Bereavement of suicide and sudden death. Losing someone to suicide can have devastating affects on the survivors left behind. The aims of the present study include the identification of the processes and impacts of bereavement on survivors in various age groups. It also aims to identify critical points during the bereavement and factors which exacerbate and moderate negative impacts. This has been previously neglected in suicide research in Australia and its findings will add a multi-dimensional ....Bereavement of suicide and sudden death. Losing someone to suicide can have devastating affects on the survivors left behind. The aims of the present study include the identification of the processes and impacts of bereavement on survivors in various age groups. It also aims to identify critical points during the bereavement and factors which exacerbate and moderate negative impacts. This has been previously neglected in suicide research in Australia and its findings will add a multi-dimensional aspect to postvention not currently understood. It is expected that findings will help develop guidelines to ensure more effective detection and intervention for survivors, as well as enhancing social support and personal resilience.Read moreRead less
The role of short tandem repeat DNA variation in the evolution of human psychological diversity. The proposed work addresses fundamental questions about human nature. It ties together the evolutionary processes that have shaped us as a species with the way our genes influence: our personalities, the way we think and how we behave. It introduces a novel approach to addressing questions about the role of genetics in human variation that will contribute substantially to the way we understand, perce ....The role of short tandem repeat DNA variation in the evolution of human psychological diversity. The proposed work addresses fundamental questions about human nature. It ties together the evolutionary processes that have shaped us as a species with the way our genes influence: our personalities, the way we think and how we behave. It introduces a novel approach to addressing questions about the role of genetics in human variation that will contribute substantially to the way we understand, perceive and manage important aspects of human diversity.Read moreRead less
Work life after a diagnosis of breast, prostate and colorectal cancer: Major disruption or work as usual. Each year, over 40,000 working-age individuals (as well as their families and workplaces) are affected by a diagnosis of cancer. This novel and important study will, for the first time in Australia, identify the extent and effects of loss of skilled workers from the workforce because of a diagnosis of breast, prostate or colorectal cancer and will lead to the development of new interventions ....Work life after a diagnosis of breast, prostate and colorectal cancer: Major disruption or work as usual. Each year, over 40,000 working-age individuals (as well as their families and workplaces) are affected by a diagnosis of cancer. This novel and important study will, for the first time in Australia, identify the extent and effects of loss of skilled workers from the workforce because of a diagnosis of breast, prostate or colorectal cancer and will lead to the development of new interventions that help people to recover from cancer. This project is critical to help advance health and labour policies in Australia which currently faces an ageing population, global economic unrest and rising unemployment.Read moreRead less
Social perception in late adulthood. Social perception refers broadly to the ability to decode and react appropriately to the social signals sent out by other people, and is a critical predictor of social competency and wellbeing. The aim of this project is to gain a clearer picture of when and why older adults experience social perceptual difficulties, as well as any consequences of these difficulties. A key prediction is that those older adults who have most difficulty with social perception w ....Social perception in late adulthood. Social perception refers broadly to the ability to decode and react appropriately to the social signals sent out by other people, and is a critical predictor of social competency and wellbeing. The aim of this project is to gain a clearer picture of when and why older adults experience social perceptual difficulties, as well as any consequences of these difficulties. A key prediction is that those older adults who have most difficulty with social perception will also have lowest wellbeing. Identifying which older adults are most likely to experience social perceptual difficulties, as well as which aspects of social perception are relatively intact, are expected to help to guide interventions on how to maintain wellbeing in old age.Read moreRead less
Early-Stage Medical Diagnostics by Plasmon-Mediated Gas Sensing. This project will investigate the use plasmonic absorption of light in metal nanostructures to activate the selective oxidation/reduction of a gas molecule on a semiconductor nanoparticle. This concept will be used with the aim of developing a sensing technique capable of measuring ultra-low concentrations (ppb) of breath markers for lung cancer detection. It is expected that porous sensing films of semiconductor and metal nanopart ....Early-Stage Medical Diagnostics by Plasmon-Mediated Gas Sensing. This project will investigate the use plasmonic absorption of light in metal nanostructures to activate the selective oxidation/reduction of a gas molecule on a semiconductor nanoparticle. This concept will be used with the aim of developing a sensing technique capable of measuring ultra-low concentrations (ppb) of breath markers for lung cancer detection. It is expected that porous sensing films of semiconductor and metal nanoparticles with well-defined light absorption properties will be fabricated. Superior selectivity will be achieved by matching the wavelength of the absorbed light with the required activation energy for oxidation/reduction. Successful outcomes will enable multi-analyte fingerprint identification by on-chip devices with applications ranging from portable medical diagnostics to national security.Read moreRead less
Light scattering in complex mesoscale systems. The aim of the proposed project is to develop tested theoretic models of, and test applications of, the scattering of light in complex mesoscale systems. This will include: light scattering by biological cells, including optical cancer detection, remote sensing of cell populations, flow cytometry and optical tweezers; optically driven micromachines, and nano- and micro-structured materials. These applications are of considerable technological, socia ....Light scattering in complex mesoscale systems. The aim of the proposed project is to develop tested theoretic models of, and test applications of, the scattering of light in complex mesoscale systems. This will include: light scattering by biological cells, including optical cancer detection, remote sensing of cell populations, flow cytometry and optical tweezers; optically driven micromachines, and nano- and micro-structured materials. These applications are of considerable technological, social, and economic importance, and significant advances are possible. Methods developed during this project will allow accurate theoretical calculations to be performed where only inadequate approximations have previously been possible.Read moreRead less
Identifying genes for cognition. We have established a large twin sample and are the Australian arm of an international consortium to identify genes for cognition. This work will transform our understanding of brain functions that affect normal cognitive functioning. It has potentially enormous public health significance by providing clues into the underlying mechanisms of impaired cognitive ability. Many different conditions affect people's ability to think and remember (e.g. schizophrenia, dem ....Identifying genes for cognition. We have established a large twin sample and are the Australian arm of an international consortium to identify genes for cognition. This work will transform our understanding of brain functions that affect normal cognitive functioning. It has potentially enormous public health significance by providing clues into the underlying mechanisms of impaired cognitive ability. Many different conditions affect people's ability to think and remember (e.g. schizophrenia, dementia). By understanding how cognitive processes work in healthy individuals, we can better identify the fundamental mechanisms of impaired cognitive ability. This may have future applications for treating brain dysfunction, and managing memory of intellectual disabilities.Read moreRead less
Social networks and subjective wellbeing in Australia, China and the United Kingdom. Governments, industry and the community increasingly recognise that people's networks matter for health and wellbeing. For the first time this project compares developed and developing societies, Australia, China and the United Kingdom, to see how social networks affect well-being in different cultural and societal contexts.
Understanding the fate and transport of selected biomarkers in sewers. This project aims to improve estimates of population drug use and chemical exposure by systematically studying the fate of drugs, organic pollutants (e.g. pesticides) and human biomarkers in sewers. The project aims to combine advanced experimental sewer research facilities with an analytical set-up and modelling expertise to address critical gaps in our knowledge of the fate of chemicals in sewers. The information could be u ....Understanding the fate and transport of selected biomarkers in sewers. This project aims to improve estimates of population drug use and chemical exposure by systematically studying the fate of drugs, organic pollutants (e.g. pesticides) and human biomarkers in sewers. The project aims to combine advanced experimental sewer research facilities with an analytical set-up and modelling expertise to address critical gaps in our knowledge of the fate of chemicals in sewers. The information could be used to provide accurate, cost-effective and near real-time estimates of chemicals entering the sewer system which could allow us to better estimate changes in population drug use, chemical exposure and health status.Read moreRead less
Averting the extinction of experience. Humans are an increasingly urban species, with most of us now living in towns and cities separated from direct experiences of the natural world. This project aims to understand and avert this 'extinction of experience' so that we can grow Australia's cities sustainably into the future.