to develop a marsupial model capable of genome manipulations to take our understanding of marsupial biology to the next level. In doing so, the project would produce the first comprehensive transcriptome data defining early cell lineage specification in a marsupial. Combined with similar data from mouse and human, it would enable us to examine diversity in early mammals. In addition, it would identify cohorts of genes with fundamental roles in differentiation of the earliest cell lineages: trophoblast, pluriblast and hypoblast. The project may identify maternally localised transcripts with a marsupial-specific role in trophoblast–pluriblast specification, giving new insights into the fundamental pathways maintaining pluripotency in mammals and the evolution of the mammalian genome.Read moreRead less