How does timing affect mammalian brain development and evolution? This project aims to generate fundamental knowledge on the origin of diversity in mammalian brain circuits by studying development of marsupials and rodents. The expected outcome is to elucidate how differences in the timing, rate and sequence of development of gene expression, cell differentiation and circuit formation can relate to the origin of key evolutionary innovations in the mammalian brain. The significance of understandi ....How does timing affect mammalian brain development and evolution? This project aims to generate fundamental knowledge on the origin of diversity in mammalian brain circuits by studying development of marsupials and rodents. The expected outcome is to elucidate how differences in the timing, rate and sequence of development of gene expression, cell differentiation and circuit formation can relate to the origin of key evolutionary innovations in the mammalian brain. The significance of understanding the dynamics of developmental systems that shape complex brain traits includes establishing new developmental paradigms in evolutionary theory, generating new tools to investigate and manipulate brain gene expression in vivo, and the potential discovery of the causes of neurodevelopmental dysfunction.Read moreRead less
Is SPINT1 a key regulator of placental development? . The placenta is an essential organ required for reproduction in placental species. This project aims to elucidate the fundamental biology of SPINT1 in placental development. It will generate new knowledge about whether the spatial and temporal expression of SPINT1 is conserved across several species; cow, sheep, lizard, mouse and human. It will also define the molecular mechanisms by which SPINT1 directs formation, maturation and expansion o ....Is SPINT1 a key regulator of placental development? . The placenta is an essential organ required for reproduction in placental species. This project aims to elucidate the fundamental biology of SPINT1 in placental development. It will generate new knowledge about whether the spatial and temporal expression of SPINT1 is conserved across several species; cow, sheep, lizard, mouse and human. It will also define the molecular mechanisms by which SPINT1 directs formation, maturation and expansion of the placental exchange interface which is critical for offspring survival.
The project will increase understanding of placental development, enhance collaboration and research knowhow, and promote future applied projects in all species that reproduce via placental support.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100561
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$462,237.00
Summary
Understanding how platelets mediate new neuron formation in the adult brain. Exercise boosts the generation of new nerve cells from adult neural stem cells in the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory, the hippocampus. This project aims to investigate the mechanisms behind this effect, in particular, how blood cells known as platelets mediate this process. The expected outcomes include the discovery of new communication pathways between platelets and the brain following exercise ....Understanding how platelets mediate new neuron formation in the adult brain. Exercise boosts the generation of new nerve cells from adult neural stem cells in the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory, the hippocampus. This project aims to investigate the mechanisms behind this effect, in particular, how blood cells known as platelets mediate this process. The expected outcomes include the discovery of new communication pathways between platelets and the brain following exercise and will determine the importance of these blood cells in mediating brain function. This will help to explain how exercise affects the brain and may benefit Australian society through the implementation of new methods to support learning and memory in schools and workplaces, thereby enhancing performance and productivity.Read moreRead less
Understanding the generation of hypothalamic sleep neurons. This Project aims to investigate the mechanisms controlling the formation of the sleep neurons in the hypothalamus. We all sleep, and normal sleep-wake cycles play a central role in our biology. The functional role of these sleep neurons in the mature brain are well established. However, how the neurons are generated during development is very poorly defined. This project aims to address this critical knowledge gap, and will greatly inc ....Understanding the generation of hypothalamic sleep neurons. This Project aims to investigate the mechanisms controlling the formation of the sleep neurons in the hypothalamus. We all sleep, and normal sleep-wake cycles play a central role in our biology. The functional role of these sleep neurons in the mature brain are well established. However, how the neurons are generated during development is very poorly defined. This project aims to address this critical knowledge gap, and will greatly increase our understanding of how the development of this critical aspect of organismal function is orchestrated during development. This project will also develop bioinformatics tools with broad utility within the biosciences field and enhance the capacity for interdisciplinary international collaborations.Read moreRead less
Old brain cells perform new tricks to allow life-long learning. In the brain, nerve cells transmit electrical signals more quickly and reliably when they are insulated. The insulating cells undergo small adaptive changes that speed up information transfer during learning, and the faster the electrical signal, the better the learning outcomes. This project aims to understand the signals that direct insulating cells to adapt and support life-long learning. In the longer term, this knowledge may be ....Old brain cells perform new tricks to allow life-long learning. In the brain, nerve cells transmit electrical signals more quickly and reliably when they are insulated. The insulating cells undergo small adaptive changes that speed up information transfer during learning, and the faster the electrical signal, the better the learning outcomes. This project aims to understand the signals that direct insulating cells to adapt and support life-long learning. In the longer term, this knowledge may be used to: develop interventions that improve learning and educational outcomes; counteract age-related memory decline and enable longer work force participation; develop strategies to circumvent the memory loss caused by brain diseases, or improve the design of computer hardware.Read moreRead less
Probing new physics with atomic parity violation. This project aims to provide a new level of rigour in tests of the standard model of particle physics at low energies, and to reveal or more tightly constrain new particles or forces. This will involve the development of state-of-the-art atomic theory techniques and collaboration with world-leading experimental groups. The expected outcomes and benefits include a breakthrough in the precision of atomic theory calculations, new insights into nucle ....Probing new physics with atomic parity violation. This project aims to provide a new level of rigour in tests of the standard model of particle physics at low energies, and to reveal or more tightly constrain new particles or forces. This will involve the development of state-of-the-art atomic theory techniques and collaboration with world-leading experimental groups. The expected outcomes and benefits include a breakthrough in the precision of atomic theory calculations, new insights into nuclear magnetic structure, improved determination of fundamental particle physics parameters, stronger ties with the international experimental community, enhancing Australian leadership and expertise, and high-level training of the next generation of scientists.Read moreRead less
Time-space resolved photoelectron emission to control molecular processes. This project aims to resolve simultaneously the timing and space localisation of photoelectron emission from atoms and molecules as a means for targeted breaking of molecular bonds. Existing techniques determine the timing and spatial characteristics of photoemission independently. The simultaneous time-space resolution will allow for the precise manipulation of photoelectrons by a sequence of phase-stabilised laser pulse ....Time-space resolved photoelectron emission to control molecular processes. This project aims to resolve simultaneously the timing and space localisation of photoelectron emission from atoms and molecules as a means for targeted breaking of molecular bonds. Existing techniques determine the timing and spatial characteristics of photoemission independently. The simultaneous time-space resolution will allow for the precise manipulation of photoelectrons by a sequence of phase-stabilised laser pulses, a technique known as coherent control. The benefit of this project will be the coherently controlled breaking of molecular bonds in oxide, carbonyl and hydrocarbon molecules. The outcome will be a significant step forward in driving complex photochemical reactions in industry.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210101026
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$438,835.00
Summary
Atomic physics as a probe for fundamental physics and dark matter. The Standard Model is extremely effective at describing the fundamental particles and interactions, but is known to be incomplete. This project aims to uncover new signatures of physics beyond the Standard Model that may be observed in atomic experiments. This project expects to generate new knowledge to help unravel the mystery of dark matter, which accounts for the majority (85%) of the matter in the universe. Expected outcomes ....Atomic physics as a probe for fundamental physics and dark matter. The Standard Model is extremely effective at describing the fundamental particles and interactions, but is known to be incomplete. This project aims to uncover new signatures of physics beyond the Standard Model that may be observed in atomic experiments. This project expects to generate new knowledge to help unravel the mystery of dark matter, which accounts for the majority (85%) of the matter in the universe. Expected outcomes include extending theoretical atomic physics methods, calculating new observable atomic effects, and combining these with experiments to probe fundamental physics and search for dark matter. These outcomes would contribute to the expanding knowledge in the fields of atomic and fundamental physics.Read moreRead less
Defending AI based FinTech Systems against Model Extraction Attacks. This project aims to develop new methods for defending artificial intelligence (AI) based FinTech systems from highly potent and insidious model extraction attacks whereby an adversary can steal the AI model from the system to cause intellectual property (IP) violation, business advantage disruption, and financial loss. This can be achieved by examining various attack models, creating active and utility-preserving defences, and ....Defending AI based FinTech Systems against Model Extraction Attacks. This project aims to develop new methods for defending artificial intelligence (AI) based FinTech systems from highly potent and insidious model extraction attacks whereby an adversary can steal the AI model from the system to cause intellectual property (IP) violation, business advantage disruption, and financial loss. This can be achieved by examining various attack models, creating active and utility-preserving defences, and inventing non-removable watermarks on AI models. The outcomes are new tools for securing AI-based FinTech systems before deployment and tools for IP violation forensics post-deployment. Such capabilities are beneficial by improving the security and safety of FinTech systems and other nationally critical AI systems.Read moreRead less
Non-equilibrium presolvation electron processes at the gas-liquid interface. The interaction of low-temperature plasma electrons with liquids has served as a reducing agent in various technological applications in water treatment, agriculture, biofuels and medicine. Predictive control of the plasma-liquid interface is essential to unlocking the potential of these applications, and this has been limited by the absence of the relevant non-equilibrium transport theory describing electrons at the pl ....Non-equilibrium presolvation electron processes at the gas-liquid interface. The interaction of low-temperature plasma electrons with liquids has served as a reducing agent in various technological applications in water treatment, agriculture, biofuels and medicine. Predictive control of the plasma-liquid interface is essential to unlocking the potential of these applications, and this has been limited by the absence of the relevant non-equilibrium transport theory describing electrons at the plasma-liquid interface together with fundamental data describing electron interactions with liquids. The project will develop a state of the art presolvation electron transport model informed by world first measurements of electron cross-sections for radicals and liquids and apply it to model plasma electrochemistry processes.Read moreRead less