Assuring the microbial safety and quality of Australian malt and barley. This project aims to ensure that Australian malt and barley is 'clean' and free of undesirable micro-organisms that may produce mycotoxins and factors that impact on brewing efficiency and beer quality. The project will determine what is the typical microbial composition and load of Australian malt and barley grown in different environments and areas benchmarked against malting barley and malt grown internationally. A set ....Assuring the microbial safety and quality of Australian malt and barley. This project aims to ensure that Australian malt and barley is 'clean' and free of undesirable micro-organisms that may produce mycotoxins and factors that impact on brewing efficiency and beer quality. The project will determine what is the typical microbial composition and load of Australian malt and barley grown in different environments and areas benchmarked against malting barley and malt grown internationally. A set of diagnostic tools are expected to be developed. The successful execution of the project is expected to highlight that Australian malt and barley is of high quality so that the health of domestic customers is ensured and it attracts a premium from our export customers.Read moreRead less
Analysing the protective role of platelets during malaria infection. Platelets protect the host during malarial infection. This project aims to study how platelets kill the malaria parasite by investigating the role of host molecules and their potential as novel antimalarial agents. The role of platelets in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria syndrome will also be investigated.
Improving the diagnosis, management and control of chlamydial infections in Australian livestock. Chlamydial diseases, such as arthritis and encephalomyelitis, are associated with significant economic losses for Australian livestock producers. Effective surveillance and management of Chlamydia infections is problematic due to: the absence of epidemiological data; the lack of an accurate and easily interpretable diagnostic test; and the lack of an available vaccine. This project aims to evaluate ....Improving the diagnosis, management and control of chlamydial infections in Australian livestock. Chlamydial diseases, such as arthritis and encephalomyelitis, are associated with significant economic losses for Australian livestock producers. Effective surveillance and management of Chlamydia infections is problematic due to: the absence of epidemiological data; the lack of an accurate and easily interpretable diagnostic test; and the lack of an available vaccine. This project aims to evaluate factors associated with chlamydial disease in Australian livestock and thereby improve on-farm diagnosis. With the concomitant development of a chlamydial vaccine for sheep, this project aims to provide veterinarians and producers with important tools to reduce the on-farm impacts of chlamydial disease.Read moreRead less
Integrating electrophysiology and molecular biology to understand the role of cell membranes in bacterial responses to chill and osmotic stress. Modern food manufacture is driven by competing demands: consumers prefer foods that are 'natural', i.e. having received minimal processing and containing less preservatives, and last, but are safe. Thus, a challenge is to find minimal sets of treatments and preservatives that limit microbial growth.
Current methods to for determining limits to microbi ....Integrating electrophysiology and molecular biology to understand the role of cell membranes in bacterial responses to chill and osmotic stress. Modern food manufacture is driven by competing demands: consumers prefer foods that are 'natural', i.e. having received minimal processing and containing less preservatives, and last, but are safe. Thus, a challenge is to find minimal sets of treatments and preservatives that limit microbial growth.
Current methods to for determining limits to microbial growth are time and consuming and empirical. We will assess the potential of a new method (MIFE) to rapidly measure limits of bacterial growth under combinations of treatments. At the same time we will study how cells, and in particular how the cell membrane, responds to these stresses to provide insights for the development of new, minimal - yet safe - food preservation technologies.
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Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354787
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
Research Network for Biotechnological and Environmental Applications of Microalgae (BEAM). The network will facilitate inderdisciplinary and collaborative research into the limitations on microalgal growth leading to the development of new, commercial-scale microalgae culture systems, the production of fine chemicals, bioactive compounds and renewable fuels (hydrogen), as well as environmental applications such as monitoring the physiological state of phytoplankton in the environment, CO2 biorem ....Research Network for Biotechnological and Environmental Applications of Microalgae (BEAM). The network will facilitate inderdisciplinary and collaborative research into the limitations on microalgal growth leading to the development of new, commercial-scale microalgae culture systems, the production of fine chemicals, bioactive compounds and renewable fuels (hydrogen), as well as environmental applications such as monitoring the physiological state of phytoplankton in the environment, CO2 bioremediation and algal/bacterial systems for the bioremediation of contaminated soils. This will be achieved by applying research on photosynthetic light utilisation efficiency and carbon fixation, chlorophyll fluorescence, biochemistry of secondary metabolites, molecular biology and photobioreactor design and engineering, informed by an understanding of the ecology of these algae.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
Climate-driven windblown dust and flood runoff can increase marine diseases by fungal pathogens. Determination of the role of fungal pathogens in marine disease outbreaks, and their linkages to climate-driven dust and flood events, have important applications for coastal fisheries and the Great Barrier Reef. This project will develop molecular tools and plankton recorder protocols to detect fungal outbreaks and assess ecosystem resilience.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100019
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$580,000.00
Summary
A transportable containerised laboratory for rapid cell sorting and high-resolution bioimaging of living aquatic microbes in field locations. This project will deliver a transportable, unique laboratory for the rapid isolation and high-resolution analysis of living microbes immediately after sampling from the sea or waterways. It will be the first of its kind in Australia and deliver new knowledge of the role of these organisms in their natural habitats.
Synthetic phenazines for enhanced biogas production from renewable and non-renewable resources. Methane (biogas) has a large role to play in meeting the energy needs of the human race globally whilst reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Microbial communities are responsible for biogas production from non-renewable (coal) and renewable (food waste) resources. This project seeks to: increase biogas yields by redirecting electron flow towards biogas producing microbes using electrochemically active p ....Synthetic phenazines for enhanced biogas production from renewable and non-renewable resources. Methane (biogas) has a large role to play in meeting the energy needs of the human race globally whilst reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Microbial communities are responsible for biogas production from non-renewable (coal) and renewable (food waste) resources. This project seeks to: increase biogas yields by redirecting electron flow towards biogas producing microbes using electrochemically active phenazines; understand the molecular mechanism by which phenazines increase biogas yields; and, assess the environmental consequence of phenazine application to coal seam gas production and anaerobic digestion of food waste. Phenazines are likely to emerge as a safe and cost-effective technology for improved biogas generation.Read moreRead less
Development of new tools for surveillance of chlamydial infections in sheep. This project aims to improve health in sheep and reduce on-farm losses for Australian producers, by developing new serological tests for chlamydial infections in sheep. These infections can result in significant on-farm losses and loss of trade in the live export industry. Currently, surveillance of chlamydial infections is hindered by outdated serological tools that are unreliable and difficult to interpret. The ser ....Development of new tools for surveillance of chlamydial infections in sheep. This project aims to improve health in sheep and reduce on-farm losses for Australian producers, by developing new serological tests for chlamydial infections in sheep. These infections can result in significant on-farm losses and loss of trade in the live export industry. Currently, surveillance of chlamydial infections is hindered by outdated serological tools that are unreliable and difficult to interpret. The serological tests to be developed aim to be species-specific tests to detect the most important chlamydial sheep pathogens. This in turn endeavours to improve domestic surveillance, reducing on-farm losses and costs, and improve market opportunities for Australian sheep exporters as well as informing veterinary populations on best practice treatment.Read moreRead less