Preventing and addressing environmental harm through restorative justice. This project aims to develop a knowledge base on how Restorative Justice (RJ) principles and practices can prevent and address environmental harm. Research has demonstrated that RJ is a powerful response to a wide variety of governance challenges and could provide a useful alternative paradigm for environmental regulation. This project aims to apply the processes and values of RJ to environmental regulation with a focus on ....Preventing and addressing environmental harm through restorative justice. This project aims to develop a knowledge base on how Restorative Justice (RJ) principles and practices can prevent and address environmental harm. Research has demonstrated that RJ is a powerful response to a wide variety of governance challenges and could provide a useful alternative paradigm for environmental regulation. This project aims to apply the processes and values of RJ to environmental regulation with a focus on harm prevention, advancing theory into a new domain of application. This should lead to immediate and long-term benefits, including better prevention of environmental harm, better relationships with communities, and stronger commitments by those who have caused harm to rehabilitate, repair and reform.Read moreRead less
Support needs assessment: a developmental model for use in support, training and funding for individuals with single and multiple disabilities. This research project aims to construct and trial a new model for the assessment of the support needs of persons with disabilities. It addresses a number of critical deficiencies which recent research has shown to undermine the reliability, validity and usefulness of existing support needs instruments. Specifically, it is proposed to collect data that ....Support needs assessment: a developmental model for use in support, training and funding for individuals with single and multiple disabilities. This research project aims to construct and trial a new model for the assessment of the support needs of persons with disabilities. It addresses a number of critical deficiencies which recent research has shown to undermine the reliability, validity and usefulness of existing support needs instruments. Specifically, it is proposed to collect data that will inform the determination of the support needs of people with different kinds and combinations of disabilities. Variations in maintenance and intervention supports over time and context will be considered. The assessment system planned will have the flexibility to meet a number of potential user objectives.Read moreRead less
The multiplexed diagnosis of arbovirus infections using combinatorial probes. Viruses that cause serious diseases such as hemorrhagic fever or encephalitis must be quickly identified. Diagnostic tests based on DNA hybridisation are accurate and can be rapid but they are expensive. We will test a method for simplifying DNA tests and increasing their capabilities. DNA probes for detecting arboviruses will be designed at the ANU using new bioinformatic methods and their reliability will be model ....The multiplexed diagnosis of arbovirus infections using combinatorial probes. Viruses that cause serious diseases such as hemorrhagic fever or encephalitis must be quickly identified. Diagnostic tests based on DNA hybridisation are accurate and can be rapid but they are expensive. We will test a method for simplifying DNA tests and increasing their capabilities. DNA probes for detecting arboviruses will be designed at the ANU using new bioinformatic methods and their reliability will be modelled using all the available genetic information. Computer predictions will be experimentally tested in the PANBIO laboratory by using the probes to detect viral nucleic acids. The influence of virus genome complexity will be investigatedRead moreRead less
Disaster risk reduction practices that leave nobody behind. This project aims to answer critical questions about how to assist people with disabilities (PWD) in disasters, what their support needs are and how they might help themselves to better prepare for disasters. Significance includes coupling a person-centred emergency preparedness tool with cross-sectoral processes to collect and use data about the support needs of PWD in emergencies, increase cross-sector communication and collaboration ....Disaster risk reduction practices that leave nobody behind. This project aims to answer critical questions about how to assist people with disabilities (PWD) in disasters, what their support needs are and how they might help themselves to better prepare for disasters. Significance includes coupling a person-centred emergency preparedness tool with cross-sectoral processes to collect and use data about the support needs of PWD in emergencies, increase cross-sector communication and collaboration between emergency managers and community services, and improve equitable access for PWD to community-level disaster risk reduction (DRR). The expected outcome will be the co-design of effective mechanisms that state & federal decision makers can use to scale-up disability-inclusive DRR across Australia.Read moreRead less
Sino-Australian neurogenetics initiative. This project will undertake large population studies to identify genes that are associated with motor neuron disease, schizophrenia and intracranial haemorrhage. The project will determine genetic markers, aid development of diagnostic tools and identify new therapeutic targets for these common heritable neurological diseases.
Comparison of interventions for families from rural communities who have a child with an intellectual disability and problem behaviour. The project comprises two studies. The first aims at evaluating the relative effectiveness of two modes of supporting families from rural areas who have a child with an intellectual disability and problem behaviour. Both modes involve providing the families with written and videotape materials containing advice about how to manage the problem behaviour, but one ....Comparison of interventions for families from rural communities who have a child with an intellectual disability and problem behaviour. The project comprises two studies. The first aims at evaluating the relative effectiveness of two modes of supporting families from rural areas who have a child with an intellectual disability and problem behaviour. Both modes involve providing the families with written and videotape materials containing advice about how to manage the problem behaviour, but one mode also includes the addition of regular telephone calls. The second study focuses on examining the child, parent, practitioner, and contextual variables associated with families being able to benefit from support through the use of the written and videotape materials.Read moreRead less
Rapid detection of rare-event cells by strong UP-conversion
encoded nano-radiators (SUPER Dots): finding a needle in a haystack. Current diagnostic tests are not sensitive enough to detect cancer in its very early stages or early recurrence following treatment. The new technologies developed by this project will be able to find single cancer cells in blood and urine samples heralding a new era in medical diagnostics.
New methods to improve regional isotope therapy of liver tumours in cancer patients. The most common cause of death in cancer patients is secondary tumours in vital organs. Successful treatment of liver tumours with regional isotope therapy now offers improved survival rates. This project will research novel radiolabelled nanoparticles and advanced computer imaging algorithms to improve regional isotope therapy of liver tumours. It will provide better methods of objective assessment and manageme ....New methods to improve regional isotope therapy of liver tumours in cancer patients. The most common cause of death in cancer patients is secondary tumours in vital organs. Successful treatment of liver tumours with regional isotope therapy now offers improved survival rates. This project will research novel radiolabelled nanoparticles and advanced computer imaging algorithms to improve regional isotope therapy of liver tumours. It will provide better methods of objective assessment and management that can reduce risk and improve patient survival.Read moreRead less
Post-parental housing transitions among adults with intellectual disability. This project aims to address the urgent issue of growing numbers of older people with intellectual disability (ID) outliving their parent carers who have not put future care plans in place. This project expects to generate a national evidence-based framework for ensuring successful post-parental housing and care transitions. By using a three-phase mixed methodology design in three Australian cities, expected outcomes of ....Post-parental housing transitions among adults with intellectual disability. This project aims to address the urgent issue of growing numbers of older people with intellectual disability (ID) outliving their parent carers who have not put future care plans in place. This project expects to generate a national evidence-based framework for ensuring successful post-parental housing and care transitions. By using a three-phase mixed methodology design in three Australian cities, expected outcomes of the project include the development of an Australian-first evidence-based resource kit which should provide significant benefits for older people with ID, their family carers and the disability sector, in terms of planning for post-parental housing and care transitions.Read moreRead less
The impact of governance on regional natural resource planning. The management of natural resources in regional Australia is challenged by complex decision-making and poorly integrated planning systems at the federal, state and local levels. This project will develop an evaluation framework to assess the effectiveness of planning and natural resource management governance at the regional scale.