The effect of competition and doctor heterogeneity on prices charged by doctors. Prices charged by doctors can have important effects on health care costs, access to health care and health status. This research will examine the determinants of prices charged by doctors. The results will be important in understanding the pricing practices of doctors and their impact on health care costs.
Diet influences the selective advantage of mitochondrial DNA mutations. This project aims to examine critical mechanisms that affect mitochondrial DNA variation within species. It aims to test the hypothesis that mitochondrial DNA haplotypes have the potential to be under nutritionally induced balancing selection as a consequence of cellular signalling and/or Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production by mitochondria. Diet can vary both seasonally and geographically and is a key environmental param ....Diet influences the selective advantage of mitochondrial DNA mutations. This project aims to examine critical mechanisms that affect mitochondrial DNA variation within species. It aims to test the hypothesis that mitochondrial DNA haplotypes have the potential to be under nutritionally induced balancing selection as a consequence of cellular signalling and/or Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production by mitochondria. Diet can vary both seasonally and geographically and is a key environmental parameter that influences the ability of a species to colonise new habitats. The project plans to characterise the functional links between specific mitochondrial DNA haplotypes, mitochondrial functions and organismal traits. The expected outcome is a more precise grasp of the processes influencing genetic variation within and among species, which would inform current issues in ecology and genetics.Read moreRead less
Modification of optical properties of photocatalytic titania. The aim of the project is to capitalise on and optimise the recently discovered successful modification of the optical properties of titanium oxide (TiO2), such that efficient solar splitting of water is possible. TiO2 photocatalysts of adequate efficiency will be implemented as photoanodes in photoelectrochemical cells capable of large-scale production of hydrogen.
Costs and individual variation in immune function: studies on a long-lived predator in tropical Australia. Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) will be employed to quantify costs and individual variation in antibody response to a non-pathogenic antigen in water pythons (Liasis fuscus). Immune responsiveness is strongly correlated with disease and parasite resistance and has been documented to depend on environmental and genetic factors. All immunized snakes will be known-aged animals (rang ....Costs and individual variation in immune function: studies on a long-lived predator in tropical Australia. Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) will be employed to quantify costs and individual variation in antibody response to a non-pathogenic antigen in water pythons (Liasis fuscus). Immune responsiveness is strongly correlated with disease and parasite resistance and has been documented to depend on environmental and genetic factors. All immunized snakes will be known-aged animals (ranging from 6 months to >20 years), of different nutritional status, known blood and gastro-intestinal parasite load and documented immuno-genetic profiles. This multidisciplinary approach will bring together population ecology, molecular genetics and immunology to elucidate links between these traits and ultimately how they affect python fitness.Read moreRead less
To be cooperative or selfish: individual decisions in a model society. Understanding the basis of cooperative behaviour is a major challenge to biological and social science. Our ability to deal with problems such as global warming and the rapid loss of biodiversity, will depend upon an unprecedented level of cooperation between individuals and countries. Our work will use an animal model that shares a number of key characteristics with the societies of our early human ancestors to explore, thro ....To be cooperative or selfish: individual decisions in a model society. Understanding the basis of cooperative behaviour is a major challenge to biological and social science. Our ability to deal with problems such as global warming and the rapid loss of biodiversity, will depend upon an unprecedented level of cooperation between individuals and countries. Our work will use an animal model that shares a number of key characteristics with the societies of our early human ancestors to explore, through experiments and detailed molecular analysis, the basis of cooperative interactions between individuals. This work will uncover the key principles that drive the evolution of cooperation in society and will help us to understand the basis of one the most important components of human nature.Read moreRead less
Intra-genomic conflict and the evolution of sexually selected traits. The dynamics of sexual selection may prevent the simultaneous optimization of traits shared by the sexes, or of different traits within each sex. This proposal focuses on the consequences of these conflicts for phenotypic and genomic evolution. First, I will compare selection acting on a sexually dimorphic trait in males and females. Second, I will use artificial selection to create a novel sexually dimorphic trait, and track ....Intra-genomic conflict and the evolution of sexually selected traits. The dynamics of sexual selection may prevent the simultaneous optimization of traits shared by the sexes, or of different traits within each sex. This proposal focuses on the consequences of these conflicts for phenotypic and genomic evolution. First, I will compare selection acting on a sexually dimorphic trait in males and females. Second, I will use artificial selection to create a novel sexually dimorphic trait, and track the evolutionary response. Third, I will investigate the link between two important fitness traits: body size and ageing rate. This work will enhance important on-going research in the laboratory of Robert Brooks (UNSW).Read moreRead less
Doped metal perovskites for electrocatalysis. This project aims to discover and design perovskite metal-oxide electrocatalyst materials and develop electrocatalytic methods for efficiently driving the oxygen evolution reaction and the oxygen reduction reaction. These are the two most crucial reactions in sustainable energy cycles involving water, hydrogen and oxygen. The project’s anticipated advances in electrocatalysis efficiency for these two reactions will benefit sustainable energy technolo ....Doped metal perovskites for electrocatalysis. This project aims to discover and design perovskite metal-oxide electrocatalyst materials and develop electrocatalytic methods for efficiently driving the oxygen evolution reaction and the oxygen reduction reaction. These are the two most crucial reactions in sustainable energy cycles involving water, hydrogen and oxygen. The project’s anticipated advances in electrocatalysis efficiency for these two reactions will benefit sustainable energy technologies such as fuel cells, metal air batteries and water splitting.Read moreRead less
Trustworthiness and reputation in markets: empirical and experimental studies. This project studies why consumers sometimes do not tell the truth when reporting their shopping experiences. This creates a problem for markets, since other consumers rely on that information. This research will guide firms, regulators and market platforms in how to elicit honest feedback from market participants, facilitating trust in the market.
How are weeds adapting to life in Australia? Quantifying the rate and direction of evolution in introduced species. Introduced plants are a major problem throughout Australia. Introduced species are listed as one of the most severe threats to biodiversity in Australia, and managing them costs Australia around $4 billion per annum. The information we gather in this project will tell us what sort of changes introduced plants undergo when they arrive in Australia; how quickly plants can adapt to a ....How are weeds adapting to life in Australia? Quantifying the rate and direction of evolution in introduced species. Introduced plants are a major problem throughout Australia. Introduced species are listed as one of the most severe threats to biodiversity in Australia, and managing them costs Australia around $4 billion per annum. The information we gather in this project will tell us what sort of changes introduced plants undergo when they arrive in Australia; how quickly plants can adapt to a new environment, and what sort of species are best able to adapt to new conditions. We will also ask whether introduced species are still adapting to Australian conditions. If so, then we might expect even more naturalised species to become problem weeds in the future. This sort of knowledge is fundamental to our ability to develop appropriate control programs.Read moreRead less
Intersexual arms races - are individuals within marine meta-populations less able to interbreed than assumed? A meta-population structure is thought to describe the inter-connected nature of many populations of marine animals with dispersive larvae. However, new theory predicts some of these populations might be not very inter-connected at all, despite larval migration. In some circumstances, independent, co-evolutionary arms races between sexes might develop within local populations, resulting ....Intersexual arms races - are individuals within marine meta-populations less able to interbreed than assumed? A meta-population structure is thought to describe the inter-connected nature of many populations of marine animals with dispersive larvae. However, new theory predicts some of these populations might be not very inter-connected at all, despite larval migration. In some circumstances, independent, co-evolutionary arms races between sexes might develop within local populations, resulting in individuals becoming increasingly less able to interbreed freely. I will directly test for this, measuring how successfully broadcast spawners can cross-fertilise across populations. This will reveal the genetic structure of these populations and if these animals really do live in a meta-population.Read moreRead less