Linking individual traits, the gut microbiome and parasite load in wildlife. This project aims to apply principles of community ecology to the gut microbiome of an urban exploiter – the common brushtail possum - to reveal how animal traits influence individual variation in the load of gut parasites that cause disease in both humans and wildlife. By combining assays defining the behavioural and physiological states of individuals with sophisticated analyses of their gut microbiome, our project wi ....Linking individual traits, the gut microbiome and parasite load in wildlife. This project aims to apply principles of community ecology to the gut microbiome of an urban exploiter – the common brushtail possum - to reveal how animal traits influence individual variation in the load of gut parasites that cause disease in both humans and wildlife. By combining assays defining the behavioural and physiological states of individuals with sophisticated analyses of their gut microbiome, our project will provide a new, yet crucial, perspective on how and why diseases spread. Our discoveries will help understand and manage the burden of infectious diseases from parasites in and beyond our cities and across the human-wildlife interface; essential for improving human and wildlife health in an increasingly urbanised Australia.Read moreRead less
The molecular basis of cold adaptation: an integrated genomic and proteomic study of Antarctic archaea. The project enables Australia to remain a world leader in extremophiles, cold adaptation and Antarctic biology, strengthening the reputation Australian scientists have in scientific programs of global significance and fostering the interests of the international community in sciences ranging from bioprospecting to the search for extraterrestrial life. National benefit is directly derived from ....The molecular basis of cold adaptation: an integrated genomic and proteomic study of Antarctic archaea. The project enables Australia to remain a world leader in extremophiles, cold adaptation and Antarctic biology, strengthening the reputation Australian scientists have in scientific programs of global significance and fostering the interests of the international community in sciences ranging from bioprospecting to the search for extraterrestrial life. National benefit is directly derived from technological innovation and training local scientists in modern biology of environmental microorganisms. The Antarctic microorganisms provide unique compounds, enzymes and molecules for biotechnology and industry. Insight will be gained into the critical role that methanogens play in the global carbon cycle and global warming.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100121
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$384,671.00
Summary
Genomic library infrastructure for ancient environmental samples. This project aims to enable automated genome recovery from diverse environmental samples, without contamination risk. For more than 100 years, environmental scientists have studied diverse organism / environment interactions using a variety of conceptual and technical tools. Recently, studies of ancient and historical DNA have come to complement these tools and to occupy a significant place in environmental studies conducted over ....Genomic library infrastructure for ancient environmental samples. This project aims to enable automated genome recovery from diverse environmental samples, without contamination risk. For more than 100 years, environmental scientists have studied diverse organism / environment interactions using a variety of conceptual and technical tools. Recently, studies of ancient and historical DNA have come to complement these tools and to occupy a significant place in environmental studies conducted over serial time. The project’s addition to the existing dual Ancient DNA complex facility at Griffith University will comprise two liquid handling workstations, each being housed in separate, self-contained, ancient DNA laboratories. The new facility will enable many researchers to have unprecedented access to an ancient DNA facility and a high level of technical support.Read moreRead less
Prevention and treatment of chlamydiosis and cryptococcosis in koalas. This project aims to generate increased understanding of the aetiology and pathogenesis of the two most prevalent and debilitating infectious diseases of koalas to make improved decisions regarding therapeutic intervention, prevention and management. Chlamydiosis, caused by two chlamydial bacteria, affects koala fertility, urinary tract function and eyesight. Cryptococcosis, caused by the fungus Cryptococcus gattii, may resul ....Prevention and treatment of chlamydiosis and cryptococcosis in koalas. This project aims to generate increased understanding of the aetiology and pathogenesis of the two most prevalent and debilitating infectious diseases of koalas to make improved decisions regarding therapeutic intervention, prevention and management. Chlamydiosis, caused by two chlamydial bacteria, affects koala fertility, urinary tract function and eyesight. Cryptococcosis, caused by the fungus Cryptococcus gattii, may result in koala morbidity and death. Planned therapeutic trials, prevention strategies and the development of optimal husbandry strategies will provide knowledge that will lead to reduced koala morbidity through improved understanding of the interactions amongst infectious pathogens, the animal host and the environment.Read moreRead less
Rehabilitating a changing landscape: using the latest advances in koala ecology to direct adaptive management. The koala has been identified as one of the world's flagship species suffering from environmental change. In contrast to the decline of koalas in New South Wales generally, the eucalypts planted in Gunnedah to combat salinity led to an increase in koalas. However, the startlingly high death rate of Gunnedah koalas (25 per cent of the population) in the heatwave during the drought in 200 ....Rehabilitating a changing landscape: using the latest advances in koala ecology to direct adaptive management. The koala has been identified as one of the world's flagship species suffering from environmental change. In contrast to the decline of koalas in New South Wales generally, the eucalypts planted in Gunnedah to combat salinity led to an increase in koalas. However, the startlingly high death rate of Gunnedah koalas (25 per cent of the population) in the heatwave during the drought in 2009 must be understood. There are also new threats brought about by intensive land modification. This project aims to determine the effects of environmental change on the koala population through a study of landscape ecology, leaf chemistry, disease epidemiology and koala movements. This aims to lead to better management decisions for arboreal fauna.Read moreRead less
Development of a safe and immunogenic anti-chlamydia vaccine for the koala. Many koala populations are under threat of extinction from chlamydial disease.The project will develop a chlamydial vaccine and conduct trials in several wild koala populations for safety and effectiveness.
An elemental hypothesis for sub-tropical refugia in reef corals. This project aims to discover the underlying traits that permit Australian reef corals to live near the edges of their ranges in relatively cool water. As ocean temperatures warm, novel communities are expected to develop in high latitude ecosystems, which might become important as thermal refugia for low latitude coral reefs. The project aims to test the role of elemental composition (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) in coral host ....An elemental hypothesis for sub-tropical refugia in reef corals. This project aims to discover the underlying traits that permit Australian reef corals to live near the edges of their ranges in relatively cool water. As ocean temperatures warm, novel communities are expected to develop in high latitude ecosystems, which might become important as thermal refugia for low latitude coral reefs. The project aims to test the role of elemental composition (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) in coral host and symbiont response to changing water temperature along a latitudinal gradient. The intended outcome of the project is to provide knowledge to support predictions of likely species migrations from tropical to subtropical waters, enabling managers to anticipate the future response of coral communities to seawater warming.Read moreRead less
Outfoxing the fox: new cost-effective ways to protect threatened species. This project aims to address the damage caused by invasive foxes by applying new methods of protection for threatened species. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the areas of conservation biology and invasive species management by comparing the effectiveness of fox control strategies for improving the population viability of declining freshwater turtles. Expected outcomes of this project include a community- ....Outfoxing the fox: new cost-effective ways to protect threatened species. This project aims to address the damage caused by invasive foxes by applying new methods of protection for threatened species. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the areas of conservation biology and invasive species management by comparing the effectiveness of fox control strategies for improving the population viability of declining freshwater turtles. Expected outcomes of this project include a community-based conservation model that prevents turtle extinctions in south-eastern Australia at considerable cost savings. Significant benefits include improved management of the impacts of invasive species, and restoration of ecosystem services provided by the scavenging role of freshwater turtles for maintaining water quality.Read moreRead less
Bacterial and host drivers of chlamydial blindness in koalas. Chlamydial infection of the eyes is a significant cause of disease and death in koalas, contributing to the ongoing decline of this native species. Little is known about what influences the outcome of these infections, challenging efforts to manage and control koala chlamydial blindness. This project aims to evaluate whether differences in the infecting Chlamydia pecorum strains or the koala immune response, are associated with the ou ....Bacterial and host drivers of chlamydial blindness in koalas. Chlamydial infection of the eyes is a significant cause of disease and death in koalas, contributing to the ongoing decline of this native species. Little is known about what influences the outcome of these infections, challenging efforts to manage and control koala chlamydial blindness. This project aims to evaluate whether differences in the infecting Chlamydia pecorum strains or the koala immune response, are associated with the outcome of chlamydial ocular infection. In addition to helping us to understand and prevent blindness in koalas, this project should significantly expand our knowledge of the koala immune system and generate an array of koala immunological assays, outcomes that may benefit all koala conservation efforts.Read moreRead less
Novel oxygen sensing tools for monitoring the effects of dredging on Australian seagrass communities. Seagrass meadows sustain marine biodiversity and the fishing industries on Australian coasts. Dredging of ports and shipping channels is contributing to their rapid global decline. The project will use state-of-the-art technologies in bio-optics and genomics to create a toolkit for seagrass managers to make informed decisions to safeguard seagrass meadows.