A5060317968- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
- Congenital heart defects research
- Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology
- Morphological variations and asymmetry
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- RNA Research and Splicing
- Retinal Development and Disorders
- Retinal Diseases and Treatments
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Glaucoma and retinal disorders
- Bone Metabolism and Diseases
- Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Bone fractures and treatments
- dental development and anomalies
- MicroRNA in disease regulation
- bioluminescence and chemiluminescence research
- Congenital limb and hand anomalies
- Cancer-related molecular mechanisms research
The University of Melbourne
2017-2025
Monash University
2020-2022
Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute
2022
Museums Victoria
2018-2019
The Tasmanian tiger or thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) was the largest carnivorous Australian marsupial to survive into modern era. Despite last sharing a common ancestor with eutherian canids ~160 million years ago, their phenotypic resemblance is considered most striking example of convergent evolution in mammals. known died captivity 1936 and many aspects evolutionary history this unique apex predator remain unknown. Here we have sequenced genome preserved pouch young specimen clarify...
Loss of neurons in the neural retina is a leading cause vision loss. While humans do not possess capacity for retinal regeneration, zebrafish can achieve this through activation resident Müller glia. Remarkably, despite presence glia and other mammalian vertebrates, these cells lack an intrinsic ability to contribute regeneration. Upon activation, adopt stem cell-like state, undergo proliferation generate new neurons. However, underlying molecular mechanisms subsequent regeneration remains...
The marsupial moles are arguably Australia’s most enigmatic marsupials. Almost indistinguishable from placental (eutherian) moles, they provide a striking example of convergent evolution. Exploring the genome southern mole, we insights into its unusual biology. We show definitively by retrophylogenomic analysis that closely related to bandicoots and bilbies (order Peramelemorphia). find evidence marked decline in mole effective population size, likely preceding arrival humans regions near...
Abstract Background The fat‐tailed dunnart is a small dasyurid marsupial which emerging as robust laboratory model for conservation, developmental, and reproductive biology research. While these marsupials present extremely valuable models, housing non‐domesticated animals in captivity can wide range of potential stressors the animals, need to be managed ensure colony health. Notably, dunnarts rely on scent marking social communication, important maintain reduce stress artificial...
Marsupials exhibit unique biological features that provide fascinating insights into many aspects of mammalian development. These include their distinctive mode reproduction, altricial stage at birth, and the associated heterochrony is required for crawl to pouch teat attachment. are also an invaluable resource comparative biology, forming a distinct lineage from extant placental egg-laying monotreme mammals. Despite marsupial resources lagging behind those available placentals. The...
The extinct marsupial Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, and the eutherian gray wolf are among most widely recognized examples of convergent evolution in mammals. Despite being distantly related, these large predators independently evolved extremely similar craniofacial morphologies, evidence suggests that they filled ecological niches. Previous analyses revealed little adaptive convergence between their protein-coding genes. Thus, genetic basis is still unclear. Here, we identified candidate...
The Tasmanian tiger or thylacine ( Thylacinus cynocephalus ) was an iconic Australian marsupial predator that hunted to extinction in the early 1900s. Despite sharing striking similarities with canids, they failed evolve many of specialized anatomical features characterize carnivorous placental mammals. These evolutionary limitations are thought arise from functional constraints associated mode reproduction, which otherwise highly altricial young use their well-developed forelimbs climb...
ABSTRACT The lateral plate mesoderm (LPM) is a transient tissue that produces diverse range of differentiated structures, including the limbs. However, molecular mechanisms drive early LPM specification and development are poorly understood. In this study, we use single-cell transcriptomics to define cell-fate decisions directing specification, subdivision initiation forelimb mesenchyme in chicken embryos. We establish transcriptional atlas global cell-cell signalling interactions...
Abstract Phenotypic convergence, describing the independent evolution of similar characteristics, offers unique insights into how natural selection influences developmental and molecular processes to generate shared adaptations. The extinct marsupial thylacine placental gray wolf represent one most extraordinary cases convergent in mammals, sharing striking cranial similarities despite 160 million years evolution. We digitally reconstructed their ontogeny from birth adulthood examine when...
Abstract Background Marsupials are a diverse and unique group of mammals, but remain underutilized in developmental biology studies, hindering our understanding mammalian diversity. This study focuses on establishing the fat‐tailed dunnart ( Sminthopsis crassicaudata ) as an emerging laboratory model, providing reproductive monitoring methods detailed atlas its embryonic development. Results We monitored cycles female dunnarts established to confirm pregnancy generate timed embryos. With...
Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) is a essential for skeletal development. Variation within the RUNX2 polyglutamine / polyalanine (QA) repeat correlated with facial length orders of placental mammals and suggested to be major driver craniofacial diversity. However, it not known if this correlation exists outside mammals. Here we examined between QA ratio in naturally evolving sister group mammals, marsupials. Marsupials have diverse range lengths similar that seen Despite their...
Abstract Background Changes in gene regulation are widely recognized as an important driver of adaptive phenotypic evolution. However, the specific molecular mechanisms that underpin such changes still poorly understood. Chromatin state plays essential role regulation, by influencing accessibility coding loci to transcriptional machinery. function chromatin remodellers therefore strong candidates drive expression associated with adaptation. Here, we identify amino acid homoplasies remodeller...
Abstract The tetrapod limb has evolved a broad diversity of form and function, enabling vertebrates to adapt wide range environments. One the most striking examples this is evolution powered flight in birds. However, during avian radiation, flightless ratites (Paleognathae) secondarily multiple instances wing reductions, utilizing distinct molecular mechanisms, displaying heterochrony with flighted birds (Neoaves). Among ratites, emu displays marked reduction anatomy, developing small single...
The tetrapod limb has long served as a model for elucidating molecular and cellular mechanisms driving tissue patterning, development evolution. While significant advances have been made in understanding the drivers of initiation, outgrowth, early morphogenetic processes that transform lateral plate mesoderm (LPM) into fields remain less resolved. Marsupial mammals provide unique opportunity to investigate these foundational due their accelerated forelimb development, driven by functional...
Abstract Loss of neurons in the neural retina is a leading cause vision loss. While humans do not possess capacity for retinal regeneration, zebrafish can achieve this through activation resident Müller glia. Remarkably, despite presence glia and other mammalian vertebrates, these cells lack an intrinsic ability to contribute regeneration. Upon activation, adopt stem cell-like state, undergo proliferation generate new neurons. However, underlying molecular mechanisms subsequent regeneration...
Abstract The lateral plate mesoderm (LPM) is a transient embryonic tissue that gives rise to diverse range of mature cell types, including the cardiovascular system, urogenital endoskeleton limbs, and mesenchyme gut. While genetic processes drive development these tissues are well defined, early fate choices underlying LPM specification poorly understood. In this study, we utilize single-cell transcriptomics define lineage during anterior forelimb field in chicken embryo. We identify...
Studies across vertebrates have revealed significant insights into the processes that drive craniofacial morphogenesis, yet we still know little about how distinct facial morphologies are patterned during development. largely point to evolution in GRNs of cranial progenitor cell types such as neural crest cells, major driver underlying adaptive shapes. However, this hypothesis requires further validation, particularly within suitable models amenable manipulation. By utilizing comparative...
A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-01687-0.