Ultrasound for control of cyanobacteria. Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, forms in drinking water supplies in Australia and can cause water-quality problems. Current methods to treat blue-green algae involve the use of Copper Sulphate, which is not an environmentally friendly compound. A potential alternative environmentally friendly water-treatment method involves the use of ultrasound to disrupt the cyanobacteria. The aim of this project is to determine the physical properties of ....Ultrasound for control of cyanobacteria. Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, forms in drinking water supplies in Australia and can cause water-quality problems. Current methods to treat blue-green algae involve the use of Copper Sulphate, which is not an environmentally friendly compound. A potential alternative environmentally friendly water-treatment method involves the use of ultrasound to disrupt the cyanobacteria. The aim of this project is to determine the physical properties of the cyanobacteria when excited with ultrasound for the purpose of finding an efficient method to treat large volumes of water. Read moreRead less
The mechanisms and roles of receptor clustering in cell activation and wound healing by growth factors. Growth factors regulate cell proliferation, migration and differentation by interaction with receptors. Such receptors are usually localized at the cell surface, and require intracellular transduction systems to transmit the signal to the cell interior. We have recently shown the hormone-induced clustering of heterologous hormone receptors in cells, and that this occurs with the co-clustering ....The mechanisms and roles of receptor clustering in cell activation and wound healing by growth factors. Growth factors regulate cell proliferation, migration and differentation by interaction with receptors. Such receptors are usually localized at the cell surface, and require intracellular transduction systems to transmit the signal to the cell interior. We have recently shown the hormone-induced clustering of heterologous hormone receptors in cells, and that this occurs with the co-clustering of downstream signalling molecules at sites of engagement with the extracellular matrix. In addition, we have found that cells presented with an extracellular matrix respond better to subsequent growth factor stimulation. The project aims to determine the cellular mechanisms underlying receptor clustering and the basis of the receptor-extracellular matrix interaction. This will enhance our understanding of growth factor function in a number of conditions, including wound healing. We will extend our in vitro results to the animal model to define parameters for enhanced wound repair.Read moreRead less
Differentiation of Cord Blood Stem cells into Thymus (T) cells with regulatory phenotype and function. This project will develop technologies for a stem cell therapy platform based on cord blood stem cells, to enable treatment of autoimmune diseases or transplants. Building on the University of Adelaide's frontier demonstration of differentiation of regulatory Thymus (T) cells from cord blood stem cells, the project will develop techniques to expand the numbers of T cells generated. This has the ....Differentiation of Cord Blood Stem cells into Thymus (T) cells with regulatory phenotype and function. This project will develop technologies for a stem cell therapy platform based on cord blood stem cells, to enable treatment of autoimmune diseases or transplants. Building on the University of Adelaide's frontier demonstration of differentiation of regulatory Thymus (T) cells from cord blood stem cells, the project will develop techniques to expand the numbers of T cells generated. This has the potential to maintain Australia's lead in differentiation of cord blood stem cells and to provide a significant breakthrough in potential treatments of autoimmune diseases (e.g. type 1 diabetes) or transplantation. These diseases affect both a healthy start to life and healthy ageing, and an Australian invention to treat or cure them would have global impact.Read moreRead less
Improving student outcomes: coaching teachers in the power of feedback. This project aims to investigate how student outcomes can be augmented through coaching teachers in effective feedback practice. The project addresses a critical problem of stagnating levels of student achievement in Australian schools with the innovative research design combining evidence-based, pedagogies of feedback, formative assessment and instructional coaching to improve teacher practice and ultimately raise student a ....Improving student outcomes: coaching teachers in the power of feedback. This project aims to investigate how student outcomes can be augmented through coaching teachers in effective feedback practice. The project addresses a critical problem of stagnating levels of student achievement in Australian schools with the innovative research design combining evidence-based, pedagogies of feedback, formative assessment and instructional coaching to improve teacher practice and ultimately raise student achievement levels. The project aims to guide policy implementation in pedagogy to raise the quality of teaching standards and to improve learning outcomes for Australian students. Ultimately, outcomes from the research will help close the gap for low achieving students, and challenge and extend those who may already be meeting required benchmarks. Read moreRead less
Multiliteracies for addressing disadvantage in senior school science. Multiliteracies for addressing disadvantage in senior school science. This project aims to develop discipline-specific pedagogies in senior physics, chemistry and biology to improve disadvantaged students’ engagement and achievement. Many students from disadvantaged backgrounds fail to develop the linguistic precision and symbolic representational dexterity needed to comprehend and communicate senior school science concepts. T ....Multiliteracies for addressing disadvantage in senior school science. Multiliteracies for addressing disadvantage in senior school science. This project aims to develop discipline-specific pedagogies in senior physics, chemistry and biology to improve disadvantaged students’ engagement and achievement. Many students from disadvantaged backgrounds fail to develop the linguistic precision and symbolic representational dexterity needed to comprehend and communicate senior school science concepts. These pedagogies will ‘infuse’ multiliteracies in senior school science to improve access to science-based pathways for these students, and enable them to understand progressively more complex scientific concepts and demonstrate this in examinations. This project is expected to improve student retention, arrest declining enrolments in senior school science, and increase young people working in science.Read moreRead less
Enhancing phosphorus use efficiency in macadamia for sustainable production. Macadamia nuts are an iconic native Australian product worth $287 million annually at the farm gate. Phosphorus fertiliser management currently threatens price premiums for sustainable production in high value European Union export markets, and ‘social license’ to farm in their densely populated coastal production areas. The project aims to exploit adaptive root and shoot traits for phosphorus efficiency found in Austra ....Enhancing phosphorus use efficiency in macadamia for sustainable production. Macadamia nuts are an iconic native Australian product worth $287 million annually at the farm gate. Phosphorus fertiliser management currently threatens price premiums for sustainable production in high value European Union export markets, and ‘social license’ to farm in their densely populated coastal production areas. The project aims to exploit adaptive root and shoot traits for phosphorus efficiency found in Australian native plants to optimise phosphorus fertiliser management and set the platform for breeding macadamia root stocks/varieties that require less phosphorus fertiliser. The outcome will be a macadamia industry that is able to maintain current market price premiums and maintain social license to farm in coastal Australia.Read moreRead less
The adequacy and sustainability of self-managed superannuation funds: Governance, performance, asset allocation, fee structure and compliance. This project will provide research to aid decision makers in policy formation and setting on governance, regulatory and performance issues relating to Self-Managed Superannuation Funds (SMSFs), which now make up the largest proportion of superannuation assets, accounting for over 30% of the total $1.1 trillion of superannuation assets in Australia. Empir ....The adequacy and sustainability of self-managed superannuation funds: Governance, performance, asset allocation, fee structure and compliance. This project will provide research to aid decision makers in policy formation and setting on governance, regulatory and performance issues relating to Self-Managed Superannuation Funds (SMSFs), which now make up the largest proportion of superannuation assets, accounting for over 30% of the total $1.1 trillion of superannuation assets in Australia. Empirically driven advice to the Government and the general community on these issues is of substantial importance given the need for retirees to be self-financing and the current adverse conditions experienced in today's financial environment. Research stemming from this project will highlight the value proposition SMSFs may or may not be providing to the superannuation industry.Read moreRead less
Increasing the rural medical workforce: investigating personal traits to enhance our understanding and improve training of rural registrars. This project will research new methodologies for increasing the number of rural doctors in Australia. A better understanding of those individuals best suited for rural practice will provide value for money to the Government by making the most efficient use of initiatives to increase recruitment and retention of the rural workforce.
Linking for Life: Enhancing pathways to well-being for all Australians. The Linking for Life Project will identify pathways to wellbeing and better social outcomes across the life-course for high-risk/vulnerable individuals and their families to streamline service provision, improve outcomes and identify cost-efficiencies across government agencies. The work will expand cross-sectoral data linkage capability, enhancing research capacity to generate evidence-based policy to improve integrated ser ....Linking for Life: Enhancing pathways to well-being for all Australians. The Linking for Life Project will identify pathways to wellbeing and better social outcomes across the life-course for high-risk/vulnerable individuals and their families to streamline service provision, improve outcomes and identify cost-efficiencies across government agencies. The work will expand cross-sectoral data linkage capability, enhancing research capacity to generate evidence-based policy to improve integrated service delivery across government. The project will also trial innovative data linkage models including the creation of data repositories to improve efficiency for data provision and access, which will have application nationally and enable more timely access to whole-population linked cross-sector data.Read moreRead less
Are the kids alright? Understanding the wellbeing of Australian children in their middle years. This project will produce the first comprehensive national stock-take of wellbeing among Australian children in their middle years, with a special focus on children who experience disadvantage. Findings will reflect children's views and experiences, have direct policy relevance and lay the groundwork for comparing and monitoring of child wellbeing.