The genetics of four ancient 'Kings' of Sahul and Sunda. This project aims to recover all the genetic information from four ancient humans. Two of these iconic specimens come from Australia and two from Malaysia. We will sequence the entire DNA (genomes) and proteins (proteome) of Mungo Man (Willandra), the Yidinji King (Cairns), the Deep Skull (Borneo) and the Bewah specimen (Malaysian Peninsula). This will provide a better understanding of the settlement of Australia and new knowledge about th ....The genetics of four ancient 'Kings' of Sahul and Sunda. This project aims to recover all the genetic information from four ancient humans. Two of these iconic specimens come from Australia and two from Malaysia. We will sequence the entire DNA (genomes) and proteins (proteome) of Mungo Man (Willandra), the Yidinji King (Cairns), the Deep Skull (Borneo) and the Bewah specimen (Malaysian Peninsula). This will provide a better understanding of the settlement of Australia and new knowledge about the ancient people of Australasia and their relationship to other human populations worldwide. The research will use cutting-edge methods of DNA and protein sequencing of ancient human material and will provide critical reference genomes / proteomes that will anchor future research.Read moreRead less
The origins of Australia's non-Pama-Nyungan speaking people. This project aims to test the likelihood of multiple migrations into Australia before European arrival and determine if the phylogenetic relationships among non-Pama-Nyungan languages is mirrored by their speakers’ genomic phylogenetic relationships. The non-Pama-Nyungan First People of Australia speak an extraordinary number and diversity of Aboriginal languages, but the origins of these languages and the genomic diversity of the peop ....The origins of Australia's non-Pama-Nyungan speaking people. This project aims to test the likelihood of multiple migrations into Australia before European arrival and determine if the phylogenetic relationships among non-Pama-Nyungan languages is mirrored by their speakers’ genomic phylogenetic relationships. The non-Pama-Nyungan First People of Australia speak an extraordinary number and diversity of Aboriginal languages, but the origins of these languages and the genomic diversity of the people who speak them are only now starting to be understood. There is a remarkable concordance between the Pama-Nyungan languages and the genomic diversity of their speakers. This research could show whether genomes change languages or vice versa, or whether they evolve together over time.Read moreRead less
The genetic link between local adaptation and speciation. Darwin believed that natural selection drove the origin of new species, or speciation. However, research on speciation during the 20th century shifted focus from studying adaptation within a population to examining the causes of reproductive isolation (lack of interbreeding) between populations. This Project aims to unify our understanding of adaptation and reproductive isolation by examining their shared heredity. Using an established sy ....The genetic link between local adaptation and speciation. Darwin believed that natural selection drove the origin of new species, or speciation. However, research on speciation during the 20th century shifted focus from studying adaptation within a population to examining the causes of reproductive isolation (lack of interbreeding) between populations. This Project aims to unify our understanding of adaptation and reproductive isolation by examining their shared heredity. Using an established system in natural conditions, this project will generate new knowledge on the genetic processes driving speciation. This interdisciplinary research will clarify how biodiversity originates with implications for crops, conservation biology and species responses to environmental change.Read moreRead less
Genetic architecture and evolution of complex traits across populations. Most human traits have a genetic component and display substantial diversity within and among populations. How natural selection changes and maintains genetic variation in human traits is a long-standing question in evolution that the proposed project aims to answer. Using innovative statistical methods and largest genomic “big” datasets ever across populations of different ancestral backgrounds, this project expects to gen ....Genetic architecture and evolution of complex traits across populations. Most human traits have a genetic component and display substantial diversity within and among populations. How natural selection changes and maintains genetic variation in human traits is a long-standing question in evolution that the proposed project aims to answer. Using innovative statistical methods and largest genomic “big” datasets ever across populations of different ancestral backgrounds, this project expects to generate new knowledge on the roles of natural selection in shaping the genetic variation in traits and identify key factors that drive the differentiation of human populations. These outcomes will significantly improve our understanding on the evolution of human traits and adaptation of populations to changing environments.Read moreRead less
Predicting the evolutionary dynamics of adaptation. This project aims to address the question of how we can predict adaptive evolution. The project aims to probe the limits of evolutionary predictions by using a model system of bacterial populations that adapt to the presence of multiple stressors. This will be combined with high-throughput fitness measurements, whole genome sequencing and computer simulations. Anticipated outcomes include novel insights into deep questions regarding the structu ....Predicting the evolutionary dynamics of adaptation. This project aims to address the question of how we can predict adaptive evolution. The project aims to probe the limits of evolutionary predictions by using a model system of bacterial populations that adapt to the presence of multiple stressors. This will be combined with high-throughput fitness measurements, whole genome sequencing and computer simulations. Anticipated outcomes include novel insights into deep questions regarding the structure of fitness landscapes and the repeatability, predictability and contingency of adaptive evolution. The project is expected to provide significant benefits, informing the development of improved strategies for managing pathogen resistance to antimicrobial drugs.Read moreRead less
The nature of standing genetic variation. This project aims to expand understanding of the genetic variation underlying phenotypic differences among individuals. The nature of genetic variation has broad consequences across biology, from the detection of causal genetic variants to the adaptation of natural populations. This project will take a novel experimental approach to test several long-standing assumptions about the effects of new mutations on individual traits and their joint pleiotropic ....The nature of standing genetic variation. This project aims to expand understanding of the genetic variation underlying phenotypic differences among individuals. The nature of genetic variation has broad consequences across biology, from the detection of causal genetic variants to the adaptation of natural populations. This project will take a novel experimental approach to test several long-standing assumptions about the effects of new mutations on individual traits and their joint pleiotropic effect on fitness. By expanding our understanding of how mutation, selection and drift interact, this project could provide significant improvements in our understanding of the genetic basis of phenotypes, and our ability to predict phenotypic evolution.Read moreRead less
Fine-scale resolution of genomes in natural microbial communities. This project aims to develop advanced molecular and statistical techniques to precisely resolve the genomes of microbes in the environment. Microbes inhabit every niche on the planet and are fundamental to human and animal health, agriculture, and the environment. The proposed technology will advance our understanding of environmental microbes, leading to advances in areas like climate science and biosecurity where microbes play ....Fine-scale resolution of genomes in natural microbial communities. This project aims to develop advanced molecular and statistical techniques to precisely resolve the genomes of microbes in the environment. Microbes inhabit every niche on the planet and are fundamental to human and animal health, agriculture, and the environment. The proposed technology will advance our understanding of environmental microbes, leading to advances in areas like climate science and biosecurity where microbes play a key role. It will also support the development of billion dollar industries focused on the use of beneficial microbes in agriculture, plant, animal, and human health.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL180100072
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,460,832.00
Summary
Causes and consequence of human trait variation. This project aims to exploit the availability of Big Data from the genomics revolution to understand the relationship between the genome, the environment and complex human traits. New statistical methods and user-friendly software tools will be developed and applied to datasets on millions of individuals to generate new knowledge on human life history variation and healthy ageing. This project will position Australia to benefit from rapid advances ....Causes and consequence of human trait variation. This project aims to exploit the availability of Big Data from the genomics revolution to understand the relationship between the genome, the environment and complex human traits. New statistical methods and user-friendly software tools will be developed and applied to datasets on millions of individuals to generate new knowledge on human life history variation and healthy ageing. This project will position Australia to benefit from rapid advances in genomic technologies, to build and sustain critical capacity in statistical genetics, and better understand the causes and consequence of individual differences in human traits from genetic and environmental factors across the entire human lifespan.Read moreRead less
Unlocking the genetic and biochemical potential of kangaroo paws. Using cutting-edge gene technology and an interdisciplinary approach, this project aims to uncover the genes responsible for flower colour in the iconic kangaroo paws of Western Australia, and identify the compounds that produce the colours. The project expects to produce the first entire kangaroo paw genome and identify unique genetic variants and biochemicals underlying colour differences. This new knowledge should help horticul ....Unlocking the genetic and biochemical potential of kangaroo paws. Using cutting-edge gene technology and an interdisciplinary approach, this project aims to uncover the genes responsible for flower colour in the iconic kangaroo paws of Western Australia, and identify the compounds that produce the colours. The project expects to produce the first entire kangaroo paw genome and identify unique genetic variants and biochemicals underlying colour differences. This new knowledge should help horticultural programs to more easily breed varieties with desirable and highly marketable new colours, and could assist in conserving these amazing Australian plants.Read moreRead less
Recombination and the genomic landscape of speciation. This project aims to evaluate how genomes become different during the origin of species by utilising an innovative system where multiple replicates of the speciation process exist. This project expects to generate knowledge in the area of speciation genetics by exploring the effects of sex, migration and selection on the diversity of hundreds of genomes from an Australian wildflower. Expected outcomes of this project include a deeper underst ....Recombination and the genomic landscape of speciation. This project aims to evaluate how genomes become different during the origin of species by utilising an innovative system where multiple replicates of the speciation process exist. This project expects to generate knowledge in the area of speciation genetics by exploring the effects of sex, migration and selection on the diversity of hundreds of genomes from an Australian wildflower. Expected outcomes of this project include a deeper understanding of the maintenance of genetic diversity in natural populations, and development of a model organism for studying the genetics and ecology of speciation. This project should provide significant benefits including enhanced capacity in evolutionary genetics in Australia.Read moreRead less