Dhenia: A study of regionalism, population and society in Bronze Age Cyprus. The cemetery complex at Dhenia in Cyprus was in use for 2500 years, from the beginning of the Bronze Age (2,400 BCE) to the end of the Iron Age. This project is designed to sample this extensive site to assess its changing size and structure during periods of major social transformation. Comparative studies of contemporary sites will provide the basis for monitoring and explaining local, regional and island-wide relatio ....Dhenia: A study of regionalism, population and society in Bronze Age Cyprus. The cemetery complex at Dhenia in Cyprus was in use for 2500 years, from the beginning of the Bronze Age (2,400 BCE) to the end of the Iron Age. This project is designed to sample this extensive site to assess its changing size and structure during periods of major social transformation. Comparative studies of contemporary sites will provide the basis for monitoring and explaining local, regional and island-wide relationships, viewed in a context of expanding population and increasing interaction with the wider Mediterranean world. New data and approaches will contribute significantly to Cypriot archaeology and to broader archaeological theory.Read moreRead less
A study of the archaeology of Caucasian Iberia with implications for grazing management in Australia. This multi-disciplinary project will promote a younger generation of talented postgraduate and undergraduate students in a wide variety of fields, including archaeology, geomatic engineering, conservation of material culture, environmental and other natural sciences. The highlands of the Caucasus, located in a bioclimatic zone with a long history of alpine grazing, can also provide answers to qu ....A study of the archaeology of Caucasian Iberia with implications for grazing management in Australia. This multi-disciplinary project will promote a younger generation of talented postgraduate and undergraduate students in a wide variety of fields, including archaeology, geomatic engineering, conservation of material culture, environmental and other natural sciences. The highlands of the Caucasus, located in a bioclimatic zone with a long history of alpine grazing, can also provide answers to questions such as the effect of grazing on biodiversity and the rehabilitation of fragile ecosystems, which may inform management and conservation activities in analogous highland country in Australia. The project will also ensure that exhibitions illustrating the rich heritage of Caucasus will reach Australian shores.Read moreRead less
In the Wake of the Sea Peoples, In the Footsteps of Goliath: Excavating the Philistine Site of Tell es-Safi/Gath. This project brings Australian research into the current scholarly debates on Philistine identity, a quickly growing sub-discipline in Mediterranean archaeology. Marginalized in the Bible as decadent, current research sees the Philistines as a cosmopolitan culture resulting from migration from Cyprus and the Aegean, and interaction with the local Canaanite population. In addition, Au ....In the Wake of the Sea Peoples, In the Footsteps of Goliath: Excavating the Philistine Site of Tell es-Safi/Gath. This project brings Australian research into the current scholarly debates on Philistine identity, a quickly growing sub-discipline in Mediterranean archaeology. Marginalized in the Bible as decadent, current research sees the Philistines as a cosmopolitan culture resulting from migration from Cyprus and the Aegean, and interaction with the local Canaanite population. In addition, Australian collaboration and interaction with Israeli colleagues and students will contribute to a more positive perception of the Jewish community in Australia, which has been the recent target of anti-Semitic activities as a result of the Israeli government's invasion of Gaza.Read moreRead less
The Sakai scheme-Askey table correspondence, analogues of isomonodromy and determinantal point processes. The Australian mathematical sciences enjoys two research groups with active interests on Painleve equations in applied mathematics which are able to address difficult problems. Such a problem is to give a formulation of Sakai's 2001 classification of the Painleve equations in a form most suitable for applications. For this links will be made with a seemingly distinct area of mathematics - t ....The Sakai scheme-Askey table correspondence, analogues of isomonodromy and determinantal point processes. The Australian mathematical sciences enjoys two research groups with active interests on Painleve equations in applied mathematics which are able to address difficult problems. Such a problem is to give a formulation of Sakai's 2001 classification of the Painleve equations in a form most suitable for applications. For this links will be made with a seemingly distinct area of mathematics - the Askey table from the theory of hypergeometric orthogonal polynomials. A number of tractable PhD projects are suggested by this proposal.Read moreRead less
Settlement patterns, craft production, and the rise of early states in China. This project is an international, multidisciplinary archaeological program focused on monitoring the processes which led to the rise of early states in China, through extensive study of settlement patterns in the Yiluo valley, using regional surveys and geoarchaeological investigations. It will make significant contributions in four aspects: evaluation and reformulation of general theoretical and methodological approac ....Settlement patterns, craft production, and the rise of early states in China. This project is an international, multidisciplinary archaeological program focused on monitoring the processes which led to the rise of early states in China, through extensive study of settlement patterns in the Yiluo valley, using regional surveys and geoarchaeological investigations. It will make significant contributions in four aspects: evaluation and reformulation of general theoretical and methodological approaches to the interdisciplinary study of social complexity; enhanced understanding of Chinese cultural history in the light of anthropological theory; articulation of empirical approaches to the study of Chinese civilisation through archaeology; and strengthened collaborative research between archaeologists in Australia and other parts of the world.Read moreRead less
Designing new generation adjuvants for allergy and parasite vaccines. Allergy vaccines have the potential to provide a permanent cure against many allergic diseases, currently affecting 20-30 per cent of people in developed countries. This project will study how allergy vaccines work and how we can improve their effectiveness and safety.
Dissecting the Parameters for the Generation of Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Immunity. This project aims to identify mechanisms by which antigen-presenting cells, such as dendritic cells, prime CD8+ T cells to generate effector and memory populations at the molecular level. The specific intention is to identify reagents capable of licensing dendritic cells, and examine the down-stream gene products/pathways generated by these signals using microarray analyses. Such knowledge will provide new insight i ....Dissecting the Parameters for the Generation of Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Immunity. This project aims to identify mechanisms by which antigen-presenting cells, such as dendritic cells, prime CD8+ T cells to generate effector and memory populations at the molecular level. The specific intention is to identify reagents capable of licensing dendritic cells, and examine the down-stream gene products/pathways generated by these signals using microarray analyses. Such knowledge will provide new insight into CTL generation by providing greater understanding of how multicellular systems function both at the cellular and molecular level.Read moreRead less
Imaging of immune responses to pathogens in vivo. This proposal represents an excellent opportunity for Australian science to participate in state-of-the-art research into the immune system and to be internationally competitive with the best researchers in the field. By combining advanced microscopy techniques with well developed biological models used by researchers at the University of Melbourne, this project will greatly improve our understanding of the dynamic interactions that occur betwee ....Imaging of immune responses to pathogens in vivo. This proposal represents an excellent opportunity for Australian science to participate in state-of-the-art research into the immune system and to be internationally competitive with the best researchers in the field. By combining advanced microscopy techniques with well developed biological models used by researchers at the University of Melbourne, this project will greatly improve our understanding of the dynamic interactions that occur between cells of the immune system during infectious diseases. The insight provided by this project will facilitate the design of better vaccines for protection against diseases, including influenza.Read moreRead less
Technological Advances in Large-scale Roman Concrete Buildings during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. How were the Romans able to build monuments which are still standing after 2,000 years? Skills to achieve this were clearly not developed overnight. A multidisciplinary team from the University of Melbourne has identified the 1st century BC as a time of tremendous technological change in Roman architecture. Was it that the Romans used a technologically advanced type of concerete? Was it that they ....Technological Advances in Large-scale Roman Concrete Buildings during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. How were the Romans able to build monuments which are still standing after 2,000 years? Skills to achieve this were clearly not developed overnight. A multidisciplinary team from the University of Melbourne has identified the 1st century BC as a time of tremendous technological change in Roman architecture. Was it that the Romans used a technologically advanced type of concerete? Was it that they had perfected the structural design of vaults and domes? Was it simply their organisational ability or the enormous wealth which flowed from their vast Empire? A team of experienced archaeologists,architects and engineers seeks to answer these questions by survey and material analysis of a number of key Roman monuments.Read moreRead less
CD1C-LIPID-REACTIVE T CELLS. The immune system patrols our body examining molecules such as proteins and lipids that signal whether or not everything is ok. While protein recognition by the immune system is well understood, our knowledge of the fundamental features of lipid detection is poor. This project will investigate the detection of lipid molecules that are presented to the immune system in association with a molecule known as CD1c. The aims are to understand: 1. The cells that respond to ....CD1C-LIPID-REACTIVE T CELLS. The immune system patrols our body examining molecules such as proteins and lipids that signal whether or not everything is ok. While protein recognition by the immune system is well understood, our knowledge of the fundamental features of lipid detection is poor. This project will investigate the detection of lipid molecules that are presented to the immune system in association with a molecule known as CD1c. The aims are to understand: 1. The cells that respond to these lipids; 2. The cellular receptors that bind to these lipids; 3. The types of lipids involved in this process. This work is essential for us to understand lipid-based immunology which is critical if we ultimately wish to harness this to improve human health.Read moreRead less