Control points in nitrogen uptake: enhancing the response of cereals to nitrogen supply and demand. Vast amounts of nitrogen fertiliser are applied to cereal crops to maintain yields. By uncovering what limits nitrogen uptake in cereals, this project will provide the scientific basis for improving nitrogen use efficiency and decreasing fertiliser use, with significant economic and environmental benefits.
Physiology and genetics of barley grain germination in the malting and brewing industries. An international research team will provide new scientific information on barley grain germination. This detailed basic knowledge will be immediately applied in breeding programs that are aimed at improving malting and brewing quality in a commercial context. At the same time, the industry's carbon footprint will be significantly reduced.
Exploring genetic diversity to identify new heat tolerance genes in wheat. This project aims to improve the selection and development of heat-tolerant wheat varieties. Heatwaves seriously reduce wheat yields worldwide, and the situation will worsen with climate variation. This project aims to apply a broad genetic scan to identify the main chromosome regions controlling heat tolerance at the sensitive flowering stage in Australian and European wheat varieties. It is expected that this knowledge ....Exploring genetic diversity to identify new heat tolerance genes in wheat. This project aims to improve the selection and development of heat-tolerant wheat varieties. Heatwaves seriously reduce wheat yields worldwide, and the situation will worsen with climate variation. This project aims to apply a broad genetic scan to identify the main chromosome regions controlling heat tolerance at the sensitive flowering stage in Australian and European wheat varieties. It is expected that this knowledge will deliver crucial breeders’ tools to select heat-tolerant varieties. The project also aims to identify genes most likely to control tolerance at these chromosome locations using gene expression profiling data, trait associations and knowledge of heat-tolerance genes from other species. It is expected that these genes will reveal molecular mechanisms of heat tolerance and create new opportunities to engineer superior levels of tolerance in cereals.Read moreRead less
Enhanced multivalent vaccine responses using a novel vaccine vector system. Enhanced multivalent vaccine responses using a novel vaccine vector system. This project aims to develop a multicomponent vaccine system to deliver equal effectiveness against several disease targets in a single administration. New and innovative vaccine design strategies incorporating economical commercial production processes are urgently needed for new and existing human and animal health applications. A vaccine capab ....Enhanced multivalent vaccine responses using a novel vaccine vector system. Enhanced multivalent vaccine responses using a novel vaccine vector system. This project aims to develop a multicomponent vaccine system to deliver equal effectiveness against several disease targets in a single administration. New and innovative vaccine design strategies incorporating economical commercial production processes are urgently needed for new and existing human and animal health applications. A vaccine capable of targeting multiple diseases by a single injection is an obvious way to expedite future vaccine development and deployment. However, the recipient’s immune system can repress equivalent responses to these multicomponent vaccines. This project’s research is expected to address these problems, and underpin the future commercial development of this vaccine platform.Read moreRead less
Development of biosensors and bioindicators for gold exploration and processing in Australia. In times of increasing demand for gold and shrinking rates of discovery in Australia, biosensor and bioindicator techniques deliver significant advantages to the Australian mining industry and allow it to retain its international competiveness. The new understanding of the biogeochemical behaviour of gold in soils and other weathered materials developed in a previous ARC Linkage Project enables the deve ....Development of biosensors and bioindicators for gold exploration and processing in Australia. In times of increasing demand for gold and shrinking rates of discovery in Australia, biosensor and bioindicator techniques deliver significant advantages to the Australian mining industry and allow it to retain its international competiveness. The new understanding of the biogeochemical behaviour of gold in soils and other weathered materials developed in a previous ARC Linkage Project enables the development of biosensor and bioindicator technology that will allow mineral explorers to differentiate mineralised from non-mineralised zones using specific (meta) genomic community responses. The new technology will provide cost-efficient and environmentally sustainable techniques for improving exploration success and optimising ore processing.Read moreRead less
The development of a potent new passive immunotherapeutic for the treatment and prevention of bacterial sepsis and septic shock. Bacterial sepsis and septic shock is a leading cause of death in hospital intensive care units and represents a significant public health burden. By developing a new passive immunotherapeutic regimen to treat and prevent bacterial sepsis and septic shock, the project aims to reverse the significant mortality and morbidity associated with this condition.
Development of drought tolerant, high protein legume for arid Australia. The aim of this research is to demonstrate the molecular basis of a non-proteinogenic amino acid toxin accumulation by using genomics and genome editing to produce a non-transgenic, protein rich legume. The significance of the outcomes will be a fundamental understanding of how non-proteinogenic amino acids are metabolised in plants and an inexpensive, high-protein feed for the pork and chicken industries thereby reducing p ....Development of drought tolerant, high protein legume for arid Australia. The aim of this research is to demonstrate the molecular basis of a non-proteinogenic amino acid toxin accumulation by using genomics and genome editing to produce a non-transgenic, protein rich legume. The significance of the outcomes will be a fundamental understanding of how non-proteinogenic amino acids are metabolised in plants and an inexpensive, high-protein feed for the pork and chicken industries thereby reducing production costs and increasing profitability. The outcomes from the research are fundamental knowledge of non-proteinogenic amino acid metabolism and turnkey approach to identify, engineer, test and produce value added crops. The benefits of the research are a multi-purpose crop for Australian crop and animal producers.Read moreRead less
Exploring the immunomodulatory potential of Natural Killer T cells. Natural Killer T cells (NKT cells) are an innate-like population of T cells that recognise a range of lipid based antigens when bound to the antigen-presenting molecule, CD1d. Once activated, NKT cells rapidly secrete a variety of cytokines. This project, in partnership with Vaxine Pty Ltd, aims to gain a basic understanding of NKT recognition of lipids and NKT cell activation by lipids. The project aims to use a combination of ....Exploring the immunomodulatory potential of Natural Killer T cells. Natural Killer T cells (NKT cells) are an innate-like population of T cells that recognise a range of lipid based antigens when bound to the antigen-presenting molecule, CD1d. Once activated, NKT cells rapidly secrete a variety of cytokines. This project, in partnership with Vaxine Pty Ltd, aims to gain a basic understanding of NKT recognition of lipids and NKT cell activation by lipids. The project aims to use a combination of cellular immunology and structural biology to gain insight into NKT cell agonism.Read moreRead less
Testing co-evolutionary processes driving venom diversity in tiger snakes. Testing co-evolutionary processes driving venom diversity in tiger snakes. This project aims to examine the geographic variation amongst tiger snakes in anatomy, ecology, and life history traits, and the relationship of these factors to venom toxins and production; and to evaluate the true pharmacological potential of tiger snake venom. This project will investigate the role of venom adaptation in long-term animal evoluti ....Testing co-evolutionary processes driving venom diversity in tiger snakes. Testing co-evolutionary processes driving venom diversity in tiger snakes. This project aims to examine the geographic variation amongst tiger snakes in anatomy, ecology, and life history traits, and the relationship of these factors to venom toxins and production; and to evaluate the true pharmacological potential of tiger snake venom. This project will investigate the role of venom adaptation in long-term animal evolution, by identifying rare venom transcripts involved in providing evolutionary potential for adaptation to environmental change. This is essential as continuing climatic and human-induced alteration of our environment affects southern Australia where many people live, work and interact with native wildlife. Anticipated outcomes are maximizing venom harvests and enhanced snakebite treatment capacity.Read moreRead less