Understanding the generation of hypothalamic sleep neurons. This Project aims to investigate the mechanisms controlling the formation of the sleep neurons in the hypothalamus. We all sleep, and normal sleep-wake cycles play a central role in our biology. The functional role of these sleep neurons in the mature brain are well established. However, how the neurons are generated during development is very poorly defined. This project aims to address this critical knowledge gap, and will greatly inc ....Understanding the generation of hypothalamic sleep neurons. This Project aims to investigate the mechanisms controlling the formation of the sleep neurons in the hypothalamus. We all sleep, and normal sleep-wake cycles play a central role in our biology. The functional role of these sleep neurons in the mature brain are well established. However, how the neurons are generated during development is very poorly defined. This project aims to address this critical knowledge gap, and will greatly increase our understanding of how the development of this critical aspect of organismal function is orchestrated during development. This project will also develop bioinformatics tools with broad utility within the biosciences field and enhance the capacity for interdisciplinary international collaborations.Read moreRead less
Counter-COVID public policies and the impacts on Australian children. This project aims to identify the causal effects of counter-COVID school closures, stay-at-home mandates and government support payments on the educational and developmental outcomes of Australian children. It will establish, for the first time, a comprehensive causal evidence base on the average and distributional impacts of these policies on children across the spectrum of schooling years from preschool to secondary school c ....Counter-COVID public policies and the impacts on Australian children. This project aims to identify the causal effects of counter-COVID school closures, stay-at-home mandates and government support payments on the educational and developmental outcomes of Australian children. It will establish, for the first time, a comprehensive causal evidence base on the average and distributional impacts of these policies on children across the spectrum of schooling years from preschool to secondary school completion. This project expects to advance our understanding of child skill accumulation and the relative importance of schools, parents, peers and government intervention. Anticipated benefits include providing policy recommendations to restore student learning outcomes and reduce educational inequality in Australia.Read moreRead less
Pacific Oyster Feeds And Feeding In South Australian Waters: Towards Ecosystem Based Management
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$391,000.00
Summary
To help establish an improved basis for ecologically sustainable aquaculture development and ecosystem based resource management, there is a strong research need to a) determine what Pacific oysters, blue mussels and cockles consume in the unique, typically large, shallow, high salinity and apparently low productivity waters of South Australian (SA) bays, and b) understand the temporal and spatial fluctuation in food availability, and c) the relationship between food availability and Pacific oys ....To help establish an improved basis for ecologically sustainable aquaculture development and ecosystem based resource management, there is a strong research need to a) determine what Pacific oysters, blue mussels and cockles consume in the unique, typically large, shallow, high salinity and apparently low productivity waters of South Australian (SA) bays, and b) understand the temporal and spatial fluctuation in food availability, and c) the relationship between food availability and Pacific oyster farm productivity. This need is driven by: 1) bivalves could not be included in the modeling of carrying capacity of Spencer Gulf mainly due to the lack of knowledge on the trophic function and feeding physiology of oysters; 2) the oyster industry has been experiencing average Pacific oyster mortalities between stocking and harvesting on an ongoing basis of 35% (up to 50%) in some areas, and believe this loss is associated with a complex interaction between food availability, oyster condition and a variety of biological, chemical and physical stressors; and 3) an interest of the State Government, industry and potential new aquaculture entrants to maximize the use of existing lease allocations and diversify the bivalve species farmed as a risk management strategy for a potential OsHV-1 µvar outbreak in SA. Additional Pacific oyster or new species stock will potentially increase competition for the limited available food.
Objectives: 1. Determine what Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas), blue mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and mud cockles (Katelysia sp) are feeding on in selected SA bays, and identify the overlap in food resource utilization among all 3 species. 2. Determine the temporal and spatial variability in the food availability of Pacific oysters, mussels and cockles in selected SA bays. 3. Determine key factors affecting oyster performance (growth, condition and survival) in selected SA bays. 4. Determine the factors regulating the relationship between oyster growth/condition and sustainable production in selected locations in SA. 5. Transfer the results of this project to interested stakeholders, in particular the SA oyster industry and SA Government aquaculture policy makers. Read moreRead less
The impact of female sex hormones on neurodevelopment. This project aims to characterise the contribution of sex hormones to the development of emotional brain circuits in female adolescents. Puberty is associated with profound changes in emotional behaviours in females, but we know little about the underlying brain mechanisms. In particular, research has neglected to consider the role of the sex hormones for which changes are a defining feature of female puberty (eg, oestradiol). This work will ....The impact of female sex hormones on neurodevelopment. This project aims to characterise the contribution of sex hormones to the development of emotional brain circuits in female adolescents. Puberty is associated with profound changes in emotional behaviours in females, but we know little about the underlying brain mechanisms. In particular, research has neglected to consider the role of the sex hormones for which changes are a defining feature of female puberty (eg, oestradiol). This work will be the first to comprehensively advance our understanding of the unique role of sex hormones in shaping the adolescent female brain. It will provide critical understanding of how individual differences in hormonal factors increase risk for emotional problems in females, and inform treatment strategies.Read moreRead less
Social, economic and health vulnerabilities in Indonesia. This project aims to study and provide ways to overcome vulnerability in Indonesia. Half the Indonesian population is still clustered around the poverty line, contributing to their vulnerability. This project will identify vulnerable groups and why they are vulnerable. Using a common framework of the life course in eight Indonesian field sites, this project will investigate whether social networks and welfare programs reduce vulnerability ....Social, economic and health vulnerabilities in Indonesia. This project aims to study and provide ways to overcome vulnerability in Indonesia. Half the Indonesian population is still clustered around the poverty line, contributing to their vulnerability. This project will identify vulnerable groups and why they are vulnerable. Using a common framework of the life course in eight Indonesian field sites, this project will investigate whether social networks and welfare programs reduce vulnerability, and pinpoint strategies for reducing vulnerabilities in the future. The project expects to show how vulnerable citizens in Indonesia can be made more secure, helping to build a more stable and prosperous region.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100057
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$339,446.00
Summary
Creating tactile electronic books for people with vision impairment. This project aims to create a framework which allows authoring, reading and storing of tactile electronic books for people with vision impairment by using multi-touch, audio, and tactile technologies. The project expects to generate new knowledge in the areas of human computer interaction and information visualisation utilising new techniques to present visual information in the form of audio and tactile. Expected outcomes of t ....Creating tactile electronic books for people with vision impairment. This project aims to create a framework which allows authoring, reading and storing of tactile electronic books for people with vision impairment by using multi-touch, audio, and tactile technologies. The project expects to generate new knowledge in the areas of human computer interaction and information visualisation utilising new techniques to present visual information in the form of audio and tactile. Expected outcomes of the project are to reduce the cost of authoring accessible textual and graphical content, and to provide a practical and intuitive reading experience. This should provide benefits to people with vision impairment while accessing information in a more effective and efficient way.Read moreRead less
Planning for a better life under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). This project aims to analyse and define the experiences and expectations of people with disability in rural and remote regions. People accessing the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) are required to complete a personalised service plan, however despite these reforms, people in rural and remote communities currently experience many challenges with the scheme. Using qualitative research methods, the project ....Planning for a better life under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). This project aims to analyse and define the experiences and expectations of people with disability in rural and remote regions. People accessing the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) are required to complete a personalised service plan, however despite these reforms, people in rural and remote communities currently experience many challenges with the scheme. Using qualitative research methods, the project will investigate people’s experiences engaging with Local Area Coordinators and Planners under the Rural and Remote Strategy 2016-2019 and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Strategy. The project will provide significant outcomes for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people with disability in rural and remote areas, disability service providers, and government and non-government policy makers.Read moreRead less
Development Of Technical And Extension Material To Support Murray Cod Aquaculture Industry Expansion In Australia
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
The 5 July 2017 meeting of representatives from the various States involved in the Murray Cod industry agreed to three key R&D priorities to support expansion of the Murray Cod industry in Australia. They included:
1. Development of a farm management plan/manual to: provide advice on optimising production systems and water quality; review and update of existing Murray Cod culture guidelines using recent relevant publications and input from commercial operators; and identify any informa ....The 5 July 2017 meeting of representatives from the various States involved in the Murray Cod industry agreed to three key R&D priorities to support expansion of the Murray Cod industry in Australia. They included:
1. Development of a farm management plan/manual to: provide advice on optimising production systems and water quality; review and update of existing Murray Cod culture guidelines using recent relevant publications and input from commercial operators; and identify any information gaps 2. Off Flavour. Review of recent publications/work from other sectors (eg Barramundi) to prevent off flavor in Murray Cod. Murray Cod quality product assurance; and 3. Fish health and treatment (parasites, bacterial infection, Lurnea, Chilodonella, ratty tail). Review and update information on treatment options (chronic/prophylactic) for Murray Cod. Murray Cod health management strategy
This project proposal aims to address these high R&D industry priorities by developing a range of technical and extension material.
The Murray Cod industry is developing rapidly in Australia increasing from 250t 2014/15 to over 500t 2016/17. Industry forecast several thousand tonnes production by 2020 with many new farms seeking approval and new franchise business models moving forward. To capitalise on this expansion, there is a pressing need to improve extension resources.
Objectives: 1. Development of best practice production guidelines for Murray Cod aquaculture, to be used nationally 2. Extension to industry, and new investors, of the best practice production guidelines Read moreRead less
Evaluation Of Cobia And Giant Groper Production And Health In Multiple Growout Systems, As An Alternative Species To Farm In WSSV Affected Areas Of South East Queensland
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$150,000.00
Summary
The production and health performance of emerging aquaculture species, cobia and giant grouper, in former prawn farm pond and tank infrastructure is not well documented. The development of these alternative species offers flexibility and new production opportunities to WSSV affected farms in SE Queensland, and elsewhere in Australia to expand aquaculture production more generally.
Fish health problems are a common cause of aquaculture business failure. In prior pilot trials, significant ....The production and health performance of emerging aquaculture species, cobia and giant grouper, in former prawn farm pond and tank infrastructure is not well documented. The development of these alternative species offers flexibility and new production opportunities to WSSV affected farms in SE Queensland, and elsewhere in Australia to expand aquaculture production more generally.
Fish health problems are a common cause of aquaculture business failure. In prior pilot trials, significant health challenges were encountered that require thorough veterinary investigation and intervention. The information learnt from investigations can then form components of a health management plan for the culture of these two species in SE Queensland, in various systems. The description of health challenges through veterinary outbreak investigation allows the development and costing of interventions to prevent or treat the issue. Over the 12 month time frame of this project, surveillance strategies can be developed for early detection of disease. Such health management strategies facilitate early response actions that can minimise losses associated with infectious disease.
One metric which influences the viability of aquaculture systems is the density at which a species can be farmed. This is particularly the case in RAS, where the infrastructure capital costs are high. This project will document the impacts of stocking density on health and production in RAS, cages and ponds.
Another element that strongly influences viability of aquaculture enterprises is the growth rates of stock that are able to be achieved. Generating data from systems farmed at commercial densities can assist in determining the suitability of various sites for expansion of farming these species in Australia.
Objectives: 1. Generate data on the production and health performance of Giant Grouper and Cobia in RAS, cages in a saline lake and in outdoor pond growout systems. 2. Field test production outcomes from an experimental recombinant autogenous vaccine for prevention of nodavirus in the Giant Grouper. 3. Assess market potential for various formats of cobia and grouper Read moreRead less