A novel granular stress sensor for soil exploration. The project aims to develop a novel way to measure the state of soils and improve the perception of soft ground robots by combining advances in sensor development with granular physics. The project expects to produce new insights in geotechnical engineering by utilising innovative sensors compliant with the surrounding medium, thus improving measurements across broader deformation conditions than existing technologies. Expected outcomes includ ....A novel granular stress sensor for soil exploration. The project aims to develop a novel way to measure the state of soils and improve the perception of soft ground robots by combining advances in sensor development with granular physics. The project expects to produce new insights in geotechnical engineering by utilising innovative sensors compliant with the surrounding medium, thus improving measurements across broader deformation conditions than existing technologies. Expected outcomes include an increased ability to prevent soil failures by utilising these sensors to monitor stress levels underground. This should provide significant benefits for saving critical infrastructure from environmental and geotechnical failures, including landslides, tunnel collapses, and tailings dam damages.Read moreRead less
Physiology of tau protein: a novel role in scaffolding and intracellular distribution. Understanding brain function remains a challenge. This project will study the normal role of the Alzheimer's disease-related protein tau in brain function during ageing. This will significantly enhance current understanding of brain function.
Imagining university education: the perspectives of young people impacted by low socio-economic status and disengagement from school. Significant effort is being made in Australia to increase the participation of students from low socio-economic status backgrounds in university education. This project will contribute to this effort by delivering knowledge on the perceptions of university education held by low socio-economic status young people aged 12-15 disengaged from school.
Mentoring and Indigenous Higher Education: Understanding how university students mentor Indigenous school students. Mentoring Indigenous school students by university students is an expanding initiative to address the education gap experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This project will investigate what works in successful mentoring between university students and young Indigenous Australians and what are 'mentoring best practices' with Indigenous young people. The projec ....Mentoring and Indigenous Higher Education: Understanding how university students mentor Indigenous school students. Mentoring Indigenous school students by university students is an expanding initiative to address the education gap experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This project will investigate what works in successful mentoring between university students and young Indigenous Australians and what are 'mentoring best practices' with Indigenous young people. The project builds on our research with the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME), a program engaging university students and Indigenous young people across Australia. Expected outcomes are new knowledge on university student mentoring of Indigenous school children and the design of 'remote' university student mentoring using communication technology.Read moreRead less
Improving neuronal cell function with cell permeable copper complexes. Metal-based drugs offer an exciting new approach to treatment of neurodegeneration. However, little is known about how cells metabolise these drugs and this information is critical for further drug development. This project will determine how metal-based drugs are metabolised by neuronal cells and how this may result in therapeutic benefit.
Cellular mechanisms that protect against copper-bound beta-amyloid. This project will investigate some of the brain’s own mechanisms for protecting itself against Alzheimer’s disease. Understanding these mechanisms will be important for developing future therapeutic strategies for treating Alzheimer’s disease.
Growth of Bioartificial Tissue Containing an Inbuilt Blood Supply. The large and growing demand for replacement tissues and organs has spurred rapid growth in the emerging field of tissue engineering, which aims to form new tissues in the laboratory by combining living cells and synthetic scaffolds. A major challenge lies in the production of thick tissues, which require a blood supply in order to survive. Uniquely, this project aims to grow in the laboratory a vascular system based on natural ....Growth of Bioartificial Tissue Containing an Inbuilt Blood Supply. The large and growing demand for replacement tissues and organs has spurred rapid growth in the emerging field of tissue engineering, which aims to form new tissues in the laboratory by combining living cells and synthetic scaffolds. A major challenge lies in the production of thick tissues, which require a blood supply in order to survive. Uniquely, this project aims to grow in the laboratory a vascular system based on natural structures, which can then be used to support new tissue growth. Australia is well placed to reap the rewards of this work, having a track record in commercialisation of medical technologies, resulting in an improved quality of life for many Australians and substantial direct and indirect economic benefits.Read moreRead less
The impact and cost of short-term health staffing in remote communities. This project aims to examine the impact of the increasing levels of short-term health staffing in remote communities upon service acceptability to patients, workload and attitudes of long-term resident primary health care staff, and the effectiveness and cost of health services. There is a dearth of information about this 'fly in/fly out' (FIFO) workforce in remote communities, which have the worst health outcomes in the co ....The impact and cost of short-term health staffing in remote communities. This project aims to examine the impact of the increasing levels of short-term health staffing in remote communities upon service acceptability to patients, workload and attitudes of long-term resident primary health care staff, and the effectiveness and cost of health services. There is a dearth of information about this 'fly in/fly out' (FIFO) workforce in remote communities, which have the worst health outcomes in the country. The project aims to inform consumers, health practitioners, health service planners and policy-makers about the impact of FIFO, as well as to contribute to the development of strategies designed to stabilise the remote health workforce.Read moreRead less
Staffing practices in Aboriginal primary health care services. This project aims to generate new knowledge about the impact of short-term staffing in remote Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services on service acceptability to patients, workload and attitudes of long-term staff and the effectiveness and cost of services. The project intends to compare these results to recent findings about the impact of short-term staffing in government-run clinics, in order to quantify and describe the po ....Staffing practices in Aboriginal primary health care services. This project aims to generate new knowledge about the impact of short-term staffing in remote Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services on service acceptability to patients, workload and attitudes of long-term staff and the effectiveness and cost of services. The project intends to compare these results to recent findings about the impact of short-term staffing in government-run clinics, in order to quantify and describe the potential positive effect of community control. Expected outcomes include rigorous evidence about the 'fly in/fly out' workforce and the impact of community control which can inform new policy that will stabilise the remote health workforce, save money and contribute to 'closing the gap' in health outcomes.Read moreRead less
Boosting brain plasticity and motor function in older adults. Ageing is associated with a pronounced decline in many motor, cognitive, and other brain functions, but the cause remains elusive. This project will examine the mechanisms that contribute to a decline in brain plasticity and motor function in the elderly. Using novel brain stimulation techniques, the project aims to develop an optimal approach to boost plasticity in the ageing brain and improve motor function. A better understanding o ....Boosting brain plasticity and motor function in older adults. Ageing is associated with a pronounced decline in many motor, cognitive, and other brain functions, but the cause remains elusive. This project will examine the mechanisms that contribute to a decline in brain plasticity and motor function in the elderly. Using novel brain stimulation techniques, the project aims to develop an optimal approach to boost plasticity in the ageing brain and improve motor function. A better understanding of changes in brain function and plasticity with advancing age is expected to help to optimise the design of preventative programs aimed at rejuvenating motor and cognitive function in the elderly.Read moreRead less