Advanced Nanostructured Biointerfaces for Cell Capture. The expected outcomes of this interdisciplinary project, which apply the most recent advances in nanotechnology and biophysics to cancer research, will enhance Australia's capacity in Frontier Technology and build strength in Nanobiotechnology. They will bring competitive advantages to the Australian biotechnology and biomedical community for further developments and applications in the multi-billion dollar field of biodiagnostics. These in ....Advanced Nanostructured Biointerfaces for Cell Capture. The expected outcomes of this interdisciplinary project, which apply the most recent advances in nanotechnology and biophysics to cancer research, will enhance Australia's capacity in Frontier Technology and build strength in Nanobiotechnology. They will bring competitive advantages to the Australian biotechnology and biomedical community for further developments and applications in the multi-billion dollar field of biodiagnostics. These innovative biodiagnostic strategies will potentially achieve a significant step in the direction of the once elusive goal of early detection and improved understanding of cancer.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
Understanding Ageism in Australia. Ageism refers to stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination towards people based on their age. This project aims to generate new knowledge in relation to older Australians’ experiences of ageism by conducting a population-based survey of ageism and examining its links with mental health and wellbeing. The project will also use intensive longitudinal methods to study everyday ageism. Expected outcomes include identification of at-risk groups that can be used to i ....Understanding Ageism in Australia. Ageism refers to stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination towards people based on their age. This project aims to generate new knowledge in relation to older Australians’ experiences of ageism by conducting a population-based survey of ageism and examining its links with mental health and wellbeing. The project will also use intensive longitudinal methods to study everyday ageism. Expected outcomes include identification of at-risk groups that can be used to inform government policy responses to tackling ageism and will inform the development of interventions and education programs to reduce ageism in the community. This should provide significant benefits for social inclusion, intergenerational solidarity and economic participation Read moreRead less
TeraHertz Cell Cluster Imaging. With this program, Australia will benefit from the interaction between physics, engineering, biology and medicine to develop a new TeraHertz imaging system. The project will identify the factors that contribute to TeraHertz contrast in soft tissue cell cultures, thereby developing a non-invasive imaging system to show contrast between diseased and healthy cells. This is a fundamental step towards a system for diagnosing disease states of skin cells, for example, t ....TeraHertz Cell Cluster Imaging. With this program, Australia will benefit from the interaction between physics, engineering, biology and medicine to develop a new TeraHertz imaging system. The project will identify the factors that contribute to TeraHertz contrast in soft tissue cell cultures, thereby developing a non-invasive imaging system to show contrast between diseased and healthy cells. This is a fundamental step towards a system for diagnosing disease states of skin cells, for example, the early detection of melanoma. Ultimately, Australia will benefit from a new technology, and new diagnostic biomedical techniques, for rapid, non-invasive and reliable skin cancer diagnosis.Read moreRead less
Motility as a means to understand prokaryotic function in the biosphere. Bacterial processes are crucial to the environment, industry and technology of Australia. This work will open a new area of research to expand our understanding of how bacteria behave and function. This will lay the foundation for improved environmental management and resource utilisation in the critical areas of groundwater purification, coral infections, fisheries yields, petroleum remediation and bioenergy generation. Th ....Motility as a means to understand prokaryotic function in the biosphere. Bacterial processes are crucial to the environment, industry and technology of Australia. This work will open a new area of research to expand our understanding of how bacteria behave and function. This will lay the foundation for improved environmental management and resource utilisation in the critical areas of groundwater purification, coral infections, fisheries yields, petroleum remediation and bioenergy generation. This proposal will train over a dozen new scientists in these crucial areas and bring leading international scientists to Australia in the areas of bioenergy production, microfluidics, advanced microscopy and bioengineering.Read moreRead less
Beyond oceanography: behavior as a tool to uncover ocean complexity. It is crucial that Australia remains a world leader in marine biology and ecology and continues to preserve the uniqueness of its marine environment through the development of integrated inter-disciplinary research projects. This project will open a new area of research at both the national and international levels through the first integrated approach of the behavioural mechanisms that rule the base of the ocean food web struc ....Beyond oceanography: behavior as a tool to uncover ocean complexity. It is crucial that Australia remains a world leader in marine biology and ecology and continues to preserve the uniqueness of its marine environment through the development of integrated inter-disciplinary research projects. This project will open a new area of research at both the national and international levels through the first integrated approach of the behavioural mechanisms that rule the base of the ocean food web structures and functions. The present work is also expected to open new perspectives in fields such as biological oceanography, microbial ecology, plankton ecology, behavioural ecology through the exploration of previously untapped areas of research.Read moreRead less
Molecular dynamics of steroid receptor crosstalk. This project uses state-of-the-art technology to show how steroids (for example, testosterone) affect many aspects of human life, and how these can be disrupted by chemicals and synthetic hormones. The results can be used to interpret disease, predict safety of new drugs, and to monitor risk to humans and wildlife of environmental chemicals.
Longshore Sediment Supply to the Deep Ocean. The current model to supply sand to deep water off continental margins is that provided by rivers operating at low sea level. We propose an alternative model in which sand is provided by longshore transport to deep water at high sea level north of Fraser Island, SE Queensland. Here we will test the validity of our new model by site studies of sea bottom morphology, composition and dynamics. If the model proves true, we will have: 1) generated an entir ....Longshore Sediment Supply to the Deep Ocean. The current model to supply sand to deep water off continental margins is that provided by rivers operating at low sea level. We propose an alternative model in which sand is provided by longshore transport to deep water at high sea level north of Fraser Island, SE Queensland. Here we will test the validity of our new model by site studies of sea bottom morphology, composition and dynamics. If the model proves true, we will have: 1) generated an entirely new exploration model for deepwater hydrocarbons, 2) provided new expertise and seabed maps for generating a superior marine naval defence capability.Read moreRead less
A prospective study of the mental health of grandparents providing part-time child care for their preschool age grandchildren. This project addresses national research priorities and will identify the characteristics of a high-risk subgroup of Australian grandparents for whom the childcare burden has a deleterious impact on health and well being. Results will enable development of improved approaches to education and awareness in health professionals and the lay community about this subgroup, fa ....A prospective study of the mental health of grandparents providing part-time child care for their preschool age grandchildren. This project addresses national research priorities and will identify the characteristics of a high-risk subgroup of Australian grandparents for whom the childcare burden has a deleterious impact on health and well being. Results will enable development of improved approaches to education and awareness in health professionals and the lay community about this subgroup, facilitating early identification and intervention. The study will provide evidence-based guidance to policy makers about the most appropriate support services for grandparents involved in high levels of childcare, reducing their level of stress and improving the quality of the childcare they provide.
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Detection of infrared-biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of canine neoplasia. This research hopes to discover infrared-biomarkers for canine cancers using synchrotron infrared and laser light. Many dog cancers are similar to human cancers so cancerous tissues and cells from dogs make excellent models for human cancer research. This project will provide new insights and technological approaches to cancer diagnosis and treatment.