Structural Studies On The Immune Effector Perforin: Developing Mechanism-based Inhibitors
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,116,594.00
Summary
Perforin is an essential weapon deployed by the human immune cells in order to destroy virally infected or cancerous cells. Despite this key role, unwanted or excessive perforin function can result in disease and can severely impact on successful treatment of leukaemia through bone marrow transplantation. This application aims to understand the molecular details of perforin function, and to apply this knowledge to develop perforin inhibitors.
The Role Of Non-classical MHC Class I Molecules In Adaptive Immunity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$443,834.00
Summary
Specialised proteins called MHC class Ia molecules (MHC-Ia) stimulate killer T cells to lyse virus infected cells. In contrast, the function of the closely related MHC-Ib is uncertain. Recent findings have demonstrated that MHC-Ib can also be recognised by T cells and this interaction is important in the control of viral infections. However, despite the similarity to MHC-Ia, it is unclear how this interaction occurs. This project aims to investigate how killer T cells recognise MHC-Ib molecules.
A Solution Based Approach Developing Child Health Research With A Focus On Preventive Interventions For Common Childhood
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,599,538.00
Summary
There is an increasing recognition that research into child health should focus not only on disease but also on common childhood disorders such as obesity, depression and poor literacy. In addition, such research should include solution-based activity. That is, child health research should have an active program of testing new interventions to prevent the onset of disorders, or to allow optimal early management. The Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, the largest Australian child health resear ....There is an increasing recognition that research into child health should focus not only on disease but also on common childhood disorders such as obesity, depression and poor literacy. In addition, such research should include solution-based activity. That is, child health research should have an active program of testing new interventions to prevent the onset of disorders, or to allow optimal early management. The Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, the largest Australian child health research institute, is in a very good position to develop Australia's capacity further with regard to a coordinated research program into preventative interventions in child health. This is because of: - the Institute's location at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, the largest paediatric health service provider in Australia - the many individual relevant research projects that are already occurring in MCRI - the strong existing teams of researchers with skills in many different fields of child health such as psychology, speech pathology, clinical-medical care, epidemiology and biostatistics, and laboratory science including genetics. This capacity building program will coordinate population health work to develop the knowledge and skills of eight population health researchers. This development will occur within the context of an internationally competitive research program with structured continuing education and training to promote public health leadership. The capacity building program will develop skills not only in study design, conduct and analysis, but also in collaboration and the translation of research findings into better health services, government policy and parental knowledge to prevent problems and improve the health and well being of children and their families. To care for children in the best way, parents, families, schools, health care providers, and government need the best evidence base possible on the prevention of common child disorders.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100161
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$407,598.00
Summary
Translational Design: Product Development for Research Commercialisation. Australia is a world leader in fundamental research. Yet, ranks as one of the worst developed nations for translating research into new-to-market innovation. This project explores a new role for design as a critical component of research commercialisation and innovation ecosystems. It expects to contribute novel insights into how designers can be better integrated into interdisciplinary research directed towards commercial ....Translational Design: Product Development for Research Commercialisation. Australia is a world leader in fundamental research. Yet, ranks as one of the worst developed nations for translating research into new-to-market innovation. This project explores a new role for design as a critical component of research commercialisation and innovation ecosystems. It expects to contribute novel insights into how designers can be better integrated into interdisciplinary research directed towards commercial outcomes. Expected outcomes include a framework and toolkit for a paradigm-shifting design approach to translating fundamental research into products commercialised and manufactured in Australia. This should provide enhanced economic benefit, building Australia’s sovereign capability in new-to-market innovation.Read moreRead less
Designing for wellbeing: realizing benefits for patients through best practice hospital design. The environmental design of healthcare facilities has been shown to directly affect the wellbeing of patients and their families. Poorly designed environments exacerbate patient anxiety and stress and diminish their healthcare experience. Environments designed to support a patient’s wellbeing result in improved health outcomes. Building upon Australia’s international leadership in contemporary hospita ....Designing for wellbeing: realizing benefits for patients through best practice hospital design. The environmental design of healthcare facilities has been shown to directly affect the wellbeing of patients and their families. Poorly designed environments exacerbate patient anxiety and stress and diminish their healthcare experience. Environments designed to support a patient’s wellbeing result in improved health outcomes. Building upon Australia’s international leadership in contemporary hospital design, this project aims to evaluate, prioritise and strategise the best means for realising benefits of environmental design factors that contribute most significantly to achieving positive outcomes for patients and families. It aims to achieve this through a comprehensive comparative case study analysis of new Australian paediatric hospitals.Read moreRead less
Digital fabrication technologies: analysing patterns of adoption and innovative transformations in architectural design and practice. This project on adoption of digital fabrication technologies by Australian architecture practices will reveal emerging opportunities for creative design and associated transformations in the design practices. These outcomes will enable the increasingly globalising sector of architectural design services to become more agile and innovative.
Reducing The Impact Of Early Life Disadvantage Via The Home Learning Environment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$658,283.00
Summary
Australian children from disadvantaged families are 2-3 times more likely to be behind their peers at school entry. This project investigates the long-term effects of smalltalk, a parenting program to help parents support their children’s early development by enriching the home learning environment. We will examine the effects of smalltalk on the home environment, children’s school readiness and socio-emotional development, and assess its long-term health, education and economic benefits.
Place and parametricism: Provocations for the rethinking of design. This project aims to explore whether quantitative methods of digital and parametric design can adequately encompass place. Quantitative digital and parametric approaches increasingly dominate contemporary architecture, but people assume architectural design should be essentially oriented to questions of place. The project will operate through a set of studio provocations based on the fictional places of Mervyn Peake's Gormenghas ....Place and parametricism: Provocations for the rethinking of design. This project aims to explore whether quantitative methods of digital and parametric design can adequately encompass place. Quantitative digital and parametric approaches increasingly dominate contemporary architecture, but people assume architectural design should be essentially oriented to questions of place. The project will operate through a set of studio provocations based on the fictional places of Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast novels. The project is expected to clarify the nature of place and parametricism, and rethink what design itself might be.Read moreRead less
Collapse assessment of reinforced concrete buildings in regions of lower seismicity. This research aims to develop a new displacement based (DB) method for regions of lower seismicity, using 'Displacement Controlled' phenomenon, to assess the risk of collapse and seismic performance of buildings. The project will investigate the system behaviour of buildings in Australia that are laterally supported by lightly reinforced concrete geometric walls, including both torsional and wall floor interacti ....Collapse assessment of reinforced concrete buildings in regions of lower seismicity. This research aims to develop a new displacement based (DB) method for regions of lower seismicity, using 'Displacement Controlled' phenomenon, to assess the risk of collapse and seismic performance of buildings. The project will investigate the system behaviour of buildings in Australia that are laterally supported by lightly reinforced concrete geometric walls, including both torsional and wall floor interaction effects. The new DB method could allow buildings in regions of lower seismicity to be designed for robustness, gravity and wind loading and then checked using displacement principles for seismic compliance, which will dramatically simplify and improve the current seismic design process.Read moreRead less
Dhenia: A study of regionalism, population and society in Bronze Age Cyprus. The cemetery complex at Dhenia in Cyprus was in use for 2500 years, from the beginning of the Bronze Age (2,400 BCE) to the end of the Iron Age. This project is designed to sample this extensive site to assess its changing size and structure during periods of major social transformation. Comparative studies of contemporary sites will provide the basis for monitoring and explaining local, regional and island-wide relatio ....Dhenia: A study of regionalism, population and society in Bronze Age Cyprus. The cemetery complex at Dhenia in Cyprus was in use for 2500 years, from the beginning of the Bronze Age (2,400 BCE) to the end of the Iron Age. This project is designed to sample this extensive site to assess its changing size and structure during periods of major social transformation. Comparative studies of contemporary sites will provide the basis for monitoring and explaining local, regional and island-wide relationships, viewed in a context of expanding population and increasing interaction with the wider Mediterranean world. New data and approaches will contribute significantly to Cypriot archaeology and to broader archaeological theory.Read moreRead less