Addressing the uncertainties: Pathways, fate and associated risks of manufactured nanoparticles in the environment. Manufactured nanomaterials are increasingly present in commercial products, such as sunscreens, textiles and building materials. Their subsequent release to the environment is unavoidable. This project will deliver novel methods for assessing the associated risks, thereby supporting the safe and sustainable use of nanomaterials in Australia.
Is mass commercialisation of silver-based nanotechnology undermining its biomedical antibacterial potential? Silver nanoparticles have demonstrated broad spectrum antibacterial potential and are increasingly used in biomedical applications to limit infection. They are also found in a growing range of everyday products such as shampoos and socks. This situation is analogous to the previous use of antibiotics for nonmedical purposes and the subsequent spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria. This ....Is mass commercialisation of silver-based nanotechnology undermining its biomedical antibacterial potential? Silver nanoparticles have demonstrated broad spectrum antibacterial potential and are increasingly used in biomedical applications to limit infection. They are also found in a growing range of everyday products such as shampoos and socks. This situation is analogous to the previous use of antibiotics for nonmedical purposes and the subsequent spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria. This project will measure silver resistance selection pressure in key microbial communities. Novel monitoring devices, a multi-technique chemistry approach, and correlative synchrotron spectroscopy and molecular biology techniques will be used to decipher the environmental silver resistome and its likely significance.Read moreRead less
The role of engineered nanoparticles in the transport of environmental contaminants and the implications for remediation. Engineered nanoparticles are common in the environment due to their widespread industrial use. However, their influence on contaminant mobility is not known. This project will advance our understanding of the interactions of nanoparticles with environmental contaminants and thereby deliver safer and more sustainable remediation technologies.
From Biodiversity to Health: Performing the first genetic audits of Australia. This project will establish a new technology for the rapid measurement of environmental biodiversity, whether that be in natural resources such as forests, or pathogens in water supplies or hospitals. The method is fast, low-cost and will provide much higher resolution than current methods. It will provide some of the first ever comprehensive environmental impact assessments, permitting responsible resource developmen ....From Biodiversity to Health: Performing the first genetic audits of Australia. This project will establish a new technology for the rapid measurement of environmental biodiversity, whether that be in natural resources such as forests, or pathogens in water supplies or hospitals. The method is fast, low-cost and will provide much higher resolution than current methods. It will provide some of the first ever comprehensive environmental impact assessments, permitting responsible resource development with major benefits to industry and the economy. It also provides a common platform for government agencies, from Department of Environment and Heritage to the Federal Police, and will create new tools to improve water management, biosecurity, forensics/policing and human health, as reflected by the wide range of industry partners supporting the project.Read moreRead less
Balancing Societies’ Priorities in addressing Emerging National and Global Environmental Challenges. Growing global demands for water, food and energy will continue to intensify land-use conflicts, contribute to carbon emissions, and exacerbate threats to biodiversity. Consumption needs to be balanced with environmental protection. This project aims to frame the issues of food security, rural development, carbon emissions and biodiversity loss from the perspective of ecological and economic theo ....Balancing Societies’ Priorities in addressing Emerging National and Global Environmental Challenges. Growing global demands for water, food and energy will continue to intensify land-use conflicts, contribute to carbon emissions, and exacerbate threats to biodiversity. Consumption needs to be balanced with environmental protection. This project aims to frame the issues of food security, rural development, carbon emissions and biodiversity loss from the perspective of ecological and economic theory. It will use cutting-edge analyses to assess the implications and trade-offs of alternative land-use and development scenarios that reflect key socioeconomic and environmental priorities in Indonesia. Based on these analyses, decision-support tools will be developed to help Indonesian policymakers reconcile these objectives to achieve more sustainable development.Read moreRead less
Coverage with Evidence Development: Application to pharmaceutical reimbursement decisions. Some new medicines produce only a small improvement in health but have considerable costs. When these medicines are trialled on only small numbers of people, uncertainty results about the value of the medicine, which can create problems for decision makers. Funding medicines where there is uncertainty may lead to harm when medicines are later found to be unsafe, or waste millions of dollars when they are ....Coverage with Evidence Development: Application to pharmaceutical reimbursement decisions. Some new medicines produce only a small improvement in health but have considerable costs. When these medicines are trialled on only small numbers of people, uncertainty results about the value of the medicine, which can create problems for decision makers. Funding medicines where there is uncertainty may lead to harm when medicines are later found to be unsafe, or waste millions of dollars when they are overpriced relative to effectiveness. Not funding medicines may disadvantage patients in whom the medicines are effective. Methods to enable access to medicines while reducing uncertainty will offer significant benefit to patients, clinicians and taxpayers. Read moreRead less
Stigma and discrimination and their detrimental impact on social inclusion and health and well-being. Experiencing stigma and discrimination harms health and wellbeing, and prevents people from being fully included in society. This project will help us understand how to best reduce stigma and discrimination, and to protect people from their negative effects.
Closing the gap in Aboriginal maternal and child health outcomes. This project will build the evidence base needed to design and implement effective strategies to close the gap in Aboriginal maternal and child health outcomes and reduce Indigenous disadvantage across the life course.
Methods for establishing cumulative CO2 emission budgets for Australia. Limiting global warming requires curbing cumulative carbon emissions. However, we do not know how the quasi-linear relationship between cumulative carbon dioxide emissions and maximal warming is modulated by other climate-relevant gases (for example, sulphur oxide or Methane) nor have we quantified the relationship in sufficient detail for aligning national and international policy strategies. This project will develop new m ....Methods for establishing cumulative CO2 emission budgets for Australia. Limiting global warming requires curbing cumulative carbon emissions. However, we do not know how the quasi-linear relationship between cumulative carbon dioxide emissions and maximal warming is modulated by other climate-relevant gases (for example, sulphur oxide or Methane) nor have we quantified the relationship in sufficient detail for aligning national and international policy strategies. This project will develop new methods to establish global emission budgets for various climate targets and likelihoods. Options for Australia’s share will be quantified on the basis of effort-sharing proposals. This research is vital for Australian policy makers, the energy sector, and the public in order to plan for coming decades.Read moreRead less
Strengthening the evidence: how community-based Indigenous health and wellbeing interventions work to improve policy and practice. Indigenous Australians suffer high rates of premature morbidity and mortality. Despite the need for programs to improve Indigenous health and wellbeing, there is little evidence to indicate which community-based programs are effective and why they are effective. This research program addresses this 'need-evidence' gap to inform policy and practice.