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Learning about threats: the neural and behavioural response to predator-related cues in rodents. This project will investigate the anxiety displayed by rats when confronted with the odours of predators such as cats. This anxiety may be very similar to that experienced by humans who suffer from anxiety disorders such as phobias. By investigating the nature of this anxiety, the nature of the stimuli that produce it, and the learning and neural processes that underlie it we may better understand h ....Learning about threats: the neural and behavioural response to predator-related cues in rodents. This project will investigate the anxiety displayed by rats when confronted with the odours of predators such as cats. This anxiety may be very similar to that experienced by humans who suffer from anxiety disorders such as phobias. By investigating the nature of this anxiety, the nature of the stimuli that produce it, and the learning and neural processes that underlie it we may better understand human anxiety. The project also aims to identify novel chemicals in the fur of cats that have rodent repellent properties. Such chemicals may be of great use in domestic and agricultural contexts where rodents are pests.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms underlying the repellent effects of predator odours in rodents. Rodents show innate fear towards the fur and skin odours of cats. This project seeks to describe the mechanisms behind this phenomenon and determine the potential of cat fur odours as rodent repellents in the field. The project plans to first verify the repellent effects of cat fur on various rat species and house mice in various field locations. It then plans to isolate, identify and synthesise the molecules in cat fur t ....Mechanisms underlying the repellent effects of predator odours in rodents. Rodents show innate fear towards the fur and skin odours of cats. This project seeks to describe the mechanisms behind this phenomenon and determine the potential of cat fur odours as rodent repellents in the field. The project plans to first verify the repellent effects of cat fur on various rat species and house mice in various field locations. It then plans to isolate, identify and synthesise the molecules in cat fur that cause rodent repellent effects and determine their action on rodent pheromone-sensing receptors. Novel cat fur-derived molecules identified in the laboratory will be further tested in the field. Expected project outcomes will be a powerful new rodent repellent with the potential to protect crops and homes, and an understanding of the precise physiological mechanisms whereby feline odours can repel rats and mice which could be used to further develop novel rodent repellents.Read moreRead less
Defensive behaviours elicited by predator odours. Rats display a powerful anxiety responses when confronted with the odours of predators such as cats. This response may occur even though rats have never encountered an actual predator before. This project aims to investigate the nature of this anxiety and the nature of the stimuli that produce it. The outcomes should be a better understanding of the neural basis and pharmacology of anxiety states and the identification of novel chemicals that hav ....Defensive behaviours elicited by predator odours. Rats display a powerful anxiety responses when confronted with the odours of predators such as cats. This response may occur even though rats have never encountered an actual predator before. This project aims to investigate the nature of this anxiety and the nature of the stimuli that produce it. The outcomes should be a better understanding of the neural basis and pharmacology of anxiety states and the identification of novel chemicals that have powerful rodent repellent properties. Such chemicals may be of great use in domestic and agricultural contexts where rodents are pests.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140101097
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$395,127.00
Summary
Treatment-induced compulsive behaviours: Ethical and policy implications. Compulsive behaviours represent one of the largest preventable burdens in society. Some medications, such as those used to treat Parkinson's disease, can produce severe compulsions in certain individuals, which are akin to addiction. This project will explore: neurocognitive changes caused by these medications; the impact that drug-induced compulsive behaviours have on affected individuals, their sense of agency, identity ....Treatment-induced compulsive behaviours: Ethical and policy implications. Compulsive behaviours represent one of the largest preventable burdens in society. Some medications, such as those used to treat Parkinson's disease, can produce severe compulsions in certain individuals, which are akin to addiction. This project will explore: neurocognitive changes caused by these medications; the impact that drug-induced compulsive behaviours have on affected individuals, their sense of agency, identity and moral responsibility; and the ethical, legal and policy consequences of drug-induced behaviour. This project will help us to understand the neuropsychology of compulsive behaviour and reduce its occurrence. It will also enable society to meet the ethical and policy challenges raised by neuroscience research on compulsive behaviour.Read moreRead less
Cognitive neuroscience of spatial asymmetry: behaviour, genes and brain imaging. When humans distribute their attention in space, biases or asymmetries of spatial attention exist. Healthy individuals exhibit a processing advantage favouring left space but this advantage is lost in disorders such as unilateral spatial neglect, ADHD and dyslexia. This project will develop novel electrophysiological methods to dissociate the sensory, attentional, decision-making and motoric contributions to spatial ....Cognitive neuroscience of spatial asymmetry: behaviour, genes and brain imaging. When humans distribute their attention in space, biases or asymmetries of spatial attention exist. Healthy individuals exhibit a processing advantage favouring left space but this advantage is lost in disorders such as unilateral spatial neglect, ADHD and dyslexia. This project will develop novel electrophysiological methods to dissociate the sensory, attentional, decision-making and motoric contributions to spatial asymmetries. By interfacing electrophysiology with genetic, neurochemical and brain imaging methods, this project will comprehensively map the biology of spatial asymmetry. This knowledge is vital to developing effective treatments for disorders where atypical patterns of spatial asymmetry index neurological vulnerability.Read moreRead less
Neural and cognitive studies of reward sensitivity and its influence on addiction-related behaviour. The proposed research aims to contribute to current scientific thinking on the influence of reward sensitivity on cognitive performance. Cognitive neuroscience research on this relationship is of major scientific interest because heightened reward sensitivity is a significant predictor of risk for a number of Australia's major social and economic problems. The findings of this project will contri ....Neural and cognitive studies of reward sensitivity and its influence on addiction-related behaviour. The proposed research aims to contribute to current scientific thinking on the influence of reward sensitivity on cognitive performance. Cognitive neuroscience research on this relationship is of major scientific interest because heightened reward sensitivity is a significant predictor of risk for a number of Australia's major social and economic problems. The findings of this project will contribute to the debate about how to manage such problems.Read moreRead less
Examining the relationship between error processing, cognitive control and emotion: a cognitive neuroscience approach. The proposed research aims to contribute to current scientific thinking on how the processing of errors influences self-monitoring and cognitive performance. The ability to monitor one's cognitive performance deteriorates with normal ageing, and is particularly affected in a range of clinical conditions, where it is a reliable predictor of a poor prognostic outcome. This project ....Examining the relationship between error processing, cognitive control and emotion: a cognitive neuroscience approach. The proposed research aims to contribute to current scientific thinking on how the processing of errors influences self-monitoring and cognitive performance. The ability to monitor one's cognitive performance deteriorates with normal ageing, and is particularly affected in a range of clinical conditions, where it is a reliable predictor of a poor prognostic outcome. This project aims to clarify understanding of the cognitive and neural processes underlying self-monitoring, as an important first step to improving rehabilitation and management methods for age-related impairments such as Alzheimer's disease, and prominent mental health conditions such as schizophrenia.Read moreRead less
The effect of temperature biofeedback on sleep and cardiac autonomic tone in young and aged adults. Peripheral heat loss is reported to promote sleep onset. To date, however, most studies examining the thermoregulatory model of sleep onset have used sedative-hypnotics with both thermoregulatory and soporific effects. We propose that a better test of a causal relationship between peripheral heat loss and sleep can be achieved by using temperature biofeedback; a promising non-invasive and non-dr ....The effect of temperature biofeedback on sleep and cardiac autonomic tone in young and aged adults. Peripheral heat loss is reported to promote sleep onset. To date, however, most studies examining the thermoregulatory model of sleep onset have used sedative-hypnotics with both thermoregulatory and soporific effects. We propose that a better test of a causal relationship between peripheral heat loss and sleep can be achieved by using temperature biofeedback; a promising non-invasive and non-drug treatment that does not have a direct effect on sleep structures. We aim to test whether increased peripheral heat loss promotes sleep onset, whether the effects are mediated by changes in autonomic tone, and whether this relationship changes with age.Read moreRead less
Improving cognitive function in the elderly. The ageing population has been identified as one of the major issues facing contemporary Australian society. For Australia, human ageing has significant societal, economic and, importantly, personal/human costs. The economic costs associated with ageing reflect decreased productivity as well as a higher incidence of a variety of illnesses including cardiovascular and respiratory disease and, importantly, neurological conditions such as Parkinson's dis ....Improving cognitive function in the elderly. The ageing population has been identified as one of the major issues facing contemporary Australian society. For Australia, human ageing has significant societal, economic and, importantly, personal/human costs. The economic costs associated with ageing reflect decreased productivity as well as a higher incidence of a variety of illnesses including cardiovascular and respiratory disease and, importantly, neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). We will complete two large scale studies examining the efficacy of twelve months administration of two pharmacologically active supplements in reducing the cognitive effects of aging in elderly participants.
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A developmental and neural analysis of learned and unlearned fear. This project aims to increase our understanding of the emotion of fear from both a developmental and a neural perspective. Anxiety disorders, which are characterised by the inability to appropriately regulate fear, are among the most prevelant psychological disturbances in industrialised countries. The present project involves a neurobiological analysis of fear in the developing rat, and will (i) test the dominant theoretical mod ....A developmental and neural analysis of learned and unlearned fear. This project aims to increase our understanding of the emotion of fear from both a developmental and a neural perspective. Anxiety disorders, which are characterised by the inability to appropriately regulate fear, are among the most prevelant psychological disturbances in industrialised countries. The present project involves a neurobiological analysis of fear in the developing rat, and will (i) test the dominant theoretical models of learned fear, (ii) compare the development of learned and unlearned fear, and (iii) provide a novel approach for studying whether learned behavioural responses are appropriate to the age of training or the age of testing.Read moreRead less