Understanding wastewater treatment technologies for alternative water use: transformation of inorganic and organic nitrogen. This project will identify sustainable treatment processes for nitrogen and pathogen removal in rural wastewater treatment systems. The outcomes will provide water utilities and regulators with practical recommendations for minimising chemical and microbial risks of alternative uses of treated wastewater, and improve rural long-term water security.
Altering host-parasite interactions through wildlife conservation strategies. Disease outbreaks are heightened in endangered animals but strategies used to conserve these species often increase risk of disease; nowhere is this more critical than in species recovery programs. The project will study disease in a recovery program to improve conservation practice and protect Australia's wildlife, ensuring our ecosystems are sustained.
Do marine heat waves cause pathogen outbreaks in Australian coastal waters? This project aims to identify links between increasingly frequent Marine Heat Wave (MHW) events and outbreaks of microbes that cause disease in marine animals, reduced aquaculture yields and human health hazards. Pathogenic bacteria from the Vibrio genus exhibit a preference for elevated seawater temperature and this project will test the hypothesis that episodic MHWs will trigger blooms of dangerous species. Using innov ....Do marine heat waves cause pathogen outbreaks in Australian coastal waters? This project aims to identify links between increasingly frequent Marine Heat Wave (MHW) events and outbreaks of microbes that cause disease in marine animals, reduced aquaculture yields and human health hazards. Pathogenic bacteria from the Vibrio genus exhibit a preference for elevated seawater temperature and this project will test the hypothesis that episodic MHWs will trigger blooms of dangerous species. Using innovative ecogenomic tools, this project will track the impact of MHWs on the dynamics of pathogenic Vibrio within coastal habitats, oyster farming facilities and coral reefs. The benefit of this project will be essential new knowledge on an emerging threat to Australia’s valuable marine estate, food security and public health.Read moreRead less
Harnessing microbial respiration for pollutant degradation and natural gas production. This project seeks to exploit compounds produced naturally by microorganisms to develop a marketable green technology for environmental restoration and clean energy generation in Australia and abroad. Metropolitan and regional communities will benefit from improved environmental and human health and the economy will benefit from global application.