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Homology searching to determine conservation
| Florey Neuroscience Institutes |
Given a Gene or Protein identify the homologous Proteins across and within all Species and align them using existing alignment tools (such as BLAST) and possibly existing databases of Multiple Sequence Alignments.  View project details
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How do antipsychotic drugs signal to the MAPK-ERK system in cortical neurons?
| Mental Health Research Institute |
Supervisor(s) - Dr Avril Pereira / A/Prof Suresh Sundram
This project will utilise primary murine neuronal cortical cultures, secondary cell cultures and in vivo mouse models to investigate the effects of antipsychotic drug signalling on the MAPK-ERK system and specifically the involvement of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) system. The EGF system is involved with neural development and adult behaviours relevant to psychotic disorders. Specifically, we have demonstrated the interaction of antipsychotic drugs with the EGF system in signalling to ERK and this project will expand upon these findings. This will be done primarily using animal treatment strategies and protein immunoelectrophoresis. This work has the ultimate aim of developing new treatment strategies for these devastating disorders. The student will gain an understanding of psychotic disorders from a molecular perspective and how drug treatments may work. View project details
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How do moving neurons reach their proper destinations in the brain?
| Florey Neuroscience Institutes |
Failure of neurons to move to their proper destinations has disastrous consequences including neurological diseases such as epilepsy, autism and schizophrenia. View project details
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How do neurons make connections in the developing brain?
| Florey Neuroscience Institutes |
Supervisors: Dr Jenny Gunnersen and Prof. Seong-Seng Tan Researchers in the Brain Development Laboratory are aiming to understand the normal
processes of brain development from cell fate decision-making to neuronal migration and
formation of functional circuits. Many neurological disorders are thought to arise from
abnormalities in these processes so a fundamental understanding of developmental
mechanisms has the potential to further our knowledge of conditions such as mental
retardation, epilepsy and schizophrenia.
View project details
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How does stress contribute to epilepsy?
Supervisors:Dr. Nigel Jones, Prof. Terry O’Brien, Dr. Michael Salzberg, Prof. Margaret Morris
Background: Chronic stress is strongly linked to the development of psychiatric disturbances, such as depression and anxiety disorders. Interestingly, these disorders are prevalent in a high proportion of people suffering from epilepsy. Recent literature suggests that environmental exposures such as stress may also contribute to the development of epilepsy. This project aims to investigate this hypothesis and its underlying mechanism, with a parallel focus on anxiety and depression-like behaviour. View project details
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