Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100178
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$453,913.00
Summary
Fast, lightweight and live nanopore sequencing analysis. This project aims to address limitations in nanopore sequencing (latest emerging technology in genomics) by applying advanced computational methods. This project expects to create new knowledge in bioinformatics and computer science through innovative approaches that leverage the live data streaming capability of nanopore devices to deliver results rapidly, or in real-time. Expected outcomes include improved, highly efficient analysis meth ....Fast, lightweight and live nanopore sequencing analysis. This project aims to address limitations in nanopore sequencing (latest emerging technology in genomics) by applying advanced computational methods. This project expects to create new knowledge in bioinformatics and computer science through innovative approaches that leverage the live data streaming capability of nanopore devices to deliver results rapidly, or in real-time. Expected outcomes include improved, highly efficient analysis methods and designs for future creation of custom computer hardware for nanopore analysis. This will facilitate widespread adoption of nanopore technology in bioscience research and applied domains (health, agriculture, ecology, biosecurity and forensics), including for portable in-the-field applications. Read moreRead less
Dynamics of mitochondrial cristae in life and death . This application seeks to use innovative approaches to address how massive structural arrangements in mitochondria are dealt with during normal cell function, and modulated during cell death. The study builds on discoveries made by a team with world-leading expertise in mitochondrial biology and cell death – and brings innovative, cutting-edge techniques in cell biology, proteomics and imaging. The findings will provide new fundamental insig ....Dynamics of mitochondrial cristae in life and death . This application seeks to use innovative approaches to address how massive structural arrangements in mitochondria are dealt with during normal cell function, and modulated during cell death. The study builds on discoveries made by a team with world-leading expertise in mitochondrial biology and cell death – and brings innovative, cutting-edge techniques in cell biology, proteomics and imaging. The findings will provide new fundamental insights into cellular organisation and uncover new principles of communication. Trainees will gain skills in technologies that are highly translatable and in demand in other areas of scientific endeavours. As such the expertise obtained will expand Australian research capabilities.
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New mechanisms regulating the biogenesis of extracellular vesicles. Extracellular vesicles are small packages that contain active components derived from the cell of origin. These vesicles, released by most cell types, are critical for communication between cells. However, the processes of their formation and release remain poorly understood. This project aims to explore how ubiquitination, a type of protein modification system, controls the production of extracellular vesicles. Using a strong c ....New mechanisms regulating the biogenesis of extracellular vesicles. Extracellular vesicles are small packages that contain active components derived from the cell of origin. These vesicles, released by most cell types, are critical for communication between cells. However, the processes of their formation and release remain poorly understood. This project aims to explore how ubiquitination, a type of protein modification system, controls the production of extracellular vesicles. Using a strong collaborative team and highly innovative approaches, the project will generate new knowledge to inform how cells communicate. Expected outcomes include knowledge of broad significance to cell biology, that can be leveraged to develop extracellular vesicles as tools for various biotechnology applications in the future.Read moreRead less
Understanding T cell trafficking and function during antigenic interference. Science generally studies antigenic stimulation in isolation, by measuring immunity towards antigens derived from a single pathogen. However, as mammals can harbour more than one infection at any given time, we established a model of antigenic interference using different antigens derived from two unrelated pathogens, influenza A (IAV) and Semliki Forest virus (SFV). Our data show that prior exposure to either IAV or SF ....Understanding T cell trafficking and function during antigenic interference. Science generally studies antigenic stimulation in isolation, by measuring immunity towards antigens derived from a single pathogen. However, as mammals can harbour more than one infection at any given time, we established a model of antigenic interference using different antigens derived from two unrelated pathogens, influenza A (IAV) and Semliki Forest virus (SFV). Our data show that prior exposure to either IAV or SFV greatly perturbs T cell dynamics. This proposal will study, at cellular and molecular levels, T cell trafficking, function and clonal distribution during antigenic interference, thus advance fundamental knowledge on T cell immunity during antigenic competition, and provide a new paradigm on how we research T cell immunity.Read moreRead less
Mapping networks governing cell state plasticity: how, where and when? Single cell organisms are the basic unit of life, yet, if they had not developed the ability to change cell states we would not exist today. Changing cell states lies at the core of almost every developmental and disease process in multicellular organisms. Building upon our fundamental discovery that stem cells and non-stem cells readily interconvert, we will now incorporate innovative cell systems and the development of our ....Mapping networks governing cell state plasticity: how, where and when? Single cell organisms are the basic unit of life, yet, if they had not developed the ability to change cell states we would not exist today. Changing cell states lies at the core of almost every developmental and disease process in multicellular organisms. Building upon our fundamental discovery that stem cells and non-stem cells readily interconvert, we will now incorporate innovative cell systems and the development of our new multi-layered systems biology strategy to elucidate the first comprehensive understanding of the cell biology that underlies cell state changes. These studies are a major step toward understanding the fundamentals of life. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240101286
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$469,707.00
Summary
SARS-CoV-2-induced dead cell fragments drive viral uptake and inflammation. This project will apply advanced cell biology and imaging techniques to investigate how macrophages, which lacks a canonical receptor for viral entry, become infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and elicit inflammatory responses. Its insights into a novel pathway of viral entry is expected to advance our understanding of host-pathogen interaction. The project is intended to uncover t ....SARS-CoV-2-induced dead cell fragments drive viral uptake and inflammation. This project will apply advanced cell biology and imaging techniques to investigate how macrophages, which lacks a canonical receptor for viral entry, become infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and elicit inflammatory responses. Its insights into a novel pathway of viral entry is expected to advance our understanding of host-pathogen interaction. The project is intended to uncover the role of SARS-CoV-2-induced dead cell fragmentation in promoting viral uptake and inflammation. Its findings should provide significant scientific, health and economic benefits by informing new research directions on infection and innate immunity as well as future therapeutic designs for infection treatment.Read moreRead less
Formation and clearance of endothelial cell-derived exophers. This project aims to investigate how cells that line the blood vessels release cellular wastes and their subsequent removal by immune cells.
It is critical that cellular waste are removed in a timely manner as their accumulation inside the cell can interfere with normal cell functions. The intended outcome of the project is to generate fundamental new knowledge of the mechanisms by which cellular waste are efficiently removed.
Exp ....Formation and clearance of endothelial cell-derived exophers. This project aims to investigate how cells that line the blood vessels release cellular wastes and their subsequent removal by immune cells.
It is critical that cellular waste are removed in a timely manner as their accumulation inside the cell can interfere with normal cell functions. The intended outcome of the project is to generate fundamental new knowledge of the mechanisms by which cellular waste are efficiently removed.
Expected outcomes encompass a paradigm-shift in understanding how cells that line the blood vessels dispose unwanted cellular contents. This should provide significant benefits including understanding how these specialised cells maintain the integrity of blood vessels and communicate with immune cells.Read moreRead less
Developmental functions of oxygen and redox cues in plants. This project aims to transform our understanding of the regulation of meristem functions, with a central hypothesis that plant cell quiescence (repressed cell division) is governed by oxygen and oxidation/reduction (redox)-dependent cues. Meristems are the growing tips of plants, and thus the fundamental unit of plant growth and productivity. This project will develop new knowledge of how plants integrate changes in the environment to r ....Developmental functions of oxygen and redox cues in plants. This project aims to transform our understanding of the regulation of meristem functions, with a central hypothesis that plant cell quiescence (repressed cell division) is governed by oxygen and oxidation/reduction (redox)-dependent cues. Meristems are the growing tips of plants, and thus the fundamental unit of plant growth and productivity. This project will develop new knowledge of how plants integrate changes in the environment to regulate meristem activity. This project will define new paradigms of how oxygen and redox status interact with energy and other cues to regulate decisions to grow or quiesce. This will underpin the development of new strategies to optimise crop management and productivity, improve the efficiency of inputs, and reduce the risk of decision making in crop production.Read moreRead less
Mechanism and function of cell asymmetry during cell death. This project aims to investigate how dying cells rearrange their cellular contents to aid their removal.
More than 200 billions cells die daily in the human body. It is critical that dying cells are rapidly cleared as their buildup can interfere with normal tissue functions. This project will use a suite of contemporary molecular/cell biological approaches to study a newly identified process that occurs during cell death. Expected outc ....Mechanism and function of cell asymmetry during cell death. This project aims to investigate how dying cells rearrange their cellular contents to aid their removal.
More than 200 billions cells die daily in the human body. It is critical that dying cells are rapidly cleared as their buildup can interfere with normal tissue functions. This project will use a suite of contemporary molecular/cell biological approaches to study a newly identified process that occurs during cell death. Expected outcomes include a paradigm-shift in understanding the process of cell clearance.
This project is expected to generate fundamental new knowledge of the mechanisms by which dying cells are efficiently removed from tissues. This should provide significant benefits to the cell death and general cell biology fields.Read moreRead less