Understanding Mitochondrial DNA Segregation And Transmission.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$512,449.00
Summary
We inherit our mitochondrial DNA from our mothers. Mutations to mitochondrial DNA can give rise to severely debilitating diseases that can be passed from one generation to the next. The aims of this application are to understand how mutant mitochondrial DNA is selected for; when it affects energy production during development; and to ensure that certain reproductive strategies do not result in the adverse transmission of mitochondrial DNA that will affect subsequent generations.
Assessment Of Interventions For Controlling Pandemic Influenza And Determining Data Needs To Inform These Assessments
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$183,040.00
Summary
The aim of this study is to help us prepare for a pandemic of influenza by comparing how effective the various available control strategies are at reducing transmission of the disease. The available control interventions include: reducing the number of close contacts we make with others, isolating cases after they are diagnosed, closing schools, quarantining households, quarantining individuals who are known to have been exposed to a case, and using antiviral drugs treat and protect people at ri ....The aim of this study is to help us prepare for a pandemic of influenza by comparing how effective the various available control strategies are at reducing transmission of the disease. The available control interventions include: reducing the number of close contacts we make with others, isolating cases after they are diagnosed, closing schools, quarantining households, quarantining individuals who are known to have been exposed to a case, and using antiviral drugs treat and protect people at risk of being infected. We will compare these control measures by taking due account of the ability and resources available for these interventions, and with regard to the need to maintain essential services. The comparisons will be made using mathematical models that describe the transmission of the infection. All available data and advice from experts will be used to ensure that realistic models are used for the comparisons. We will also use the models to determine the best use of the limited antiviral drugs available, until a vaccine becomes available. We will consider how the control strategy should be changed if a strain develops that is resistant to the antiviral drugs. In addition, we will determine what data need to be collected during the early stages of a pandemic to help us to determine the best use of the antiviral drugs, the best use of a new vaccine and to check on the development of resistance to the antiviral drugs.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100056
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$410,154.00
Summary
Accurate Fault Location Methods for Complex Power Networks. This project aims to devise novel algorithms to tackle one of the longstanding and challenging problems in power networks; finding the fault location in power lines. Recent bushfire preventive technologies that have been installed in power networks make the fault location process extremely challenging and time-consuming, leaving communities without power for many hours in extreme heatwave conditions.
The intended outcomes of the projec ....Accurate Fault Location Methods for Complex Power Networks. This project aims to devise novel algorithms to tackle one of the longstanding and challenging problems in power networks; finding the fault location in power lines. Recent bushfire preventive technologies that have been installed in power networks make the fault location process extremely challenging and time-consuming, leaving communities without power for many hours in extreme heatwave conditions.
The intended outcomes of the project are innovative algorithms that are able to pinpoint the fault location more accurately in complex networks, with many fewer measurement devices than conventional methods. This is expected to provide significant benefits for public safety and power supply reliability.Read moreRead less
Functional Genomics Of Malaria Liver Infection And Transmission
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$470,144.00
Summary
Chemotherapy is the front line defense against malaria but resistance is emerging. The WHO has advised that new drugs should target parasite stages that perpetuate the transmission of malaria to break the cycle of infection. We have identified proteins that are essential for the two transmissive stages of the most deadly parasite to infect their hosts. We will determine the precise function of these proteins and the mechanisms they govern. This may guide the development of new interventions.
A Transmission-Blocking Vaccine To Prevent Toxoplasmosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$850,225.00
Summary
Toxoplasma gondii causes a globally important zoonotic disease. It is transmitted by cats, and finds its way into our food chain via infected meat and contaminated water. We have used a unique functional genomics pipeline to discover proteins crucial for reproduction of Toxoplasma in the cat. We will now test combinations of these proteins to immunise cats and prove that we can develop a vaccine that blocks transmission of this highly significant parasitic disease.
Modelling The Biology And Transmission Of Influenza Virus - Learning From 1918-19 And Other Outbreaks
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$114,222.00
Summary
In preparing for a future pandemic of influenza, it is important to learn as much as possible from what happened in the past, particularly from the devastating pandemic of 1918-19. This project will collate detailed information about the spread of influenza in past outbreaks and create a publicly accessible data-base. Mathematical methods will be used to analyse historic and contemporary data, so as to provide better understanding of the spread of influenza, and of the likely effects of social a ....In preparing for a future pandemic of influenza, it is important to learn as much as possible from what happened in the past, particularly from the devastating pandemic of 1918-19. This project will collate detailed information about the spread of influenza in past outbreaks and create a publicly accessible data-base. Mathematical methods will be used to analyse historic and contemporary data, so as to provide better understanding of the spread of influenza, and of the likely effects of social and medical measures for its control. An important theme of the project is to consolidate our knowledge about how past exposure to non-pandemic influenza could provide short-lived protection against any new pandemic, and to explore the implications of this for prevention today. Another theme is to explore the severity of influenza during pandemics, and to identify social and medical factors that might reduce the dose of virus transmitted, or otherwise reduce the severity of infection. The insights from the modeling will also help to identify gaps in knowledge and understanding about the basic biology of influenza, stimulate new research to fill those gaps, and thus offer the prospect of more effective vaccines and treatments for the future control of influenza.Read moreRead less
Incorporating network-level knowledge into Quality of Service control mechanisms for wireless LANs. Expansion of Wireless LANs as primary access technology for mobile computing devices has resulted in growing expectations of continuous area coverage and controlled Quality of Service. The work published to date defines QoS control mechanisms for a single WLAN cell, but fails to address challenges of multiple-cell networks. We aim at designing network-wide resource management mechanisms to dynamic ....Incorporating network-level knowledge into Quality of Service control mechanisms for wireless LANs. Expansion of Wireless LANs as primary access technology for mobile computing devices has resulted in growing expectations of continuous area coverage and controlled Quality of Service. The work published to date defines QoS control mechanisms for a single WLAN cell, but fails to address challenges of multiple-cell networks. We aim at designing network-wide resource management mechanisms to dynamically allocate resources to cells and users, taking into account user mobility and radio interference between multiple cells. Benefits from this research include competitive advantage to operators who will be able to differentiate service offerings and guarantee agreed QoS to their customers.Read moreRead less
Fabrication and design of spun and chiral microstructured fibres. Novel optical fibre devices and especially sensors have established and growing markets in sectors as diverse as medical, aerospace & defence, energy, scientific and process control. This project will build on our existing success in developing microstructured polymer optical fibres (mPOF), and create major new opportunities, both in fundamental science and in applications that could be commercialised. Australia is currently leadi ....Fabrication and design of spun and chiral microstructured fibres. Novel optical fibre devices and especially sensors have established and growing markets in sectors as diverse as medical, aerospace & defence, energy, scientific and process control. This project will build on our existing success in developing microstructured polymer optical fibres (mPOF), and create major new opportunities, both in fundamental science and in applications that could be commercialised. Australia is currently leading the world in mPOF. This project builds on these past successes but moves beyond telecommunications into biophotonics with potential applications in magnetic field sensors, biological sensors, optical tweezers, polarisation emulators and new types of linear and nonlinear modes. Read moreRead less
Next-Generation Optical Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) for long-haul telecommunications: building on recent research and commercialisation success. The provision of Broadband Internet services to the home also requires extremely-fast 'backbone' connections between cities to carry the additional traffic demands.
In a previous project funded by the ARC, Monash researchers developed Optical-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) technology to increase the information- ....Next-Generation Optical Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) for long-haul telecommunications: building on recent research and commercialisation success. The provision of Broadband Internet services to the home also requires extremely-fast 'backbone' connections between cities to carry the additional traffic demands.
In a previous project funded by the ARC, Monash researchers developed Optical-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) technology to increase the information-carrying capacity of optical fibers simply by plugging in new circuit boards at exchanges. This is now being commercialised by a new Australian company, to considerable international acclaim. This project aims to provide the next generation of this technology, which will support even faster internet and will ensure the long-term future of Australian telecommunications manufacturing.
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