The Role Of The Zinc Finger Transcriptional Repressor Znf238 During Nerve Cell Maturation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,264.00
Summary
Proper foetal brain assembly is critical for brain function, but the underlying genetic mechanisms remain poorly defined. In this study, I will investigate a family of proteins that “turn on” neural gene expression in combination with another protein that “turns off” their expression during nerve cell development. Understanding this novel on/off mechanism for controlling gene expression in newborn nerve cells will further our understanding of how the brain is assembled.
Discovering Molecules And Mechanisms Regulating Dendrite Formation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$517,989.00
Summary
Dendrites are neuronal projections necessary to receive stimuli from other neurons or the external environment. Abnormalities in dendrite development associate with mental retardation and other human conditions such as Down syndrome, Rett syndrome and Fragile-X syndrome. The studies presented in this proposal, using the powerful genetic and molecular tools available for the nematode C. elegans, will provide new insight into the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating dendrite development.
Role Of ABCA8 Transporter In Oligodendroglial Lipid Regulation And Multiple System Atrophy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$651,516.00
Summary
Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a rapid-onset brain disorder impacting on multiple functions of the body resulting in death. The cause of MSA is unknown and there is no cure. In MSA brains, the oligodendroglial cells are impaired and cannot properly make myelin (specialized lipid membrane), which is required for the proper functioning of the nerve cells in the brain. The aim of this project is to find out how changes in lipid in the brain impact on the MSA disease process.
Membrane Fusion In Axonal Regeneration: Molecules And Mechanisms
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$461,597.00
Summary
Limited nerve regeneration is the main obstacle for recovery from spinal cord and brain injuries. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying axonal regeneration is an essential step toward the development of novel effective therapies to enhance this process. In this proposal, we use the powerful molecular and genetic tools available for the small nematode worm C. elegans to identify and study axonal regeneration and discover the key molecules involved.
Epigenetic Determination Of Neuronal Vulnerability And Neurodegenerative Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$617,857.00
Summary
Neurons are faced with diverse forms of stress everyday. Neural diseases exacerbate this stress, causing interference to genes that normally allow neurons to function correctly. As a result, neurons die, and severe loss can result in diseases such as dementia. We have discovered new molecular factors in neurons that insulate their genes from stress, thereby protecting neuron function and health. The proposed research will exploit these mechanisms to better protect neurons from disease.
Cracking The Epigenetic Code: Understanding The Mechanisms Of Memory Associated With Anxiety-related Disorders And Their Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$640,210.00
Summary
The primary goal of my research programme is to elucidate how the epigenome coordinates experience-dependent gene expression underlying associative learning and memory using paradigms relevant for understanding fear-related anxiety disorders. My research on DNA modifications and newly emerging findings in the realm of RNA biology is changing the way we think about gene-environment interactions, the broader impact of which will most certainly continue to be felt for years to come.
Regulation Of Glutamate Receptor Trafficking By The Calcium- And Lipid-binding Protein, Copine-6
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$548,690.00
Summary
Abnormal levels of cell surface receptors in neurons can lead to a variety of debilitating neurological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. These levels are tightly regulated through the orchestrated movements of receptors from inside the neuron to the cell surface. In this project we will examine how the transport of cell surface receptors is regulated by an intracellular signalling molecule, called copine, which is important in both epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease.
How Does Iron Accumulation Affect Parkinson’s Disease And What Controls It?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$545,517.00
Summary
Currently there is no cure for Parkinson's disease, and although we have a number of treatments to manage the disease there is an urgent need for a further understanding of the disease process. This proposal will investigate the critical role that iron plays in the cause of neuronal cell death that results in Parkinson's disease, and will investigate methods for regulating metal levels in the brain.
The Role Of Membrane Phospholipids In Regenerative Axonal Fusion
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$571,950.00
Summary
Injuries to the nervous system can cause lifelong disabilities due to ineffective repair of the damaged nerve fibres. Our previous research has identified a highly efficient mechanism that occurs in nematode worms that allows severed nerves to fuse back together. We will now focus on understanding precisely how this mechanism works, and investigate its utility in repairing nerves that don’t normally utilise this repair mechanism.
I am a neuroscientist-biochemist-cell biologist determining the mechanisms by which lipids and lipid transporters regulate neurodegeneration and vascular disease. I have recently developed a prototype drug that shows promise as a novel therapeutic approach for Alzheimer's disease.