Innovative approaches to understanding and limiting the public health risks of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in animals in Australian catchments. Sophisticated molecular typing and modelling will be used to determine if chlorine-resistant parasites in animals in catchments are responsible for infection in humans. Improved catchment management and risk mitigation strategies will be developed during this project, which will make a substantial contribution to the provision of safe drinking water acro ....Innovative approaches to understanding and limiting the public health risks of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in animals in Australian catchments. Sophisticated molecular typing and modelling will be used to determine if chlorine-resistant parasites in animals in catchments are responsible for infection in humans. Improved catchment management and risk mitigation strategies will be developed during this project, which will make a substantial contribution to the provision of safe drinking water across Australia.Read moreRead less
Identifying genes that influence clinical course and susceptibility in multiple sclerosis. This project aims to identify the genetic basis of multiple sclerosis (MS), the most common neurologic disease in young Australian adults. MS urgently needs research to identify predisposition, aid early diagnosis and provide bona fide molecular targets for new therapies. This will benefit people with MS and those susceptible to it. Crucial new knowledge identified will benefit other major areas of MS rese ....Identifying genes that influence clinical course and susceptibility in multiple sclerosis. This project aims to identify the genetic basis of multiple sclerosis (MS), the most common neurologic disease in young Australian adults. MS urgently needs research to identify predisposition, aid early diagnosis and provide bona fide molecular targets for new therapies. This will benefit people with MS and those susceptible to it. Crucial new knowledge identified will benefit other major areas of MS research including epidemiology, immunology and neurobiology. Collaboration of 8 major Australian institutions is also important for this project and future studies. The team will have access to a new national MS GeneBank (platform) with samples from 2240 patients that should generate findings important to world-wide MS genetic knowledge.Read moreRead less
Ecology and transmission of tick-borne disease in Australia. Ecology and transmission of tick-borne disease in Australia. This project aims to determine the bacterial, protozoal and viral biodiversity in wildlife ticks and their native mammal hosts, and provide new information about the biology and transmission dynamics of these microorganisms and their potential to cause disease in wildlife, domesticated animals and humans. Anticipated outcomes are improved diagnostic tests and management proto ....Ecology and transmission of tick-borne disease in Australia. Ecology and transmission of tick-borne disease in Australia. This project aims to determine the bacterial, protozoal and viral biodiversity in wildlife ticks and their native mammal hosts, and provide new information about the biology and transmission dynamics of these microorganisms and their potential to cause disease in wildlife, domesticated animals and humans. Anticipated outcomes are improved diagnostic tests and management protocols for tick-borne disease in Australia.Read moreRead less
Reducing health disparities for culturally and linguistically diverse peoples. This project aims to develop a greater understanding of migrants and the factors that predict poor health outcomes related to blood-borne viruses and sexually transmitted infections. The delayed access by migrants to healthcare from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds results in late diagnosis, low treatment uptake, and poorer health outcomes, with enhanced risk of infection and increased burden on the h ....Reducing health disparities for culturally and linguistically diverse peoples. This project aims to develop a greater understanding of migrants and the factors that predict poor health outcomes related to blood-borne viruses and sexually transmitted infections. The delayed access by migrants to healthcare from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds results in late diagnosis, low treatment uptake, and poorer health outcomes, with enhanced risk of infection and increased burden on the health system. The data collected in this project will assist in developing health services to meet these needs.Read moreRead less
Emergence of a virulent strain of West Nile virus causing fatal equine encephalitis in south-eastern Australia. In 2011 a large outbreak of encephalitis in horses occurred in south-eastern Australia that was caused by a new virus that is transmitted by mosquitoes and is related to West Nile virus, known to cause severe disease in humans and horses. This project will study this new virus and develop improved methods for diagnosis and control of this disease.
Advanced animal breeding in aquaculture: using genome-wide molecular breeding values for rapid animal improvement in the silver-lipped pearl oyster. The primary impediment to achieving rapid genetic progress in aquaculture is an inability to accurately and rapidly identify high-performance animals for selection as parents in animal breeding programs. This project aims to develop an innovative genomic selection breeding system for the silver-lipped pearl oyster to overcome current limitations ass ....Advanced animal breeding in aquaculture: using genome-wide molecular breeding values for rapid animal improvement in the silver-lipped pearl oyster. The primary impediment to achieving rapid genetic progress in aquaculture is an inability to accurately and rapidly identify high-performance animals for selection as parents in animal breeding programs. This project aims to develop an innovative genomic selection breeding system for the silver-lipped pearl oyster to overcome current limitations associated with traditional animal improvement methods. The use of genomic selection will not only transform the Australian pearl oyster industry, but it will also showcase the potential of genomic selection in aquaculture globally. Furthermore, knowledge gained from this project can also be applied to a variety of other Australian aquaculture species to accelerate the uptake of this technology.Read moreRead less