Accuracy and cost-effectiveness of technology-assisted dietary assessment. This project aims to compare leading methods for technology-assisted dietary assessment. Excessive cost and questionable accuracy limit the routine use of dietary assessment and undermine decision making in Australia. This project intends to compare three technology methods of assessing diet with the current standard recall method used in population surveys in order to confirm if the use of food images and automated metho ....Accuracy and cost-effectiveness of technology-assisted dietary assessment. This project aims to compare leading methods for technology-assisted dietary assessment. Excessive cost and questionable accuracy limit the routine use of dietary assessment and undermine decision making in Australia. This project intends to compare three technology methods of assessing diet with the current standard recall method used in population surveys in order to confirm if the use of food images and automated methods provide new approaches to improve accuracy and consumer acceptability. Expected outcomes of this project include more accurate and acceptable methods of assessing dietary intake. These findings will inform decision making for researchers, policy makers and practitioners in Australia, and potentially lead to more regular population surveillance.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210101791
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$401,567.00
Summary
Influence of the food environment near schools on children's food intake. Bridging the disciplines of nutrition, public health, geography and urban planning, this unique and innovative project strives to be the first in Australia to: (i) longitudinally map, measure and monitor the food environment near schools; and (ii) comprehensively investigate how the proximity of healthy and unhealthy food outlets near schools impacts on children’s eating behaviours. The findings will be used to develop a s ....Influence of the food environment near schools on children's food intake. Bridging the disciplines of nutrition, public health, geography and urban planning, this unique and innovative project strives to be the first in Australia to: (i) longitudinally map, measure and monitor the food environment near schools; and (ii) comprehensively investigate how the proximity of healthy and unhealthy food outlets near schools impacts on children’s eating behaviours. The findings will be used to develop a set of policy and practice recommendations for key stakeholders (e.g., school staff, students, parents, community members, retailers, planners and government) to help create equitable and health-promoting food environments near schools.Read moreRead less
Carboxylate exudation and phosphorus acquisition in eucalypts. Eucalypts are thought to rely on mycorrhizas to acquire phosphorus (P). Using leaf manganese concentrations in the field to proxy rhizosphere carboxylates, followed by plant growth in low P-solutions, it was shown that some, but not all eucalypts that grow on P-impoverished soils release carboxylates from their roots. This trait is a strategy of Proteaceae to access soil P, but assumed not to be used by eucalypts. This game-changing ....Carboxylate exudation and phosphorus acquisition in eucalypts. Eucalypts are thought to rely on mycorrhizas to acquire phosphorus (P). Using leaf manganese concentrations in the field to proxy rhizosphere carboxylates, followed by plant growth in low P-solutions, it was shown that some, but not all eucalypts that grow on P-impoverished soils release carboxylates from their roots. This trait is a strategy of Proteaceae to access soil P, but assumed not to be used by eucalypts. This game-changing discovery challenges the current dogma that eucalypts invariably rely on mycorrhizas to acquire P. This project will explore the significance of this newly-described trait for functioning of eucalypts more broadly and produce results that are important for conservation, restoration and forestry activities. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230101231
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$390,295.00
Summary
The effect of nutrition on male life history traits in humans. This project will provide answers to fundamental questions in evolutionary biology while identifying diet compositions that will benefit human health and well-being. Using a longitudinal public-health database, the Raine Study, and a theoretical framework from the field of Nutritional Ecology, the project will provide new knowledge on how nutrition affects key life-history traits in humans including immune function, reproductive heal ....The effect of nutrition on male life history traits in humans. This project will provide answers to fundamental questions in evolutionary biology while identifying diet compositions that will benefit human health and well-being. Using a longitudinal public-health database, the Raine Study, and a theoretical framework from the field of Nutritional Ecology, the project will provide new knowledge on how nutrition affects key life-history traits in humans including immune function, reproductive health, physical appearance, and healthy ageing. A systematic literature review on how diet impacts these life-history traits in animals generally, and an experimental study of the effect of diet on health and reproduction in the house mouse (a lab analog species for humans) will complement the Raine Study findings.Read moreRead less
Advanced plant breeding and food manufacturing for healthier bread. This project aims to generate bread containing high amounts of biologically available iron through targeted manipulation of plant-derived phytonutrients at several points along the wheat-to-bread supply chain. The project expects to generate new knowledge for developing healthier bread and address consumer demands for value-added food products. Anticipated outcomes are novel plant breeding and food manufacturing techniques that ....Advanced plant breeding and food manufacturing for healthier bread. This project aims to generate bread containing high amounts of biologically available iron through targeted manipulation of plant-derived phytonutrients at several points along the wheat-to-bread supply chain. The project expects to generate new knowledge for developing healthier bread and address consumer demands for value-added food products. Anticipated outcomes are novel plant breeding and food manufacturing techniques that enhance the nutritional composition of wheat grain and bread making products, resulting in higher-value agricultural commodities and breads. The project should benefit bread retailers and crop growers involved in Australia’s $4.7 billion bread market and reduce the environmental impacts of bread production.Read moreRead less
Differential solidification of steel slag to create a fertiliser co-product. The project aims to develop a process to separate phosphorus from steelmaking slag while the slag is still molten. Changing iron ore grades in Australia, especially increasing phosphorus content, places Australian iron ore products at a competitive disadvantage and attracts a significant financial penalty. The separation process is intended to facilitate recycling of an iron rich stream within the steelworks and product ....Differential solidification of steel slag to create a fertiliser co-product. The project aims to develop a process to separate phosphorus from steelmaking slag while the slag is still molten. Changing iron ore grades in Australia, especially increasing phosphorus content, places Australian iron ore products at a competitive disadvantage and attracts a significant financial penalty. The separation process is intended to facilitate recycling of an iron rich stream within the steelworks and production of a phosphorus rich co-product for agriculture. Benefits are anticipated to include increased utilisation of steel slag, creation of a valuable fertiliser co-product, decreased greenhouse gas emissions, and a reduction in the penalty applied to Australian iron ores.Read moreRead less
Engineering safer pastures for livestock. This project aims to develop subterranean clover with elevated condensed tannins in leaves. This important pasture legume is currently a bloat risk for cattle and sheep due to low condensed tannins and high soluble proteins. Bloat is a health issue that costs the Australian and New Zealand livestock industries over $200 million per annum. Condensed tannins can reduce bloat, decrease methane production and improve efficiency of production. A novel approac ....Engineering safer pastures for livestock. This project aims to develop subterranean clover with elevated condensed tannins in leaves. This important pasture legume is currently a bloat risk for cattle and sheep due to low condensed tannins and high soluble proteins. Bloat is a health issue that costs the Australian and New Zealand livestock industries over $200 million per annum. Condensed tannins can reduce bloat, decrease methane production and improve efficiency of production. A novel approach using CRISPR and other innovative molecular techniques will generate breeding lines high in condensed tannins and deliver knowledge applicable to other pasture legumes. Expected outcomes for livestock producers include improved animal welfare, reduced carbon emissions and enhanced profits.Read moreRead less
Engineered clay-polysaccharide composites for efficient nutrient delivery. Nitrogen (N) nutrient use efficiency of most arable crops in Australian soils is low, leading to excessive application of this nutrient. The low N use efficiency is attributed to its loss through leaching and gaseous emission, which contributes to both economic burden of the farming community and also results in environmental degradation. This project aims to work with clay industries to develop fertiliser products with c ....Engineered clay-polysaccharide composites for efficient nutrient delivery. Nitrogen (N) nutrient use efficiency of most arable crops in Australian soils is low, leading to excessive application of this nutrient. The low N use efficiency is attributed to its loss through leaching and gaseous emission, which contributes to both economic burden of the farming community and also results in environmental degradation. This project aims to work with clay industries to develop fertiliser products with controlled release characteristics to increase N use efficiency and farm productivity. It will also create new market opportunities for the mining industry for the use of clays and create novel materials for delivery of nutrients and moisture for the agrochemical industry resulting in the creation of marketing opportunities.Read moreRead less
Utilising novel Pongamia trees to decarbonise Australia’s beef value-chain. Progress towards a carbon neutral beef industry typically focusses on nutritional strategies, overlooking potential innovations in farming system configuration. This project aims to develop a framework for the integration of Pongamia into beef production systems, so that not only emissions reductions are maximised, but also to support carbon capture and farm system resilience. This project seeks to determine the impact o ....Utilising novel Pongamia trees to decarbonise Australia’s beef value-chain. Progress towards a carbon neutral beef industry typically focusses on nutritional strategies, overlooking potential innovations in farming system configuration. This project aims to develop a framework for the integration of Pongamia into beef production systems, so that not only emissions reductions are maximised, but also to support carbon capture and farm system resilience. This project seeks to determine the impact of Pongamia meal on cattle production efficiency, meat quality and methane emissions. Through quantification of carbon sequestration potential in tree plantations, whole-farm modelling will elucidate production scenarios capable of achieving the reductions needed for a carbon neutral Australian beef industry.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC190100033
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,852,568.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Transformation of Australia's Biosolids Resource. This Centre aims to bring together Australia’s leading biosolids researchers and key industry and government stakeholders to advance the management, transformation and reuse of biosolids in agriculture. The focus is: 1) capability and knowledge building, 2) research development, extension and training, 3) sustainable strategic partnerships. The expected outcomes of the Centre are to develop a group of new, highly-trained i ....ARC Training Centre for Transformation of Australia's Biosolids Resource. This Centre aims to bring together Australia’s leading biosolids researchers and key industry and government stakeholders to advance the management, transformation and reuse of biosolids in agriculture. The focus is: 1) capability and knowledge building, 2) research development, extension and training, 3) sustainable strategic partnerships. The expected outcomes of the Centre are to develop a group of new, highly-trained industry-ready researchers as well as advanced solutions in three major themes: improved technologies, enhanced products and sustainability. This will provide significant benefits in the economic value of new applications and market opportunities as well as deliver cost-savings – all in an environmentally friendly manner.Read moreRead less