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.
Blood flow routes in muscle. Ageing well, ageing productively. The Australian population is ageing. The proportion of the population over the age of 65 is expected to greatly increase, reaching 22% by the year 2030. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in this older population is thought to be ~20%, compared to ~6% in younger populations. An initial cause of type 2 diabetes may be microvascular dysfunction brought on by physical inactivity. Therefore this project addresses the concepts of microvasc ....Blood flow routes in muscle. Ageing well, ageing productively. The Australian population is ageing. The proportion of the population over the age of 65 is expected to greatly increase, reaching 22% by the year 2030. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in this older population is thought to be ~20%, compared to ~6% in younger populations. An initial cause of type 2 diabetes may be microvascular dysfunction brought on by physical inactivity. Therefore this project addresses the concepts of microvascular function and microvascular fitness by using the latest technology to map blood flow routes in muscle under a number of relevant situations. Read moreRead less
Microdialysis for monitoring changes in microvascular flow patterns in muscle. Microdialysis is a technique for sampling interstitial fluid. Factors altering vascular delivery and removal of nutrients and hormones can affect muscle metabolism by altering exchange with the interstitium. This project focuses on microdialysis for assessing the impact of microvascular blood flow patterns on skeletal muscle metabolism and contractility. The aim is to develop and refine the technology, including equat ....Microdialysis for monitoring changes in microvascular flow patterns in muscle. Microdialysis is a technique for sampling interstitial fluid. Factors altering vascular delivery and removal of nutrients and hormones can affect muscle metabolism by altering exchange with the interstitium. This project focuses on microdialysis for assessing the impact of microvascular blood flow patterns on skeletal muscle metabolism and contractility. The aim is to develop and refine the technology, including equations, specifically for monitoring the nutritive fraction of blood flow in muscle by agents and factors relating to health and disease. This technique could be used for screening drugs in the treatment of diseases such as type 2 diabetes and related conditions.Read moreRead less
Talking Maths: Bridging the gap through talk in Early Years mathematics . The study aims to address the gap in mathematical performance in Australia in relation to socioeconomic status (SES) by focusing on language and learning in mathematics. The study will design and evaluate a school-based intervention that positions language through talk as a key resource in teaching mathematics in Grades 1 and 2. Outcomes of the study will be empirical evidence of the effect of a language-based pedagogy on ....Talking Maths: Bridging the gap through talk in Early Years mathematics . The study aims to address the gap in mathematical performance in Australia in relation to socioeconomic status (SES) by focusing on language and learning in mathematics. The study will design and evaluate a school-based intervention that positions language through talk as a key resource in teaching mathematics in Grades 1 and 2. Outcomes of the study will be empirical evidence of the effect of a language-based pedagogy on young students' achievement in mathematics and further understanding of the relationship between talk and learning. These outcomes will inform policy and teacher education and have a long lasting impact on low SES students' educational and work opportunities with ultimate impact on economic and cultural prosperity.
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Ultrasound in muscle vascular research, and gene therapy. This project focuses on ultrasound and microbubbles for the imaging of microvascular blood flow patterns in skeletal muscle and as a modality for drug delivery. The aim is to develop and refine technology specifically for (i) assessment of muscle microvascular flow in health and disease, and for (ii) delivery of state-of-the art gene constructs to endothelial cells that control blood flow in the muscle microvasculature. We anticipate impr ....Ultrasound in muscle vascular research, and gene therapy. This project focuses on ultrasound and microbubbles for the imaging of microvascular blood flow patterns in skeletal muscle and as a modality for drug delivery. The aim is to develop and refine technology specifically for (i) assessment of muscle microvascular flow in health and disease, and for (ii) delivery of state-of-the art gene constructs to endothelial cells that control blood flow in the muscle microvasculature. We anticipate improved technology for early diagnosis of impairment in microvascular flow relevant to muscle insulin resistance and novel therapeutics that improve muscle microvascular blood flow applicable to the treatment of diabetes.Read moreRead less
Selectivity enhancement in separation science using responsive materials. Increasing public demand for quality products from the chemical, pharmaceutical, biotechnology and food industries requires access to innovative methods of chemical analysis. This project will establish a new class of separation materials of enhanced selectivity and resolving power for the fast, sensitive and reliable analysis of these products.
Shifting the Culture of Out-of-field Professional Education for Teachers. This project aims to model an education system that would diversify the expertise of teachers as part of attending to long-term teacher shortage. It responds to a pressing national need for a system of valued and accessible professional education (PE) for out-of-field teachers. The project draws on perspectives from schools, governments and PE providers to expose current practices, cultural norms, and policies; propose an ....Shifting the Culture of Out-of-field Professional Education for Teachers. This project aims to model an education system that would diversify the expertise of teachers as part of attending to long-term teacher shortage. It responds to a pressing national need for a system of valued and accessible professional education (PE) for out-of-field teachers. The project draws on perspectives from schools, governments and PE providers to expose current practices, cultural norms, and policies; propose an 'ideal' PE ecosystem that values re-specialisation in the core subjects; and develop principles to inform policy and practice needed to attain this ideal. The evidence-based framing of PE will inform efforts by schools, PE providers and policy makers to sustain a highly capable, adaptive and specialised teaching workforce.Read moreRead less
Youth Gangs: The Australian Experience. Little systematic research has been undertaken in Australia into the nature and activities of youth gangs. The aim of this project is to provide a national study of youth group formations, processes of group transformation (toward or away from gangs), and strategies the might be employed to curtail gang formation and gang-related behaviour. The study will involve interviews with young people in each capital city, and focus group discussions with youth serv ....Youth Gangs: The Australian Experience. Little systematic research has been undertaken in Australia into the nature and activities of youth gangs. The aim of this project is to provide a national study of youth group formations, processes of group transformation (toward or away from gangs), and strategies the might be employed to curtail gang formation and gang-related behaviour. The study will involve interviews with young people in each capital city, and focus group discussions with youth service providers in each city. The research methods draw upon the instruments presently being developed by the Eurogang Research Network in order to facilitate cross-national comparisons. It will be the first national study of its kind, and will provide new conceptual insights into the character of youth group formation in Australia, baseline youth gang data, and analysis of possible intervention strategies.
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Powerful knowledge: mapping out standards of teachers' knowledge for teaching mathematics and English to achieve the goals of the curriculum. Setting standards is an important step to raising teacher quality. This project will establish benchmarks for teachers' knowledge at all levels of schooling in two key areas of the curriculum: English and mathematics.
Integrated genetic regulation of photomorphogenesis in Pisum. This project will use a molecular genetic approach in garden pea to investigate the roles of photoreceptors that mediate developmental responses to light. It will define gene families encoding phytochrome, cryptochrome and phototropin photoreceptors, characterise photoreceptor gene expression, and identify mutants with impaired response to light. The mutants will be used in molecular, physiological and biochemical studies to examine h ....Integrated genetic regulation of photomorphogenesis in Pisum. This project will use a molecular genetic approach in garden pea to investigate the roles of photoreceptors that mediate developmental responses to light. It will define gene families encoding phytochrome, cryptochrome and phototropin photoreceptors, characterise photoreceptor gene expression, and identify mutants with impaired response to light. The mutants will be used in molecular, physiological and biochemical studies to examine how photoreceptors control and co-ordinate development throughout the plant via effects on plant hormone synthesis and response. Results from the project will be of practical importance in manipulating key aspects of plant growth to better suit particular environmental and agronomic objectives.Read moreRead less