Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102263
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Export of effector proteins by P. falciparum to the infected red blood cell. Infection by the malaria parasite has lethal consequences for humans. The parasite exports hundreds of proteins via a translocon to commandeer the red blood cell. This project aims to determine the function of one of the major translocon components and determine if it is a viable target for anti-malarial drug development.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100575
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,000.00
Summary
Pathogen detection in mammals. This project aims to study the role of a host molecule in immune protection. Multicellular organisms need to recognise pathogens to initiate immune protection. To do this, pathogen-specific molecules are presented to the immune system causing activation. Recently a mode of pathogen recognition was discovered in mammals. As microbes synthesise essential vitamins, they release tell-tale metabolite by-products, which a host molecule called MR1 captures and presents to ....Pathogen detection in mammals. This project aims to study the role of a host molecule in immune protection. Multicellular organisms need to recognise pathogens to initiate immune protection. To do this, pathogen-specific molecules are presented to the immune system causing activation. Recently a mode of pathogen recognition was discovered in mammals. As microbes synthesise essential vitamins, they release tell-tale metabolite by-products, which a host molecule called MR1 captures and presents to white blood cells. However, it is not understood how MR1 accomplishes this, the cellular machinery required, or how the metabolites are guided to MR1. Understanding this process is expected to explain microbial pathogen recognition.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100546
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,000.00
Summary
Activity-dependent regulation of glutamate receptor trafficking in neurons. This proposal aims to understand the molecular mechanisms of neuronal communication and how neurons modify their synaptic strength. Although these processes are essential for normal brain function, the precise underlying mechanisms are not well understood. This project will use structural, biochemical, molecular and cell biological assays to study the molecular processes that control glutamate receptor trafficking in the ....Activity-dependent regulation of glutamate receptor trafficking in neurons. This proposal aims to understand the molecular mechanisms of neuronal communication and how neurons modify their synaptic strength. Although these processes are essential for normal brain function, the precise underlying mechanisms are not well understood. This project will use structural, biochemical, molecular and cell biological assays to study the molecular processes that control glutamate receptor trafficking in the postsynaptic compartment. It will elucidate how neural plasticity is generated and maintained, information critical for understanding sensory processing, learning and memory throughout life. The findings could identify cellular targets for interventions to enhance cognitive performance and maintain optimal brain function.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140101542
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$395,220.00
Summary
Risky Gadgets to the Rescue: Designing Personal Ubicomp Devices to Foster Safer Driving Behaviours in Young Males. Young males are over-represented in road crashes. Part of the problem is their proneness to boredom, a hardwired personality factor that can lead to risky driving or distractions. This project aims to design innovative ubiquitous computing technologies that make safe driving more stimulating and pleasurable. This research will inform the future design of personal ubiquitous devices ....Risky Gadgets to the Rescue: Designing Personal Ubicomp Devices to Foster Safer Driving Behaviours in Young Males. Young males are over-represented in road crashes. Part of the problem is their proneness to boredom, a hardwired personality factor that can lead to risky driving or distractions. This project aims to design innovative ubiquitous computing technologies that make safe driving more stimulating and pleasurable. This research will inform the future design of personal ubiquitous devices that pose a threat to road safety, by replacing the stimuli from risky driving with safer stimuli and simulating risk to increase risk perception when it is actually not present. This project aims to reduce risky driving behaviours, and, in the process, advance our knowledge about the role of boredom in the road safety context.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100700
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$429,449.00
Summary
A novel bacterial secretion system for applications in nanobiotechnology. This project aims to characterise a new molecular machine, called the S-Pump. Molecular machines drive the complex biology in all cells and are an exciting area of translational research, with broad potential for industrial applications. This project expects to provide fundamental insights into how bacterial S-Pumps contribute to antimicrobial resistance and enhancing food production. Expected outcomes include new tools fo ....A novel bacterial secretion system for applications in nanobiotechnology. This project aims to characterise a new molecular machine, called the S-Pump. Molecular machines drive the complex biology in all cells and are an exciting area of translational research, with broad potential for industrial applications. This project expects to provide fundamental insights into how bacterial S-Pumps contribute to antimicrobial resistance and enhancing food production. Expected outcomes include new tools for molecular machine discovery and identification of ways to adapt molecular machines for biotechnological applications. This work should enhance Australia-UK ties through collaboration, provide benefits toward nanobiotechnology and economic benefits through more efficient food production.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100794
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Revealing dynamic mechanisms controlling pluripotency in mammalian stem cells and embryos. Every cell of our mature bodies originates from 'pluripotent' cells present in the early mammalian embryo. These cells can be captured and grown in plastic dishes. The project will use imaging methods to reveal how gene regulatory molecules control pluripotent cells in the embryo and in culture.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190101151
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$398,000.00
Summary
Designing augmented eating interfaces to promote mindful eating. This project aims to develop and test novel augmented eating interfaces in order to address the contradiction between the concept of mindful eating (no distractions) and the reality of screen cultures (eating with screens). Eating while watching screens can be problematic because it can cause overeating, which can manifest into bigger health concerns such as obesity and heart disease. This project expects to generate new knowledge ....Designing augmented eating interfaces to promote mindful eating. This project aims to develop and test novel augmented eating interfaces in order to address the contradiction between the concept of mindful eating (no distractions) and the reality of screen cultures (eating with screens). Eating while watching screens can be problematic because it can cause overeating, which can manifest into bigger health concerns such as obesity and heart disease. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the field of human-food interaction. It presents two new augmented eating systems and a socio-technological study of these systems in use within Australian households. The expected outcomes include a framework on how to design interactive systems that encourage mindful eating without compromising the pleasures of screen-based media and the eating experience, and a greater theoretical understanding of how to support mindful eating in everyday practice.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200101079
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$426,241.00
Summary
Safe distractions? Taking the danger out of competing activities. Distracted driving is an increasing safety concern in Australia and worldwide. Smartphones play key roles in today’s professional and social contexts and current road safety policies based on stopping their use while driving have shown little success. Distraction is predicted to be an even greater issue in new semi-automated vehicles. This project proposes an innovative approach that will enable safe engagement in competing tasks ....Safe distractions? Taking the danger out of competing activities. Distracted driving is an increasing safety concern in Australia and worldwide. Smartphones play key roles in today’s professional and social contexts and current road safety policies based on stopping their use while driving have shown little success. Distraction is predicted to be an even greater issue in new semi-automated vehicles. This project proposes an innovative approach that will enable safe engagement in competing tasks while driving non-automated and semi-automated vehicles. The outcomes will underpin the development of new technologies to reduce the potential adverse effects of these distractions and thus reduce deaths and serious injuries, representing significant cost savings to the health system and the community.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100730
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$455,000.00
Summary
Hybrid Technologies for Tabletop Games . This project aims to develop design tools for hybrid games that combine technology with tabletop play. Through a detailed examination of successful hybrid boardgames and an iterative, human-centered design and evaluation process that explores embedding novel sensors and tools into boardgames, it will explore the design, use, and experience of hybrid games. Expected outcomes include design of innovative and reusable components, a framework for understandin ....Hybrid Technologies for Tabletop Games . This project aims to develop design tools for hybrid games that combine technology with tabletop play. Through a detailed examination of successful hybrid boardgames and an iterative, human-centered design and evaluation process that explores embedding novel sensors and tools into boardgames, it will explore the design, use, and experience of hybrid games. Expected outcomes include design of innovative and reusable components, a framework for understanding technologies that enable hybrid play, and a theory-based design methodology. Benefits include innovation in the tabletop game sector, fostering social connections for distanced families, and new applications of games for simulations in health, defence, and logistics.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130101061
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$373,697.00
Summary
Personal safety in the city: design solutions for after dark. The research will provide insights into the potential for mobile technology to be designed to enhance personal safety in urban environments at night. It will do so by identifying individual personal harm reduction and safety strategies, and examining the opportunities to use technology to amplify these strategies.