Disorders of sexual development are among the most common form of birth defects in humans (1 in 4,000 births) because failure of the gonads to develop does not affect the viability of the individual. Such disorders can have profound psychological and medical consequences upon the individual, family, and society. Some intersexual conditions are the result of inappropriate exposure to hormones during fetal life, and others are due to spontaneous or inherited gene mutation. About 5-10% of ovarian c ....Disorders of sexual development are among the most common form of birth defects in humans (1 in 4,000 births) because failure of the gonads to develop does not affect the viability of the individual. Such disorders can have profound psychological and medical consequences upon the individual, family, and society. Some intersexual conditions are the result of inappropriate exposure to hormones during fetal life, and others are due to spontaneous or inherited gene mutation. About 5-10% of ovarian cancer cases, that affect 1 in 8000 Australian women, are due to the inheritance of a faulty gene. An understanding of the way gene expression and hence tissue differentiation is altered after sex reversal will inform us about the causes and consequences of normal and abnormal sexual development, gonadal malignancies and infertility. The gonad is unusual in that two completely different organs can arise from an essentially identical primordium, so that errors in development lead to intersexual phenotypes. We will use our new experimental animal model to clarify these processes.Read moreRead less
MicroRNA Regulation Of Sex Determination And Gonad Development.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$518,076.00
Summary
Sex determination, the decision to develop into either boy or girl, influences most aspects of our lives. Consequently, disorders of sexual development (~1% of births), resulting in genital abnormalities, infertility and often cancer, are extremely traumatic for the individual. The molecular basis of these disorders is not well understood. This project will identify new factors important for sex determination and therefore will improve diagnosis and clinical care for the patients.
Hypospadias is one of the most common developmental defects in humans, yet over two thirds of the cases cannot be explained. Our recent studies using marsupials show that this process is mediated by 5-alpha-androstanediol, a hormone with previously undetermined physiological function. This study will provide novel data on the interactions of the genes and hormones that will inform our understanding of this common developmental defect of male development
Defects of the internal and external genitalia are among the most common birth defects in babies (1 in 4,000 births) yet the aetiology in many cases is unclear. We will compare and contrast the mouse with a unique animal model the tammar wallaby to investigate the control of ovarian differentiation during early fetal and postnatal life. The gonad is unusual in that two completely different organs arise from the same precursor tissues, so that errors in development lead to intersexual phenotypes. ....Defects of the internal and external genitalia are among the most common birth defects in babies (1 in 4,000 births) yet the aetiology in many cases is unclear. We will compare and contrast the mouse with a unique animal model the tammar wallaby to investigate the control of ovarian differentiation during early fetal and postnatal life. The gonad is unusual in that two completely different organs arise from the same precursor tissues, so that errors in development lead to intersexual phenotypes. Some intersexual conditions are the result of inappropriate exposure to hormones during fetal life, and others are due to spontaneous or inherited gene mutations. About 5-10% of ovarian cancer cases, that affect 1 in 8000 Australian women, are due to the inheritance of a faulty gene. We will use comparative analysis and an inducible sex reversal system to understand the way gene expression and hence tissue differentiation is altered between male and female during the formation of the ovary versus the testis. This will inform us about the causes and consequences of normal and abnormal sexual development, infertility and gonadal malignancies.Read moreRead less
Testis To Ovary: Hormonal Control Of Differentiation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$803,379.00
Summary
We know very little of the genes that control development of the ovary in female fetuses; most study has focused on the formation of the testis in males. We will use a novel experimental model, a marsupial, where by hormonal treatment of developing males we can switch off testis formation and activate the ovarian pathway. These studies will potentially shed new light on the causes of reproductive diseases including ovarian cancer, as well as clarifying the basic biological processes that guide f ....We know very little of the genes that control development of the ovary in female fetuses; most study has focused on the formation of the testis in males. We will use a novel experimental model, a marsupial, where by hormonal treatment of developing males we can switch off testis formation and activate the ovarian pathway. These studies will potentially shed new light on the causes of reproductive diseases including ovarian cancer, as well as clarifying the basic biological processes that guide formation of the ovary.Read moreRead less
The Australian Longitudinal Study Of Health And Relationships
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,292,187.00
Summary
Achieving satisfaction in our intimate relationships is a vital component of our well being. To date, most studies of sexual and reproductive health have focused on how common particular problems might be. Thus, studies have tended to have relatively narrow focuses on, for example, the prevalence of pregnancy, miscarriage and termination, or on patterns of sexual practice and contraceptive use, or on the frequency with which individuals experience sexual difficulties. Yet, all of these are inter ....Achieving satisfaction in our intimate relationships is a vital component of our well being. To date, most studies of sexual and reproductive health have focused on how common particular problems might be. Thus, studies have tended to have relatively narrow focuses on, for example, the prevalence of pregnancy, miscarriage and termination, or on patterns of sexual practice and contraceptive use, or on the frequency with which individuals experience sexual difficulties. Yet, all of these are inter-related aspects of sexual and reproductive health that can have profound impacts on each other. Importantly, most of these studies have looked at these issues at a single point in time and could only infer the likely contribution of prior events on currently observed patterns. This study will recruit a random sample of Australians aged 16 to 65 years and interview them annually, initially over a four-year period. It will collect detailed information about sexual and reproductive health and provide essential information about how sexual and reproductive health changes as we age. It will document the relationships between patterns of sexual behaviour, contraceptive choices, pregnancy and its outcomes, and sexual functioning including the experience of sexual problems and the achievement of satisfaction in our physical and emotional intimate relationships.Read moreRead less
The Australian Longitudinal Study Of Health And Relationships
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,624,798.00
Summary
Ensuring the sexual and reproductive health of the Australian population is essential for our wellbeing as a nation. As well as the overall importance, at least three aspects of sexual and reproductive health are among the key policy issues for present Australian governments: maintaining and increasing the birth rate; reducing the abortion rate; and preventing and controlling Chlamydia infections.