Using ‘omic and digital technologies toward better fasciolosis control. In Australia, liver fluke disease caused by Fasciola hepatica causes major economic losses to livestock production. Triclabendazole is the most effective drug for parasite control, however, resistance to this drug has emerged and continues to spread in Australia. This project expects to create a novel resource to identify new drug targets, generate new knowledge about the genetic composition of F. hepatica populations and un ....Using ‘omic and digital technologies toward better fasciolosis control. In Australia, liver fluke disease caused by Fasciola hepatica causes major economic losses to livestock production. Triclabendazole is the most effective drug for parasite control, however, resistance to this drug has emerged and continues to spread in Australia. This project expects to create a novel resource to identify new drug targets, generate new knowledge about the genetic composition of F. hepatica populations and unravel the genetic determinants underlying triclabendazole resistance. The curation of functionally-annotated genetic data for F. hepatica populations will underpin the development of diagnostic tests, drugs and vaccines to deliver a new generation of intervention strategies to control liver fluke disease.Read moreRead less
Cracking the code of snails to elucidate parasite disease transmission. In Australia, a disease caused by liver flukes causes major economic losses to livestock production. The role of Australian pond snails as intermediate hosts for this parasite is poorly understood. This project aims to explore the phylogeography, biology and genomics of these snails. It expects to create novel molecular resources for important snail species and verify their roles as key vectors of flatworm parasites. The cur ....Cracking the code of snails to elucidate parasite disease transmission. In Australia, a disease caused by liver flukes causes major economic losses to livestock production. The role of Australian pond snails as intermediate hosts for this parasite is poorly understood. This project aims to explore the phylogeography, biology and genomics of these snails. It expects to create novel molecular resources for important snail species and verify their roles as key vectors of flatworm parasites. The curation of genomic and transcriptomic data sets, and elucidation of snail–parasite interactions will underpin the development of environmental diagnostic tests and deliver a new generation of intervention strategies to reduce the burden of liver fluke disease through the control of their snail intermediate hosts.Read moreRead less
Understanding uterine contractility for reducing newborn lamb mortality. The project aims to elucidate the mechanisms underlying normal and dysfunctional uterine contractions in labouring ewes. Significantly, ~20% of newborn lambs die within days of birth, costing the Australian sheep industry more than $780 million annually. Difficult lambing is the leading cause of lamb mortality and weak uterine contractions are the most important contributor to difficult labour (dystocia). Intended outcomes ....Understanding uterine contractility for reducing newborn lamb mortality. The project aims to elucidate the mechanisms underlying normal and dysfunctional uterine contractions in labouring ewes. Significantly, ~20% of newborn lambs die within days of birth, costing the Australian sheep industry more than $780 million annually. Difficult lambing is the leading cause of lamb mortality and weak uterine contractions are the most important contributor to difficult labour (dystocia). Intended outcomes include a better understanding of dysfunctional labour contractions in sheep, and this knowledge could then contribute to the identification of more specific targets for genetic testing for dystocia. The benefits should include more specific aids for selective breeding programs for improved productivity and profitability.Read moreRead less
Preventing and addressing environmental harm through restorative justice. This project aims to develop a knowledge base on how Restorative Justice (RJ) principles and practices can prevent and address environmental harm. Research has demonstrated that RJ is a powerful response to a wide variety of governance challenges and could provide a useful alternative paradigm for environmental regulation. This project aims to apply the processes and values of RJ to environmental regulation with a focus on ....Preventing and addressing environmental harm through restorative justice. This project aims to develop a knowledge base on how Restorative Justice (RJ) principles and practices can prevent and address environmental harm. Research has demonstrated that RJ is a powerful response to a wide variety of governance challenges and could provide a useful alternative paradigm for environmental regulation. This project aims to apply the processes and values of RJ to environmental regulation with a focus on harm prevention, advancing theory into a new domain of application. This should lead to immediate and long-term benefits, including better prevention of environmental harm, better relationships with communities, and stronger commitments by those who have caused harm to rehabilitate, repair and reform.Read moreRead less
Innovation in agricultural sector Green House Gas abatement in NSW. This project aims to develop a land sector greenhouse gas abatement, food production and environmental economics model for NSW. We expect to identify innovation in carbon payment policy and brokerage business models to achieve agricultural GHG abatement, while simultaneously improving sustainability. Expected outcomes include evaluation of the innovations of expert landholders, related businesses and governments to find ways to ....Innovation in agricultural sector Green House Gas abatement in NSW. This project aims to develop a land sector greenhouse gas abatement, food production and environmental economics model for NSW. We expect to identify innovation in carbon payment policy and brokerage business models to achieve agricultural GHG abatement, while simultaneously improving sustainability. Expected outcomes include evaluation of the innovations of expert landholders, related businesses and governments to find ways to influence land use decisions. This should provide significant benefits to landholders, governments involved in land management and the public through increased productivity, profitability, biodiversity and ecosystem health in the context of future climate, agricultural commodity and carbon market uncertainties.Read moreRead less
Microtubule structure in nervous system repair. This Project aims to investigate the role of structural and functional cellular components known as microtubules in nervous system regeneration. This Project aims to use innovative approaches in confocal and electron microscopy, genetics, and cell biology, with the expectation of generating new knowledge into nervous system repair. Expected outcomes of this Project include a comprehensive description of how microtubules are rearranged following ner ....Microtubule structure in nervous system repair. This Project aims to investigate the role of structural and functional cellular components known as microtubules in nervous system regeneration. This Project aims to use innovative approaches in confocal and electron microscopy, genetics, and cell biology, with the expectation of generating new knowledge into nervous system repair. Expected outcomes of this Project include a comprehensive description of how microtubules are rearranged following nervous system injury and the importance of microtubule modifying proteins in promoting regeneration. This should provide significant benefits in our understanding of the cellular mechanisms behind nervous system repair, and offer new approaches for promoting regeneration after injury.Read moreRead less
Disaster risk reduction practices that leave nobody behind. This project aims to answer critical questions about how to assist people with disabilities (PWD) in disasters, what their support needs are and how they might help themselves to better prepare for disasters. Significance includes coupling a person-centred emergency preparedness tool with cross-sectoral processes to collect and use data about the support needs of PWD in emergencies, increase cross-sector communication and collaboration ....Disaster risk reduction practices that leave nobody behind. This project aims to answer critical questions about how to assist people with disabilities (PWD) in disasters, what their support needs are and how they might help themselves to better prepare for disasters. Significance includes coupling a person-centred emergency preparedness tool with cross-sectoral processes to collect and use data about the support needs of PWD in emergencies, increase cross-sector communication and collaboration between emergency managers and community services, and improve equitable access for PWD to community-level disaster risk reduction (DRR). The expected outcome will be the co-design of effective mechanisms that state & federal decision makers can use to scale-up disability-inclusive DRR across Australia.Read moreRead less
The molecular basis of T cell receptor cross-reactivity between MHC and MR1. This project aims to investigate how newly discovered immune cells, known as 'MR1T' cells, function in the body. Preliminary evidence shows that MR1T cells can kill stressed cells. This project expects to generate new knowledge describing precisely how MR1T cells target and kill stressed cells. Expected outcomes of this project include to refine research techniques and models, foster interinstitutional collaborations, a ....The molecular basis of T cell receptor cross-reactivity between MHC and MR1. This project aims to investigate how newly discovered immune cells, known as 'MR1T' cells, function in the body. Preliminary evidence shows that MR1T cells can kill stressed cells. This project expects to generate new knowledge describing precisely how MR1T cells target and kill stressed cells. Expected outcomes of this project include to refine research techniques and models, foster interinstitutional collaborations, and further develop our theory on MR1T cell function. This project should provide significant benefits, such as publication of research articles in high impact journals and generation of experimental tools sought after by researchers in the field.Read moreRead less
Deciphering the immune complexity that orchestrates T cell activation. The adaptive immune system consists of a complex cellular network that can efficiently distinguish exogenous required inputs, such as nutrients, from those that are potentially harmful like pathogens. Such ‘friend-foe’ discrimination has its molecular basis in a multitude of receptors with specificity to certain ligands. Critically, however, it is unclear how such discrimination is mechanistically regulated at the functional ....Deciphering the immune complexity that orchestrates T cell activation. The adaptive immune system consists of a complex cellular network that can efficiently distinguish exogenous required inputs, such as nutrients, from those that are potentially harmful like pathogens. Such ‘friend-foe’ discrimination has its molecular basis in a multitude of receptors with specificity to certain ligands. Critically, however, it is unclear how such discrimination is mechanistically regulated at the functional level. We have developed new and sophisticated experimental models that will allow us to systematically dissect and unfold the complexity of the adaptive immune system and address this critical knowledge gap. Expected outcomes will critically advance our general understanding of a fundamental biological principle.Read moreRead less
Whole-body analysis of human tissue-resident memory T cells. T cells provide critical immune protection against infection and cancer, and dysfunctional T cells cause autoimmune disease. Much of our understanding of T cells comes from studies of mice and how these immune cells work in humans is not fully understood. This project aims to determine how human T cells persist and function using a unique organ donor tissue resource. The expected outcomes are to generate fundamental new knowledge about ....Whole-body analysis of human tissue-resident memory T cells. T cells provide critical immune protection against infection and cancer, and dysfunctional T cells cause autoimmune disease. Much of our understanding of T cells comes from studies of mice and how these immune cells work in humans is not fully understood. This project aims to determine how human T cells persist and function using a unique organ donor tissue resource. The expected outcomes are to generate fundamental new knowledge about the regulation of the human immune response. This knowledge is critical for the development of vaccines and immunotherapies designed to harness T cell immunity.Read moreRead less