Characterisation and improvement of radiation beams used for radiotherapy of small lesions. This project aims to characterise the radiation dose from a medical linear accelerator after the beam has been shaped by a mini-multileaf collimator. The characterisation will be achieved through a combination of computer simulations and experimental investigation of the beam using the technique of three-dimensional gel dosimetry. When the dosage characteristics are known, techniques will be developed to ....Characterisation and improvement of radiation beams used for radiotherapy of small lesions. This project aims to characterise the radiation dose from a medical linear accelerator after the beam has been shaped by a mini-multileaf collimator. The characterisation will be achieved through a combination of computer simulations and experimental investigation of the beam using the technique of three-dimensional gel dosimetry. When the dosage characteristics are known, techniques will be developed to improve radiotherapy treatments in patients with small lesions with sizes of up to a few centimetres. This will lead to an improved outcome for some cancer patients.Read moreRead less
Automated 3-Dimensional Biomedical Registration for Whole-body Images from Combined PET/CT Scanners. This project will aid rapid assimilation of very large medical imaging datasets from different imaging devices, and will have clinical applications in diagnosis and treatment and improve patient care. The research, when extended to protein registration, will facilitate analysis of DNA and advance research in bioinformatics and biotechnology. The research could also be used for target recognition, ....Automated 3-Dimensional Biomedical Registration for Whole-body Images from Combined PET/CT Scanners. This project will aid rapid assimilation of very large medical imaging datasets from different imaging devices, and will have clinical applications in diagnosis and treatment and improve patient care. The research, when extended to protein registration, will facilitate analysis of DNA and advance research in bioinformatics and biotechnology. The research could also be used for target recognition, mosaic construction, content-based retrieval, in remote sensing and multimedia. Benefits to Australia include the provision of a readily adaptable image registration program for patient care (e.g., early detection of cancers, dementia), cutting-edge research, high-quality training for students, and encouraging international research collaboration.Read moreRead less
New methods to improve regional isotope therapy of liver tumours in cancer patients. The most common cause of death in cancer patients is secondary tumours in vital organs. Successful treatment of liver tumours with regional isotope therapy now offers improved survival rates. This project will research novel radiolabelled nanoparticles and advanced computer imaging algorithms to improve regional isotope therapy of liver tumours. It will provide better methods of objective assessment and manageme ....New methods to improve regional isotope therapy of liver tumours in cancer patients. The most common cause of death in cancer patients is secondary tumours in vital organs. Successful treatment of liver tumours with regional isotope therapy now offers improved survival rates. This project will research novel radiolabelled nanoparticles and advanced computer imaging algorithms to improve regional isotope therapy of liver tumours. It will provide better methods of objective assessment and management that can reduce risk and improve patient survival.Read moreRead less
Fibre Optic Dosimeters for Medical and Environmental Applications. We will develop fibre optic dosimeters for environmental monitoring and radiation therapy. A novel approach using refractive index gradients will be used to capture scintillator light while rejecting noise. New knowledge will be gained of the mechanisms of radiation damage in scintillators and glasses. The small, flexible, accurate fibre optic dosimeters will be equivalent in absorbing characteristics to human tissue, making them ....Fibre Optic Dosimeters for Medical and Environmental Applications. We will develop fibre optic dosimeters for environmental monitoring and radiation therapy. A novel approach using refractive index gradients will be used to capture scintillator light while rejecting noise. New knowledge will be gained of the mechanisms of radiation damage in scintillators and glasses. The small, flexible, accurate fibre optic dosimeters will be equivalent in absorbing characteristics to human tissue, making them superior to all currently available dosimeters. Fibre optic dosimeters will enable new adaptive radiotherapy techniques and provide quality assurance of dose delivery in radiotherapy. Their multiplexing capability will lead to applications in monitoring of workplaces and aerospace environments.Read moreRead less
Managing an ageing population for income adequacy and fiscal sustainability. This project aims to improve understanding of the impacts of existing key reforms intended to ease fiscal pressures associated with population ageing. The right mix of retirement income policies is vital to Australia's fiscal sustainability, however the effectiveness of existing policies is unknown. The project expects to identify impacts of key reforms on employment, re-training, income, savings and future retirement i ....Managing an ageing population for income adequacy and fiscal sustainability. This project aims to improve understanding of the impacts of existing key reforms intended to ease fiscal pressures associated with population ageing. The right mix of retirement income policies is vital to Australia's fiscal sustainability, however the effectiveness of existing policies is unknown. The project expects to identify impacts of key reforms on employment, re-training, income, savings and future retirement income and public pension receipt. The project will develop a new tax records-based dataset to facilitate future research on tax and welfare systems.Read moreRead less
Applying behavioural insights to the tax system in Australia. Applying behavioural insights to the tax system in Australia. This project aims to improve compliance and payment in the Australian tax system. It aims to tackle debts of individuals and businesses, the most challenging aspect of tax systems, by applying behavioural insights to design innovative payment interventions and conducting rigorous randomised controlled trials to evaluate their effects. An empirical analysis will account for ....Applying behavioural insights to the tax system in Australia. Applying behavioural insights to the tax system in Australia. This project aims to improve compliance and payment in the Australian tax system. It aims to tackle debts of individuals and businesses, the most challenging aspect of tax systems, by applying behavioural insights to design innovative payment interventions and conducting rigorous randomised controlled trials to evaluate their effects. An empirical analysis will account for heterogeneity in treatment responses, and the findings will be combined with a study of regulatory and administrative processes to support the ultimate goal of a legitimate, fair, cost-effective and responsive tax system.Read moreRead less
Towards systemic reform of the Australian personal income tax: developing a sustainable model for the future. The personal income tax (PIT) is a vital component of the Australian tax system, largely untouched by recent (primarily business and indirect) tax reform. It currently faces major problems. Solutions need to be found to a variety of defects relating to the tax base, tax rates and tax administration.
The project aims to explore alternative PIT models that can sustain the high revenue a ....Towards systemic reform of the Australian personal income tax: developing a sustainable model for the future. The personal income tax (PIT) is a vital component of the Australian tax system, largely untouched by recent (primarily business and indirect) tax reform. It currently faces major problems. Solutions need to be found to a variety of defects relating to the tax base, tax rates and tax administration.
The project aims to explore alternative PIT models that can sustain the high revenue and other expectations imposed upon it, and yet deliver enhanced equity, efficiency and simplicity. By testing these models against world best practice and taxpayer, tax practitioner and tax administrator resistance, the project aims to develop and deliver a model that can attract community support alongside the achievement of traditional tax policy goals.Read moreRead less
Integrating past ice sheet dynamics with palaeoclimate in the Weddell Sea sector to evaluate current and future change in Antarctica. This project will extend historical records of change and understand the complex linkages between Antarctic climate and ice sheet dynamics, thereby assisting in: (i) identifying the mechanisms of past and future ice sheet stability, and (ii) communicating the research outputs to the general public, helping scientific understanding.
Venture capital (VC) and tax expenditure programs - an international comparative analysis of legal structures and benefits. VC investment is an important catalyst for economic growth. Many governments, including the Australian government, have designed schemes to encourage VC investment. This project compares VC schemes that exist in OECD and ASEAN countries. It will focus on "tax expenditure programs" and will analyse their legal structures and benefits. The results will be used to benchmark Au ....Venture capital (VC) and tax expenditure programs - an international comparative analysis of legal structures and benefits. VC investment is an important catalyst for economic growth. Many governments, including the Australian government, have designed schemes to encourage VC investment. This project compares VC schemes that exist in OECD and ASEAN countries. It will focus on "tax expenditure programs" and will analyse their legal structures and benefits. The results will be used to benchmark Australia's main VC schemes - the "PDF program" and "VCLP scheme". The research is designed to discover insights into alternative ways of stimulating VC investment as well as suggest areas for potential law reform and structural change. Findings will be published in refereed journal articles and an independent report provided to the Australian Government.Read moreRead less
An Integrated Approach to the Timing of Retirement: Life Cycle, Labour Force Heterogeneity, Financial Status and Public Support. This project will generate new knowledge on household decision making over retirement timing. National benefits will be generated through improved institutional design and policy formulation, which in turn will promote a labour market conducive to increased mature-age participation. The project involves collaboration across several institutions and will contribute to t ....An Integrated Approach to the Timing of Retirement: Life Cycle, Labour Force Heterogeneity, Financial Status and Public Support. This project will generate new knowledge on household decision making over retirement timing. National benefits will be generated through improved institutional design and policy formulation, which in turn will promote a labour market conducive to increased mature-age participation. The project involves collaboration across several institutions and will contribute to the development of research expertise through the training of PhDs and research assistants, creating a critical threshold of integrated research into ageing. This will facilitate a world-class presence in this important domain, thus contributing directly to the National Research Priority of Ageing Well, Ageing Productively.Read moreRead less