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Multi-omics Research Centre
6 Wally’s Walk
Macquarie University We have an expert multi-disciplinary team of researchers View our centre grants, publications and research outputs

Current centre projects

Our multi-omic capabilities include multi-omics, genomics, functional genomics, glycomics and proteomics.

Learn more about our current research themes and their associated projects below.

Multi-omics

Complex biological systems, whether they be microbes, animals or plants, are frequently analysed using large-scale Omics approaches, including genomics, transcriptomics, glycomics, proteomics, metabolomics and more. Combinations of different Omics analyses are highly synergistic – revealing significantly more information than studies undertaken individually.

Multi-Omics involves integrating two (or more) Omics data sets during data analysis, visualization and interpretation, with the aim of elucidating the mechanism of a chosen biological process. The more components we describe in detail, the better we can understand the system.

We use multi-omics to integrate data from different biological layers such as genomics, glycomics, metabolomics, proteomics and transcriptomics.

Each layer reveals something distinct:

  • DNA shows potential
  • metabolites and glycans show outcome of cellular and tissue activity
  • proteins show function
  • RNA shows activity.

By combining these datasets, we can trace how genetic information drives cellular behaviour and disease states. This approach helps us uncover complex interactions that single omics studies often miss.

Multi-omics can be used to identify biomarkers, refine diagnostics and guide precision interventions across medicine, agriculture and environmental science.

Multi-omics projects examples include:

  • Glycoproteome remodeling and organelle-specific N-glycosylation accompany neutrophil granulopoiesis
  • Limited introgression between rock-wallabies with extensive chromosomal rearrangements
  • Protein and transcriptome biomarkers of lead toxicity and adaptive response in house sparrows from Australian mining towns
  • Proteomic analysis of anthropogenic environmental impacts on Australian alpine plants (in collaboration with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service)
  • Synthetic conversion of leaf chloroplasts into carotenoid-rich plastids reveals mechanistic basis of natural chromoplast development

Genomics

Genomics research offers insight into how organisms’ function, evolve and adapt. It provides a DNA footprint of the diversity of life, and how the change in nucleotide bases and their structure evolve to create novel adaptations and species.

Genomics provides insights from individuals, populations through to species with important insights for conservation by incorporating understanding of the processes of natural selection and genetic drift.

Comparative genomics helps us understand how variation translates into cellular and organismal phenotypes.

  • Museum skins enable identification of introgression associated with cytonuclear discordance
  • Safety assessment of nonbrowning potatoes: Opening the discussion about the relevance of substantial equivalence on next generation biotech crops

Functional genomics

Functional genomics is the study of what role genes play in a cell and how they interact to influence biological processes, traits and morphology.

It uses large-scale, systematic omics-based approaches like transcriptomics, transposon-insertion sequencing and CRISPR-screens to assign gene function and outline their relationship to an organism's biological pathways, moving beyond a gene-by-gene analysis.

Glycomics

Glycomics is the study of glycans, the complex sugars that decorate proteins and lipids on cell surfaces. These structures control many key biological processes, including cell communication, immune recognition and disease progression.

By mapping and analysing glycans, we can uncover critical information about how cells respond to stress, infection, or cancer, offering new insights for diagnostics and therapeutics.

Proteomics

Proteomics involves the characterisation of all of the protein components of a biological system at a given time under a given set of conditions. This includes the identification and quantitation of proteins and post-translational modifications which can give rise to a myriad of different proteoforms.

The proteome of a cell is not static, it is dynamic and responsive to changes in external stimuli. These data reveal active biological pathways, which can generate targets for precision therapies.

  • Characterising the proteome of inner ear tissue of laboratory animals and how this changes in response to hearing loss
  • Evaluating the impact of two different diets on the protein profile expression of the brain, liver and intestine of the barramundi (in collaboration with Skretting Australia and NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development)
  • Profound N-glycan remodelling accompanies MHC-II immunopeptide presentation
  • Understanding how the proteome of different varieties of rice responds to different abiotic stresses