Institute of Reproduction and Development (including the Centre for Early Human Development)
Director: Professor D M de Kretser
Deputy director: Professor A O Trounson
Associate directors: Associate Professor A M Walker, Professor I Kola, Dr
G P Risbridger
Address: Institute of Reproduction and Development, Block E Level 3 and Block B
Level 5, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton 3168
Telephone: (03) 9550 3576
Fax: (03) 9550 3584
Email: david.de.kretser@med.monash.edu.au
- Molecular reproduction and endocrinology Physiology of inhibin,
activin and follistatin in relation to their control of FSH and their potential
actions as paracrine regulators within the testis; the sites of production
within the foetus; the role of these proteins in human pregnancy. Hormonal
control of spermatogenesis with particular reference to the sites of action of
FSH and testosterone and the manner in which these hormones control Sertoli
cell function. Factors controlling the division of Sertoli cells in the
developing testis. The role of growth factors and their receptors in
spermatogenesis; the role of microtubule associated proteins in
spermatogenesis; development of the outer dense fibres and fibrous sheath of
spermatozoa. Immunological aspects of male reproduction including the role of
cytokines and growth factor in the modulation of the immune status of the
testis. The role of activin and follistatin in liver remodelling and function;
regulation of activin and follistatin during inflammatory processes. Role of
trinucleotide repeats in androgen receptor function. The mechanisms involved in
male infertility - causes etc. Nitric oxide in spermatogenesis.
- Prostate biology Development of prostate. Studies to determine
the role of activin growth factors and steroids in the neonatal development of
prostate lobes. Steroid action on prostate. Use of transgenic mouse models to
study epithelial mesenchymal cell interactions through tissue recombination.
Prostate disease. Use of TGF[beta]/activin ligands for histopathological
diagnosis, correlation with serum markers and disease progression.
- Early human development Human infertility including IVF and other
reproductive techniques in human medicine including fertilisation by
microinjection (ICSI), gamete (sperm and egg) maturation in vitro and
the developmental consequences of gamete immaturity, embryo biopsy for
preimplantation genetic diagnosis for chromosomal and genetic errors (FISH and
PCR techniques), androgen receptor mutations and male infertility, the
ultrastructure of centriolar inheritance in fertilisation and development, the
aetiology of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and intraovarian cytokine
regulators, aromatisation and follicular cell formation. The growth and
development of embryos and their nutritional and metabolic requirements,
formulation of embryonic culture media. Stage specific gene expression and cell
surface antigen appearance in embryonic development, differentiation and human
embryonic stem cell formation. Cryobiology of gamete, embryo and tissue
presentation and transplantation of ovarian tissue for recovery of ovarian
function and the dynamics of follicular recruitment and growth. Legal, social
and ethical issues in reproductive medicine and genetics. Gene vectors and
embryonic stem cells including the manipulation of endogenous genes by
innovative molecular strategies for the determination of gene function in
development and production of transgenic animals. Human developmental
cell regulation: cell biology of early human development, including the study
of growth factors affecting the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of
human multipotent stem cells: gene expression during the differentiation of
embryonal stem cells into endoderm; human gonadal development and the origins
of germ cell tumours of the testis; a novel cell surface proteoglycan expressed
during human development with a likely role in cell substrate adhesion. Animal
biotechnology involving the in vitro maturation of immature oocytes to
provide material for investigations in in vitro fertilisation, embryo
culture, oocyte and embryo cryopreservation and the role of growth factors in
pre-and peri-implantation bovine embryo development. These techniques are also
used for nuclear transfer/cloning and the multiplication of genetically
identical embryos that include oocyte enucleation, embryo disaggregation and
culture of embyonic cells, cell cycle control and electrofusion. Further
studies involve embryo stage specific gene expression and nuclear reprogramming
after nuclear transfer as controlled by genetic imprinting and DNA methylation.
Animal research including genomic storage for endangered species, reproductive
technologies for species at risk of extinction, reduction of generation
intervals in cattle breeding, embryo recovery and transfer in domestic and wild
captive animals, equine reproductive physiology, lactation and dairy product
productions in sheep and goats, development of semen collection techniques
across species, cryopreservation of semen in dogs and zoo species, production
of genetically identical offspring, reproductive studies in farmed deer species
and embryo transfer in cameloids. Animal Gene Storage Resource Centre of
Australia: The Animal Gene Storage Resource Centre of Australia, a
collaborative partnership between the IRD, universities and zoological
Institutes, has established a research program focusing on the preservation and
assisted breeding of endangered wildlife species. This research is directed to
reproductive physiology, cryobiology and embryology concentrating on the
salvaging of oocytes, oocyte preservation, maturation and fertilisation, semen
collection technology and preservation, and hormone assays of saliva, faeces
and serum to monitor reproductive cycles.
- Developmental biology Role of the extracellular matrix in
embryogenesis; cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions in specification of cell
types in the developing brain; genetic and biochemical basis for embryo losses
at implantation; analysis of fetal growth retardation in mice; analysis of
molecular aspects of genomic imprinting in androgenetic and parthenogenetic
embryonic stem cells.
- Molecular genetics and development Molecular biology of Down's
Syndrome; molecular biology of aging and cellular senescence; molecular biology
of cancer; genes regulation and function during differentiation and
development; the ETS family of transcription factors - functional analysis; the
role of antioxidant genes in cellular processes; the role of SODI gene in aging
and Down's Syndrome; transcription factors and their role in development and
disease; the interferon receptor gene - its biological function and role in
disease; transcription factors in spermatogenesis; gene regulation; use of
transgenic mice for animal models of human disease; embryonic stem cells and
homologous recombination for evaluating the biological role of specific genes.
- Fetal physiology Initiation and control of ventilation in the
newborn lamb; metabolic cost of breathing in the fetus and the newborn;
influence of caesarean section on the establishment of breathing at birth;
development of the respiratory system in the fetus from very early in
gestation; structure of respiratory areas in the hindbrain; metabolic
properties of respiratory muscles and heart.
- Neonatal physiology Development of the fetal heart and
circulation from mid-gestation; development, physiology and pharmacology of the
cerebral circulation; circulatory adaptation at birth; cardiac structure and
function after preterm birth; thermal and cardio-respiratory physiology in
sleep in infants - understanding the mechanism of Sudden Infant Death.
wwwdev@monash.edu.au
Tue Oct 6 02:34:14 EST 1998