Control Of Prosthetic Limbs From Decoded Brain Signals
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$895,832.00
Summary
This research will restore mobility to patients who suffer from paralysis. We aim to create a device, known as a brain-machine interface, which is an artificial communication path from the brain that bypasses an injury, such as a damaged spinal cord or stroke. The interface will decode a user’s intent and act upon it. Decoders will use physiological principals and state-of-the-art machine learning methods. We will test a user’s ability to control an artificial limb using decoded brain activity.
Effective Sensory Rehabilitation After Stroke: Targeting Viable Brain Networks.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$767,525.00
Summary
New therapies have been developed to help the brain recover after stroke. We will compare brain networks involved in recovery of touch sensation under two new training conditions and in individuals with interruption to different parts of the network. Brain imaging will identify the functional and anatomical connections between brain regions. Our findings will guide therapists in choosing the best therapy for the right individual, based on knowledge of brain networks that have capacity to adapt.
The Functional Organisation And Signals Of Motion Sensitive Neurons In The Middle-temporal Area Of Visual Cortex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$405,337.00
Summary
Some nerve cells in the cerebral cortex are very sensitive to visual motion. These neurons direct eye movements and provide motion perception, but the "neuronal code" they carry is poorly understood. We will address this basic question in experimental studies of the primate visual system. This project will help us understand visual performance; poor motion vision is an early indicator of many neurological disorders and this knowledge can help develop methods for their detection and diagnosis.
Using Stem Cells And Bioengineered Scaffolds To Promote Regeneration Following Necrotic Brain Injury
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$710,857.00
Summary
A number of injuries, including stroke, result in tissue loss. Consequently promoting repair will require restoration of tissue structure, replacement cells and a supportive environment to promote integration of these new cells. This study will engineer and develop novel scaffolds that can replace tissue whilst additionally providing physical and chemical support for newly implanted stem cells. This work will be conducted in an animal model of stroke.
Neogenin: A Molecular Determinant Of Neural Progenitor Polarity And Function
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$569,296.00
Summary
The neuroepithelium (NEP) contains the embryonic neural stem cells essential for the production of all neurons in the adult brain. Failure in NEP function leads to devastating neural tube defects and syndromes such as epilepsy, schizophrenia, and mental retardation. This project will identify the molecular mechanisms regulating NEP stem cell activity and the birth of new neurons in the embryonic neocortex.
Standardising Protocols For The Differentiation And Integration Of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Neural Transplants In Parkinson's Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$987,664.00
Summary
Clinical trials have shown that transplanting dopamine neurons (specific nerve cells) into the brain of Parkinson’s disease patients can improve symptoms. Trials use fetal tissue for implantation, which is unsustainable and highly variable. This proposal will examine stem cells as an alternative. We will establish a reliable protocol to instruct human stem cells to become dopamine neurons, develop methods to select these cells and, examine the integration of these transplanted cells in the brain
Defining Role Of Inflammatory Signals In Enhancing Motoneuron Regeneration
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$546,688.00
Summary
Spinal cord injury is a devastating event that has a life-long impact on the patient’s life with wide-reaching social and economic effects. In this proposal we examine how inflammatory signals boost neuronal regeneration after injury. Furthermore, we define how new neurons are able to integrate into existing spinal circuitry. Out work provides critical insight and hold keys to unlocking strategies for future restorative therapies in the brain or spinal cord.
Knowledge, Identification And Exploitation Of Dopaminergic Axon Guidance Cues Will Improve Cell Replacement Therapy For ParkinsonÍs Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$481,797.00
Summary
Many obstacles exist for cell transplantation in ParkinsonÍs Disease; namely poor graft survival, restoration of appropriate circuitry and adequate nerve fiber growth from new cells. Using knowledge of how neural circuits are established during fetal development, we will attempt to recapitulate these events following transplantation. Further, we will identify new and novel cues in regulating the connectivity and growth of these nerve fibers.
Enhancement Of Newborn Neuron Survival To Promote Repair Following Adult Brain Injury
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$555,780.00
Summary
Following brain damage tissue needs to be rebuilt and newborn nerve cells need to survive. Identification of factors that enhance the numbers and promote the survival and appropriate integration of newborn nerve cells is therefore important and over the last few years we have identified two regulatory factors that are prime candidates to enhance numbers and survival of newborn neurons following injury: the Rho pathway and suppressor of cytokine signalling-2, which we will test for effectiveness ....Following brain damage tissue needs to be rebuilt and newborn nerve cells need to survive. Identification of factors that enhance the numbers and promote the survival and appropriate integration of newborn nerve cells is therefore important and over the last few years we have identified two regulatory factors that are prime candidates to enhance numbers and survival of newborn neurons following injury: the Rho pathway and suppressor of cytokine signalling-2, which we will test for effectiveness following brain injury.Read moreRead less
A Novel Gene Family Implicated In Neural Crest And Craniofacial Malformation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$695,016.00
Summary
We have identified a new type of receptor that when defective causes facial clefting in animal models. We are using our unique laboratory and clinical resources to understand how these birth defects occur and to investigate the molecular signalling events that are controlled by this olfactory receptor. These studies will pave the way to designing pharmaceuticals that may eventually ameliorate or even stop this major group of birth defects.