The Molecular Basis For Target Selection In The Central Nervous System By Sensory Axons
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$251,325.00
Summary
The normal function of the brain depends upon the specific connections that nerve cells make with each other. These connections are set up in the developing embryo when nerve cells send out long processes - axons - which grow towards their synaptic targets. How axons select their correct targets from amongst the millions of alternatives in the developing brain is unknown. A better understanding of this problem will help us develop therapies to assist regenerating axons re-establish correct conne ....The normal function of the brain depends upon the specific connections that nerve cells make with each other. These connections are set up in the developing embryo when nerve cells send out long processes - axons - which grow towards their synaptic targets. How axons select their correct targets from amongst the millions of alternatives in the developing brain is unknown. A better understanding of this problem will help us develop therapies to assist regenerating axons re-establish correct connections following injury to the brain or spinal cord. We propose to use a simple model system, the embryo of the fruitfly Drosophila, to find molecules that are involved in this process of neuron target recognition - ' axon targeting' molecules - and to study how they work. Drosophila can be genetically manipulated in ways not possible in higher animals. Furthermore the simplicity of its nervous system means that we can determine the connections of individual nerve cells with a high degree of precision. In the first part of our project, we will examine Drosophila embryos that carry mutations in genes suspected to code for targeting molecules. We will stain individual sensory nerve cells in these embryos with dyes to reveal the anatomy of their axons in the brain. If sensory axons terminate abnormally in the brain of a given mutant, the affected gene is likely to code for an axon targeting molecule. In the second part of the study, we will investigate the functions of candidate axon targeting molecules using two approaches. Firstly, we will seek to determine whether the molecule acts in the sensory axons or in their target cells. Secondly, we will use time-lapse microscopy to study how the homing behaviour of the sensory axons is affected in mutant embryos. The results of these studies will lead us closer to an answer to the question: How do axons recognise their specific target cells in the brain?Read moreRead less
Physical, Lifestyle And Psychosocial Determinants Of Spinal Pain Development In Adolescents
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$682,800.00
Summary
This project aims to understand the development of back and neck pain in adolescence. By the age of 16 around half of all adolescents have suffered back pain and one third have suffered neck pain. For many adolescents this pain is disabling and over a third of sufferers miss school, miss recreation and seek medical help. The current understanding of back and neck pain in adolescence is quite limited - restricting the effectiveness of initiatives to prevent adolescents having to suffer spinal pai ....This project aims to understand the development of back and neck pain in adolescence. By the age of 16 around half of all adolescents have suffered back pain and one third have suffered neck pain. For many adolescents this pain is disabling and over a third of sufferers miss school, miss recreation and seek medical help. The current understanding of back and neck pain in adolescence is quite limited - restricting the effectiveness of initiatives to prevent adolescents having to suffer spinal pain and of treatment of those adolescents unlucky enough to have an episode. Better understanding and interventions for adolescent spinal pain will also have longer term implications by reducing adult spinal pain. Four out of 5 adults will experience spinal pain. In the USA treating adult back pain is the 4th largest health care cost. Many adults with chronic back pain had their first episode during adolescence. A better understanding of spinal pain in adolescence may help prevent it developing into a lifelong disability. We will collect information from 2,000 adolescents on their experience of back and neck pain and on potential physical, lifestyle and psychosocial risk factors. We believe factors such as their posture, muscle capacity, TV and computer use, mental health and social situation all combine to influence whether a person develops back or neck pain. The project is unique as it will not only collect a broad range of information during adolescence, but will also make use of a large database of health, developmental and psychosocial information already collected from these children since birth. With a better understanding of the development of spinal pain we will be able to develop guidelines to help prevent these problems. We will also be able to develop better treatment plans for sub-groups of adolescents with a particular combination of risk factors. Together these initiatives will assist in understanding and breaking the pathway to chronic spinal pain.Read moreRead less
Collision physics in lighting, fusion and astrophysical plasmas. The project will apply advanced fundamental science techniques to applications that have a high impact on the environment. These include improving energy efficiency of fluorescent lamps and development of new mercury-free designs and research in support of the international multi-billion dollar fusion energy program.
Electron, positron, and heavy-particle collisions with molecules. This project aims to develop a computational approach to collisions involving molecular targets with electrons, positrons and heavy particles. Recently, the approach to atomic collisions, the Convergent Close Coupling (CCC) method, has been extended and verified for positron, electron, and heavy particle collisions with the simplest molecular systems (molecular hydrogen and its ion). This project now aims to extend the CCC method ....Electron, positron, and heavy-particle collisions with molecules. This project aims to develop a computational approach to collisions involving molecular targets with electrons, positrons and heavy particles. Recently, the approach to atomic collisions, the Convergent Close Coupling (CCC) method, has been extended and verified for positron, electron, and heavy particle collisions with the simplest molecular systems (molecular hydrogen and its ion). This project now aims to extend the CCC method to study collisions with more complex molecules. Expected benefits include more accurate data for diagnostic tools such as Positron Emission Tomography, and potential advances in particle-based cancer therapy.Read moreRead less
Quantum collision theory for astrophysics, fusion energy and hadron therapy. The project intends to investigate collision processes involving charged particles interacting with complex atoms and molecules. Although the theory of electron, positron and ion collisions with simple atoms and molecules has advanced in recent years, the corresponding computational modelling is difficult due to the mix of the countably and uncountably infinite spectrum of the target, the long-range Coulomb potential, a ....Quantum collision theory for astrophysics, fusion energy and hadron therapy. The project intends to investigate collision processes involving charged particles interacting with complex atoms and molecules. Although the theory of electron, positron and ion collisions with simple atoms and molecules has advanced in recent years, the corresponding computational modelling is difficult due to the mix of the countably and uncountably infinite spectrum of the target, the long-range Coulomb potential, and the multicentre nature of the target and the rearrangement processes. These difficulties could be overcome using a convergent close-coupling method. This project plans to apply the method to complex quantum collision systems in diverse applications of current interest such as fusion energy, lighting, astrophysics, and cancer imaging and therapy.Read moreRead less