Study level

  • PhD
  • Master of Philosophy

Faculty/School

Faculty of Health

School of Biomedical Sciences

Topic status

We're looking for students to study this topic.

Research centre

Supervisors

Adjunct Professor Murray Mitchell
Position
Adjunct Professor
Division / Faculty
Faculty of Health
Dr Eman Mohamed Othman Mosaad
Position
Division / Faculty
Dr Hassendrini Peiris
Position
Division / Faculty

Overview

Exosomes are small (40-120 nm), stable, lipid bilayer nanovesicles identified in biological fluids (e.g. in Until recently, genetic selection in dairy cows has focused primarily on milk production traits, with very few countries including functional traits such as fertility in selection indices. Poor reproductive efficiency in dairy herds results in fewer calves, reduced milk production, high involuntary culling rates and increased cow maintenance costs. The need for, and utility of, markers of early onset of diseases (or vulnerability to diseases) which often can lead to early intervention and higher survival rates, has increased dramatically with development of methodologies around biomarker discovery.

Exosomes are small (40-120 nm), stable, lipid bilayer nanovesicles identified in biological fluids (e.g. in milk, blood, urine and saliva). They contain a diverse array of signalling molecules, including mRNA, microRNA (miR), proteins, lipids and membrane receptors, and they interact with target cells via multiple pathways. The cargo of circulating exosomes can be indicative of a specific tissue’s health status, granting the capacity for use of exosomes as a tool for disease diagnosis.

This project will evaluate exosomal cargo derived from dairy cows with divergent fertility profiles and determine alterations to cellular function when incubated with these isolated exosomes (e.g changes in gene or protein expression).

Approaches/skills and techniques

Approaches required include exosomal isolation, next generation proteomics, microRNA sequencing, Western blot, ELISA and PCR arrays and differential analytical techniques.

Outcomes

This project is aimed to identify potential biomarkers of bovine fertility.

Required skills and experience

  • Interest and enthusiasm for biomedical research
  • Able to work in a multidisciplinary team environment
  • Knowledge of basic biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, and basic laboratory techniques will be an advantage.

Keywords

Contact

Professor Murray D Mitchell, Phone: + 61 7 3069 7438, Email: murray.mitchell@qut.edu.au.