Examining the links between obesity and insulin resistance. Obesity prevalence is rapidly increasing in Australia and contributes to the onset of many chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. This project will examine how obesity contributes to disease risk and how modifying nutrient delivery and other interventions that protect from cellular stress reduces these risks.
Electrophysiological and Anatomical Characterization of the Coronary Sinus Musculature and its Relationship to the Atria. This series of experiments will characterise the normal coronary sinus musculature and its connectivity to the atria of the heart and establish their electrical relationships. The underlying characteristics of the muscular connections will also be evaluated with a view to possible future manipulations of the system. Understanding normal heart impulse propagation is paramount ....Electrophysiological and Anatomical Characterization of the Coronary Sinus Musculature and its Relationship to the Atria. This series of experiments will characterise the normal coronary sinus musculature and its connectivity to the atria of the heart and establish their electrical relationships. The underlying characteristics of the muscular connections will also be evaluated with a view to possible future manipulations of the system. Understanding normal heart impulse propagation is paramount before we can understand and develop treatments for dealing with heart problems. This information will facilitate the development of techniques to treat and prevent heart rhythm disorders that are a common cause of morbidity in the community.Read moreRead less
Understanding the vesicle release mechanisms that regulate peripheral serotonin levels. The purpose of this project is to understand how serotonin is released into the circulation from specialised cells within the gut. As circulating serotonin controls multiple biological systems within the gut and throughout the body, the outcomes of this project will further understandings of the systems controlling essential bodily functions.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100403
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$468,582.00
Summary
Defining how gut bacteria regulate metabolism: a role for gut serotonin. This project aims to understand how serotonin-producing cells in the gut interact with gut bacteria (the microbiome), using a combination of cells in culture and live germ-free and genetically modified mice. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding cellular interactions that underlie important physiological pathways, such as the control of blood glucose and fat storage. The intended outcomes of this project ....Defining how gut bacteria regulate metabolism: a role for gut serotonin. This project aims to understand how serotonin-producing cells in the gut interact with gut bacteria (the microbiome), using a combination of cells in culture and live germ-free and genetically modified mice. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding cellular interactions that underlie important physiological pathways, such as the control of blood glucose and fat storage. The intended outcomes of this project are to identify how gut bacteria communicate with serotonin-producing cells to regulate metabolism, and whether diet acts via a gut microbiome-serotonin axis to impact physiology. The expected benefit of this project will be to provide a new understanding of highly complex physiological systems that regulate our health.Read moreRead less
The basis of recognition and disposal of dysfunctional proteins by clusterin. When proteins become damaged they can precipitate. A blood protein called clusterin prevents precipitation of damaged proteins. Clusterin does this by forming complexes with the damaged proteins. Clusterin is the first blood protein known to do this. We will discover which parts of clusterin are responsible for this activity. We will also discover whether cells can take up and dispose of the complexes of clusterin and ....The basis of recognition and disposal of dysfunctional proteins by clusterin. When proteins become damaged they can precipitate. A blood protein called clusterin prevents precipitation of damaged proteins. Clusterin does this by forming complexes with the damaged proteins. Clusterin is the first blood protein known to do this. We will discover which parts of clusterin are responsible for this activity. We will also discover whether cells can take up and dispose of the complexes of clusterin and damaged proteins. This work is important because some diseases (eg, Alzheimers disease) involve the toxic effects of abnormal protein precipitation. Understanding how clusterin works may help in developing better treatments for these diseases.Read moreRead less
How Spinal Afferent Neurons Control Appetite and Thirst . This project aims to provide major new insights about how the gut communicates with the brain, to regulate how much food and fluids have been consumed. The proposal expects to generate new knowledge about gut-brain communication and how one of the major sensory nerves from the gut relays information about thirst and appetite sensations. The project addresses fundamental questions that rely on techniques only recently developed in our labo ....How Spinal Afferent Neurons Control Appetite and Thirst . This project aims to provide major new insights about how the gut communicates with the brain, to regulate how much food and fluids have been consumed. The proposal expects to generate new knowledge about gut-brain communication and how one of the major sensory nerves from the gut relays information about thirst and appetite sensations. The project addresses fundamental questions that rely on techniques only recently developed in our laboratory. We expect to demonstrate a major new sensory nerve pathway from the gut to the brain that plays a major role in appetite and thirst sensations. We will learn how gut to brain communication underlies the feeling of "fullness" when people consume food and drink.
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Identifying novel roles of disease-related proteins in the regulation of exocytosis and nervous communication. This research aims to identify new molecules involved in regulating nerve communication and hormone secretion and which are relevent to human diseases and conditions including Type 2 Diabetes, Down Syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease and Huntington's Disease. The findings may provide new targets in the treatments of such conditions. This research is therefore of special relevance to National ....Identifying novel roles of disease-related proteins in the regulation of exocytosis and nervous communication. This research aims to identify new molecules involved in regulating nerve communication and hormone secretion and which are relevent to human diseases and conditions including Type 2 Diabetes, Down Syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease and Huntington's Disease. The findings may provide new targets in the treatments of such conditions. This research is therefore of special relevance to National Research Priority 2: Promoting and Maintaining Good Health and especially to the sub-areas of this Research Priority 2: Ageing well, ageing productively and Preventative healthcare.Read moreRead less
Molecular mechanisms regulating Ca2+ channels formed by Orai and STIM proteins. Store-operated calcium channels play a central role in the functions of all animal cells. They participate in generating the cellular responses to hormones, antigens, growth factors and other physiological stimuli. The aims of this project are to elucidate cellular mechanisms that regulate interaction between the molecular components of store-operated calcium channel, Orai and STIM. Using techniques of electrophysiol ....Molecular mechanisms regulating Ca2+ channels formed by Orai and STIM proteins. Store-operated calcium channels play a central role in the functions of all animal cells. They participate in generating the cellular responses to hormones, antigens, growth factors and other physiological stimuli. The aims of this project are to elucidate cellular mechanisms that regulate interaction between the molecular components of store-operated calcium channel, Orai and STIM. Using techniques of electrophysiology and molecular biology we expect to answer a fundamental question how STIM and Orai proteins interact to form functional store-operated calcium channels, and how the expression of STIM and Orai is regulated.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101807
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Fat sensing in the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract: role in the regulation of gastrointestinal function and energy intake in health and obesity. This project will determine whether a reduced capacity to sense, or taste, the presence of fats in the oral cavity and the gastrointestinal tract diminishes the effects of fat on those aspects of gut function that regulate appetite and suppress energy intake. The project will, accordingly, provide important insights into the pathophysiology of ob ....Fat sensing in the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract: role in the regulation of gastrointestinal function and energy intake in health and obesity. This project will determine whether a reduced capacity to sense, or taste, the presence of fats in the oral cavity and the gastrointestinal tract diminishes the effects of fat on those aspects of gut function that regulate appetite and suppress energy intake. The project will, accordingly, provide important insights into the pathophysiology of obesity.Read moreRead less
Unified framework of intestinal motility. The project aims to establish how a few fundamental mechanisms determine the large repertoire of intestinal motor patterns responsible for moving nutrients along the digestive tract. The project will combine experimental and theoretical data, with biomechanical and electrophysiological models to create a new understanding of this essential function of the body.