Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL170100008
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,248,822.00
Summary
Genes, reproduction and inheritance in a microbe. The project aims to particularly explore sexual gene inheritance in Plasmodium, a representative of a large group of human and animal parasites. Plasmodium must have a sexual exchange of genes in the mosquito for the transfer of disease to a new host. This project will investigate the fate and behaviour of Plasmodium genes during reproduction; the differing chromosome states resulting from sexual genetic processes and the asymmetrical inheritance ....Genes, reproduction and inheritance in a microbe. The project aims to particularly explore sexual gene inheritance in Plasmodium, a representative of a large group of human and animal parasites. Plasmodium must have a sexual exchange of genes in the mosquito for the transfer of disease to a new host. This project will investigate the fate and behaviour of Plasmodium genes during reproduction; the differing chromosome states resulting from sexual genetic processes and the asymmetrical inheritance of some Plasmodium genes. The project is expected to advance Australia’s ability to understand the reproduction and survival of these parasites in their mosquito vector and develop cutting-edge genetic tools that will advance the microbial genetics discipline globally. This may ultimately lead to biotechnology and biomedical outcomes.Read moreRead less
Deciphering the regulatory principles of metazoan development. This proposal aims to elucidate how regulatory elements in the genome, known as enhancers, determine the identity and function of animal tissues. Currently, it is believed that enhancers cannot be traced across evolutionarily distant animals. The project uses novel concepts, computational and molecular approaches to identify deeply conserved enhancers. It further dissects the mechanism of function by proteomics and high-throughput ge ....Deciphering the regulatory principles of metazoan development. This proposal aims to elucidate how regulatory elements in the genome, known as enhancers, determine the identity and function of animal tissues. Currently, it is believed that enhancers cannot be traced across evolutionarily distant animals. The project uses novel concepts, computational and molecular approaches to identify deeply conserved enhancers. It further dissects the mechanism of function by proteomics and high-throughput genomics. The expected outcomes will overturn our current view on enhancer evolution and reposition our understanding of how enhancers are functionally encoded in the genome. The work is an important contribution to understanding cellular complexity and species evolution with wide-ranging impact in genetics.Read moreRead less
Adaptation to life in the dark: genomic analyses of blind beetles. This project aims to utilise a unique Australian model system based on multiple, independently-evolved subterranean water beetles to explore the adaptive and regressive changes in the genome that occur when surface species colonise subterranean habitats. This project focuses on the evolution of Heat Shock protein (Hsp) genes that play critical roles in adaptation to environmental stress and the process of de-canalisation, the rel ....Adaptation to life in the dark: genomic analyses of blind beetles. This project aims to utilise a unique Australian model system based on multiple, independently-evolved subterranean water beetles to explore the adaptive and regressive changes in the genome that occur when surface species colonise subterranean habitats. This project focuses on the evolution of Heat Shock protein (Hsp) genes that play critical roles in adaptation to environmental stress and the process of de-canalisation, the release of cryptic genetic variation that can allow novel morphologies to evolve in new environments. The project expects to provide further understanding of how species may potentially adapt to environmental stresses in the future, including climate change.Read moreRead less
Using Drosophila to analyse a master regulator of epithelial homeostasis. Aims:
This proposal aims to use genetic and cell biological analysis of the vinegar fly, Drosophila, to identify the function of the grainyhead gene in intestinal regeneration.
Significance:
This gene is conserved in all animal species and appears to be a master regulator of epithelial tissue development but it is unclear how it can both influence stem cell maintenance and production of functional cell types.
Expected out ....Using Drosophila to analyse a master regulator of epithelial homeostasis. Aims:
This proposal aims to use genetic and cell biological analysis of the vinegar fly, Drosophila, to identify the function of the grainyhead gene in intestinal regeneration.
Significance:
This gene is conserved in all animal species and appears to be a master regulator of epithelial tissue development but it is unclear how it can both influence stem cell maintenance and production of functional cell types.
Expected outcomes:
We will identify a new mechanism that governs tissue development, and introduce new imaging and genetic technologies to the Australian research community.
Benefit:
We expect potential economic and commercial interest in development of new gene analysis tools and biotechnological tissue manipulation applications.Read moreRead less
Characterising a new regulator of the Hedgehog pathway . The Hedgehog pathway is crucial for embryonic development, and disruption causes multi-organ morphogenesis defects. The CI team has uncovered a new gene required for Hedgehog signalling in mouse, zebrafish, and Drosophila. Preliminary data hints at mechanism for this novel gene and shows it may in fact be a member of a new superfamily. The project will examine gene function and identify interacting protein partners, using the zebrafish, Dr ....Characterising a new regulator of the Hedgehog pathway . The Hedgehog pathway is crucial for embryonic development, and disruption causes multi-organ morphogenesis defects. The CI team has uncovered a new gene required for Hedgehog signalling in mouse, zebrafish, and Drosophila. Preliminary data hints at mechanism for this novel gene and shows it may in fact be a member of a new superfamily. The project will examine gene function and identify interacting protein partners, using the zebrafish, Drosophila, and cell-based models. Findings will provide basic knowledge about this mysterious gene and uncover how it modulates an essential pathway in embryonic development. This research is expected to impact knowledge generation, health, and well-being.Read moreRead less
Using venoms to map critical and evolutionary conserved vulnerabilities. We have developed and applied new functional genomic approaches to study venom evolution. Using CRISPR screening, we find that unrelated venoms act on cells by exploiting the same vulnerabilities. By functionally mapping these vulnerabilities for all venom classes, we can begin to develop universal venom antidotes. Conversely, much of what we know about venom mechanisms comes from a small percentage of the biodiversity with ....Using venoms to map critical and evolutionary conserved vulnerabilities. We have developed and applied new functional genomic approaches to study venom evolution. Using CRISPR screening, we find that unrelated venoms act on cells by exploiting the same vulnerabilities. By functionally mapping these vulnerabilities for all venom classes, we can begin to develop universal venom antidotes. Conversely, much of what we know about venom mechanisms comes from a small percentage of the biodiversity within a venom, and we have developed genomic tools to study the venom “dark matter”. This work will lead to the full molecular characterisation of venom biodiversity, and new venom components will be useful for research or as novel medicines.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230101315
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$461,154.00
Summary
The dynamic interplay between the matrix and cell fate in developing heart. Malformations in the developing heart can lead to catastrophic defects and embryonic loss. The valves play a critical role in blood flow regulation and are made of a stratified matrix that is laid down early in development. This project aims to determine how the cellular fate of the early valve cells establish the layered matrix and in turn how the matrix can influence cell fate by utilising a multi-omics approach to ide ....The dynamic interplay between the matrix and cell fate in developing heart. Malformations in the developing heart can lead to catastrophic defects and embryonic loss. The valves play a critical role in blood flow regulation and are made of a stratified matrix that is laid down early in development. This project aims to determine how the cellular fate of the early valve cells establish the layered matrix and in turn how the matrix can influence cell fate by utilising a multi-omics approach to identify unique cell populations and integrate transcriptional and protein changes during matrix disruption. This project expects to generate fundamental knowledge on how matrix structure can influence cell fate in the valves and will advance Australia's knowledge base and research capabilities in developmental biology.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms that control the inheritance of mitochondrial DNA mutations. How do humans and other organisms prevent the accumulation of dangerous mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) mutations across generations? This Project aims to uncover the cellular and molecular pathways that help prevent the inheritance of mtDNA mutations to offspring by employing cutting-edge genetic technologies that the laboratory has recently developed in the germline of an animal model system. This Project will generate new kn ....Mechanisms that control the inheritance of mitochondrial DNA mutations. How do humans and other organisms prevent the accumulation of dangerous mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) mutations across generations? This Project aims to uncover the cellular and molecular pathways that help prevent the inheritance of mtDNA mutations to offspring by employing cutting-edge genetic technologies that the laboratory has recently developed in the germline of an animal model system. This Project will generate new knowledge in the area of mitochondrial genetics and evolution. Expected outcomes include the development of new theories for mtDNA inheritance, which should provide significant benefits for agricultural breeding programs and the interpretation of mtDNA inheritance patterns in the human population.Read moreRead less
Novel Approaches To Nanomedicines For Future Therapies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,414,215.00
Summary
Nanomedicines have the potential to transform healthcare by targeting significant health issues such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes and Parkinson’s diseases that have mainly eluded successful therapeutic solutions. In addition, nanotechnology has the potential to significantly improve the treatment of chronic pain by repurposing analgesic medications for improved effectiveness without significant side effects. I will target these two areas of research during the next five years.
Evolution and mechanisms of interactions in biofilm communities. This project aims to study the long-term experimental evolution of a mixed species bacterial biofilm community. This project expects to gain understanding of the genetic and physiological basis of community evolution. Expected outcomes of this project will be an understanding of how synthetic communities evolve. This will significantly benefit the use of synthetic communities relevant to fields such as antibiotic design, biotechnol ....Evolution and mechanisms of interactions in biofilm communities. This project aims to study the long-term experimental evolution of a mixed species bacterial biofilm community. This project expects to gain understanding of the genetic and physiological basis of community evolution. Expected outcomes of this project will be an understanding of how synthetic communities evolve. This will significantly benefit the use of synthetic communities relevant to fields such as antibiotic design, biotechnology, bioremediation, and synthetic biology where evolution can be inhibited or exploited, respectively.Read moreRead less