Early Career Industry Fellowships - Grant ID: IE230100672
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$470,337.00
Summary
Measuring real-time mental workload to improve our Defence capability. This project aims to develop a novel platform for measuring real-time variation in the cognitive workload of humans working with advanced Defence technologies. The project expects to combine innovative statistical techniques with cutting-edge psychological and neuroscience developments to measure and process workload-related brain activity in real-time. Expected outcomes of the project include an enhanced capacity to measure ....Measuring real-time mental workload to improve our Defence capability. This project aims to develop a novel platform for measuring real-time variation in the cognitive workload of humans working with advanced Defence technologies. The project expects to combine innovative statistical techniques with cutting-edge psychological and neuroscience developments to measure and process workload-related brain activity in real-time. Expected outcomes of the project include an enhanced capacity to measure and respond to cognitive workload in the field. This should provide significant benefits such as enhanced performance and safety outcomes, which will provide a strategic advantage to the Australian Defence Force by facilitating the development of advanced technologies that respond to the capabilities of the human user.Read moreRead less
Development Of Therapeutically Useful Human Artificial Chromosomes For Gene Delivery And Optimal Gene Expression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$496,986.00
Summary
Gene therapy is an exciting new form of treatment for genetic disorders aimed at providing long-term correction of the problems at source - namely the affected gene. The biggest technical hurdle facing gene therapy is to be able to deliver the therapeutic genes efficiently and safely into patient cells. Many gene therapy protocols are currently being trialled clinically. These protocols, based mostly on the use of attenuated viruses to deliver the genes, carry potential risks to the patients in ....Gene therapy is an exciting new form of treatment for genetic disorders aimed at providing long-term correction of the problems at source - namely the affected gene. The biggest technical hurdle facing gene therapy is to be able to deliver the therapeutic genes efficiently and safely into patient cells. Many gene therapy protocols are currently being trialled clinically. These protocols, based mostly on the use of attenuated viruses to deliver the genes, carry potential risks to the patients in terms of infection, immune response, and germline modification. We have developed the first stage of a new technology for gene delivery that does not require the use of viruses. This technology is based on the generation of human artificial chromosomes, which are smaller versions of the naturally occurring chromosomes that carry all the genes inside our cells. Safety in these artificial chromosomes comes from the use of entirely human materials for their engineering. These artificial chromosomes also have other advantages over the viral approaches, including allowing large genes to be carried, and providing a permanent cure in a single treatment. We have already successfully constructed, published, and patented a number of first-generation human artificial chromosomes. The current project aims to complete the next proof-of-concept milestone towards the further development of this technology. Specifically, we propose to demonstrate the ability of the artificial chromosomes to carry genes and provide sustainable expression of these genes in cells and in animal models. Success in this study will allow the technology to proceed rapidly into commercialisation and clinical trial as a new improved tool for gene delivery and gene therapy.Read moreRead less
Discovering And Targeting Genes Regulating Skeletal Muscle Function, Metabolism, And Adaptations To Exercise Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$431,000.00
Summary
Muscle wasting and decreased in mitochondrial function due to ageing or lack of physical activity are associated with reduced quality of life. The overarching aim is to develop a unique research program focusing on targeting specific genes, and to discover novel genes regulating muscle wasting and mitochondrial (dis)function. I anticipate this approach to assist in the development of targeted and personalised prevention and therapy for diseases associated with muscle (dis)function.
Structural And Functional Analysis Of A Cancer-linked Co-regulator Complex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$729,571.00
Summary
We seek to understand the mechanisms by which genes are switched on and off throughout our lifetime. A number of multi-component protein machines are involved in this process but their make-up and mechanism of action is not understood. We will investigate the structure and function of one of these machines that has been strongly linked to cancer.
Autonomous Functions for Smart Cars. The aim of this project is to develop autonomous functions for smart cars, such as lane departure warning, driver fatigue warning, and automatic lane following. Every year 70,000 people are killed in road accidents, 95% of which can be attributed to driver error. The potential outcomes of this project therefore significant. Many of the theoretical methods required for this project have been developed by our group. However, further theoretical refinements fo ....Autonomous Functions for Smart Cars. The aim of this project is to develop autonomous functions for smart cars, such as lane departure warning, driver fatigue warning, and automatic lane following. Every year 70,000 people are killed in road accidents, 95% of which can be attributed to driver error. The potential outcomes of this project therefore significant. Many of the theoretical methods required for this project have been developed by our group. However, further theoretical refinements followed by experimental verification is necessary. For smart cars to be accepted, the systems must be demonstrated to be reliable and to operate in a wide range of conditions.Read moreRead less
Affective sensing technology for the detection and monitoring of depression and melancholia. This project will develop reliable and affective sensing technology and evaluate it as an objective measure of depressive disorders; a leading cause of disability worldwide. Outcomes will significantly support and aid clinicians in their diagnosis and treatment, thus providing a major breakthrough with significant research, healthcare and commercial possibilities.
Location-Based Personalisation in Mobile Commerce (M-Commerce). M-commerce, though playing an important role in future competitiveness of Australia, suffers a low user demand. While location-based services have taken off in Europe, they are still at their infancy in Australia. In terms of IT access, Australia is ranked lower than many Asian countries. Our work gains an understanding of users' concerns and expectations of location-based services, which leads to better application designs and thus ....Location-Based Personalisation in Mobile Commerce (M-Commerce). M-commerce, though playing an important role in future competitiveness of Australia, suffers a low user demand. While location-based services have taken off in Europe, they are still at their infancy in Australia. In terms of IT access, Australia is ranked lower than many Asian countries. Our work gains an understanding of users' concerns and expectations of location-based services, which leads to better application designs and thus a wider adoption. An examination of users' attitude towards personalised content and concerns about data privacy provides insights to Australian legislation in relation to telemarketing and data-driven marketing. National benefits will stem from a balance between telemarketing efficiency and users' benefits.Read moreRead less
Automated internet warnings to prevent viewing of minor-adult sex images. Since the advent of the internet and digital cameras, the market for child exploitation material (CEM) has boomed. This project aims to explore how the visual appearance of warning messages influences internet users. It plans to conduct a randomised controlled experiment with naïve participants on a real-life website to test the effectiveness of messages designed to discourage viewers of legal ‘barely legal’ pornography. I ....Automated internet warnings to prevent viewing of minor-adult sex images. Since the advent of the internet and digital cameras, the market for child exploitation material (CEM) has boomed. This project aims to explore how the visual appearance of warning messages influences internet users. It plans to conduct a randomised controlled experiment with naïve participants on a real-life website to test the effectiveness of messages designed to discourage viewers of legal ‘barely legal’ pornography. It is anticipated that results will assist policing efforts by indicating whether warnings can be used to dissuade first-time CEM viewers and whether differences exist between harm or deterrent-focused messages.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre for Kangaroo Genome. In this Australian-led Kangaroo Genome Project, we will map and characterize the tammar wallaby genome at the molecular level. Marsupial genomes are uniquely valuable because they provide comparisons that reveal new human genes, regulatory sequences and marsupial-specific genes. These will deliver new products and information useful for medicine, industry, agriculture and conservation. We will construct integrated genetic and physical maps of the genome, clone the ....ARC Centre for Kangaroo Genome. In this Australian-led Kangaroo Genome Project, we will map and characterize the tammar wallaby genome at the molecular level. Marsupial genomes are uniquely valuable because they provide comparisons that reveal new human genes, regulatory sequences and marsupial-specific genes. These will deliver new products and information useful for medicine, industry, agriculture and conservation. We will construct integrated genetic and physical maps of the genome, clone the whole genome as large inserts in BAC vectors, and build a "golden path" with minimal overlap. We will construct libraries of expressed genes from tammar tissues and array them for use in analysing gene expression.Read moreRead less