The failure of an embryo to implant is a major cause of infertility. While IVF is an important intervention, still three quarters of embryos do not implant. We have identified new factors that we believe are critically important in embryo attachment to the womb. We will now prove whether these factors are critical and therefore provide the evidence required to begin to develop novel treatment options for infertility.
Mechanisms Of DNA Damage-induced Oocyte Apoptosis And Infertility: Examination Of The Role Of BH3-only Proteins.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$495,755.00
Summary
Our ability to prevent or postpone menopause following cancer treatment, is of great importance for female fertility, health and quality of life. We will demonstrate that the death gene of the Bcl-2 family of life and death genes, Puma, is responsible for killing female germ cells after damaging treatment. When Puma is absent, sufficient high quality germ cells are able to survive damaging treatment, allowing normal fertility in mice. The quality of these rescued germ cells will be analysed in d ....Our ability to prevent or postpone menopause following cancer treatment, is of great importance for female fertility, health and quality of life. We will demonstrate that the death gene of the Bcl-2 family of life and death genes, Puma, is responsible for killing female germ cells after damaging treatment. When Puma is absent, sufficient high quality germ cells are able to survive damaging treatment, allowing normal fertility in mice. The quality of these rescued germ cells will be analysed in detail.Read moreRead less
Activin And Androgen Crosstalk During Testis Development Programs Adult Fertility
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$700,740.00
Summary
Fertility in men is determined by how the testis grows during fetal and juvenile life. We recently discovered that the Sertoli cells which nurse developing sperm are highly sensitive to cross-talk between testosterone and the growth factor activin during puberty. This project studies how this cross-talk is controlled to understand how altered hormone actions in boys, including exposure to harmful endocrine disrupting chemicals, reduces adult fertility.
Modulation Of MicroRNA Activity In The Testis: A New Paradigm For Male Fertility?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$419,170.00
Summary
Sperm production in the testis is driven by the reproductive hormones, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone. In this grant, we will investigate how a new class of molecules, called microRNAs, act to transmit the signals from FSH and testosterone to the cellular machinery of the testis, particularly at junctions between cells. This information has the potential to impact on our understanding of the causes of male infertility.
The Long-term Consequences Of Assisted Reproduction On The Growth, Metabolic, Respiratory, Psychological, Immunological And Reproductive Development Of The Offspring.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,552,096.00
Summary
1 in 25 children are born from IVF treatment - incredibly- to our shame; no data exists as to the long-term health of these children. Presented is a unique opportunity, which would be exceedingly difficult to replicate elsewhere in the world, to determine the long-term consequences of IVF upon the development of the offspring, by comparing their growth, metabolic, respiratory, psychological, immunological and reproductive development to a representative sample of WA children- the Raine cohort.
Our vestibular system provides us with the important sense of balance. When it fails we suffer debiltating bouts of vertigo and dizziness. A great deal is known about how balance signals are sent from the inner ear to our brains, but virtually nothing is known about the important signals the brain sends to the inner ear. In this study we will use a new perparation develped in our laboratory to examine how these essential brain signals control the function of our balance organs.
Diet And Exercise Intervention For Paternal Obesity Improves Offspring Health
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$678,481.00
Summary
Obesity is a growing problem in Western Society and is associated with a large number of metabolic conditions. There is an increasing awareness that a fathers health at the time of conception affects fertility and also the ongoing health of the pregnancy and the ofspring. This study seeks to determine if diet and exercise intervention for overweight or obese males can improve the health of the sperm and therefore the ability to father a pregnancy and the health of the offspring.
Endometrial Receptivity For Embryo Implantation: Proprotein Convertase 6 And Plasma Membrane Remodeling
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$631,344.00
Summary
Implantation of an embryo into the uterus is a key step in establishing pregnancy; it requires a receptive uterus (fertile soil) and a healthy embryo (seed). Implantation failure causes pregnancy loss and infertility, and is also a major limiting factor in IVF. We have established that proprotein convertase 6 (PC6) is a master regulator of uterine receptivity for implantation. We will investigate how PC6 works in a woman’s uterus, and how we can use this knowledge to improve implantation in IVF.
Local Sleep In The Awake Brain: An Underlying Cause Of Neurobehavioural Deficits In Sleep Apnea?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$582,330.00
Summary
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder which significantly impacts daytime functioning leading to excessive sleepiness, and problems with attention and thinking. Currently, the causes for cognitive impairment in OSA (including attentional lapses and performance deficits) are poorly understood. In the awake state, groups of neurons can briefly go “offline” as they do in sleep. These periods of “local sleep” may explain impaired task performance in OSA.
Leucine-rich Guanylate Kinase Is A Regulator Of Sperm Tail Development And Motile Cilia Function
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$540,191.00
Summary
In this grant we will define the function of an uncharacterized protein, LRGUK, in fertility and hydrocephalus (water on the brain). LRGUK has a critical role in sperm development. We will define the cell biology and biochemistry of LRGUK function, we will assess the incidence of LRGUK mutations in human fertility and explore LRGUK function in the brain. Data obtained will have relevance to the 1 in 20 young men who suffer from infertility and the 3 in 1000 children who develop hydrocephalus.