Understanding And Ameliorating The Human Health Effects Of Exposure To Air Pollution: From Knowledge To Policy And Public Health Practice
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,584,848.00
Summary
Urban consolidation and sprawl, traffic congestion, mining, climate change, heating and cooling living environments, and power generation – these manifestations of modernity produce regular headlines. Air pollution and its effects on human health are the focus of much popular concern. This CRE will build an integrated research capacity in the field of air pollution and its effects on human health that will allow Australia to address these major challenges - now and in the future.
Energy Transitions, Air Pollution And Health In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,491,229.00
Summary
Emissions from burning biomass (including fossil fuels) are major features of our environment and are the 4th leading global risk factor for premature death. As countries shift their patterns of energy use in response to global warming, new challenges are emerging. Understanding this is crucial to our ability to maintain health and stability in uncertain times. This CRE will examine the health consequences of (1) fossil fuel combustion, (2) landscape fires and (3) alternatives to fossil fuels.
A Genome-wide Association Study In 2000 Glaucoma Cases With Matched Controls Using Equimoloar DNA Pools
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$610,267.00
Summary
Glaucoma is a common cause of loss of vision worldwide but we are unable to predict which people are at high risk of blindness. We aim to discover the genetic risk factors for glaucoma. We will use cutting edge genetic technology to assess the whole genome in thousands of patients with glaucoma. We hope to identify important new glaucoma genes, which could lead to the development of diagnostic tests and treatments which will provide the most cost-efficient ways to prevent glaucoma blindness.
Disease in endangered species: The importance of multiple-host infection and spatial structure. Pathogens are increasingly recognised as threats to endangered species. Managing such threats requires models to assess alternative strategies. Most current models deal with a single host and single pathogen, without spatial structure, although multiple-host pathogens pose the greatest conservation threats. This project develops a new generation of spatially-structured multiple-host models, and applie ....Disease in endangered species: The importance of multiple-host infection and spatial structure. Pathogens are increasingly recognised as threats to endangered species. Managing such threats requires models to assess alternative strategies. Most current models deal with a single host and single pathogen, without spatial structure, although multiple-host pathogens pose the greatest conservation threats. This project develops a new generation of spatially-structured multiple-host models, and applies them to two case studies. The first is the chytrid fungus that is thought to have lead to widespread declines and extinctions of frogs in Australia and overseas. The second is birdpox and malaria that have led to the extinction and endangerment of much of Hawaii's endemic avifauna.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
Investigating the genetic basis for heterogeneous susceptibility of Tasmanian devils to a novel infectious cancer. This project will use genetics and modelling to reveal why Tasmanian devils in northwest Tasmania are not dying from facial tumour disease, a new, unusual infectious cancer threatening this iconic carnivore with extinction. This project will predict extinction risk, develop management options, and provide a new template for managing emerging wildlife diseases.
Ecology, impacts and management of wild dogs in urbanising coastal landscapes of the wet tropics, Queensland. All management agencies and local governments in north Queensland identify wild dogs as a significant threat and a complex problem for management, and are in the process of developing wild dog management plans. However, these plans tend to be reactive and short-term, because too little is known to develop effective long-term management strategies. This project will provide a sound basis ....Ecology, impacts and management of wild dogs in urbanising coastal landscapes of the wet tropics, Queensland. All management agencies and local governments in north Queensland identify wild dogs as a significant threat and a complex problem for management, and are in the process of developing wild dog management plans. However, these plans tend to be reactive and short-term, because too little is known to develop effective long-term management strategies. This project will provide a sound basis for the development of such strategies. The results of the study will also inform wild dog management in many other parts of Australia that face similar problems.Read moreRead less
An investigation of limb dynamics as a constraint on human motor learning. Everyday we use our limbs to interact with a variety of objects. These objects have various mechanical characteristics (dynamics), which require the human motor system to provide appropriate control. This project seeks to understand how the brain, in both normal and disease states, learns new limb dynamics as we interact with a novel mechanical environmental. Repetitive brain stimulation will be used to selectively block ....An investigation of limb dynamics as a constraint on human motor learning. Everyday we use our limbs to interact with a variety of objects. These objects have various mechanical characteristics (dynamics), which require the human motor system to provide appropriate control. This project seeks to understand how the brain, in both normal and disease states, learns new limb dynamics as we interact with a novel mechanical environmental. Repetitive brain stimulation will be used to selectively block the contribution of various cortical regions during the learning of a new motor skill and later, the recall of that skill. This will allow us to determine definitively which areas are critical to motor skill acquisition.Read moreRead less
Seafood safety: high throughput diagnostics for ciguatoxin risk assessment. This project aims to develop a novel, high throughput platform for rapidly assessing ciguatoxins. Species of the marine microalgae Gambierdiscus produce ciguatoxins, which accumulate in fish through marine food chains to cause the often debilitating human illness called ciguatera fish poisoning. Ciiguatera fish poisoning is a growing and substantial risk for the $2.2 billion Australian commercial fishing industry. This s ....Seafood safety: high throughput diagnostics for ciguatoxin risk assessment. This project aims to develop a novel, high throughput platform for rapidly assessing ciguatoxins. Species of the marine microalgae Gambierdiscus produce ciguatoxins, which accumulate in fish through marine food chains to cause the often debilitating human illness called ciguatera fish poisoning. Ciiguatera fish poisoning is a growing and substantial risk for the $2.2 billion Australian commercial fishing industry. This serious illness is increasingly impacting more southerly areas of Australia due to environmental changes. The outcomes of this project include new knowledge of the risk of ciguatoxins at Australian 'hot spot' sites, extensively field tested methods for detecting Gambierdiscus and ciguatoxins in situ and key data to inform policy to safeguard the seafood industry and consumers.
Read moreRead less
Development of new tools for surveillance of chlamydial infections in sheep. This project aims to improve health in sheep and reduce on-farm losses for Australian producers, by developing new serological tests for chlamydial infections in sheep. These infections can result in significant on-farm losses and loss of trade in the live export industry. Currently, surveillance of chlamydial infections is hindered by outdated serological tools that are unreliable and difficult to interpret. The ser ....Development of new tools for surveillance of chlamydial infections in sheep. This project aims to improve health in sheep and reduce on-farm losses for Australian producers, by developing new serological tests for chlamydial infections in sheep. These infections can result in significant on-farm losses and loss of trade in the live export industry. Currently, surveillance of chlamydial infections is hindered by outdated serological tools that are unreliable and difficult to interpret. The serological tests to be developed aim to be species-specific tests to detect the most important chlamydial sheep pathogens. This in turn endeavours to improve domestic surveillance, reducing on-farm losses and costs, and improve market opportunities for Australian sheep exporters as well as informing veterinary populations on best practice treatment.Read moreRead less