The molecular basis of cold adaptation: an integrated genomic and proteomic study of Antarctic archaea. The project enables Australia to remain a world leader in extremophiles, cold adaptation and Antarctic biology, strengthening the reputation Australian scientists have in scientific programs of global significance and fostering the interests of the international community in sciences ranging from bioprospecting to the search for extraterrestrial life. National benefit is directly derived from ....The molecular basis of cold adaptation: an integrated genomic and proteomic study of Antarctic archaea. The project enables Australia to remain a world leader in extremophiles, cold adaptation and Antarctic biology, strengthening the reputation Australian scientists have in scientific programs of global significance and fostering the interests of the international community in sciences ranging from bioprospecting to the search for extraterrestrial life. National benefit is directly derived from technological innovation and training local scientists in modern biology of environmental microorganisms. The Antarctic microorganisms provide unique compounds, enzymes and molecules for biotechnology and industry. Insight will be gained into the critical role that methanogens play in the global carbon cycle and global warming.Read moreRead less
Youth services in remote communities. This project aims to improve outcomes for high-risk youth in remote communities in Australia and Canada. It will establish a transdisciplinary research network comprising researchers and services experienced in delivering programmes to high-risk youth; develop a universal intervention definition, and a useful, scientifically rigorous evaluation framework; and integrate the intervention and evaluation framework into participating services’ routine service del ....Youth services in remote communities. This project aims to improve outcomes for high-risk youth in remote communities in Australia and Canada. It will establish a transdisciplinary research network comprising researchers and services experienced in delivering programmes to high-risk youth; develop a universal intervention definition, and a useful, scientifically rigorous evaluation framework; and integrate the intervention and evaluation framework into participating services’ routine service delivery. This project expects to increase the number and quality of services available for high-risk youth, improve their social, health and economic outcomes, and generate positive economic benefit for their communities.Read moreRead less
Emotional responses to comparisons in romantic relationships: implications for relationship wellbeing. This project will identify the nature of the emotions that stem from comparisons between romantic partners. It will reveal how these emotions in turn impact relationship dynamics and ultimately, relationship wellbeing. This research will provide important insights into the underlying processes that make some relationships thrive and others fail.
Effect of Saline Water on Flotation Processes. The Australian mineral and coal industry is valued at $40 billion in export income per year. This significant component of the Australian economy will benefit from this research into the increased use of highly saline water to improve coal and mineral flotation recovery. The project will keep Australia at the leading edge of flotation research, research training and development for the coal and mineral industry. With direct relevance to the National ....Effect of Saline Water on Flotation Processes. The Australian mineral and coal industry is valued at $40 billion in export income per year. This significant component of the Australian economy will benefit from this research into the increased use of highly saline water to improve coal and mineral flotation recovery. The project will keep Australia at the leading edge of flotation research, research training and development for the coal and mineral industry. With direct relevance to the National Research Priorities: Water - a Critical Resource, this project will make contributions to the development of a more environmentally sustainable coal and mineral processing industry.Read moreRead less
Placental nutrient transport shows how complex traits evolve. This project aims to use amino acid transport in the vertebrate placenta as a model to demonstrate how genes are recruited and modified to produce a major organ. Using an innovative combination of a new technology, selected reaction monitoring, and transcriptomic and molecular approaches, plus carefully selected Australian species pairs, this project will study the evolution of a complex trait (placental amino acid transport). The pr ....Placental nutrient transport shows how complex traits evolve. This project aims to use amino acid transport in the vertebrate placenta as a model to demonstrate how genes are recruited and modified to produce a major organ. Using an innovative combination of a new technology, selected reaction monitoring, and transcriptomic and molecular approaches, plus carefully selected Australian species pairs, this project will study the evolution of a complex trait (placental amino acid transport). The project will provide fundamental advances in our knowledge of the nutrient transport during pregnancy that is required to produce a healthy baby.Read moreRead less
Deciphering the regulatory principles of metazoan development. This proposal aims to elucidate how regulatory elements in the genome, known as enhancers, determine the identity and function of animal tissues. Currently, it is believed that enhancers cannot be traced across evolutionarily distant animals. The project uses novel concepts, computational and molecular approaches to identify deeply conserved enhancers. It further dissects the mechanism of function by proteomics and high-throughput ge ....Deciphering the regulatory principles of metazoan development. This proposal aims to elucidate how regulatory elements in the genome, known as enhancers, determine the identity and function of animal tissues. Currently, it is believed that enhancers cannot be traced across evolutionarily distant animals. The project uses novel concepts, computational and molecular approaches to identify deeply conserved enhancers. It further dissects the mechanism of function by proteomics and high-throughput genomics. The expected outcomes will overturn our current view on enhancer evolution and reposition our understanding of how enhancers are functionally encoded in the genome. The work is an important contribution to understanding cellular complexity and species evolution with wide-ranging impact in genetics.Read moreRead less
A longitudinal study into the development of personal vulnerabilities and well-being in adolescence. Character strengths such as empathy and emotion management skills are potentially teachable and help prevent an adolescent from experiencing difficulties in social, emotional, and academic adjustment. This longitudinal study examines the temperament and environmental factors that promote character strengths in adolescents.
Discovery and characterization of new classes of small regulatory RNAs in mammals. The project will reaffirm and enhance Australian leadership in the most rapidly developing area of molecular biological and genetic research, by the application of ultra high-throughput sequencing technologies to discovery of regulatory RNAs, thereby to identify the characteristics of important regulatory pathways that underpin mammalian development, brain function and species diversity. The results of this resear ....Discovery and characterization of new classes of small regulatory RNAs in mammals. The project will reaffirm and enhance Australian leadership in the most rapidly developing area of molecular biological and genetic research, by the application of ultra high-throughput sequencing technologies to discovery of regulatory RNAs, thereby to identify the characteristics of important regulatory pathways that underpin mammalian development, brain function and species diversity. The results of this research will have wide implications and applications in biotechnology, genetic engineering, animal breeding, medical science and advanced informatics.Read moreRead less
Defining mechanisms of action of novel alpha-conotoxins at nicotinic receptor-channels. Marine snails from the waters off the Australian coast produce an amazing variety of mini-proteins in their venoms called conotoxins that they use to capture prey. These conotoxins bind very specifically to receptors in our body associated with the transmission of nerve signals. We will use natural and synthetically modified conotoxins to selectively block particular types of neuronal 'receptors' to gain a gr ....Defining mechanisms of action of novel alpha-conotoxins at nicotinic receptor-channels. Marine snails from the waters off the Australian coast produce an amazing variety of mini-proteins in their venoms called conotoxins that they use to capture prey. These conotoxins bind very specifically to receptors in our body associated with the transmission of nerve signals. We will use natural and synthetically modified conotoxins to selectively block particular types of neuronal 'receptors' to gain a greater understanding of how the nervous system functions. This knowledge will help in the design of new drugs to treat a variety of diseases and disorders. Essentially we will use a chemical armoury developed by the cone snail to design state-of-the-art mini-protein drugs.Read moreRead less
The production, use and effect of social work research. This project aims to reform social work research to improve the quality and effectiveness of human services. The human services industry is vital to many people’s quality of life, but lacks innovation and struggles to demonstrate its effectiveness. Crucially for social work, research expands thinking about how to respond to social disadvantage. This project intends to examine the scope and quality of Australian social work research in child ....The production, use and effect of social work research. This project aims to reform social work research to improve the quality and effectiveness of human services. The human services industry is vital to many people’s quality of life, but lacks innovation and struggles to demonstrate its effectiveness. Crucially for social work, research expands thinking about how to respond to social disadvantage. This project intends to examine the scope and quality of Australian social work research in child protection, disability services, and aged care; assess the use of this research to the human services sector and its effect on generating innovation; and develop strategies to advance the production, uptake, and effect of social work research.Read moreRead less