Contact Details
| Organization: | Zoology |
| Position: | ARC POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW |
| Email: | |
| Homepage: | http://www.zoology.unimelb.edu.au/aboutus/staff/index.php?63,20 |
| Work: | 44845 |
| Fax: | 8344 7909 |
| Room: | 347 |
| Level: | 03 |
| Building: | Zoology Building |
| Campus: | Parkville |
Biography
My interest is in the specification and determination of cell lineages and of formation of the main body axes during embryonic development. My PhD was the first study to examine in marsupial embryos the effects of growth factors that have been implicated in these processes in other vertebrate embryos, namely the frog, chick and mouse. Marsupials are excellent models for such studies because unlike the most commonly used mammalian model, the mouse, marsupial embryos have a planar arrangement and do not implant until late in development.
I pioneered a method for culturing embryonic area explants flat in a manner that permits both the localized application of growth factors and tissue grafting, thus allowing examination of the effects of different proteins and localized signals on development. Using these techniques in conjunction with others including injection of dyes to trace cell lineages and immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation to determine the distribution and expression of various growth factors and cell markers, I am currently trying to ascertain the origin of primordial germ cells in marsupials and the signals involved in their specification.
I pioneered a method for culturing embryonic area explants flat in a manner that permits both the localized application of growth factors and tissue grafting, thus allowing examination of the effects of different proteins and localized signals on development. Using these techniques in conjunction with others including injection of dyes to trace cell lineages and immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation to determine the distribution and expression of various growth factors and cell markers, I am currently trying to ascertain the origin of primordial germ cells in marsupials and the signals involved in their specification.
Research Expertise and International Linkages
Research Expertise
| Research Interest | Key Words | Country of Expertise |
|---|---|---|
| Developmental Biology | Primordial germ cells, marsupials, cell specification, gastrulation | Australia |
Qualifications, Honours, Fellowships and Other Awards
Qualifications
| Title | Institution | Date Awarded | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doctor of Philosophy | La Trobe University | 31-Dec-2002 | |
| Bachelor of Science (Hons) | La Trobe University | 22-Nov-1994 |
Memberships
| Membership Type | Membership Body | Description | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Society for Reproductive Biology | Member | 16-Mar-2004 |
Government Research Classifications
Research Fields, Courses and Discipline Classifications
- Cell Development (incl. Cell Division and Apoptosis) (BIOCHEMISTRY AND CELL BIOLOGY) (270106)
- Genetic Development (incl. Sex Determination) (GENETICS) (270205)
- Molecular Evolution (GENETICS) (270208)
- Animal Anatomy and Histology (ZOOLOGY) (270503)
- Zoology not elsewhere classified (ZOOLOGY) (270599)
- Animal Physiology - Cell (PHYSIOLOGY) (270602)
- Reproduction (CLINICAL SCIENCES) (321026)
Socio-Economic Objective Classifications
Grants and Contracts
Research Grants, Contracts and Consultancies awarded to the University of Melbourne as the administering institution (since 2003) as recorded in Themis Agreements.
Grants
| Title | Role | Funding Source | Scheme | Award Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extrinsic control of mammalian germ cell delineation | Chief Investigator | AUST RESEARCH COUNCIL | Discovery Projects | 01/01/2005 |
Additional Grant and Contract Information
I was awarded a Georgina Sweet Fellowship from the University of Melbourne in 2003 -2004 and an Australian Research Postdoctoral Fellowship from 2005-2007.
Publications
Publications produced at the University of Melbourne and reported in the Annual Publications Collection and 'Research Report' since 2001. The Themis Publications module, released in November 2006, allows additional publications from previous institutions and publications from past years to be entered.