Pathways to active citizenship: Refugee youth and their transition from school to further education, training and employment. Young refugees account for about half of Australia’s humanitarian intake. They have enormous potential to enhance the nation but they face distinctive challenges to complete higher education or training and find employment. This study focuses on improving education and employment outcomes among refugee youth aged 15-24, in partnership with Australia’s leading refugee yout ....Pathways to active citizenship: Refugee youth and their transition from school to further education, training and employment. Young refugees account for about half of Australia’s humanitarian intake. They have enormous potential to enhance the nation but they face distinctive challenges to complete higher education or training and find employment. This study focuses on improving education and employment outcomes among refugee youth aged 15-24, in partnership with Australia’s leading refugee youth settlement agency. The youths’ successful emergence as fully participating Australian citizens is desirable both for society and for the individuals concerned as it directly affects their permanent cultural, social and economic contribution to the nation at large. It is an under-researched area with important policy significance.Read moreRead less
Settlement outcomes of Syrian-conflict refugee families in Australia. This project aims to focus on the policy responses to, and settlement outcomes for, Syrian-conflict refugee families in Australia with an emphasis on employment and education. The Syrian conflict has generated an unprecedented flow of refugees across Europe and other countries, including Australia. These countries face new challenges in providing successful settlement outcomes for the refugees. Utilising a longitudinal study o ....Settlement outcomes of Syrian-conflict refugee families in Australia. This project aims to focus on the policy responses to, and settlement outcomes for, Syrian-conflict refugee families in Australia with an emphasis on employment and education. The Syrian conflict has generated an unprecedented flow of refugees across Europe and other countries, including Australia. These countries face new challenges in providing successful settlement outcomes for the refugees. Utilising a longitudinal study of 250 refugee families and fieldwork in key areas of high refugee settlement in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, this project will generate comparative insights to identify policy and program responses that lead to the most successful settlement outcomes. Improved employment, education and settlement outcomes for refugees will have economic, social and cultural benefits for Australian society and improve the quality of life of refugees.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms controlling enteroendocrine hormone secretion in human duodenum. This project aims to gain a deeper understanding of nutrient sensing pathways present in enteroendocrine cells within the human intestine. These cells control digestive function, blood glucose levels and food intake and are thus critical to digestion. This project will endeavour to be the first to assess the biology of human enteroendocrine cells and will use innovative approaches to deeply assess function from the level ....Mechanisms controlling enteroendocrine hormone secretion in human duodenum. This project aims to gain a deeper understanding of nutrient sensing pathways present in enteroendocrine cells within the human intestine. These cells control digestive function, blood glucose levels and food intake and are thus critical to digestion. This project will endeavour to be the first to assess the biology of human enteroendocrine cells and will use innovative approaches to deeply assess function from the level of the individual to isolated enteroendocrine cells.Read moreRead less
Determining the regulation of vitamin D metabolism. The proposed project will lead to a better understanding of factors that influence the biological function of vitamin D. This will impact in several areas of human health and will provide new avenues for the development of preventative approaches and treatment of cancer. This project is based on the use of 'Frontier Technologies' that will be applied to elucidate basic biological questions.
The mechanisms and roles of receptor clustering in cell activation and wound healing by growth factors. Growth factors regulate cell proliferation, migration and differentation by interaction with receptors. Such receptors are usually localized at the cell surface, and require intracellular transduction systems to transmit the signal to the cell interior. We have recently shown the hormone-induced clustering of heterologous hormone receptors in cells, and that this occurs with the co-clustering ....The mechanisms and roles of receptor clustering in cell activation and wound healing by growth factors. Growth factors regulate cell proliferation, migration and differentation by interaction with receptors. Such receptors are usually localized at the cell surface, and require intracellular transduction systems to transmit the signal to the cell interior. We have recently shown the hormone-induced clustering of heterologous hormone receptors in cells, and that this occurs with the co-clustering of downstream signalling molecules at sites of engagement with the extracellular matrix. In addition, we have found that cells presented with an extracellular matrix respond better to subsequent growth factor stimulation. The project aims to determine the cellular mechanisms underlying receptor clustering and the basis of the receptor-extracellular matrix interaction. This will enhance our understanding of growth factor function in a number of conditions, including wound healing. We will extend our in vitro results to the animal model to define parameters for enhanced wound repair.Read moreRead less
Differentiation of Cord Blood Stem cells into Thymus (T) cells with regulatory phenotype and function. This project will develop technologies for a stem cell therapy platform based on cord blood stem cells, to enable treatment of autoimmune diseases or transplants. Building on the University of Adelaide's frontier demonstration of differentiation of regulatory Thymus (T) cells from cord blood stem cells, the project will develop techniques to expand the numbers of T cells generated. This has the ....Differentiation of Cord Blood Stem cells into Thymus (T) cells with regulatory phenotype and function. This project will develop technologies for a stem cell therapy platform based on cord blood stem cells, to enable treatment of autoimmune diseases or transplants. Building on the University of Adelaide's frontier demonstration of differentiation of regulatory Thymus (T) cells from cord blood stem cells, the project will develop techniques to expand the numbers of T cells generated. This has the potential to maintain Australia's lead in differentiation of cord blood stem cells and to provide a significant breakthrough in potential treatments of autoimmune diseases (e.g. type 1 diabetes) or transplantation. These diseases affect both a healthy start to life and healthy ageing, and an Australian invention to treat or cure them would have global impact.Read moreRead less
Characterisation of the oxygen-sensing asparaginyl hydroxylase, FIH-1, and hydroxylase-specific antagonists. This research will provide fundamental information on how cells and whole organisms can sense and respond accordingly to oxygen deficiency. This information is fundamental for our understanding of embryo development and adult life in different environments, and central to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as stroke, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. This research will contrib ....Characterisation of the oxygen-sensing asparaginyl hydroxylase, FIH-1, and hydroxylase-specific antagonists. This research will provide fundamental information on how cells and whole organisms can sense and respond accordingly to oxygen deficiency. This information is fundamental for our understanding of embryo development and adult life in different environments, and central to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as stroke, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. This research will contribute to our basic knowledge of these processes, provide invaluable information about the specific genes and proteins involved, and provide direct information about the therapeutic potential of specific drugs or inhibitors designed to target this oxygen response in human disease.Read moreRead less
Polysaccharide Synthase Genes in Agro-Industrial Applications. Achievement of the project aims will generate valuable intellectual property and meet National Research Priorities by: enhancing our knowledge base for the production of renewable bio-fuels from crop residues, for an environmentally sustainable Australia; developing preventative healthcare through adoption of healthier diets, rich in non-starchy cell wall polysaccharides that help reduce the incidence and severity of cardiovascular d ....Polysaccharide Synthase Genes in Agro-Industrial Applications. Achievement of the project aims will generate valuable intellectual property and meet National Research Priorities by: enhancing our knowledge base for the production of renewable bio-fuels from crop residues, for an environmentally sustainable Australia; developing preventative healthcare through adoption of healthier diets, rich in non-starchy cell wall polysaccharides that help reduce the incidence and severity of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and some cancers; and by developing breakthrough science in emerging agricultural technologies. The alliance will foster an intellectual environment to provide world-class basic research outcomes and training of highly skilled graduates, thereby contributing to the 'knowledge nation'.Read moreRead less
Development of a gene delivery system to access neuronal cells. Understanding the pathways for gene delivery and efficient expression will result in new knowledge in the areas of biotechnology and cell biology. This project will result in significant new information on vesicular trafficking pathways in neurons. An effective gene delivery system will realise significant commercial potential for our partner organisations and economic benefit to other Australian industry. This project aligns direct ....Development of a gene delivery system to access neuronal cells. Understanding the pathways for gene delivery and efficient expression will result in new knowledge in the areas of biotechnology and cell biology. This project will result in significant new information on vesicular trafficking pathways in neurons. An effective gene delivery system will realise significant commercial potential for our partner organisations and economic benefit to other Australian industry. This project aligns directly with the National Research Priority of "Promoting and maintaining good health" with a specific benefit for patients that suffer mental and physical degeneration and for their families.Read moreRead less
Regulation of Cellulose Biosynthesis in Commercially Important Cereal Crop Species. The long term strategic research alliance with DuPont Pioneer will lead to the development of breakthrough science in emerging technologies that are relevant: a) to agricultural production, b) to human health and c) to renewable bio-fuel production from crop residues. The alliance will attract significant international investment in Australian research and foster an intellectual environment for world-class resear ....Regulation of Cellulose Biosynthesis in Commercially Important Cereal Crop Species. The long term strategic research alliance with DuPont Pioneer will lead to the development of breakthrough science in emerging technologies that are relevant: a) to agricultural production, b) to human health and c) to renewable bio-fuel production from crop residues. The alliance will attract significant international investment in Australian research and foster an intellectual environment for world-class research training of postgraduate students and postdoctoral scientists, in both a higher education and an industry context.Read moreRead less