PhD student Hayley McGrice has won this year's SARDI Suffrage Science Bursary for her research into the genes and molecular signals which affect wool follicle formation in lambs.
Her research has used novel techniques to investigate which specific genes are turned on and off during key points of the wool follicle formation. Two of the genes measured in this way are known to be important in the human genetic condition, ectodermal dysplasia. People with this genetic condition are often born with extremely sparse hair and have abnormal or missing teeth and poorly developed sweat glands.
Wool follicles are only initiated once during any mammal's life so if we can determine which genes or pathways are responsible, we can manipulate the development of follicles “ perhaps producing many more wool follicles - so as to maximise the lifetime wool producing potential of sheep, Ms McGrice said.
Because of the similarity of hair and wool follicle initiation across mammals, these findings are relevant to research in human hair conditions. Mutations in two of the genes I have measured have been previously established as causative in ectodermal dysplasia. My work has shown how these genes are important in the formation of wool follicles and the signalling processes involved, and thus may benefit further research into this hair disorder.
Ms McGrice said this fundamental research into the genes and pathways involved in wool follicle initiation could lead to the production of pharmaceuticals or food additives with the potential to increase the number of follicles initiated during development, or increase the rate of wool growth. Similarly it could lead to benefits for human hair conditions such as ectodermal dysplasia.
The SARDI bursary will help Ms McGrice attend the 5th International Congress of Hair Research in Vancouver in June to present her findings.
adelaide.au
The researchers subjected mice to low, intermediate and high doses of radiation and looked for the impact of each dose on specific genes in the blood. They found that each dose resulted in distinct profiles, or signatures, representing 75 to 100 genes that could be used to predict the degree of exposure.
They also analyzed blood from human patients receiving bone marrow transplants who were treated with high doses of radiation prior to transplant and found specific gene profiles that distinguished the individuals that were exposed to radiation from those that were not with an accuracy of 90 percent.
"The goal now is to refine this test to the point that if a disaster were to occur, we could draw blood from thousands of people and have results back in time for treatment to have effect," said Joseph Nevins, Ph.D., a professor of molecular genetics at Duke's Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy and co-investigator on the study.
These findings also could point to new treatments for victims of a radiological catastrophe, said lead study investigator Holly K. Dressman, Ph.D., an associate professor of molecular genetics at the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy. "By identifying genes that are major players in the response to radiation, we hope to compile a list of future targets for protection against its harmful effects."
The researchers are currently refining the test by looking at the effects of time from exposure, gender, age and additional genetic factors on the ability of the test to predict radiation dose, Dressman said.
dukemednews