New Approaches to the Control of Post-Weaning Diarrhoea in Piglets. In Australia, post?weaning diarrhoea (PWD) in piglets is a major constraint to efficient and profitable production. Increasing levels of resistance to dietary antibiotics by gut pathogens such as Escherichia coli, the bacterium implicated in PWD, is a major reason for this problem. This research will identify nutritional means of controlling PWD and increasing production after weaning. This will be achieved by strategic nutritio ....New Approaches to the Control of Post-Weaning Diarrhoea in Piglets. In Australia, post?weaning diarrhoea (PWD) in piglets is a major constraint to efficient and profitable production. Increasing levels of resistance to dietary antibiotics by gut pathogens such as Escherichia coli, the bacterium implicated in PWD, is a major reason for this problem. This research will identify nutritional means of controlling PWD and increasing production after weaning. This will be achieved by strategic nutritional interventions in the pre-weaning and (or) post-weaning periods targeted at reducing bacterial pathogens in the gut. A reduction in PWD will increase the overall efficiency of pig production in Australia and reduce antibiotic use.Read moreRead less
Postviral Wheezing In Childhood: Disregulation Of Airway Tone?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$577,040.00
Summary
Asthma is a very common childhood condition that is becoming increasingly more common. Wheezing is common in infants and young children following viral infections and is often thought of as the first manifestation of asthma. However, many children and infants who wheeze with viral infections appear to grow out of asthma in their teenage years. Asthma that persists into adult life is usually associated with allergies to common environmental allergens, such as house dust mite and grass pollens. Ho ....Asthma is a very common childhood condition that is becoming increasingly more common. Wheezing is common in infants and young children following viral infections and is often thought of as the first manifestation of asthma. However, many children and infants who wheeze with viral infections appear to grow out of asthma in their teenage years. Asthma that persists into adult life is usually associated with allergies to common environmental allergens, such as house dust mite and grass pollens. However, many infants who wheeze with viral infections, especially in the first year of life, do not develop allergies in later life, raising the possibility that they did not have the same type of asthma as those whose symptoms persist. This project will study the effects of viral infections on lung function to determine whether particular types of virus can have detrimental effects of lung function lasting for years. We will also examine whether the age at which the infection occurs and the severity of the infection influence the long-term outcome. The project involves studying infants during the recovery phase of respiratory viral infections, older children years after documented infections and experimental animal models that have been infected under controlled conditions. By determining whether respiratory viral infections can have long-term effects on lung function that can mimic asthma, we will advance our understanding of how asthma develops. In addition, specific treatment and preventative strategies could then be developed to prevent these long-term abnormalities, instead of relying on asthma medication (especially inhaled corticosteroids) as is the current practice. Preventative strategies could include encouraging the development of specific vaccines.Read moreRead less
Stimulation of the mammalian reproductive system by olfactory pathways. This project answers fundamental questions about mammalian reproductive biology but, because we work with the sheep model, our findings can be applied to two of Australia's biggest export industries, wool and sheepmeat. Understanding the reproductive responses of our production animals to exteroceptive factors such as socio-sexual signals, photoperiod and nutrition is an important first step towards refining the management ....Stimulation of the mammalian reproductive system by olfactory pathways. This project answers fundamental questions about mammalian reproductive biology but, because we work with the sheep model, our findings can be applied to two of Australia's biggest export industries, wool and sheepmeat. Understanding the reproductive responses of our production animals to exteroceptive factors such as socio-sexual signals, photoperiod and nutrition is an important first step towards refining the management of breeding programs. It has been argued that this approach will also minimise, and perhaps even remove the need for, exogenous hormones and drugs for controlling the reproductive process.Read moreRead less
Novel semio-chemical approach to control the Australian Sheep Blowfly . The Australian Federal Government through the 'Smart Farming' initiative highlights the need for improved multidisciplinary measures in order to remain at the global forefront of the invention and adoption of technology. This multidisciplinary project (entomology, biotechnology, analytical chemistry and genomics) will rapidly inform the management of fly strike on an important Australian resource merino sheep. This will bui ....Novel semio-chemical approach to control the Australian Sheep Blowfly . The Australian Federal Government through the 'Smart Farming' initiative highlights the need for improved multidisciplinary measures in order to remain at the global forefront of the invention and adoption of technology. This multidisciplinary project (entomology, biotechnology, analytical chemistry and genomics) will rapidly inform the management of fly strike on an important Australian resource merino sheep. This will build the key biochemical data in order to develop a novel fly lure technology (at scale) to be used on farm delivering national benefit through improved animal welfare and safety considerations for producers, and will establish the best approach to disseminate this scientific information to stakeholders such as farmers.Read moreRead less
The Social Production of Science in Antarctica: A Study of Davis Station. Antarctica is a unique scientific laboratory. It is the only continent historically uninhabited by humans; access to its vast land and ice-scapes, and its surrounding oceans, is today almost exclusively reserved for scientists. Although these 'Antarcticans' represent multiple disciplines, and pursue a wide variety of research agendas, their shared experiences of working on the continent, and their shared professional netwo ....The Social Production of Science in Antarctica: A Study of Davis Station. Antarctica is a unique scientific laboratory. It is the only continent historically uninhabited by humans; access to its vast land and ice-scapes, and its surrounding oceans, is today almost exclusively reserved for scientists. Although these 'Antarcticans' represent multiple disciplines, and pursue a wide variety of research agendas, their shared experiences of working on the continent, and their shared professional networks, mean that they constitute a distinct community of practice. However, this community has yet to be subjected to detailed ethnographic enquiry. This project aims to examine Antarctic scientists' research practices, and their cultures of knowledge production, through an ethnographic study of Australia's Davis Station.Read moreRead less
Identifying The Pathological Mechanism Of PCDH19-Girls Clustering Epilepsy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$523,988.00
Summary
Changes in the PCDH19 gene are a relatively common cause of epilepsy. To better understand the basis of this disorder, we have developed unique mouse models that mimic the genetic changes and symptoms of this condition. We will perform careful analysis of brain development in these models to determine the primary cause of this condition. These experiments will create greater understanding of how changes in PCDH19 cause epilepsy in girls and facilitate the development of new treatments.
Utilising novel Pongamia trees to decarbonise Australia’s beef value-chain. Progress towards a carbon neutral beef industry typically focusses on nutritional strategies, overlooking potential innovations in farming system configuration. This project aims to develop a framework for the integration of Pongamia into beef production systems, so that not only emissions reductions are maximised, but also to support carbon capture and farm system resilience. This project seeks to determine the impact o ....Utilising novel Pongamia trees to decarbonise Australia’s beef value-chain. Progress towards a carbon neutral beef industry typically focusses on nutritional strategies, overlooking potential innovations in farming system configuration. This project aims to develop a framework for the integration of Pongamia into beef production systems, so that not only emissions reductions are maximised, but also to support carbon capture and farm system resilience. This project seeks to determine the impact of Pongamia meal on cattle production efficiency, meat quality and methane emissions. Through quantification of carbon sequestration potential in tree plantations, whole-farm modelling will elucidate production scenarios capable of achieving the reductions needed for a carbon neutral Australian beef industry.Read moreRead less
Flea Control by Immunological Intervention. Fleas are bloodsucking parasites that are the major cause of skin disease in pets. Currently, all available flea products rely upon chemical control and many have active components that have real or perceived health problems. Given that insect growth regulators do not kill adult fleas and pet owners are interested in using alternatives to insecticides, there is a clear need for a complementary form of flea control. We describe the novel use of Prote ....Flea Control by Immunological Intervention. Fleas are bloodsucking parasites that are the major cause of skin disease in pets. Currently, all available flea products rely upon chemical control and many have active components that have real or perceived health problems. Given that insect growth regulators do not kill adult fleas and pet owners are interested in using alternatives to insecticides, there is a clear need for a complementary form of flea control. We describe the novel use of Proteomic technology to identify flea proteins that are "switched on" during feeding and are specifically located in the gut. This project will enable the development of a vaccine that is systemic, kills adult fleas, is long-lasting and residue-free.Read moreRead less
Improving the Efficiency of Utilisation of Vegetable Proteins in Diets for Dogs. Australians spend approximately $1 billion per annum on feeding dogs. Uncle Bens of Australia has a significant share of this market. Development of dog foods based on vegetable proteins offers new market opportunities domestically, and overseas. Numerous vegetable proteins are available, however anti-nutritional factors that reduce digestibility and deteriorate faecal quality might limit their use. To optimise thei ....Improving the Efficiency of Utilisation of Vegetable Proteins in Diets for Dogs. Australians spend approximately $1 billion per annum on feeding dogs. Uncle Bens of Australia has a significant share of this market. Development of dog foods based on vegetable proteins offers new market opportunities domestically, and overseas. Numerous vegetable proteins are available, however anti-nutritional factors that reduce digestibility and deteriorate faecal quality might limit their use. To optimise their dietary inclusion, physiological effects in the canine gut must be understood to avoid any negative effects. These may be overcome by enzymes and (or) processing, and would allow cost effective products to be formulated that deliver optimum health and nutrition to consumers.
Read moreRead less
Quantifying and parameterising ocean mixing. This project aims to advance our ability to describe the efficiency and intensity of ocean mixing. The project will develop and apply innovative techniques to estimate ocean mixing from both traditional ship-based, vertical-profiling turbulence measurements and from autonomous moorings. The project will undertake a re-analysis of historic measurements and obtain new measurements using autonomous systems. The results will be used to develop both a uni ....Quantifying and parameterising ocean mixing. This project aims to advance our ability to describe the efficiency and intensity of ocean mixing. The project will develop and apply innovative techniques to estimate ocean mixing from both traditional ship-based, vertical-profiling turbulence measurements and from autonomous moorings. The project will undertake a re-analysis of historic measurements and obtain new measurements using autonomous systems. The results will be used to develop both a universal relationship describing the efficiency of ocean mixing, and to quantify the underlying length scale controlling mixing intensity. This will enable the development of the next generation of turbulence closure models needed to describe ocean circulation and stirring.Read moreRead less