Chemo-prevention of tropical canine parasitoses and vector-borne diseases. This project will determine the prevalence and diversity of established, emerging and novel canine vector-borne agents and endoparasites in a tropical setting by using conventional and next generation molecular diagnostic tools. It will fill an important gap by providing independently-verified evidence on how well canine anti-parasitic products marketed in Australia and Asia by Bayer Animal Health, perform in high-infecti ....Chemo-prevention of tropical canine parasitoses and vector-borne diseases. This project will determine the prevalence and diversity of established, emerging and novel canine vector-borne agents and endoparasites in a tropical setting by using conventional and next generation molecular diagnostic tools. It will fill an important gap by providing independently-verified evidence on how well canine anti-parasitic products marketed in Australia and Asia by Bayer Animal Health, perform in high-infection pressure settings, as a chemo-preventative for these disease agents. Tropical regions spanning northern Australia and Southern Asia are highly conducive to a plethora of canine vector-borne and parasitic pathogens that cause significant morbidity and mortality in dogs. Many of these agents also pose a risk to public health. The outcomes will be directly translated to best-practice guidelines for the advancement of companion animal (and indirectly human) health and welfare.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE160100026
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$230,000.00
Summary
VetCompass: Big Data and Real-time Surveillance for Veterinary Science. VetCompass: big data and real-time surveillance for veterinary science:
The VetCompass data service intends to collect real-time records from veterinary clinics and aggregate them for researchers to interrogate. It aims to provide Australian researchers with sustainable and cost-effective access to authoritative data from hundreds of practitioners in Australia and the United Kingdom. These data will be essential for researc ....VetCompass: Big Data and Real-time Surveillance for Veterinary Science. VetCompass: big data and real-time surveillance for veterinary science:
The VetCompass data service intends to collect real-time records from veterinary clinics and aggregate them for researchers to interrogate. It aims to provide Australian researchers with sustainable and cost-effective access to authoritative data from hundreds of practitioners in Australia and the United Kingdom. These data will be essential for research on disease distribution and determinants, and surveillance and diagnostics that underpin evidence-based practice. The expected outcomes include identification of the most prevalent disorders and their causes and optimal treatments. The data may also revolutionise clinical auditing in Australia, help the veterinary profession to rank research priorities, and inform companion animal and equine curricula in our universities.Read moreRead less
Alphaherpesvirus recombination: safety implications for attenuated Herpesvirus vaccines. Under certain conditions some herpesviruses, including mild vaccine strains, can recombine to generate virulent viruses. Following findings that this occurred naturally between Australian poultry vaccines, with devastating results, this project will study natural herpesvirus recombination with the aim of allowing vaccines to be used more safely.
Reduction of antibiotic usage in the commercial pig industry. This project intends to identify factors that make a pig enterprise more likely to use high levels of antibiotics and develop alternative, vaccination-based methods for disease control. The development of multi-drug resistance in zoonotic bacterial pathogens (e.g. Salmonella and Campylobacter spp.) in pigs has raised concerns that antimicrobial resistance can be transferred from livestock to humans. Although the epidemiology to suppor ....Reduction of antibiotic usage in the commercial pig industry. This project intends to identify factors that make a pig enterprise more likely to use high levels of antibiotics and develop alternative, vaccination-based methods for disease control. The development of multi-drug resistance in zoonotic bacterial pathogens (e.g. Salmonella and Campylobacter spp.) in pigs has raised concerns that antimicrobial resistance can be transferred from livestock to humans. Although the epidemiology to support a claim that there is a causal association between antimicrobial use in food animals and public health is complex there is universal agreement that use of antimicrobials in food animal production should be minimised. This project intends to deliver outcomes that will reduce antibiotic use on commercial pig farms.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE170100093
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$510,000.00
Summary
High-throughput technology targeting antimicrobial resistance in animals. This project aims to establish reference laboratories as biobanks for resistant isolate collections from veterinary diagnostic laboratories / surveillance programmes and a national research network to mitigate antimicrobial resistance in animals. Antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic/foodborne pathogens and livestock commensals is a global issue. This project will use mass-spectroscopy biotypers, information management soft ....High-throughput technology targeting antimicrobial resistance in animals. This project aims to establish reference laboratories as biobanks for resistant isolate collections from veterinary diagnostic laboratories / surveillance programmes and a national research network to mitigate antimicrobial resistance in animals. Antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic/foodborne pathogens and livestock commensals is a global issue. This project will use mass-spectroscopy biotypers, information management software, robotic liquid handling and a research dairy to develop high-throughput screening technologies to rapidly determine major animal species’ resistance status, and research anti-infectives and vaccines for livestock diseases. This will improve the health and production of Australian livestock, leading to greater market access for high quality products.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100477
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$335,000.00
Summary
Network modelling nationally important emerging infectious diseases. The project aims to develop decision-support tools for emerging infectious disease outbreaks that build on recent advances in gene sequencing and predictive modelling. Infectious disease transmission depends on the proximity and attributes of infectious and susceptible animals, evolution of the host-pathogen relationship and environmental influences. Recent changes in these have led to a series of major outbreaks with impacts o ....Network modelling nationally important emerging infectious diseases. The project aims to develop decision-support tools for emerging infectious disease outbreaks that build on recent advances in gene sequencing and predictive modelling. Infectious disease transmission depends on the proximity and attributes of infectious and susceptible animals, evolution of the host-pathogen relationship and environmental influences. Recent changes in these have led to a series of major outbreaks with impacts on animal health, productivity and trade. New decision-support tools are required to combine genetic sequences with epidemiological data early in large outbreaks. The intended outcome of the project is that the models developed may enable appropriate and timely intervention and reduce impacts in future outbreaks.Read moreRead less
Using RNA interference to combat the worst emerging disease of wildlife. This project aims to develop a novel method of disease control in wildlife. It will use recent advances in RNA interference technology to knockdown virulence genes in an emerging pathogen that threatens biodiversity. Pathogens such as the amphibian chytrid fungus continue to cause widespread extinction and urgently require better control methods. RNA interference has been used to increase disease resistance to fungi in plan ....Using RNA interference to combat the worst emerging disease of wildlife. This project aims to develop a novel method of disease control in wildlife. It will use recent advances in RNA interference technology to knockdown virulence genes in an emerging pathogen that threatens biodiversity. Pathogens such as the amphibian chytrid fungus continue to cause widespread extinction and urgently require better control methods. RNA interference has been used to increase disease resistance to fungi in plants but adapting this approach for animals will have wide relevance in combatting fungi and other pathogens. The specific outcomes of this method will be to increase survival rates in a broad range of frog species to improve the success of captive release programs worldwide and hence save frogs from extinction.Read moreRead less
Improving disease resilience in ecosystems using synthetic biology. This project aims to use the latest methods in synthetic biology to conserve species threatened by disease, through characterising and enhancing immunity. Emerging infectious diseases are a major threat to ecosystems and new methodologies are needed to fight them. Chytridiomycosis is the most devastating disease of vertebrates, causing population declines in over 200 amphibian species worldwide. The expected outcomes of the proj ....Improving disease resilience in ecosystems using synthetic biology. This project aims to use the latest methods in synthetic biology to conserve species threatened by disease, through characterising and enhancing immunity. Emerging infectious diseases are a major threat to ecosystems and new methodologies are needed to fight them. Chytridiomycosis is the most devastating disease of vertebrates, causing population declines in over 200 amphibian species worldwide. The expected outcomes of the project are improved understanding and increased immunity of frogs to chytridiomycosis and restoration of frogs into the environment. The project will demonstrate the usefulness of synthetic biology to tackle disease and preserve biodiversity in the landscape for similarly threatened wildlife in Australia and overseas.Read moreRead less
Increasing amphibian immunity to combat disease causing mass extinction. This project aims to increase amphibian survival to combat the devastating chytrid fungus by identifying resistance genes and increasing their frequency in the host population. The project is interdisciplinary and uses targeted genetic manipulation techniques developed for agriculture to improve disease resistance in wildlife for the first time. Expected outcomes include 1) enhanced international collaborations in comparati ....Increasing amphibian immunity to combat disease causing mass extinction. This project aims to increase amphibian survival to combat the devastating chytrid fungus by identifying resistance genes and increasing their frequency in the host population. The project is interdisciplinary and uses targeted genetic manipulation techniques developed for agriculture to improve disease resistance in wildlife for the first time. Expected outcomes include 1) enhanced international collaborations in comparative immunology, 2) a comprehensive understanding of immunity to chytridiomycosis, and 3) disease resistant amphibians. The anticipated benefit is ability to apply the optimal method to improve conservation of wildlife threatened by emerging disease, such as marker assisted selective breeding or genetic engineering.Read moreRead less
Developing feasible in situ control of mange disease in wombats. Our goal is the development of feasible in situ control of sarcoptic mange in wombat populations. Globally important, the Sarcoptes scabiei mite infects >100 mammal species and is among the 50 most common human diseases, causing health, welfare and population impacts. This infection is treatable, and we will test a new treatment (fluralaner), develop new models to guide management, and conduct replicated field trials. This will ena ....Developing feasible in situ control of mange disease in wombats. Our goal is the development of feasible in situ control of sarcoptic mange in wombat populations. Globally important, the Sarcoptes scabiei mite infects >100 mammal species and is among the 50 most common human diseases, causing health, welfare and population impacts. This infection is treatable, and we will test a new treatment (fluralaner), develop new models to guide management, and conduct replicated field trials. This will enable science-based guidelines, advancing disease control, local eradication, and regulatory approval for wombats. Our research framework is adaptable to other mange-impacted species, and advance methods and theory for control of treatable disease in wildlife.Read moreRead less