Development of a heatwave definition using the health risk-based metrics. Climate change is increasingly recognised as this century's biggest global health threat, but the health consequences of climate change remain to be quantified. A typical example is health risks from heatwaves which kill more people than any other natural hazard in Australia, but few comprehensive datasets are available on what affects heatwaves can have on population health and well-being, and how such evidence can be tra ....Development of a heatwave definition using the health risk-based metrics. Climate change is increasingly recognised as this century's biggest global health threat, but the health consequences of climate change remain to be quantified. A typical example is health risks from heatwaves which kill more people than any other natural hazard in Australia, but few comprehensive datasets are available on what affects heatwaves can have on population health and well-being, and how such evidence can be translated into policy. This project aims to understand the health risks associated with heatwaves, to develop health risk-based metrics to define a heatwave across different areas, and to evaluate its implications for the development of social and health policies within an Australian context.Read moreRead less
There is a need for a greater understanding of the complex relationship between sun exposure and the production of Vitamin D. This study will expand on the recently-completed AusD study to examine how personal, behavioural, and environmental factors impact on intra-individual seasonality in Vitamin D production. The study findings will guide the development of specific, evidence-based public health recommendation that balance the risks and benefits of sun exposure.
Benefit Of 2D-strain Surveillance In Improving Cardiovascular Outcomes In Cancer Patients Undergoing Cardiotoxic Chemotherapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,391,979.00
Summary
Cancer survivors are susceptible to heart failure (HF) caused by heart muscle damage from chemotherapy. The current testing for this problem is based on a measure that cannot identify minor changes of cardiac function. Cardiac strain is a sensitive new marker of cardiac function which is predictive of overt dysfunction & HF. This study seeks to identify whether strain can be used to assign treatments that lead to improved cardiac function and are eventually associated with a reduction in HF.
Identification Of Germline Variation That Predicts Progression Free Survival Following Chemotherapy For Advanced Ovarian Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$633,156.00
Summary
Women diagnosed with ovarian cancer typically undergo surgery, followed by chemotherapy. However, the efficacy of chemotherapy varies widely, with some women responding well, whilst others are exposed to the toxic effects of a treatment that does them little good. We aim to identify the genes which explain why there are differences in response. This will lead to more individualised chemotherapy and improved outcomes for women with ovarian cancer.
Understanding how cells in the olfactory nerve prevent brain infection. The project hypothesis is that the phagocytic activity of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) is the key factor that prevents bacteria from accessing the brain via the olfactory nerve, and allows continuous regeneration of the olfactory nervous system. This project aims to investigate how OECs phagocytose bacteria and debris from degenerating axons in vivo, and determine key molecular mechanisms in the process. Thus, we will ....Understanding how cells in the olfactory nerve prevent brain infection. The project hypothesis is that the phagocytic activity of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) is the key factor that prevents bacteria from accessing the brain via the olfactory nerve, and allows continuous regeneration of the olfactory nervous system. This project aims to investigate how OECs phagocytose bacteria and debris from degenerating axons in vivo, and determine key molecular mechanisms in the process. Thus, we will characterise an unknown aspect of OEC biology that is neglected in the field. Intended outcomes include a paradigm shift that glial cells, and not circulatory immune cells, are the main defense against microbial invasion of the olfactory nerve. This is relevant for new therapies targeting neural infection/injury and antibiotic usage.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100466
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$413,542.00
Summary
Establishing a national program to characterise indoor chemical exposures. This project aims to establish the first Australian indoor air monitoring program that identifies hazardous chemicals and their sources and trends under a changing climate. The project expects to provide key evidence to policy-making decisions including prioritising indoor chemical threats for regulation. The expected outcomes include the establishment of criteria for home recruitment for indoor pollution research, identi ....Establishing a national program to characterise indoor chemical exposures. This project aims to establish the first Australian indoor air monitoring program that identifies hazardous chemicals and their sources and trends under a changing climate. The project expects to provide key evidence to policy-making decisions including prioritising indoor chemical threats for regulation. The expected outcomes include the establishment of criteria for home recruitment for indoor pollution research, identification of new chemical pollutants and their sources, and assessment of their trends. The benefit is to advance the knowledge on indoor exposure research, raise the awareness of the climate change conditions, addressing the government priority research area of Environmental Change.Read moreRead less
Quantification issues in corporate valuation, the cost of capital, and optimal capital structure. An estimate of the firm's cost of capital is probably the most important calculation required in corporate finance. It is used as the discount rate in valuation and capital budgeting decisions and forms the basis of pricing structures for many regulated industries. Corporate finance theory has identified the key inputs used to calculate the cost of capital, but the current literature falls short o ....Quantification issues in corporate valuation, the cost of capital, and optimal capital structure. An estimate of the firm's cost of capital is probably the most important calculation required in corporate finance. It is used as the discount rate in valuation and capital budgeting decisions and forms the basis of pricing structures for many regulated industries. Corporate finance theory has identified the key inputs used to calculate the cost of capital, but the current literature falls short of precisely quantifying and measuring many of these inputs. The outcomes from this project will be a framework to quantify three key aspects of the cost of capital - the value of dividend imputation tax credits, the assessment of the optimal capital structure for the firm (in particular, the quantification of bankruptcy and agency costs associated with debt financing), and the estimation of the firm's marginal tax rate.Read moreRead less
Climate impacts on grass phenology, diversity and pollen exposure. This project investigates how climate change is altering the phenology, plant diversity, and airborne pollen exposure in Australia's highly productive dry grasslands. The project is expected to answer key questions on shifting grasslands and grass pollen relationships with grass phenology and diversity by merging satellite analysis of phenology with seasonal airborne pollen measures of grass concentrations and diversity. Expect ....Climate impacts on grass phenology, diversity and pollen exposure. This project investigates how climate change is altering the phenology, plant diversity, and airborne pollen exposure in Australia's highly productive dry grasslands. The project is expected to answer key questions on shifting grasslands and grass pollen relationships with grass phenology and diversity by merging satellite analysis of phenology with seasonal airborne pollen measures of grass concentrations and diversity. Expected outcomes of this project will be better management options to safeguard allergy sufferers and improved ecological and pollen forecasts under climate change and extreme events. This project should provide important public health benefits and disease mitigation strategies to Australia's urban and remote areas.
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Institutional Governance Systems and Sustainability: The Transformation of Resource Industries in the United States and Australia 1974-2004. Variations in industry performance within and across nations has resulted in renewed interest in the institutional governance systems that generate national competitive advantage and innovation. There has also been an increased focus on the impact of sustainability and environmental costs on corporations. The significance of this project to the nation and t ....Institutional Governance Systems and Sustainability: The Transformation of Resource Industries in the United States and Australia 1974-2004. Variations in industry performance within and across nations has resulted in renewed interest in the institutional governance systems that generate national competitive advantage and innovation. There has also been an increased focus on the impact of sustainability and environmental costs on corporations. The significance of this project to the nation and the community is that it develops an understanding of the role played by industry institutions in transforming corporate and industry approaches to sustainability. This study will show how industries and corporations respond to sustainability over time and the impact of these changes on major stakeholders (communities; shareholders; employees).Read moreRead less
Quantifying the impacts of environmental stress on marine microorganisms. Microorganisms underpin marine ecosystem health, yet there is limited understanding of how they will respond to different environmental pressures. This project will resolve this critical knowledge gap by developing a unique molecular platform for deriving quantitative stress thresholds for microbial communities inhabiting key reef habitats (seawater, sediments, invertebrates). Quantifying how reef microorganisms respond to ....Quantifying the impacts of environmental stress on marine microorganisms. Microorganisms underpin marine ecosystem health, yet there is limited understanding of how they will respond to different environmental pressures. This project will resolve this critical knowledge gap by developing a unique molecular platform for deriving quantitative stress thresholds for microbial communities inhabiting key reef habitats (seawater, sediments, invertebrates). Quantifying how reef microorganisms respond to a broad suite of environmental perturbations (temperature, nutrients, contaminants), will generate stress-response data that can be incorporated alongside eukaryotic data in environmental assessments, greatly improving the ecological relevance and reliability of risk and vulnerability assessments.Read moreRead less