Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL170100022
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,402,903.00
Summary
Redefining virus ecology and evolution. This project aims to employ novel genomic analyses of viruses from Australian fauna to resolve major questions in RNA virus ecology and evolution, and is expected to reveal the basic processes that shape the virosphere, determine how viruses jump species to emerge and cause disease in new hosts, and how viruses evolve new levels of virulence. The research will provide a new understanding of how viruses evolve and contribute to global ecosystems and develop ....Redefining virus ecology and evolution. This project aims to employ novel genomic analyses of viruses from Australian fauna to resolve major questions in RNA virus ecology and evolution, and is expected to reveal the basic processes that shape the virosphere, determine how viruses jump species to emerge and cause disease in new hosts, and how viruses evolve new levels of virulence. The research will provide a new understanding of how viruses evolve and contribute to global ecosystems and develop new bioinformatics tools to identify and analyse highly divergent genome sequences through studying meta-transcriptomic data from diverse animal phyla, from prokaryotes and basal eukaryotes, from iconic native mammalian species and their major invasive pests. The benefits provided will include determining the viromes of native and invasive species and enhancing the efforts to protect iconic Australian species from infectious disease.Read moreRead less
Real-time phylogenetics for food-borne outbreak surveillance. The project aims to introduce, for the first time, real-time evolutionary analysis of agricultural pathogens so that outbreaks affecting crops and the food supply can be managed precisely and rapidly. An expert team will implement a large-scale data analytics framework in user-friendly software that integrates Australian infectious disease genomics data with global data. Underpinning this work are new theory and algorithms that apply ....Real-time phylogenetics for food-borne outbreak surveillance. The project aims to introduce, for the first time, real-time evolutionary analysis of agricultural pathogens so that outbreaks affecting crops and the food supply can be managed precisely and rapidly. An expert team will implement a large-scale data analytics framework in user-friendly software that integrates Australian infectious disease genomics data with global data. Underpinning this work are new theory and algorithms that apply Sequential Monte Carlo to update phylogenetic analyses continuously as new data arrives. Expected outcomes include new knowledge of statistical algorithms for evolutionary analysis, relevant to biological disciplines beyond infectious disease; and enhanced capacity for infectious disease analysis. Read moreRead less
Optimising plant populations for ecological restoration and resilience. When choosing individual plants for restoration populations, there is potentially a trade-off between maximising genetic diversity (‘adaptability’) and selection for desirable properties (‘adaptation’). This project aims to develop pioneering methods to quantify this trade-off, and facilitate the design of optimised populations, with a focus on two Australian rainforest trees that are being impacted by myrtle rust infection: ....Optimising plant populations for ecological restoration and resilience. When choosing individual plants for restoration populations, there is potentially a trade-off between maximising genetic diversity (‘adaptability’) and selection for desirable properties (‘adaptation’). This project aims to develop pioneering methods to quantify this trade-off, and facilitate the design of optimised populations, with a focus on two Australian rainforest trees that are being impacted by myrtle rust infection: Rhodamnia argentea and Rhodamnia rubescens. By studying the genetic variation in each species, and how this relates to myrtle rust resistance and climate, this project aims to design populations that are genetically diverse, maximally resistant to myrtle rust, and adapted to future climate.Read moreRead less