Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100099
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$389,575.00
Summary
The importance of glia in the development of healthy blood vessels in the eye. The formation of healthy blood vessels in the eye is critical for vision. An important peptide in blood vessel formation throughout the body, including the eye, is Angiotensin II. Specific retinal cells named astrocytes and microglia are suggested to be involved in vessel formation. However, the way these cells control this formation is unknown. Using innovative techniques, this project will investigate how retinal as ....The importance of glia in the development of healthy blood vessels in the eye. The formation of healthy blood vessels in the eye is critical for vision. An important peptide in blood vessel formation throughout the body, including the eye, is Angiotensin II. Specific retinal cells named astrocytes and microglia are suggested to be involved in vessel formation. However, the way these cells control this formation is unknown. Using innovative techniques, this project will investigate how retinal astrocytes and microglia control glial-vascular communication and blood vessel formation via Angiotensin II. The information gained from this proposal is critical to our understanding of both normal retinal development and blood vessel maintenance in both infants and those of older ages.Read moreRead less
Neuronal origin of functional maps on the mammalian visual cortex. This project aims to study how the brain processes images. Basic features of objects in the visual scene seem to be coded on the visual cortex in an orderly way. By recording neurones’ electrical activity in a mammalian brain, this project aims to study how such organisation is determined at the neuronal level, namely how the individual nerves and synapses that form the brain and process the signals are organised to form the over ....Neuronal origin of functional maps on the mammalian visual cortex. This project aims to study how the brain processes images. Basic features of objects in the visual scene seem to be coded on the visual cortex in an orderly way. By recording neurones’ electrical activity in a mammalian brain, this project aims to study how such organisation is determined at the neuronal level, namely how the individual nerves and synapses that form the brain and process the signals are organised to form the overall functional architecture visible at a macroscopic level. This understanding could realise the basis of normal visual perception in robotic vision and brain-machine interfaces.Read moreRead less
Do sex steroids regulate tear lipid production in human meibomian glands? This project aims to determine whether production of tear film lipids by meibomian gland cells is regulated by sex steroids. The tear film is essential to eyesight. It protects and nourishes the eye surface to maintain transparency to enable light to reach the retina. To guarantee these functions, exquisite control of tear film composition is required, including the outer lipid layer. Sex hormones, including oestrogen, may ....Do sex steroids regulate tear lipid production in human meibomian glands? This project aims to determine whether production of tear film lipids by meibomian gland cells is regulated by sex steroids. The tear film is essential to eyesight. It protects and nourishes the eye surface to maintain transparency to enable light to reach the retina. To guarantee these functions, exquisite control of tear film composition is required, including the outer lipid layer. Sex hormones, including oestrogen, may control production of the lipid layer by meibomian glands in the eyelid, but this has not been confirmed in humans. This project aims to show whether meibomian glands produce sex hormones, which then control production of tear lipids. This new knowledge will improve our understanding of how the tear film maintains clear vision.Read moreRead less
Examination of unique tear lipids and their role in the tear film's structure and function. The tear film lipid layer covers the eye, stabilises the tears and prevents their evaporation. Yet its structure, function and composition are yet to be fully elucidated. The aim of this project is to fully characterise the unique lipids in this layer, the long-chain omega-hydroxy fatty acids (not found elsewhere in the body), and to determine their role in its structure and function. The project is signi ....Examination of unique tear lipids and their role in the tear film's structure and function. The tear film lipid layer covers the eye, stabilises the tears and prevents their evaporation. Yet its structure, function and composition are yet to be fully elucidated. The aim of this project is to fully characterise the unique lipids in this layer, the long-chain omega-hydroxy fatty acids (not found elsewhere in the body), and to determine their role in its structure and function. The project is significant because the unique combination of skills including synthetic chemistry, mass spectrometry, lipidomics, biochemistry, biophysics which aim to result in a major shift in the understanding of this layer.Read moreRead less
Wiring the retina for human vision - a single-cell behavioural approach. This project aims to combine optical and behavioural methods to explore how colour information is channelled from individual cone photoreceptors through the living human retina, to the brain. By non-invasively stimulating either a single cell or specific arrangements of cells, the project aims to contribute fundamental knowledge about how the retina is wired to inform our exquisite sense of colour and spatial vision. This u ....Wiring the retina for human vision - a single-cell behavioural approach. This project aims to combine optical and behavioural methods to explore how colour information is channelled from individual cone photoreceptors through the living human retina, to the brain. By non-invasively stimulating either a single cell or specific arrangements of cells, the project aims to contribute fundamental knowledge about how the retina is wired to inform our exquisite sense of colour and spatial vision. This understanding has consequences across a range of disciplines, including artificial vision systems such as driverless cars, retinal disease, and the processing of information through neuronal connections in general.Read moreRead less
Using lasers to prime the immune system. This project aims to detail the precise effects that lasers have on eye cells, cell populations and the body as a whole. Laser treatments for sight problems are increasing but the effects of these laser applications on the unique immune systems of the eye and brain are unknown. Previous work of the researchers has shown that a novel nanosecond laser when targeted to the eye can alter cells in the lasered eye and in the unlasered eye and the brain. This kn ....Using lasers to prime the immune system. This project aims to detail the precise effects that lasers have on eye cells, cell populations and the body as a whole. Laser treatments for sight problems are increasing but the effects of these laser applications on the unique immune systems of the eye and brain are unknown. Previous work of the researchers has shown that a novel nanosecond laser when targeted to the eye can alter cells in the lasered eye and in the unlasered eye and the brain. This knowledge may be crucial for enhancing our understanding of the immune privileged state of the eye. In addition, it seeks to guide the development of future low energy lasers as important successful treatments.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100320
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,371.00
Summary
Understanding cone photoreceptor migration and cell death mechanisms . Normal vision requires functional and correctly located cone photoreceptor cells. Many genetic mutations, however, impair the correct migration of these cells during development and ultimately cause cell death. This project will investigate, for the first time, the casual link between the migration of cone cells and activation of cell death mechanisms. A coordinated approach, using a range of molecular techniques, will be use ....Understanding cone photoreceptor migration and cell death mechanisms . Normal vision requires functional and correctly located cone photoreceptor cells. Many genetic mutations, however, impair the correct migration of these cells during development and ultimately cause cell death. This project will investigate, for the first time, the casual link between the migration of cone cells and activation of cell death mechanisms. A coordinated approach, using a range of molecular techniques, will be used to determine which factors are essential for normal development, correct spatial location and survival of cone photoreceptors within the mammalian retina. This will provide a major step forward in our knowledge of the processes involved in the spatial deployment of cones and the developmental organisation of the retina.Read moreRead less
Novel mechanisms for regulating the retinal vasculature. Tight control of the retinal vasculature is crucial for maintaining normal vision. Unlike most blood vessels in the body, those in the retina and brain receive no direct neural control. Rather they rely on support cells to communicate the needs of neurons. This project aims to examine the mechanisms by which resident immune cells, called microglia, regulate retinal capillaries in response to neural activity. New knowledge examining a novel ....Novel mechanisms for regulating the retinal vasculature. Tight control of the retinal vasculature is crucial for maintaining normal vision. Unlike most blood vessels in the body, those in the retina and brain receive no direct neural control. Rather they rely on support cells to communicate the needs of neurons. This project aims to examine the mechanisms by which resident immune cells, called microglia, regulate retinal capillaries in response to neural activity. New knowledge examining a novel mechanism will be generated. This information is crucial for enhancing our understanding of how blood vessels are controlled in the retina and brain and will guide the development of novel ways of examining blood vessel function.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130100439
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Neural mechanisms of blindsight: a combined physiological and behavioural study. The cellular circuits of the cerebral cortex hold the key to the biological bases of perception, decision making, memory and consciousness. This project will study the physiological mechanisms underlying our ability to decide what we are seeing, based either on consciously perceived images or subconscious processing of visual information.
How the brain generates robust behaviour in noisy sensory environments. This project aims to investigate the origins of variability in the control of movements. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of sensory and motor neuroscience by determining how variability in the activity of sensory and motor neurons accounts for variability in the initiation and control of eye movements. Expected outcomes of this project include international collaboration, development of new methods ....How the brain generates robust behaviour in noisy sensory environments. This project aims to investigate the origins of variability in the control of movements. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of sensory and motor neuroscience by determining how variability in the activity of sensory and motor neurons accounts for variability in the initiation and control of eye movements. Expected outcomes of this project include international collaboration, development of new methods for imaging neural activity in vivo, and refinement of theories concerning the cause and implications of noise in the brain. This should provide significant benefits such as a better understanding of why our movements are variable, and whether it is desirable or possible to minimise this variability. Read moreRead less