Mid-Career Industry Fellowships - Grant ID: IM230100042
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$980,358.00
Summary
Unlocking the full reproductive potential for hybrid wheat breeding. Globally, wheat is cultivated as an inbred self-fertile crop with yield gains stagnating over the last decades. This contrasts with unabated yield gains and yield stability achieved for rice and corn through hybrid breeding and cross-pollination. Wheat hybrids hold potential for a 10-22% yield boost, but commercial deployment is restricted due to high seed production costs, a result of wheat’s floral architecture and poor outcr ....Unlocking the full reproductive potential for hybrid wheat breeding. Globally, wheat is cultivated as an inbred self-fertile crop with yield gains stagnating over the last decades. This contrasts with unabated yield gains and yield stability achieved for rice and corn through hybrid breeding and cross-pollination. Wheat hybrids hold potential for a 10-22% yield boost, but commercial deployment is restricted due to high seed production costs, a result of wheat’s floral architecture and poor outcrossing characteristics. This project aims to reduce costs by improving wheat’s female receptivity to airborne pollen, a major bottleneck to commercial realization of hybrids globally. Higher and more stable yields from wheat hybrids will ensure food security in the face of climate uncertainty and growing population.Read moreRead less
Decoding tissue-specific components of cereal grain development. This project aims to investigate how barley flowers produce cells that deliver nutrients into developing seeds. This project expects to generate new knowledge through international collaboration and technical improvements in cell biology and genetics, overcoming current methodological limitations to precisely influence seed size, shape and quality, which are traits of agricultural relevance to the Australian cereal industry. Expect ....Decoding tissue-specific components of cereal grain development. This project aims to investigate how barley flowers produce cells that deliver nutrients into developing seeds. This project expects to generate new knowledge through international collaboration and technical improvements in cell biology and genetics, overcoming current methodological limitations to precisely influence seed size, shape and quality, which are traits of agricultural relevance to the Australian cereal industry. Expected outcomes include strengthened international partnerships, leveraged funding and increased knowledge of plant reproduction. This should provide significant benefits, including upskilled researchers, improved research capacity and genetic targets to optimise seed production in challenging climatic conditions. Read moreRead less
Promoting engagement with life in older adulthood. This project aims to examine engagement in meaningful activities among older adults. Increasing older adults' engagement could promote direct benefits for social integration, well-being and better quality of life. The project is expected to generate new knowledge on programs that effectively promote engagement, as well as evaluating a new tailored approach to promoting engagement that aligns with individuals' unique strengths, capabilities and ....Promoting engagement with life in older adulthood. This project aims to examine engagement in meaningful activities among older adults. Increasing older adults' engagement could promote direct benefits for social integration, well-being and better quality of life. The project is expected to generate new knowledge on programs that effectively promote engagement, as well as evaluating a new tailored approach to promoting engagement that aligns with individuals' unique strengths, capabilities and values. The findings aim to provide benefits for community organisations and aged care service providers adopting innovative approaches to promoting ageing well.
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Hippo signalling control of transcription in lymphatic vascular development. Lymphatic vasculature forms complex, branched networks present in almost all vertebrate tissues and organs. Signalling in lymphatic endothelial cells determines the fate, structure and function of these complex and essential networks. This project follows our recent discovery of a major role for the Hippo signalling pathway in lymphatic vascular development. It aims to investigate how Hippo signalling regulates essenti ....Hippo signalling control of transcription in lymphatic vascular development. Lymphatic vasculature forms complex, branched networks present in almost all vertebrate tissues and organs. Signalling in lymphatic endothelial cells determines the fate, structure and function of these complex and essential networks. This project follows our recent discovery of a major role for the Hippo signalling pathway in lymphatic vascular development. It aims to investigate how Hippo signalling regulates essential target genes that drive lymphatic development. The project expects to generate fundamental knowledge in vascular signalling, transcription and the control of vascular network growth and expansion. Outcomes may provide significant benefits in new approaches in stem cell biology, tissue engineering and regenerative biology. Read moreRead less
Understanding Ageism in Australia. Ageism refers to stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination towards people based on their age. This project aims to generate new knowledge in relation to older Australians’ experiences of ageism by conducting a population-based survey of ageism and examining its links with mental health and wellbeing. The project will also use intensive longitudinal methods to study everyday ageism. Expected outcomes include identification of at-risk groups that can be used to i ....Understanding Ageism in Australia. Ageism refers to stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination towards people based on their age. This project aims to generate new knowledge in relation to older Australians’ experiences of ageism by conducting a population-based survey of ageism and examining its links with mental health and wellbeing. The project will also use intensive longitudinal methods to study everyday ageism. Expected outcomes include identification of at-risk groups that can be used to inform government policy responses to tackling ageism and will inform the development of interventions and education programs to reduce ageism in the community. This should provide significant benefits for social inclusion, intergenerational solidarity and economic participation Read moreRead less
Protecting cereal grain development at high temperatures. This project aims to investigate new temperature-responsive factors that regulate cereal grain development to protect grain production under heat stress. The new research will leverage international collaborations with access to cutting-edge genetic and technological resources, and refine novel X-ray imaging techniques in Australia, to observe how temperature affects flower structure and function in barley and rice. Favourable mutations t ....Protecting cereal grain development at high temperatures. This project aims to investigate new temperature-responsive factors that regulate cereal grain development to protect grain production under heat stress. The new research will leverage international collaborations with access to cutting-edge genetic and technological resources, and refine novel X-ray imaging techniques in Australia, to observe how temperature affects flower structure and function in barley and rice. Favourable mutations that optimise plant yield and fitness will be defined and explored in other, more complex, cereals such as wheat. Expected outcomes will be fundamental breakthroughs in understanding how plants respond to, and buffer, the effects of heat to lead to translational breeding strategies that bolster grain yield.Read moreRead less
Pioneering seed solutions for the industrial hemp industry. This project aims to develop the next generation of elite industrial hemp cultivars, grown for their seed with high protein and oil contents, that are drought resistant and make minimal THC, teamed with research into their feminisation to provide a safer and better method of producing premium female seed to supply to growers. Project outcomes will include increased fundamental knowledge of drought tolerance, cannabinoid biosynthesis and ....Pioneering seed solutions for the industrial hemp industry. This project aims to develop the next generation of elite industrial hemp cultivars, grown for their seed with high protein and oil contents, that are drought resistant and make minimal THC, teamed with research into their feminisation to provide a safer and better method of producing premium female seed to supply to growers. Project outcomes will include increased fundamental knowledge of drought tolerance, cannabinoid biosynthesis and the feminisation process, converted to practical ways to manipulate these important agronomic traits. This will derisk the industrial hemp industry, encouraging increased cultivation of a nutritionally and economically valuable crop in Australia and create valuable intellectual property applicable globally.Read moreRead less
The cost of keeping gruesome images from the world. This project aims to investigate one of society’s most invisible ‘frontline’ trauma workforces—the online content moderators responsible for limiting the public’s exposure to distressing and sensitive content on social media. Using a series of rigorous experiments, and cutting-edge psychological and physiological assessment techniques, the research will advance our understanding of the impact of indirect trauma on mental health. Expected outcom ....The cost of keeping gruesome images from the world. This project aims to investigate one of society’s most invisible ‘frontline’ trauma workforces—the online content moderators responsible for limiting the public’s exposure to distressing and sensitive content on social media. Using a series of rigorous experiments, and cutting-edge psychological and physiological assessment techniques, the research will advance our understanding of the impact of indirect trauma on mental health. Expected outcomes include novel empirical evidence for preventative strategies that will predict, monitor and reduce negative mental health outcomes. This will provide significant global benefits to people with indirect trauma experiences, such as defence and forensic personnel.Read moreRead less
Size matters, but at what cost? Role of male sex hormones in the placenta. This project aims to understand molecular pathways regulated by male sex hormones in the placenta that may contribute to sex-specific fetal growth and survival outcomes in response to reduced oxygen and/or glucose. Through this project, we expect to generate new knowledge of the mechanisms that drive sex-specific placental molecular function using interdisciplinary approaches. The application of this advanced understandin ....Size matters, but at what cost? Role of male sex hormones in the placenta. This project aims to understand molecular pathways regulated by male sex hormones in the placenta that may contribute to sex-specific fetal growth and survival outcomes in response to reduced oxygen and/or glucose. Through this project, we expect to generate new knowledge of the mechanisms that drive sex-specific placental molecular function using interdisciplinary approaches. The application of this advanced understanding of the sex-specific regulation of placental molecular function and fetal growth may be targeted in future studies to improve fetal growth outcomes in placental mammals such as livestock, domestic pets, and humans.Read moreRead less
Targeting root architecture to improve plant production in sub-optimal soil. This project aims to identify important missing links in the signalling pathways that connect major plant hormones in their control of root architecture, with a focus on the signalling system that helps plants cope with sub-optimal growing conditions. New discoveries in plant hormones will be applied to crops to provide a deeper understanding of root growth responses under sub-optimal conditions, and to maximise plant e ....Targeting root architecture to improve plant production in sub-optimal soil. This project aims to identify important missing links in the signalling pathways that connect major plant hormones in their control of root architecture, with a focus on the signalling system that helps plants cope with sub-optimal growing conditions. New discoveries in plant hormones will be applied to crops to provide a deeper understanding of root growth responses under sub-optimal conditions, and to maximise plant efficiency. Expected outcomes include a better understanding of signal pathways in roots, improved knowledge about how crops respond to adverse conditions, new knowledge and potential genetic resources for plant industry, and novel ideas about how to improve crop productivity.Read moreRead less