Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180101075
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,058.00
Summary
Novel immune cell subsets in the centre nervous system and supporting tissues. This project aims to identify and characterise novel resident immune cell subsets within the brain and retina, and their close supporting tissues. The project expects to generate new knowledge in the areas of neuroimmunology and ocular immunology by using molecular and cellular techniques to examine the diversity of immune cells within the brain and retina. It is expected that the project will advance our understandin ....Novel immune cell subsets in the centre nervous system and supporting tissues. This project aims to identify and characterise novel resident immune cell subsets within the brain and retina, and their close supporting tissues. The project expects to generate new knowledge in the areas of neuroimmunology and ocular immunology by using molecular and cellular techniques to examine the diversity of immune cells within the brain and retina. It is expected that the project will advance our understanding of the biological mechanisms that protect the central nervous system from harmful inflammation and thus improve our knowledge of the immunobiology of the brain and eye.Read moreRead less
Preconception Predictors Of Health, Behaviour And Emotional Adjustment At Seven Years
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,170,830.00
Summary
An understanding of the importance of a healthy start to life has underpinned major health policies including Australia’s National Agenda for Early Childhood. The capacity of parents to provide that healthy start has received little study. The present project investigates the extent to which parental lifestyle, social and emotional adjustment prior to conception predictor emotional problems, disruptive behaviour and health in their children at seven years.
How enhancers regulate T cell differentiation and function. This project aims to identify the molecular mechanisms that regulate the activity of transcriptional enhancers needed for effective immune cell differentiation. Adaptive immune cell activation starts a programme of differentiation that acquires and maintains lineage-specific effector function. Using a multidisciplinary approach including cellular and chromatin biology, advanced bioinformatics, targeted genome editing and nanotechnology, ....How enhancers regulate T cell differentiation and function. This project aims to identify the molecular mechanisms that regulate the activity of transcriptional enhancers needed for effective immune cell differentiation. Adaptive immune cell activation starts a programme of differentiation that acquires and maintains lineage-specific effector function. Using a multidisciplinary approach including cellular and chromatin biology, advanced bioinformatics, targeted genome editing and nanotechnology, this project expects to provide insights into non-coding regulatory element reprogramming and control of immune cell function and memory with implications for understanding general cellular differentiation.Read moreRead less
New guardians of the mucosa: Molecular characterisation of M cell biology. We aim to completely define the cellular and molecular biology of gut and lung M cells for the first time. We will elucidate how they develop, are regulated and function at a molecular level, and how M cells maintain normal gut and lung tissues and induce immune responses to protect against microbial challenges. In the future, the new insights will be essential pre-requisites for the development of mucosal-based intervent ....New guardians of the mucosa: Molecular characterisation of M cell biology. We aim to completely define the cellular and molecular biology of gut and lung M cells for the first time. We will elucidate how they develop, are regulated and function at a molecular level, and how M cells maintain normal gut and lung tissues and induce immune responses to protect against microbial challenges. In the future, the new insights will be essential pre-requisites for the development of mucosal-based interventions and vaccines that protect the gut and lung from infectious and inflammatory issues. The harnessing of effective immune responses to control such challenges, are of enormous fundamental and long-standing biological interest, and are amongst the most important areas of current scientific research.Read moreRead less
The Burden And Risk Factors Of Depressive Disorders In Indigenous Australians: Implications For Early Detection And Prevention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
This Fellowship addresses the high rates of depression amongst Indigenous Australians. The proposed work will quantify the extent to which two major risk factors contribute to the burden of depression in this population and the burden avertable from interventions to modify these risk factors. Findings would inform resource allocation and health service delivery, and in doing so, present opportunities for improvements in the health of Indigenous Australians.
A molecular investigation into the naïve T cell repertoire. This project aims to interrogate the relationship between T cell receptor (TCR) recognition modes and T cell recruitment and activation. CD8+ T cells are important for adaptive immunity. Their recognition, via TCR, of peptides bound to MHC class I antigen-presenting molecules (pMHCI), initiates a signalling cascade which activates T cells effector functions. All structural information on TCR recognition of pMHCI is based on TCRs prevale ....A molecular investigation into the naïve T cell repertoire. This project aims to interrogate the relationship between T cell receptor (TCR) recognition modes and T cell recruitment and activation. CD8+ T cells are important for adaptive immunity. Their recognition, via TCR, of peptides bound to MHC class I antigen-presenting molecules (pMHCI), initiates a signalling cascade which activates T cells effector functions. All structural information on TCR recognition of pMHCI is based on TCRs prevalent in immune responses, and all recognise pMHCI using a conserved orientation. This project aims to use this observation to study the relationship between TCR recognition modes and T cell recruitment and activation.Read moreRead less
Investigating the molecular basis of T-cell receptor cross-reactivity. This project will explore the basis of unexpected immune reactions whereby the immune system mistakes one molecular structure for another, a phenomenon known as cross-reactivity. This project will examine how often this is due to molecular mimicry, potentially explaining why immune T cells sometimes react inappropriately to different agents.
The role of synapse development in cognitive disorder. In humans, intellectual disability occurs when nerve cells in the brain fail to connect. The project examines fundamental molecular processes involved in synapse development of neurons. The use of insect models provides a generalised biological template to understand how synaptic molecules contribute to behaviours that underlie cognitive disorder.
An active approach to detect and defend against peer-to-peer botnets. The aim of this project is to develop an effective defence system to help organisations detect and defend against the peer-to-peer (P2P) botnets. If this research is accomplished successfully, it will be a big step forward in defeating this new but devastating malicious software widely utilised by Internet criminals and terrorists. The capability of a nation to defend against the P2P botnet attacks on its information infrastru ....An active approach to detect and defend against peer-to-peer botnets. The aim of this project is to develop an effective defence system to help organisations detect and defend against the peer-to-peer (P2P) botnets. If this research is accomplished successfully, it will be a big step forward in defeating this new but devastating malicious software widely utilised by Internet criminals and terrorists. The capability of a nation to defend against the P2P botnet attacks on its information infrastructure is central to the control of such attacks and hence to a nation's long-term survival and prosperity. The outcomes of this project can be directly used in Australian research communities and adopted by industry and government agencies.Read moreRead less
Assessing the physiological roles of ubiquitination in regulating neuronal ion channels, receptors and transporters. Significant alterations in the activity neuronal transporters and receptors occur during tissue injury and regeneration as well as in many neurodegenerative disease states. Modulation of the pathways that control these transporters is an emerging therapeutic target, however, the molecular basis of these control mechanisms remain poorly understood. The outcome of this project will ....Assessing the physiological roles of ubiquitination in regulating neuronal ion channels, receptors and transporters. Significant alterations in the activity neuronal transporters and receptors occur during tissue injury and regeneration as well as in many neurodegenerative disease states. Modulation of the pathways that control these transporters is an emerging therapeutic target, however, the molecular basis of these control mechanisms remain poorly understood. The outcome of this project will be a thorough characterisation of a novel regulatory paradigm in neurons that is likely to be crucial for neuronal development and regeneration, and will potentially provide novel therapeutic targets for various neuronal diseases.Read moreRead less