Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200101300
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$423,711.00
Summary
Lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophage extracellular traps in host defence. The innate immune system is the first line of defence against invading microbes. Macrophages are key innate immune cells that deploy antimicrobial responses to clear infection and restore health. There are many critical unanswered questions on the molecular mechanisms that drive macrophage inflammatory and antimicrobial pathways. This project aims to elucidate a novel inflammatory mechanism that immobilises and kills inva ....Lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophage extracellular traps in host defence. The innate immune system is the first line of defence against invading microbes. Macrophages are key innate immune cells that deploy antimicrobial responses to clear infection and restore health. There are many critical unanswered questions on the molecular mechanisms that drive macrophage inflammatory and antimicrobial pathways. This project aims to elucidate a novel inflammatory mechanism that immobilises and kills invading bacteria via newly discovered structures made by dying macrophages called extracellular traps. Insight we gain by interrogating this immune cell signalling pathway, called the non-canonical inflammasome, will add valuable knowledge to our fundamental understanding of mammalian inflammation and anti-microbial responses
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The recirculation of myeloid dendritic cells. This project aims to understand dendritic cell recirculation. It will use virological tools to track dendritic cell migration, and identify key decision points. Expected outcomes include enhanced capacity in basic research and greater interdisciplinary collaboration between virology and immunology research groups. Significant benefits will include a new understanding of how G protein coupled receptor signalling and other tissue cues guide dendritic c ....The recirculation of myeloid dendritic cells. This project aims to understand dendritic cell recirculation. It will use virological tools to track dendritic cell migration, and identify key decision points. Expected outcomes include enhanced capacity in basic research and greater interdisciplinary collaboration between virology and immunology research groups. Significant benefits will include a new understanding of how G protein coupled receptor signalling and other tissue cues guide dendritic cell recirculation, and what consequences the recirculation has for immune cell function. This understanding will significantly advance our basic understanding of the immune system.Read moreRead less
Regulation of lung immune-epithelial networks sensing environmental change. This study aims to uncover how lung epithelial cells engage with immune cells and determine their cellular and molecular wiring to ensure homeostatic maintenance and essential repair processes of lung tissues. Maintenance of lung epithelial-immune networks is essential to maintain normal lung tissue structure and function, and to induce immune responses to protect against microbial challenges or inhaled potentially toxic ....Regulation of lung immune-epithelial networks sensing environmental change. This study aims to uncover how lung epithelial cells engage with immune cells and determine their cellular and molecular wiring to ensure homeostatic maintenance and essential repair processes of lung tissues. Maintenance of lung epithelial-immune networks is essential to maintain normal lung tissue structure and function, and to induce immune responses to protect against microbial challenges or inhaled potentially toxic substances. Understanding this molecular program of epithelial-immune cell-mediated sensing/repair will be essential to understand how tissue-repair processes can be driven in the lung, an organ critical for respiration and thus life.Read moreRead less
Does climatic thermal variability matter? This project aims to research how annual and daily variability in temperature effects the distribution of species, their tolerance to temperature, their dispersal ability and genetic structuring. Expected outcomes include more accurate assessment of the ecological risk of climate change, which is expected to result in altered average temperatures and temperature variability. Such assessments will result in better management of species and ecosystems faci ....Does climatic thermal variability matter? This project aims to research how annual and daily variability in temperature effects the distribution of species, their tolerance to temperature, their dispersal ability and genetic structuring. Expected outcomes include more accurate assessment of the ecological risk of climate change, which is expected to result in altered average temperatures and temperature variability. Such assessments will result in better management of species and ecosystems facing threats from climate change.Read moreRead less
Mitochondria as sensors of environmental threats. This project aims to understand how energy-generating mitochondria control immune responses, both in immune cells called macrophages and in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (a free-living roundworm used as a model organism to study gene function and evolutionary biology). The project expects to advance knowledge of how a process called mitochondrial fission enables cells to respond to environmental threats. Expected outcomes include important ....Mitochondria as sensors of environmental threats. This project aims to understand how energy-generating mitochondria control immune responses, both in immune cells called macrophages and in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (a free-living roundworm used as a model organism to study gene function and evolutionary biology). The project expects to advance knowledge of how a process called mitochondrial fission enables cells to respond to environmental threats. Expected outcomes include important conceptual advances in cell biology and genetics, new international and national collaborations, and improved methods for cell biology research. Anticipated benefits include a knowledge base that can be indirectly applied in the long term in the development of new strategies to combat infections.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100611
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$393,664.00
Summary
Building community resilience to coastal climate hazards in Australia. More frequent and intense climate hazards are devastating Australian communities and are projected to worsen as climate changes. This project aims to develop and communicate urgently needed strategies to assist coastal communities to prepare for and respond to climate hazards. The relationship between local-scale connection and capacity to prepare and respond will be investigated using mixed methods research in at-risk commun ....Building community resilience to coastal climate hazards in Australia. More frequent and intense climate hazards are devastating Australian communities and are projected to worsen as climate changes. This project aims to develop and communicate urgently needed strategies to assist coastal communities to prepare for and respond to climate hazards. The relationship between local-scale connection and capacity to prepare and respond will be investigated using mixed methods research in at-risk communities. The research will deliver practical guidance to policy makers and managers that will optimise investments in building community resilience, advance the discipline of human geography, and benefit over 20 million Australians living in coastal areas by creating new knowledge on neighbourhood adaptive capacity.Read moreRead less
Engagement in early childhood education in the context of disadvantage. This research responds to enduring inequalities in children’s participation in high quality early childhood education and care (ECEC). Contemporary families face precarious labour markets and a childcare system with stringent workforce participation requirements. This project will illuminate the affordances of everyday life for families most challenged by these emergent conditions and develop understandings of how to calibr ....Engagement in early childhood education in the context of disadvantage. This research responds to enduring inequalities in children’s participation in high quality early childhood education and care (ECEC). Contemporary families face precarious labour markets and a childcare system with stringent workforce participation requirements. This project will illuminate the affordances of everyday life for families most challenged by these emergent conditions and develop understandings of how to calibrate services accordingly. Findings will support universal ECEC access through knowledge translation about contemporary disadvantage to policy and practice forums. A strong Indigenous component contributes to researcher training and knowledge about effective practice for Indigenous children and their families.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100823
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$442,482.00
Summary
Elucidating ATPase function during NLRP3 inflammasome assembly. Humans and animals are constantly exposed to microbes, which inhabit their external environment as well as body surfaces such as the skin and gut. We are, however, able to co-exist with these microbes, because our immune system protects us from these everyday encounters. This proposal will reveal how an important immune protein called NLRP3 senses microbes and other physiological processes. When NLRP3 senses such factors and is acti ....Elucidating ATPase function during NLRP3 inflammasome assembly. Humans and animals are constantly exposed to microbes, which inhabit their external environment as well as body surfaces such as the skin and gut. We are, however, able to co-exist with these microbes, because our immune system protects us from these everyday encounters. This proposal will reveal how an important immune protein called NLRP3 senses microbes and other physiological processes. When NLRP3 senses such factors and is activated, it induces the release of messenger substances to alert other immune cells. This research will deliver fundamental knowledge of how animals normally co-exist with microbes.Read moreRead less
New Frontiers in Innate Immunity. This program aims to define how the immune system senses and responds to environmental cues. By combining interdisciplinary approaches with cutting-edge imaging and spatial biology technologies, this program expects to reveal how immune sensor proteins are regulated at the molecular, cellular and tissue level. Outcomes of this program include unparalleled insights into molecular mechanisms that underpin effective functioning of the immune system, training of fut ....New Frontiers in Innate Immunity. This program aims to define how the immune system senses and responds to environmental cues. By combining interdisciplinary approaches with cutting-edge imaging and spatial biology technologies, this program expects to reveal how immune sensor proteins are regulated at the molecular, cellular and tissue level. Outcomes of this program include unparalleled insights into molecular mechanisms that underpin effective functioning of the immune system, training of future scientists, and strengthening international collaborations across academia and industry. This will contribute to a high-quality workforce for research and innovation, and secure Australia’s position at the forefront of immunology research driven by cutting-edge technologies. Read moreRead less
Nuclear alarmins escalate tissue immune responses. Humans and other animals are constantly exposed to potential threats, including microbes on and near the body. Animals can live with such dangers because these everyday encounters are made harmless by the immune system. It is unclear how cells distinguish low-danger threats from high-danger threats. This proposal seeks to reveal how immune cells identify increasing levels of threat and appropriately escalate their responses. Expected outcomes in ....Nuclear alarmins escalate tissue immune responses. Humans and other animals are constantly exposed to potential threats, including microbes on and near the body. Animals can live with such dangers because these everyday encounters are made harmless by the immune system. It is unclear how cells distinguish low-danger threats from high-danger threats. This proposal seeks to reveal how immune cells identify increasing levels of threat and appropriately escalate their responses. Expected outcomes include new insights into how immune cells and tissues respond according to the posing threat. Project benefits include understanding how to manipulate danger responses for future basic research and commercial applications, and fundamental understanding of how animals flourish in a dangerous world.Read moreRead less