Modelling disease evolution and emergence. Approximately 75% of all emergent diseases have established in humans having switched from other species: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Malaria, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), Ebola, West Nile Virus and many more. Further, cross species infections put our biodiversity and economy at risk: plant and animal diseases entering Australia can destroy crops and at-risk native species. This project will provide for the first time the statistica ....Modelling disease evolution and emergence. Approximately 75% of all emergent diseases have established in humans having switched from other species: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Malaria, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), Ebola, West Nile Virus and many more. Further, cross species infections put our biodiversity and economy at risk: plant and animal diseases entering Australia can destroy crops and at-risk native species. This project will provide for the first time the statistical framework for scientists to assess risk of such diseases entering Australia as a key to combating them.Read moreRead less
Intelligent Biomedical System Modelling and Multi-modality Image Analysis to Maximize Diagnostic Information from Medical Imaging. Medical imaging is an essential part of our Australian modern health care system and plays an important role in the diagnosis, treatment planning and decision making and assessment of treatment of patients. This project aims to maximize the benefit of federal government healthcare investment through intelligent biomedical system modelling in conjunction with multi-mo ....Intelligent Biomedical System Modelling and Multi-modality Image Analysis to Maximize Diagnostic Information from Medical Imaging. Medical imaging is an essential part of our Australian modern health care system and plays an important role in the diagnosis, treatment planning and decision making and assessment of treatment of patients. This project aims to maximize the benefit of federal government healthcare investment through intelligent biomedical system modelling in conjunction with multi-modality image analysis to extract crucial additional information for accurate diagnosis and improved treatment, which will not only lead to a major scientific advancement, but also deliver significant social benefits.Read moreRead less
Prediction and optimisation of the acoustic performance of mufflers for sleep apnea devices. ResMed is a world leader in the technology of developing products for treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). ResMed provided the first successful non-invasive treatment of OSA with their sleep apnea device. Noise reduction is an important issue in the development of this product, since these devices operate on a bedside table. This project will enable the acoustic performance of these small irregularly ....Prediction and optimisation of the acoustic performance of mufflers for sleep apnea devices. ResMed is a world leader in the technology of developing products for treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). ResMed provided the first successful non-invasive treatment of OSA with their sleep apnea device. Noise reduction is an important issue in the development of this product, since these devices operate on a bedside table. This project will enable the acoustic performance of these small irregularly shaped mufflers to be reliably predicted and optimised. The successful outcomes will improve the quality of the well-being of the user. This research also has relevance to the design of mufflers for use in broader applications such as locomotives and ferries.Read moreRead less
Data Fusion for Self-Localisation and Team Situational Awareness in Unknown Structured Environments. This research is directed towards improving the operational effectiveness of our defence and civilian first-response-groups, which include the Special Forces, law-enforcement, fire fighting and special emergency services. These groups are highly specialised and have very focused operations which require innovative responses and adaptability. The technologies developed in the course of this projec ....Data Fusion for Self-Localisation and Team Situational Awareness in Unknown Structured Environments. This research is directed towards improving the operational effectiveness of our defence and civilian first-response-groups, which include the Special Forces, law-enforcement, fire fighting and special emergency services. These groups are highly specialised and have very focused operations which require innovative responses and adaptability. The technologies developed in the course of this project will transform the way these agencies conduct their operations and will have a beneficial impact on our quality of life and social order.
The research will also advance the knowledge base in the practical implementation of human localisation systems and provide the enabling mechanism for its adoption into industry.
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Pancreatic Differentiation of Cord Blood Stem Cells using Smart Surfaces. Cord blood cells obtained at the time of delivery of a baby are a valuable resource that have the potential to develop into many cell types. This Project entails attaching stem cells derived from cord blood to appropriate 3 dimensional smart surfaces, and examining the ability of such cells to develop into insulin-producing cells. An understanding of how to coax stem cells, seeded on to smart surfaces, to develop into ma ....Pancreatic Differentiation of Cord Blood Stem Cells using Smart Surfaces. Cord blood cells obtained at the time of delivery of a baby are a valuable resource that have the potential to develop into many cell types. This Project entails attaching stem cells derived from cord blood to appropriate 3 dimensional smart surfaces, and examining the ability of such cells to develop into insulin-producing cells. An understanding of how to coax stem cells, seeded on to smart surfaces, to develop into mature cells with different functions will enhance our ability to understand how cells develop. As well, it enhance the potential usefulness of cord blood for research purposes. Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354797
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$20,000.00
Summary
The Australian Tissue Engineering Network. Driven by four key nodes across the country, the Initiative aims to bring together geographically and financially separated groups into a critical mass of cell and tissue engineering research. This new and rapidly-growing field uses a bio-synthetic approach to replace, repair or regenerate damaged tissues and organs. The Initiative will build the framework which will enable the Network to: identify appropriate expertise, manage duplication, enhance co ....The Australian Tissue Engineering Network. Driven by four key nodes across the country, the Initiative aims to bring together geographically and financially separated groups into a critical mass of cell and tissue engineering research. This new and rapidly-growing field uses a bio-synthetic approach to replace, repair or regenerate damaged tissues and organs. The Initiative will build the framework which will enable the Network to: identify appropriate expertise, manage duplication, enhance communication, bring together innovative skill sets, create linkages, generate focussed research programs and foster novel commercial opportunities. Ultimately the Initiative and Network will deliver an improved quality of life, reduced healthcare costs, and increased productivity to Australia.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989859
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,000,000.00
Summary
A Multi-Resolution X-ray Microtomography Facility (NanoCT & MicroCT) for Non-Destructive 3D Characterisation. X-ray microtomography platforms are applicable to a wide diversity of research across many of the national research priority areas. The research outlined will provide insights into bone cancer and osteoporosis, promote breakthroughs in the understanding of tumour biology and drive new developments in novel biomaterials, all of which have significant national health benefits. In dentistr ....A Multi-Resolution X-ray Microtomography Facility (NanoCT & MicroCT) for Non-Destructive 3D Characterisation. X-ray microtomography platforms are applicable to a wide diversity of research across many of the national research priority areas. The research outlined will provide insights into bone cancer and osteoporosis, promote breakthroughs in the understanding of tumour biology and drive new developments in novel biomaterials, all of which have significant national health benefits. In dentistry, research supported by this instrumentation will provide Australians with improvements to their dental health. Furthermore applications to industrial materials are providing Australian industries with better characterisation of their products that is leading to improved export performance and consequent improvement in Australia's balance of trade.Read moreRead less
Regional performing arts: theory, practice and policy. SCU and NORPA will collaborate to: research and develop a new music-theatre piece using local experiences of floods to explore broader universal themes; mount an exhibition of visual works on this theme; prepare a volume of essays on the theme; host a conference on theories of music-theatre and publish the papers in a philosophical volume; and develop policy on the performing arts in regional Australia.
The project will bring together leadi ....Regional performing arts: theory, practice and policy. SCU and NORPA will collaborate to: research and develop a new music-theatre piece using local experiences of floods to explore broader universal themes; mount an exhibition of visual works on this theme; prepare a volume of essays on the theme; host a conference on theories of music-theatre and publish the papers in a philosophical volume; and develop policy on the performing arts in regional Australia.
The project will bring together leading practitioners and theoreticians to develop a long-term strategic research and development alliance. It will involve local, Australian and overseas academics and practitioners.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100010
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$720,000.00
Summary
A 5-D Correlative Imaging Platform: Combining the strengths of light and electron microscopy. This will be Australia's first dedicated five-dimensional multiphoton-microscopy platform, allowing observation of dynamic structures across different length and time scales under controlled temperatures, followed by high-resolution electron microscopy studies on the same samples. This platform will provide a unique characterisation tool to Australia's top-flight investigators, and so contribute to the ....A 5-D Correlative Imaging Platform: Combining the strengths of light and electron microscopy. This will be Australia's first dedicated five-dimensional multiphoton-microscopy platform, allowing observation of dynamic structures across different length and time scales under controlled temperatures, followed by high-resolution electron microscopy studies on the same samples. This platform will provide a unique characterisation tool to Australia's top-flight investigators, and so contribute to the nation's research priorities. It will enable: fundamental studies of cancer, neural diseases and immune disorders; the development of frontier technologies, such as smart nanomaterials, biosensors and targeted drug delivery; and applied research to help plants and soils adapt to climate variability, and to increase sustainable use of water.Read moreRead less
Ageing wild vertebrates from their DNA: an investigation using Humpback Whales as an example. The aim of this project is to estimate the age of individually identified humpback whales and the age structure of humpback whale populations using non-lethal, innovative molecular techniques. Populations of humpback whales in the Southern Hemisphere are slowly recovering from intensive whaling during the 20th century. This project is significant because it will provide the first comparative information ....Ageing wild vertebrates from their DNA: an investigation using Humpback Whales as an example. The aim of this project is to estimate the age of individually identified humpback whales and the age structure of humpback whale populations using non-lethal, innovative molecular techniques. Populations of humpback whales in the Southern Hemisphere are slowly recovering from intensive whaling during the 20th century. This project is significant because it will provide the first comparative information on the age structure of these populations, resulting in improved estimation of recovery and population dynamics of long-lived vertebrates. The results of this project will revolutionise research on ageing in whales and dolphins, providing an important alternative to lethal scientific whaling.Read moreRead less