I am a geneticist determining the molecular mechanisms that underlie gonad (testis and ovary) development and dysgenesis in patients with disorders of sexual development.
Disorders of sexual development (DSDs) are surprisingly common, and often result in infertility, genital abnormalities, gender mis-assignment and long-term psychological trauma. In this Program we will pool our expertise in human molecular genetics, mouse developmental biology and protein chemistry to identify genes important for sex determination and development of the gonads, and discover how they contribute to DSD, in order to improve clinical care to patients with DSD.
Defects in sexual development in the human embryo result in some of the most common forms of birth defects, which have profound physiological and psychosexual ramifications for the afflicted individuals. A fuller understanding of the causes of these defects may lead to improved counseling and perhaps also therapeutic possibilities. This project is aimed at finding and studying the genes that control whether an embryo develops as a male or a female, and the genes that are responsible for proper d ....Defects in sexual development in the human embryo result in some of the most common forms of birth defects, which have profound physiological and psychosexual ramifications for the afflicted individuals. A fuller understanding of the causes of these defects may lead to improved counseling and perhaps also therapeutic possibilities. This project is aimed at finding and studying the genes that control whether an embryo develops as a male or a female, and the genes that are responsible for proper development of the gonads, organs that control an individual's sexual development. It is thought that a genetic chain of events is important for gonadal development, and we aim to find the missing links of that chain and to work out how they fit together.Read moreRead less
Copy Number Analysis Of Patients With Gonadal Abnormalities Using High Density Microarrays And MLPA
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$311,187.00
Summary
Congenital conditions in which development of the gonads or anatomical sex is abnormal are surprisingly common. The underlying cause of these problems is most often the failure of genes responsible for proper development of testes or ovaries. Only a small proportion of patients can be explained by mutations in known gonad determining genes. We will analyse DNA from these patients on very high density microarrays to identify new genes that cause abnormalities in testis and ovary development.
Identification Of Genes Responsible For Disorders Of Sexual Development Using Genome-wide Copy Number Analysis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$305,774.00
Summary
Congenital conditions in which development of the gonads or anatomical sex is abnormal are surprisingly common. The underlying cause of these problems is most often the failure of genes responsible for the proper development of testes or ovaries. Only a small proportion of patients can be explained by mutations in known gonad determining genes. We will analyse DNA from these patients on very high density microarrays to identify new genes that cause abnormalities in testis or ovary development.
Functional Analysis Of Candidate Sex-determining And Gonadal Development Genes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$503,500.00
Summary
This project is aimed at finding and studying the genes that control whether an embryo develops as a male or a female, and the genes that are responsible for proper development of the gonads, organs that control an individual's sexual development. It is thought that a genetic chain of events is important for gonadal development, and we aim to find the missing links of that chain and to work out how they fit together, as well as how genetic defects can lead to disorders of sexual development. Def ....This project is aimed at finding and studying the genes that control whether an embryo develops as a male or a female, and the genes that are responsible for proper development of the gonads, organs that control an individual's sexual development. It is thought that a genetic chain of events is important for gonadal development, and we aim to find the missing links of that chain and to work out how they fit together, as well as how genetic defects can lead to disorders of sexual development. Defects in sexual development in the human embryo not only result in some of the most common forms of birth defects but also have profound physiological and psychosexual ramifications for the afflicted individuals. A fuller understanding of the causes of these defects will lead to improved patient management.Read moreRead less
Actin cytoskeleton regulation by E-cadherin and Src. This project examines a fundamental, novel mechanism of how cells work together in tissues. It will provide important new knowledge about how tissues become organized in health, and how organization might be disturbed in disease. It will build Australia's skill base in cutting-edge scientific research, and promote knowledge directed to the research priority area of Promoting and Maintaining Good Health.
How the Y Chromosome makes a male: Molecular genetic analysis of key sex-determining genes. Sex reversal and intersex syndromes are among the most common and highly stigmatized disorders affecting newborn babies. Our research will reveal how the Y chromosome regulates normal male development, identify the steps that go wrong in many male babies, and suggest ways to diagnose and deal with these conditions. It will also pave the way for biotechnological applications in the areas of stem cell techn ....How the Y Chromosome makes a male: Molecular genetic analysis of key sex-determining genes. Sex reversal and intersex syndromes are among the most common and highly stigmatized disorders affecting newborn babies. Our research will reveal how the Y chromosome regulates normal male development, identify the steps that go wrong in many male babies, and suggest ways to diagnose and deal with these conditions. It will also pave the way for biotechnological applications in the areas of stem cell technology, pest management, wildlife conservation and animal breeding.Read moreRead less
MOLECULAR GENETICS OF MAMMALIAN SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT: Molecular roles of SRY and SOX9. The development of sexual characteristics is critical to the survival of almost all animal species. This project seeks to clarify how male and female embryos develop differently, focusing on the Y-chromosome maleness gene Sry, and a closely related and equally important gene Sox9. We will study how these genes are switched on in developing gonads and how they interact with other genes to bring about testis forma ....MOLECULAR GENETICS OF MAMMALIAN SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT: Molecular roles of SRY and SOX9. The development of sexual characteristics is critical to the survival of almost all animal species. This project seeks to clarify how male and female embryos develop differently, focusing on the Y-chromosome maleness gene Sry, and a closely related and equally important gene Sox9. We will study how these genes are switched on in developing gonads and how they interact with other genes to bring about testis formation in male embryos. In this way we will discover new genes and mechanisms that are important for sexual identity and also other aspects of embryo development.Read moreRead less