EMBL Australia Group Leaders, David Lynn and Chen Davidovich were recently awarded project grants from the NHMRC.
David received the grant for his work on vaccine responses in infants. He is an EMBL Australia Group Leader at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and an Associate Professor at the College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University. The team was awarded $858,033 for the following research project:
How does the microbiota modulate vaccine responses in human infants: A systems vaccinology approach
Understanding the factors that are associated with inter-individual variation in vaccine responses is of fundamental importance to human health. In this study, we will investigate how the collection of microbes in the intestine, referred to as our gut microbiota, can influence vaccine responses in human infants.
The co-investigators on the project are Prof. Geraint Rogers (SAHMRI & Flinders University), Prof. Helen Marshall (Womens & Childrens Hospital and The University of Adelaide) and Dr. Damon Tumes (SAHMRI).
Read more about Associate Professor David Lynn here
Chen received the grant for his work on gene regualtion. He is an EMBL Australia Group Leader based at Monash University and was awarded $671,653 for the following project:
RNA-mediated regulation of the histone methyltransferase PRC2: a new link to disease-associated and causing mutations.
Genes in all human cells are switched ‘on’ and ‘off’ in a process that is affected by specific proteins. The immediate product of genes, a molecule termed RNA, can change the way proteins affect gene expression. In this study, we aim to understand how RNA regulate the function of specific proteins, that normally maintain thousands of genes in an ‘off’ state. We will determine how these proteins are altered during disease, when they can no longer be affected by RNA.
Read more about Chen Davidovich here.
Congratulations David and Chen!