What's On at UWA

Abstract: Ageing occurs in a regulated manner and the associated gene expression changes could contribute to the onset of many diseases, either by creating a permissive environment for pathology, or by directly inducing these conditions. We identified an Age-related Gene Expression Signature (AGES) in rats, by studying a time course of gene expression throughout the lifespan of the animal. Examining multiple tissues in rats aged 6, 9, 12, 18, 21, 24 and 27 months, we demonstrated tissue-specific and common gene pathway changes. Since AGES were shared by multiple tissues, it is plausible that perturbation of a discrete cell signalling pathway can extend life span and delay age-related diseases. We next asked, what is the impact of clinically-relevant low doses of rapalog on age-related pathway changes? Rapamycin or rapalogs (e.g. RAD001) that are inhibitors of mTORC1 (mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1), have been shown to increase lifespan and forestall age-related phenotypes in multiple species, including humans. Interestingly, the effect of RAD001 on age-related gene pathways was more pronounced in kidneys compared with other examined tissues (liver, skeletal muscle and hippocampus). The majority of the age-related pathways in the kidney were counter-regulated by a low dose of RAD001, and this was accompanied by reduction of age-related renal histopathology. We also examined the impact of RAD001 on molecular pathways implicated in skeletal muscle ageing (sarcopenia). This partial inhibition of the mTORC1 pathway counteracted age-related changes in expression of several genes related to senescence, muscle atrophy and deterioration of neuromuscular junctions, plus prevented loss of muscle mass for select muscles. These studies emphasise the potential benefit of drugs that target global signalling pathways as a successful strategy to reduce the adverse consequences of ageing.

Abstract: Homeostasis of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is critical for correct organ and tissue function. It plays a critical role in normal tissue homeostasis and pathological disease progression. Both the biochemical and biomechanical properties of the ECM contribute to modulating the behaviour of resident cells and are more than just passive bystanders. In tissue diseases such as cancer, the ECM undergoes significant change. These changes, driven by both tumour and stromal cells, feed into the progression of the disease. As such, changes in the ECM mark significant transition events in disease progression. Understanding how the changing ECM facilitates tumour progression and metastasis is an important step in the development of new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of cancer.

A systematic review requires a rigorous and systematic search of the literature. In this introductory seminar we will overview a comprehensive approach to systematic searching, key sources and tools available to you. This workshop is intended for researchers in STEM disciplines planning on undertaking a systematic review.

The 4-hour Mental Health First Aid for Non-Suicidal Self-Injury course is for any interested adult who is interested to learn how to assist a person who is engaging in self-injury.

This course is based on guidelines developed through the expert consensus of people with lived experience of mental health problems and professionals.

The software and databases Professor Daniel Pauly helped develop are used around the world to model andtrack the ocean, and include the massive FishBase and SeaLifeBase online encyclopaedia of fishesand other marine life; as well as the quantitative results of the Sea Around Us research initiative on the impacts of fishing on marine ecosystems. Don't miss this chance to hear him present!

The Young Lives Matter Foundation (https://www.uwa.edu.au/institutes/young-lives-matter/home)  aims to leverage research expertise across UWA to address the leading cause of death among 15- to 24-year olds in Western Australia. The foundation will address this aim by developing improved predictors of risk of self-harm and by better understanding the ways in which individuals interact with a myriad of health services. A deliberate and explicit focus of YLM is to tackle these goals through doing research differently. A key component of this is through new approaches in mathematics. I will provide an overview of some of the pilot work we have conducted over the last 18 months. Through direct observational study at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital we have developed complex systems models of information transmission and patient flow within the health system. This has allowed us to evaluate system performance and identify key bottlenecks in the delivery of health services. A separate, data-driven, pilot study at Perth Clinic has developed machine learning algorithms which out-perform admission-based psychiatric evaluation for risk of self-harm.  This is joint work with Michael McCullough, Sean Hood, Andrew Page, David Lawrence, Binu Jayawardena, and Geoff Hooke.

Dr. Philipp Bayer - Eukaryotic pangenomics – where we’ve been, where we’re going.

Ordinary Meetings of Convocation are the general meetings of The University of Western Australia. These meetings of Convocation provide the opportunity to receive an update on the operations of your University and current issues in tertiary education from the Vice-Chancellor, the Warden of Convocation and the Guild President.

Special guest speaker Professor Peter Veth, Director, UWA Oceans Institute, will speak about A Deep History of Maritime Peoples from Western Australia.

"Vascular effects of physical (in)activity and insulin resistance: Mechanisms and implications" - Dr. Jaume Padilla is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology and investigator at the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center at the University of Missouri. His laboratory focuses on understanding the physiological and molecular mechanisms by which inactivity, obesity, and type 2 diabetes lead to an increased risk for vascular dysfunction and disease. Dr. Padilla’s research is integrative and incorporates in vitro cell and tissue culture models and studies in mice, pigs, and human patients, thus highlighting the translational nature of his work. His seminar will summarize some of his recent work related to mechanisms contributing to vascular insulin resistance and dysfunction in obesity and type 2 diabetes as well as describe the deleterious vascular consequences of excess inactivity and sitting.

"Training your arteries, vascular function with exercise training in healthy and clinical populations" - Maureen J MacDonald received her Honours BSc in Chemistry from Acadia University, Canada, in 1991 and her MSc (1993) and PhD (1998) in Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo, Canada. After post-doctoral research fellowships at the University of British Columbia and the University of Western Ontario she started her academic career as a faculty member at Wilfrid Laurier University. Since 2000 she has been a faculty member in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, where she is a full professor and is the Dean of Science. Dr. MacDonald the director of the Vascular Dynamics Laboratory and is an active member of the Exercise Metabolism Research Group in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster. Her research interests are in the area of exercise physiology with specialization in the application of ultrasound techniques to the assessment of the peripheral blood vessels. Most recently, together with her research team, she has been examining the impact of high intensity interval training on the blood vessels and heart in individuals with coronary artery disease and the use of heat therapy as an alternative to exercise training. She has directly supervised over 100 undergraduate and graduate students since her appointment in 2000 and was recently awarded the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology Mentorship award in October 2018. Dr. MacDonald has been continually funded by The Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada since 2001, and currently is also funded by Canadian Institutes for Health Research and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Dr. MacDonald is a member of the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Physiological Society and the European College of Sports Science and. Two research leaves at Stanford University (July 2006-June 2007) and Loughborough University (July 2013-June 2014) provided Dr. MacDonald with international academic exposure and fostered lasting international research collaborations. She teaches a weekly high intensity interval training spinning class in the McMaster Fitness Facility and spends most of her free time at the arena watching her boys play hockey.

Panel Discussion 2:00-2:30 with Professor David Dunstan PhD David is Head of the Physical Activity laboratory at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne and is an NHMRC Senior Research Fellow and Baker Fellow. He also holds the position of Professor within the Behaviour, Environment and Cognition Research Program at the Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University. His research program encompasses the interdisciplinary cross-talk and integration of observational, experimental, mechanistic and intervention evidence on the role of sedentary behaviour and physical activity in the prevention and management of chronic diseases. He has published over 260 peer reviewed papers and in 2018 was included in the Clarivate list of the 1% of the most highly cited researchers globally. Over the past 15 years David has had extensive media interest in his research including interviews with National Public Radio, Wall Street Journal, CNN, The Economist, New Scientist, the New York Times and the LA Times.

The Boodie or Burrowing Bettong (Bettongia lesueur) is the only macropod that shelters underground in warrens. It is limited naturally to three islands off the west Australian coast, but just 200 years ago it had the widest distribution of any macropod, occupying about 50% of the continent. The seminar will describe what can be eked out of a genetic analysis of the population on Barrow Island, which is at the geographic centre of Australia's largest resource project. Inevitably, it will be short. However, that masks the huge effort required to undertake work of this kind. It was largely undertaken by others, and Felicity Donaldson and Celeste Wale deserve special mention in this regard.

High-throughput screening of porous functional materials

Learn to share your EndNote Library with your research group, your supervisor or your colleagues in this hands-on session.

Seminar Series

Western Australia is the gateway to the Indo-Pacific. As the nation’s regional capital, Perth watches the future unfold from a fascinating vantage point. This presents our economy and society with profound opportunities for cultural enrichment and increased prosperity. In fast-moving times, it is difficult for leaders to keep the pulse of circumstances, to reach beyond the headlines and consider the deeper forces driving events. Over the years, In the Zone has provided business and policymakers with the opportunity to lift their gaze to the demands of the twenty-first century. In partnership with The University of Western Australia, In The Zone 2019 - Critical Minerals: Securing Indo-Pacific Technology Futures will attract more than 350 delegates from government and business across the Indo-Pacific region to examine: * The importance of critical materials for modern telecommunication, science, defence and digital networks * The economic, environmental and security challenges facing existing critical materials industries * The imperative of developing more secure and sustainable critical materials value chains * The potential for Western Australia to collaborate with Indo-Pacific partners to support the technological foundations of the region's prosperity. Ticket includes: morning and afternoon tea, lunch and networking reception (5-6pm).