Detection and viability of waterborne pathogens using a gut-on-chip. This project aims to resolve a significant problem for water utilities. Microbial pathogens Cryptosporidium, norovirus and adenovirus are the main public health concern for drinking water in developed nations. Water monitoring is limited by the lack of fast, reliable detection methods and viability assays for these pathogens. This project will use a novel gut-on-a-chip to develop for the first time rapid infectivity assays for ....Detection and viability of waterborne pathogens using a gut-on-chip. This project aims to resolve a significant problem for water utilities. Microbial pathogens Cryptosporidium, norovirus and adenovirus are the main public health concern for drinking water in developed nations. Water monitoring is limited by the lack of fast, reliable detection methods and viability assays for these pathogens. This project will use a novel gut-on-a-chip to develop for the first time rapid infectivity assays for Cryptosporidium, norovirus and adenovirus. Significant benefits include improved diagnostics and water disinfection assays, improved water treatment and reduced costs with global impact.Read moreRead less
Domestic air quality: towards the setting of guidelines. Air quality standards have been developed to protect human health. Although people spend most of their time indoors there are no standards and only a few guidelines for indoor air pollution (IAP). The aim of this study is to investigate the levels of IAP that may worsen asthma in children. Childhood asthma will be used as a health indicator due to its high prevalence, cost to the healthcare system and implications for respiratory morbidity ....Domestic air quality: towards the setting of guidelines. Air quality standards have been developed to protect human health. Although people spend most of their time indoors there are no standards and only a few guidelines for indoor air pollution (IAP). The aim of this study is to investigate the levels of IAP that may worsen asthma in children. Childhood asthma will be used as a health indicator due to its high prevalence, cost to the healthcare system and implications for respiratory morbidity in adult life. We expect to identify levels of IAP that will represent a health risk as well as the factors that may contribute to increased IAP in homes.Read moreRead less
The Biology, Ecology, Pathology and Control of Mycosphaerella Leaf Blights in Australian Eucalypt Plantations. Leaf spot diseases, caused by Mycosphaerella, have become widespread in over 150,000 ha of Eucalyptus globulus (blue gum) plantations in Western Australia, causing severe reduction in canopy area of young trees. This project will research the epidemiology of these diseases by studying the life cycles of the key pathogenic Mycosphaerella species identified in a previous project, modes an ....The Biology, Ecology, Pathology and Control of Mycosphaerella Leaf Blights in Australian Eucalypt Plantations. Leaf spot diseases, caused by Mycosphaerella, have become widespread in over 150,000 ha of Eucalyptus globulus (blue gum) plantations in Western Australia, causing severe reduction in canopy area of young trees. This project will research the epidemiology of these diseases by studying the life cycles of the key pathogenic Mycosphaerella species identified in a previous project, modes and timing of spore dispersal, the infection process, and host specificity. The economic impact of leaf spot diseases will be assessed from large exclusion trials. A predictive integrated management package for Mycosphaerella foliar diseases will be formulated and evaluated to minimising disease impact.Read moreRead less
The cause of basal stem rot in second rotation Eucalyptus globulus plantations. The Eucalyptus globulus plantation industry consists of over 300000 ha in Australia and is worth 1 billion dollars. The industry has expanded rapidly since the mid 1980's and now many crops are in their second rotation. Recently, poor coppice growth in second rotation crops as a result of fungal basal rot or decay, has started to become a significant management problem to the industry. This project will determine th ....The cause of basal stem rot in second rotation Eucalyptus globulus plantations. The Eucalyptus globulus plantation industry consists of over 300000 ha in Australia and is worth 1 billion dollars. The industry has expanded rapidly since the mid 1980's and now many crops are in their second rotation. Recently, poor coppice growth in second rotation crops as a result of fungal basal rot or decay, has started to become a significant management problem to the industry. This project will determine the cause(s) of basal stem rot/decay and develop management strategies to reduce the impact of the problem.Read moreRead less
Pathogenicity of Mycosphaerella on Eucalyptus globulus plantations in Western Australia. Eucalyptus globulus is the main hardwood species grown in plantations in Western Australia. In recent years, the incidence of foliar damage caused by leaf spot fungi in the genus Mycosphaerella has started to become a worrying management problem for the industry. There are approximately 12 Mycosphaerella species associated with Eucalyptus globulus in Western Australia. This project will determine which are t ....Pathogenicity of Mycosphaerella on Eucalyptus globulus plantations in Western Australia. Eucalyptus globulus is the main hardwood species grown in plantations in Western Australia. In recent years, the incidence of foliar damage caused by leaf spot fungi in the genus Mycosphaerella has started to become a worrying management problem for the industry. There are approximately 12 Mycosphaerella species associated with Eucalyptus globulus in Western Australia. This project will determine which are the priority destructive Mycosphaerella species. The information gained will allow researchers to select and breed eucalypts for resistance of target Mycosphaerella species in the future. The project will also develop methods for rapid pathogenicity screening.Read moreRead less
Coproantigen detection tests for diagnosis of intestinal parasitic nematode infection. The aim of this project is to develop new tests for detection of hookworm and Strongyloides, two common intestinal worm infections of humans. These tests offer the potential to replace current tests, namely stool microscopy and serodiagnosis, both of whose performance is unsatisfactory due to deficiencies in sensitivity, specificity and operator convenience. The tests will rely on monoclonal antibodies to dete ....Coproantigen detection tests for diagnosis of intestinal parasitic nematode infection. The aim of this project is to develop new tests for detection of hookworm and Strongyloides, two common intestinal worm infections of humans. These tests offer the potential to replace current tests, namely stool microscopy and serodiagnosis, both of whose performance is unsatisfactory due to deficiencies in sensitivity, specificity and operator convenience. The tests will rely on monoclonal antibodies to detect parasite products in stool. Such testing technology is amenable to configuration in a robust format, suitable for large-scale manufacture. Given the worldwide prevalence of these parasites, the tests will have a market potential of international significance.Read moreRead less
Using molecular tools to understand and control the transmission of Cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium is the major public health concern of water utilities as the parasite has a global impact on the health and survival of millions of people and animals worldwide. It is resistant to chlorine and there are no effective drugs against it. Control strategies therefore rely on understanding how it is transmitted. This project will conduct a comprehensive study utilising molecular tools to determine if ....Using molecular tools to understand and control the transmission of Cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium is the major public health concern of water utilities as the parasite has a global impact on the health and survival of millions of people and animals worldwide. It is resistant to chlorine and there are no effective drugs against it. Control strategies therefore rely on understanding how it is transmitted. This project will conduct a comprehensive study utilising molecular tools to determine if the Cryptosporidium in humans is the same as that derived from water contamination sources (animals, sewage etc). The outcomes of this project will result in the development of more targeted, cost-effective preventive measures to minimize exposures to infections, accurate risk assessment, and scientific management of the watershed.Read moreRead less
Structure-activity relationships in the development of new bioactive isoflavonoids. This project aims to develop new chemical substances based on the structure of a group of naturally occuring compounds called isoflavones. Biological activity related to chronic inflammatory (eg arthritis) and heart disease will be examined in cells and animal models. This information will be used to design compounds with enhanced activity. The eventual aim is to develop potential therapeutic agents to treat chr ....Structure-activity relationships in the development of new bioactive isoflavonoids. This project aims to develop new chemical substances based on the structure of a group of naturally occuring compounds called isoflavones. Biological activity related to chronic inflammatory (eg arthritis) and heart disease will be examined in cells and animal models. This information will be used to design compounds with enhanced activity. The eventual aim is to develop potential therapeutic agents to treat chronic inflammatory and cardiovascular disease.Read moreRead less
Hybrid radiofrequency/optical catheter for effective atrial fibrillation ablation. This research project aims to advance engineering knowledge by applying an innovative, fibre-optics-based discrete optical coherence tomography to technology used for atrial fibrillation catheter ablation. RadioFrequency catheter-based ablation is far superior to cardiac drug therapy for atrial fibrillation patients. RadioFrequency catheters are not equipped with real-time lesion formation monitoring means, which ....Hybrid radiofrequency/optical catheter for effective atrial fibrillation ablation. This research project aims to advance engineering knowledge by applying an innovative, fibre-optics-based discrete optical coherence tomography to technology used for atrial fibrillation catheter ablation. RadioFrequency catheter-based ablation is far superior to cardiac drug therapy for atrial fibrillation patients. RadioFrequency catheters are not equipped with real-time lesion formation monitoring means, which enable the assessment of continuity-transmurality and prevent extra-cardiac complications, such as steam pops. Optical Coherece Tomography enables non-invasive, microscopic lesion formation assessment in real time during atrial fibrillation ablation procedures. The expected outcomes of this project are to develop a new hybrid fibre-optic/RadioFrequency catheter system and user-friendly driving software that will enable cardiac electrophysiologists to perform three key tasks not previously available.Read moreRead less
Buffering the ecosystem impact of invasive cane toads. This project aims to address the devastating ecological problems caused by invasive species, by developing a novel approach that does not rely upon eradicating the invader through training vulnerable native predators not to eat toxic cane toads. Expected outcomes of this project include building a broad coalition of conservation-focused groups, from private land-owners and local businesses through to Indigenous groups and government and non- ....Buffering the ecosystem impact of invasive cane toads. This project aims to address the devastating ecological problems caused by invasive species, by developing a novel approach that does not rely upon eradicating the invader through training vulnerable native predators not to eat toxic cane toads. Expected outcomes of this project include building a broad coalition of conservation-focused groups, from private land-owners and local businesses through to Indigenous groups and government and non-government agencies across the entire Kimberley region. It will also result in the evaluation of methods for deployment of taste-aversion at a landscape scale. This should provide significant benefits by conserving vulnerable fauna and building a powerful network within a region of high biodiversity in tropical Australia.Read moreRead less