biological sciences HONOURs 2014 - The University of Sydney

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42 PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY Research Interests My laboratory uses molecular biology and cell biology techniques to study a range of topics including the legume-rhizobia symbiosis, long distance signaling in plants and plant food allergens. The Legume-Rhizobia Symbiosis: To produce our food, the crops we grow need to have enough nitrogen. This nitrogen is usually supplied as an expensive, chemically synthesised fertilizer. Legumes are plants that are able to combine with bacteria, termed rhizobia, to form an association (symbiosis) where nitrogen from the air is converted to a form that can be used by plants. This means they can grow without nitrogen fertilizer and also that they can leave nitrogen in the soil for the next crop grown, reducing the reliance on fertilizers. The rhizobia are enclosed by a membrane that the plant synthesises, inside a new organ on the roots of the plant called a nodule. We are studying the composition, development and function of the membrane (the symbiosome membrane) as it is the interface between them and probably controls how efficiently nitrogen is fixed. Dr Penny Smith Room 239A, Macleay Building A12 T: (02) 9036 7169 E: penny.smith@sydney. edu.au Honours projects 1. Which plant genes are expressed in cells infected by rhizobia? Find out how rhizobia modify plant gene expression. You would use laser capture micro-dissection to isolate cells infected by rhizobia, isolate RNA and then use RNAseq to compare the expression with that of non-infected cells. 2. Metal transporters on the symbiosome membrane and their role in symbiotic function. Investigate how reducing the expression of one symbiosome membrane transporter changes the expression of the other transporters. Investigate this using RNAi, real-time qPCR, proteomics and/or metabolomics. 3. The role of nutrient transporters in regulating efficiency of nitrogen fixation. What happens when you reduce the expression of particular transport proteins on the symbiosome membrane? Use gene silencing to reduce expression of your candidate transporter and investigate how this affects the nitrogen fixation. 4. Characterisation of the symbiosome space. The symbiosome space is the region inside the symbiosome membrane that surrounds the bacteroid membrane. This project is a detailed proteomic study of the symbiosome space. You would then choose a protein for further molecular characterisation to determine if it is essential for the symbiosis. 5. Other possible projects: a) Molecular characterisation of symbiosome development. b) Studying changes in the symbiosome membrane proteome throughout development using quantitative proteomics.
HUMAN NUTRITION AND EPIDEMIOLOGY 43 Research Interests In Australia, 3 out of 4 adults are overweight or obese, and 1.7 billion individuals are obese worldwide. Alarmingly, obesity is highly associated with the development of metabolic complications including insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. In order to address the obesity epidemic, we need to investigate the physiological mechanisms leading to obesity and its metabolic complications and provide effective, low-risk treatments for weight loss. My research investigates the physiological mechanisms leading to obesity and its metabolic complications and spans preclinical mouse models, to humans to epidemiological data-sets. By performing interventions resulting in weight gain (overfeeding studies) and weight loss (diet, exercise and weight loss surgery), my research investigates the associated changes in whole-body, adipose tissue and skeletal muscle physiology associated with obesity and diabetes. Honours projects 1. Investigating the potential risks versus benefits of weight loss surgery. Weight loss (bariatric) surgery results in a spectacular 30-40% weight loss and resolution of type 2 Dr Charmaine Tam Room 322, Heydon- Laurence Building A08 T: (02) 9036 6262 E: charmaine.tam@ sydney.edu.au diabetes in up to 80% of cases after one year. Despite such impressive outcomes, the potential risks of such procedures on parameters such as body composition and bone health are unknown. This project would involve learning how to run a clinical research study, interactions with patients, performing body composition scans, serum assays in the laboratory and data analysis. 2. Examining the role of inflammation and matrix remodelling in fat tissue and skeletal muscle in the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Obesity is now recognised as a state of chronic low-grade inflammation in the adipose tissue and potentially skeletal muscle. This project would involve learning a range of molecular biology techniques for analysing adipose tissue and skeletal muscle in mouse models of obesity and diabetes.
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Page 5 and 6: Why do Honours? 5 Flesh fly by Jess
Page 7 and 8: When does Honours begin? 7 You can
Page 9 and 10: 9 How do I apply? Photo courtesy Di
Page 11 and 12: 11 27 Eddie Holmes Evolutionary gen
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Page 19 and 20: TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY 19 Research Int
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Page 30 and 31: 30 MICROBIAL ECOLOGY Research Inter
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Page 34: 34 REPTILE EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOURA
Page 37 and 38: NUTRITION, INFECTION AND HOST-FITNE
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