Using genetics to recover Australia's lost history. This project aims to use historic hair samples collected by anthropological expeditions in the early 20th Century to generate the first genetic map of Aboriginal Australia – in order to reconstruct Australia’s pre-European genetic and cultural past. The map and the detailed contextual and genealogical information from museum archives will assist Aboriginal communities and individuals to reconstruct their personal and family history and trace an ....Using genetics to recover Australia's lost history. This project aims to use historic hair samples collected by anthropological expeditions in the early 20th Century to generate the first genetic map of Aboriginal Australia – in order to reconstruct Australia’s pre-European genetic and cultural past. The map and the detailed contextual and genealogical information from museum archives will assist Aboriginal communities and individuals to reconstruct their personal and family history and trace ancestry and augment oral or written records. The combination of cutting-edge science, detailed archival research, and a comprehensive family outreach and reporting program will be a step change in assisting Australia’s reconciliation process, the Stolen Generation, and repatriation of Indigenous remains.Read moreRead less
Developing new methods to retrieve and analyse preserved genetic information. This project will position Australia at the leading edge of research into preserved DNA, and will use innovative molecular biology approaches to develop a range of new forensic, archaeological and medical applications. It will build Australian knowledge and scientific capacity by developing core expertise and training personnel in areas important for biosecurity, customs and quarantine, forensics/counter-terrorism, and ....Developing new methods to retrieve and analyse preserved genetic information. This project will position Australia at the leading edge of research into preserved DNA, and will use innovative molecular biology approaches to develop a range of new forensic, archaeological and medical applications. It will build Australian knowledge and scientific capacity by developing core expertise and training personnel in areas important for biosecurity, customs and quarantine, forensics/counter-terrorism, and studies of climate change. It will also create and foster research innovation in molecular biology with spin-offs for evolution, archaeology, medical and conservation biology research, and will also encourage involvement with the rapidly expanding field of genomics and bioinformatics.Read moreRead less
Bronze Age textiles from Dong Son coffins in Vietnam. This multi-disciplinary project breaks new ground in Southeast Asian archaeology by incorporating excavation with the conservation and analysis of a unique assemblage of prehistoric textiles already located in Dong Son coffins in the Red River delta. In recognition of the cultural significance of the archaeological materials to Vietnam, conservators are involved in the excavation process to reduce physical damage and the loss of fragile mate ....Bronze Age textiles from Dong Son coffins in Vietnam. This multi-disciplinary project breaks new ground in Southeast Asian archaeology by incorporating excavation with the conservation and analysis of a unique assemblage of prehistoric textiles already located in Dong Son coffins in the Red River delta. In recognition of the cultural significance of the archaeological materials to Vietnam, conservators are involved in the excavation process to reduce physical damage and the loss of fragile materials during recovery. The research will also contribute to Southeast Asian (and Vietnamese) archaeology by providing some new insights into the cultural interaction between South China and Vietnam during the late
prehistoric period.Read moreRead less
Australian plague locust population genetics and migratory behaviour. The project will allow improved monitoring and forecasting of locusts in Australia and thereby help prevent locust outbreaks. Benefits will arise directly through greater effectiveness in reducing locust damage to crops, and indirectly to Australian rural industry generally through the economic benefits of reduced losses and locust control costs. Environmental and social benefits will also arise from reduced, better targeted u ....Australian plague locust population genetics and migratory behaviour. The project will allow improved monitoring and forecasting of locusts in Australia and thereby help prevent locust outbreaks. Benefits will arise directly through greater effectiveness in reducing locust damage to crops, and indirectly to Australian rural industry generally through the economic benefits of reduced losses and locust control costs. Environmental and social benefits will also arise from reduced, better targeted use of chemical insecticides. This in turn can produce secondary economic benefits, e.g. through enhanced growth and profitability of the organic beef industry within the main locust-outbreak area. Read moreRead less
TraitCapture: Genomic modelling for plant phenomics under environmental stress. This project aims to develop software to integrate new hyper-spectral and 3D growth models of plant phenomics with population genomics to identify heritable developmental traits across varied environments. Genome wide association studies aim to then be used to identify causal genes. Functional structural plant models incorporating genetic variation will be used to predict growth under simulated stress environments. ....TraitCapture: Genomic modelling for plant phenomics under environmental stress. This project aims to develop software to integrate new hyper-spectral and 3D growth models of plant phenomics with population genomics to identify heritable developmental traits across varied environments. Genome wide association studies aim to then be used to identify causal genes. Functional structural plant models incorporating genetic variation will be used to predict growth under simulated stress environments. The research team unites international industry, the Australian Plant Phenomics Facility, and university statistical geneticists. TraitCapture software will use open standards applicable to both controlled and field environments enabling plant breeders to pre-select adaptive traits to increase crop productivity under environmental stress.Read moreRead less
Genomics for persistence of Australian freshwater fish. Biodiversity faces an unpredictable cocktail of impacts and global environmental change, against which the best insurance is genetic diversity. We will develop genomic measures of ecological-genetic functions and evolutionary potential for managing Australian freshwater fish.
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
Metapopulation and habitat quality: towards an integrated approach to the conservation of an endangered grassland lizard. Our research will provide the basis upon which the grassland earless dragon can be removed from its endangered status and provide a template for the future science based management of other endangered species. Australia will gain through this project by reducing its risk of losing yet another species through inappropriate management.
Novel bioinformatics approaches for biological inference from comparative genomics data. Unlocking the potential of the human and other genome sequences depends almost entirely upon comparative genomics techniques. We will develop powerful bioinformatic models, implemented as high-performance computing solutions, for the examination of gene sequences. Improving these models, which represent the initial building block for all comparative genomics techniques, will be beneficial across genomics dep ....Novel bioinformatics approaches for biological inference from comparative genomics data. Unlocking the potential of the human and other genome sequences depends almost entirely upon comparative genomics techniques. We will develop powerful bioinformatic models, implemented as high-performance computing solutions, for the examination of gene sequences. Improving these models, which represent the initial building block for all comparative genomics techniques, will be beneficial across genomics dependent industries. A major outcome from this work will be an integrated software/hardware product optimised for statistical examination of very large-scale genomics data.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.