Statistical Methods For Identifying Structural Variation In Tumour Genomes Using Next Generation Sequencing
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$243,458.00
Summary
New DNA sequencing technology can sequence a tumour genome affordably in 2 weeks. This re-sequencing data can be used to find small mutations and large-scale chromosomal rearrangements that together are the drivers of cancer. These may one day be used to guide cancer therapy. This project will develop new algorithms for finding mutations and apply these to discover the genetic basis of drug resistance in a model lymphoma system.
Detection Of Somatic Mutations In Sporadic Epilepsies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,256,166.00
Summary
Finding genetic causes of epilepsies is essential for refining treatments and genetic counseling. Genetic mutations may occur after fertilization (somatic mutations). These can be difficult to detect by routine genetic tests. We aim to identify somatic mutations by: very deep sequencing of blood to find low concentrations of mutations, analysing DNA from the cerebrospinal fluid, and analysing DNA obtained from the back of the nose which is closely related to brain tissue.
A Worldwide Study Of Cancer Risk For Lynch Syndrome
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$710,761.00
Summary
People with the genetic Lynch syndrome are more likely to get cancer but we cannot accurately predict who will get cancer and when. Doctors need this information to improve cancer prevention. Large collaborative studies are needed for this research. We have agreement from the 115 researchers to combine, into a single resource, 8,863 family trees of Lynch syndrome. We will analyse this data to determine the risk of cancer and whether it differs by sex, age, or nationality.
A Functional Assay To Classify Genetic Variants In Lynch Syndrome
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$368,195.00
Summary
At least one person in every 1000 is affected by Lynch syndrome, in which faulty DNA repair machinery causes high rates of cancer. People with Lynch syndrome can have their risk of cancer cut substantially with regular screening. However, we often struggle to understand whether people with 'non-standard' DNA sequences in particular genes actually have Lynch syndrome. This project develops a simple test that will tell clinicians whether a given sequence change relates to Lynch syndrome or not.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130100467
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$374,823.00
Summary
Limbs and wings: reconstructing Australian environmental change through innovative analysis of ancient mammal skeletons. An animal's skeleton is the product of a complex relationship between its habits, habitat and evolutionary history. This project uses a vast resource of World Heritage fossil skeletons from Riversleigh to determine how behaviour and ecology of Australia's mammals have changed over the last 25 million years and will need to adapt in the future.
Melanoma Mutation Profiling For Personalised Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$571,191.00
Summary
Melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer, and the leading cause of skin cancer related deaths. Disease spread is difficult to detect and extremely difficult to cure. This bleak clinical outcome is changing with the development of personalised therapies which include small molecule inhibitors to treat metastatic melanoma. Here we seek to identify the spectrum of mutations in patient tumours and circulating tumour cells for advanced personalised treatment.
The Eocene high latitude Australasian 'tropics' in a changing climate: resolving conflicting evidence. Between 45 to 30 million years ago, high latitude subtropical floras in Australia and New Zealand experienced significant climate change, leading to the evolution of present day vegetation. Understanding the effects of this climate change on extinction and speciation will produce more accurate predictions about modern floras when faced with climate change.
Testing our knowledge on the dawn of animal life: evidence from the fossil record against modern ecological and morphological analogues. The Cambrian 'Explosion', half a billion years ago, is regarded as one of the most important events in the history of the Earth, when most major animal groups first appear in the rock record, and for which South Australia has recently become a significant source of spectacular fossils. However, important questions remain regarding their Ediacaran roots, the spe ....Testing our knowledge on the dawn of animal life: evidence from the fossil record against modern ecological and morphological analogues. The Cambrian 'Explosion', half a billion years ago, is regarded as one of the most important events in the history of the Earth, when most major animal groups first appear in the rock record, and for which South Australia has recently become a significant source of spectacular fossils. However, important questions remain regarding their Ediacaran roots, the speed of evolution at the time, and the environments in which the radiation took place. Studying the fossil evidence in the light of present-day ecological frameworks, and in comparison with modern behavioural and morphological analogues, as well as living relatives, can help us better assess our understanding of this first radiation of animals.Read moreRead less