Molecular approaches to solving current and emerging problems in the epidemiology and diagnosis of Marek's disease in Australia. Marek's disease (MD) is a ubiquitous viral disease of chickens that is currently controlled in meat chickens by blanket vaccination of all chickens. However, as has happened overseas, the efficacy of the HVT vaccine being used in Australia is breaking down resulting in subclinical and clinical losses due to MD. To assist industry deal with this situation we propose to ....Molecular approaches to solving current and emerging problems in the epidemiology and diagnosis of Marek's disease in Australia. Marek's disease (MD) is a ubiquitous viral disease of chickens that is currently controlled in meat chickens by blanket vaccination of all chickens. However, as has happened overseas, the efficacy of the HVT vaccine being used in Australia is breaking down resulting in subclinical and clinical losses due to MD. To assist industry deal with this situation we propose to develop novel molecular methods for the quantification of Marek's disease viruses (MDV) in the host and the environment, to use these methods to design effective early monitoring systems for MD in broilers that predict disease and performance outcomes, and to develop an epidemiological model that will predict the spread and severity of MD as failure of vaccinal protection progresses.Read moreRead less
Devil Facial Tumour Disease: Cytogenetic Clues to Transmission and Development. Devil Facial Tumour Disease is a fatal cancer that is decimating Tasmanian devils. Preliminary work suggests that tumours from different animals have identical sets of highly abnormal chromosomes, including a giant marker chromosome. We will use DNA probes to 'paint' abnormal tumour chromosomes to discover markers for diagnosis, and identify genes contributing to tumour development and immune suppression. Most import ....Devil Facial Tumour Disease: Cytogenetic Clues to Transmission and Development. Devil Facial Tumour Disease is a fatal cancer that is decimating Tasmanian devils. Preliminary work suggests that tumours from different animals have identical sets of highly abnormal chromosomes, including a giant marker chromosome. We will use DNA probes to 'paint' abnormal tumour chromosomes to discover markers for diagnosis, and identify genes contributing to tumour development and immune suppression. Most importantly, we will test our hypothesis that tumours all arose from a single ancestral cancer cell that is transmitted between animals. A cellular transmission has frightening implications for spread of disease, but will allow us to develop appropriate therapeutic strategies to save a unique Australian marsupial from extinction.Read moreRead less
Pathophysiological mechanisms in equine dyschondroplasia (osteochondrosis). Dyschondroplasia (osteochondrosis) is a developmental orthopaedic disease of horses, which causes significant wastage within the Thoroughbred racing industry. The disease affects growth cartilage beneath joint surfaces in such a way that cartilage fails to be replaced by bone, resulting in defects in the joint surface and lameness. This project will identify differences in gene expression between normal cartilage and ea ....Pathophysiological mechanisms in equine dyschondroplasia (osteochondrosis). Dyschondroplasia (osteochondrosis) is a developmental orthopaedic disease of horses, which causes significant wastage within the Thoroughbred racing industry. The disease affects growth cartilage beneath joint surfaces in such a way that cartilage fails to be replaced by bone, resulting in defects in the joint surface and lameness. This project will identify differences in gene expression between normal cartilage and early dyschondroplastic lesions, in order to identify the sequence of molecular events leading to induction of disease. The basic understanding of joint development obtained from this work will assist in the development of strategies to prevent and diagnose dyschondroplasia in horses.Read moreRead less