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
Recombination of mitochondrial genomes: what can we learn from chigger mites? This project will bring three benefits to Australia. First, it will enhance Australia's research capacity in the fields of organelle genomics and evolutionary biology. Second, it will yield highly skilled young researchers: a postdoctoral fellow (Shao), a PhD student and two BSc Honours students. Third, it will generate new knowledge about genome recombination in animal mitochondria. Recombination is a fundamental, yet ....Recombination of mitochondrial genomes: what can we learn from chigger mites? This project will bring three benefits to Australia. First, it will enhance Australia's research capacity in the fields of organelle genomics and evolutionary biology. Second, it will yield highly skilled young researchers: a postdoctoral fellow (Shao), a PhD student and two BSc Honours students. Third, it will generate new knowledge about genome recombination in animal mitochondria. Recombination is a fundamental, yet poorly understood issue in mitochondrial genomics and evolutionary biology. Knowledge from this project will also improve our understanding of other important issues that are associated with animal mitochondria; like the mechanisms of mitochondrial disease and ageing, and the evolution of modern humans and other animals.Read moreRead less
New models for the role of chromatin in controlling inducible gene expression. This proposal aims to test novel models of how packaging of DNA in the nucleus plays a fundamental role in gene expression. Understanding these concepts is important in the context of successful gene therapy where major hurdles need to be overcome. This work also has implications for somatic cell therapy since it is important to understand how genes are expressed in order to successfully reprogram cells. Both of these ....New models for the role of chromatin in controlling inducible gene expression. This proposal aims to test novel models of how packaging of DNA in the nucleus plays a fundamental role in gene expression. Understanding these concepts is important in the context of successful gene therapy where major hurdles need to be overcome. This work also has implications for somatic cell therapy since it is important to understand how genes are expressed in order to successfully reprogram cells. Both of these areas are important to the Biotechnology industry. Answering questions about higher order chromatin structure in gene transcription will provide cutting edge, innovative knowledge that will have international significance. Read moreRead less
The Effective Treatment of Hot Dip Galvanizing Effluent Streams. Hot Dip galvanizing effluent represents a significant environmental hazard. This wastewater is currently trucked offsite and treated by contractors to precipitate a heavy metal sludge that is disposed of through landfill. Industrial Galvanisers, as the largest hot dip galvanizing company within Australia, are keen to eliminate this hazard. We will consider the use of an innovative membrane based process for this purpose; to recover ....The Effective Treatment of Hot Dip Galvanizing Effluent Streams. Hot Dip galvanizing effluent represents a significant environmental hazard. This wastewater is currently trucked offsite and treated by contractors to precipitate a heavy metal sludge that is disposed of through landfill. Industrial Galvanisers, as the largest hot dip galvanizing company within Australia, are keen to eliminate this hazard. We will consider the use of an innovative membrane based process for this purpose; to recover valuable zinc and iron compounds from the effluent and allow the water to be re-utilised. If successful, this project will lead to a pilot plant wastewater treatment plant being constructed at an Industrial Galvanizers site.Read moreRead less
The Treatment Of Galvanizing Wastewater: Delivering An Environmentally And Economically Sustainable Approach. This project will investigate a process to treat wastewater from industrial galvanizing sites around Australia. When implemented, the process will substantially reduce the consumption of acid and fresh water at these sites. Further, the process will recover the zinc content of the wastewater in a saleable form and can also generate ferric chloride for sale as a water treatment chemical. ....The Treatment Of Galvanizing Wastewater: Delivering An Environmentally And Economically Sustainable Approach. This project will investigate a process to treat wastewater from industrial galvanizing sites around Australia. When implemented, the process will substantially reduce the consumption of acid and fresh water at these sites. Further, the process will recover the zinc content of the wastewater in a saleable form and can also generate ferric chloride for sale as a water treatment chemical. The quantity of heavy metals disposed to landfill will also be dramatically reduced. Scientific knowledge of multicomponent liquid-liquid equilibria will be of value to a wider range of solvent extraction processes including zinc and copper metal refining.Read moreRead less
Development of solvent extraction systems for improved sugar quality and yield. The recent collapse in the international sugar price and increased competition amongst producers have highlighted the vulnerability of Australian sugar mills and the regional communities reliant on sugar cane growing to variation in the price of this commodity. Hence, the development of new, more efficient means to produce raw sugar of high quality is of paramount importance to maintain Australia as a low cost produ ....Development of solvent extraction systems for improved sugar quality and yield. The recent collapse in the international sugar price and increased competition amongst producers have highlighted the vulnerability of Australian sugar mills and the regional communities reliant on sugar cane growing to variation in the price of this commodity. Hence, the development of new, more efficient means to produce raw sugar of high quality is of paramount importance to maintain Australia as a low cost producer. This project aims to investigate the use of unique solvent extraction methods to remove deleterious impurities from the raw cane juice in sugar mills with the consequent improvement in both sugar yield and quality.Read moreRead less
The Social Life of Death. This project aims to investigate experiences of death, dying and bereavement amidst rapid social, economic and political transformation. In the wake of COVID19, and as Australia’s anticipated ‘death boom’ approaches, how to foster good deaths has never been more uncertain, nor more urgent. Drawing on innovative methods and socio-cultural theory, and working in partnership with families and communities, this project aims to generate new knowledge to better inform and imp ....The Social Life of Death. This project aims to investigate experiences of death, dying and bereavement amidst rapid social, economic and political transformation. In the wake of COVID19, and as Australia’s anticipated ‘death boom’ approaches, how to foster good deaths has never been more uncertain, nor more urgent. Drawing on innovative methods and socio-cultural theory, and working in partnership with families and communities, this project aims to generate new knowledge to better inform and improve policy and spark cultural renewal around the end of life. Expected outcomes include setting the international benchmark for novel scholarly understandings of death, dying and bereavement, and centring community voices in addressing contemporary challenges to dying well.
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Development of molecular markers for resistance to blackleg disease (Leptosphaeria maculans) in canola. Canola (Brassica napus) is a valuable oil seed crop grown in many parts of the world and contributes annually $A450 million to the Australian economy. The overall aim of this project is to develop molecular markers for blackleg resistance using Australian germplasm along with evaluation in Australian disease nurseries which are regarded worlwide to develop the highest levels of disease pressu ....Development of molecular markers for resistance to blackleg disease (Leptosphaeria maculans) in canola. Canola (Brassica napus) is a valuable oil seed crop grown in many parts of the world and contributes annually $A450 million to the Australian economy. The overall aim of this project is to develop molecular markers for blackleg resistance using Australian germplasm along with evaluation in Australian disease nurseries which are regarded worlwide to develop the highest levels of disease pressure. Once molecular marker systems are developed and evaluated, they will be applied to facilitate the selection of Nugrain's (Industry Partner) canola breeding programs. Any molecular markers and QTL developed for Australian cultivars would find commercial application in breeding programmes.Read moreRead less
A rational approach to a high-resolution structure of the multidrug transporter EmrE. Membrane proteins form only 0.3% of the available protein structures in the protein data bank (PDB), yet 30% of the proteins in the human genome and 50% of human drug targets are membrane proteins. Multidrug transporters are membrane proteins responsible for antibiotic resistance in humans. A high-resolution structure of a multidrug resistance protein, together with comprehensive biochemical characterization, w ....A rational approach to a high-resolution structure of the multidrug transporter EmrE. Membrane proteins form only 0.3% of the available protein structures in the protein data bank (PDB), yet 30% of the proteins in the human genome and 50% of human drug targets are membrane proteins. Multidrug transporters are membrane proteins responsible for antibiotic resistance in humans. A high-resolution structure of a multidrug resistance protein, together with comprehensive biochemical characterization, would enable a detailed understanding of how these protein functions. Potentially it could also aid in the development of specific inhibitors that would prevent EmrE (and perhaps other similar proteins) from carry out its harmful mission. Read moreRead less
Emulsion Stability and Solvent Extraction Equipment Design in the Pharmaceutical Industry. The project aims at developing reliable prediction of large scale performance of liquid extraction columns. This will be done through a study of the columns in operation at GlaxoSmithKline's operation at Port Fairy alkaloids plant. In addition a detailed study of the influence of impurities on the coalescence rate of liquid dispersions will be undertaken as this is an important rate limiting step in colu ....Emulsion Stability and Solvent Extraction Equipment Design in the Pharmaceutical Industry. The project aims at developing reliable prediction of large scale performance of liquid extraction columns. This will be done through a study of the columns in operation at GlaxoSmithKline's operation at Port Fairy alkaloids plant. In addition a detailed study of the influence of impurities on the coalescence rate of liquid dispersions will be undertaken as this is an important rate limiting step in column performance. The benefit to GlaxoSmithKline will be a more efficient and optimised plant. The benefit to Australian processing industries is a reliable method of relating small scale trials to full size column performance which is a significent problem in the minerals industry at present.Read moreRead less