Nonparametric Machine Learning for Modern Data Analytics. This project intends to develop next-generation machine-learning methods to cope with the growing data deluge. Modern data analytics tasks need to interpret and derive values from complex, growing data. Intended outcomes of the project include new Bayesian nonparametric methods that can express arbitrary dependency amongst multiple, heterogeneous data sources with infinite model complexity, together with algorithms to perform inference an ....Nonparametric Machine Learning for Modern Data Analytics. This project intends to develop next-generation machine-learning methods to cope with the growing data deluge. Modern data analytics tasks need to interpret and derive values from complex, growing data. Intended outcomes of the project include new Bayesian nonparametric methods that can express arbitrary dependency amongst multiple, heterogeneous data sources with infinite model complexity, together with algorithms to perform inference and deduce knowledge from them; new Bayesian statistical inference for set-valued random variables that moves beyond vectors and matrices to enrich our analytics toolbox to deal with sets; and a new deterministic fast inference to meet with real-world demand.Read moreRead less
Identification of the basic elements of Plasmodium transcription. This Discovery Project falls under the NRP for safeguarding Australia. Australian troops stationed in malaria endemic areas face the threat of infection and require medical attention upon return.Any research on malaria will expand our knowledge on prevention and treatment. Australia near malariaendemic locations such as Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.These countries do not have the means to support effective basic research into ....Identification of the basic elements of Plasmodium transcription. This Discovery Project falls under the NRP for safeguarding Australia. Australian troops stationed in malaria endemic areas face the threat of infection and require medical attention upon return.Any research on malaria will expand our knowledge on prevention and treatment. Australia near malariaendemic locations such as Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.These countries do not have the means to support effective basic research into the disease and wealthier countries such as Australia have the responsibility to fill this void.Furthermore, the aims of this Discovery Project are unique within the Australian malaria research community and the results fully complement other studies on transcription regulation of antigenic genes. Read moreRead less
Novel target of amiloride analogues - picornaviral RNA polymerase. Picornaviruses cause a range of diseases such as poliomyelitis, meningitis, myocarditis, hepatitis A, neonatal sepsis and common cold. No antiviral treatment is available for these infections. Nearly 50% of antiviral drugs used in medicine are viral polymerase inhibitors; however picornaviral RNA polymerase has been largely overlooked as a drug target. We have discovered a group of compounds that inhibit picornaviral RNA polymera ....Novel target of amiloride analogues - picornaviral RNA polymerase. Picornaviruses cause a range of diseases such as poliomyelitis, meningitis, myocarditis, hepatitis A, neonatal sepsis and common cold. No antiviral treatment is available for these infections. Nearly 50% of antiviral drugs used in medicine are viral polymerase inhibitors; however picornaviral RNA polymerase has been largely overlooked as a drug target. We have discovered a group of compounds that inhibit picornaviral RNA polymerase. This project aims to define the inhibition mechanism and to evaluate a potential use of these compounds for antiviral drug development.Read moreRead less
Drug targets in the relict plastid of malaria parasites. Malaria is a major world health problem and new drugs are needed urgently. Essential genes are potentially excellent targets for anti-malarial drugs. This project will use a novel strategy to identify genes that the parasite cannot exist without. Function and drug potential of these genes will be explored.
Understanding surface acoustic wave atomisation for pulmonary delivery of drug aerosols in personalised medicine. Delivering drugs via the lung is hampered by development costs and inadequate technology. This project will provide an understanding of atomisation in our unique respire system, enabling not only the delivery of new vaccines and drugs but also the rapid and cost effective development of new disease treatments personalised to the patient.
The “New” Biochemistry of Polyamines: When Metabolic Pathways Collide. Basic biochemistry and the metabolic regulation of proliferation remain as the fundamental building blocks of knowledge in cell biology that have enabled breakthrough advances in biology and medicine. Polyamines are unique and ubiquitous low-Mr amines that play vital roles in many biological processes, including proliferation, DNA/RNA synthesis, etc. This proposal will mechanistically dissect the "new" biochemistry of polyami ....The “New” Biochemistry of Polyamines: When Metabolic Pathways Collide. Basic biochemistry and the metabolic regulation of proliferation remain as the fundamental building blocks of knowledge in cell biology that have enabled breakthrough advances in biology and medicine. Polyamines are unique and ubiquitous low-Mr amines that play vital roles in many biological processes, including proliferation, DNA/RNA synthesis, etc. This proposal will mechanistically dissect the "new" biochemistry of polyamines, as we have discovered that polyamines are regulated by iron at 2-major levels, involving >10-key polyamine pathway proteins. This proposal represents first-in-field studies specifically designed to dissect mechanisms involved in this relationship. Our Central Hypothesis is that iron regulates polyamine metabolism.Read moreRead less
Probing sexual transformation of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, using novel imaging modalities. Malaria parasites adopt a characteristic banana shape prior to sexual recombination; without this shape change disease transmission via mosquitoes cannot occur. This project will use advanced imaging technologies to study sexual recombination of malaria with a view to preventing the millions of deaths due to malaria each year.
Rapid point-of-care detection of genomic variations for personalised medicine. Selecting treatment based on a person’s genetic profile can improve drug safety and efficacy, but the application is hampered by the inconvenience, slow result turnaround and high cost of current lab-based tests. Full implementation of personalised medicine in clinical practice requires a point-of-care testing system. This project aims to overcome the challenges involved in developing such a system by validating novel ....Rapid point-of-care detection of genomic variations for personalised medicine. Selecting treatment based on a person’s genetic profile can improve drug safety and efficacy, but the application is hampered by the inconvenience, slow result turnaround and high cost of current lab-based tests. Full implementation of personalised medicine in clinical practice requires a point-of-care testing system. This project aims to overcome the challenges involved in developing such a system by validating novel rapid genotyping methods and developing ultrasensitive real-time DNA detection that will be integrated on a single chip platform to facilitate a small, low cost and reliable test device. The technology will be readily adaptable to areas where prompt access to genomic information is valuable, such as disease diagnosis and risk prediction.Read moreRead less
A novel platform-technology for long-term subcutaneous neurophysiology. This project aims to develop a novel miniature device for subcutaneous and tetherless brain sensing. It addresses the lack of a device solution for brain-sensing that combines ultra-long-term reliable sensing capability and small dimensions for minimally-invasive procedures. We achieve this through our novel electrode architecture that significantly enhances the quality and reliability of recorded brain signals. We introduce ....A novel platform-technology for long-term subcutaneous neurophysiology. This project aims to develop a novel miniature device for subcutaneous and tetherless brain sensing. It addresses the lack of a device solution for brain-sensing that combines ultra-long-term reliable sensing capability and small dimensions for minimally-invasive procedures. We achieve this through our novel electrode architecture that significantly enhances the quality and reliability of recorded brain signals. We introduce a platform technology designed for subscalp anatomy with future use in various brain-machine interfacing applications relying on reliable, long-term and easy-to-implant systems. This project's device manufacturing, training, and intellectual property are expected to strengthen Australia's position in bioelectronics.Read moreRead less
Communicating to promote engagement in using electronic medical records. This reflexive ethnographic and co-design project aims to examine how patient and family participation occurs with health professionals in using the electronic medical record within hospitals, especially for patients with complex needs. Its significance involves working with patients and families to consider how they could take part in decision making activities across transitions of care and influence health care activitie ....Communicating to promote engagement in using electronic medical records. This reflexive ethnographic and co-design project aims to examine how patient and family participation occurs with health professionals in using the electronic medical record within hospitals, especially for patients with complex needs. Its significance involves working with patients and families to consider how they could take part in decision making activities across transitions of care and influence health care activities. Outcomes are new knowledge and practices about how communication occurs with the electronic medical record and strategies adopted for effective engagement. Benefits are increased understanding of how and under what circumstances, engagement can take place in using the electronic medical record.Read moreRead less