Can Skin Infection With Group A Streptococcus Cause Acute Rheumatic Fever?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$459,450.00
Summary
It is traditionally taught that the cause of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is always infection of the throat with the bacterium group A streptococcus (GAS). However, in Aboriginal communities of the Top End of the Northern Territory the incidence of ARF is the highest reported in the world, yet GAS is uncommonly isolated from the throat. There is further information to suggest that GAS skin sores may underlie many cases of ARF. If this were proven, it would completely alter the traditional view of ....It is traditionally taught that the cause of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is always infection of the throat with the bacterium group A streptococcus (GAS). However, in Aboriginal communities of the Top End of the Northern Territory the incidence of ARF is the highest reported in the world, yet GAS is uncommonly isolated from the throat. There is further information to suggest that GAS skin sores may underlie many cases of ARF. If this were proven, it would completely alter the traditional view of the cause of ARF, and have important implications for prevention of ARF around the world. Presently, these approaches focus on diagnosing and treating sore throat, but no country has proven that such a program can be successful in substantially reducing new cases of ARF. If it was known that skin infection could lead to ARF, then countries (including Australia) could emphasise the importance of skin health programs. A further benefit of this knowledge would be to influence GAS vaccine development, which presently is largely focused on the prevention of sore throat. A different possibility has recently been raised - that the cause of ARF may not always be GAS, but instead that the related bacteria GCS and GGS may have the potential to cause this disease. Proof of this hypothesis would even more dramatically alter our understanding of disease causation, prevention, and vaccine development. We propose to determine the cause of ARF in Aboriginal communities by regularly swabbing families of people with a history of ARF, and using genetic fingerprinting of the bacteria from the skin and throat swabs. When cases of ARF occur, we will be able to determine the site and type of infection that precipitated the attack. We will conduct a related study in more communities, in which we will swab family members of people with ARF and of control families (without ARF) to determine the bacteria most commonly isolated from ARF families.Read moreRead less
Flavour enhancing functional feeds for farmed Barramundi. This project aims to improve the flavour quality of Australian farmed barramundi through developing novel functional feeds. The project expects to expand our fundamental knowledge of flavour enhancement, whilst providing practical benefits with respect to final product quality. The project will enable industry to achieve higher product quality benchmarks, towards the ultimate goal of improving the marketability of barramundi both locally ....Flavour enhancing functional feeds for farmed Barramundi. This project aims to improve the flavour quality of Australian farmed barramundi through developing novel functional feeds. The project expects to expand our fundamental knowledge of flavour enhancement, whilst providing practical benefits with respect to final product quality. The project will enable industry to achieve higher product quality benchmarks, towards the ultimate goal of improving the marketability of barramundi both locally and overseas. This project will provide significant benefits to the Australian barramundi industry by increasing product values, thereby facilitating an economically sustainable growth of this important regional industry.Read moreRead less
Reconstructing the Beetaloo/Greater McArthur Basin System . This project aims to build a stratigraphic and water chemistry framework for the greater McArthur Basin—a rock system that covers northern Australia from WA to Queensland. This will be a vital resource for researchers and energy/mineral explorers. This project expects to develop novel sediment dating and isotopic proxies for salinity, redox and bioproductivity and use them to build a sequence stratigraphic framework of the basin. The ex ....Reconstructing the Beetaloo/Greater McArthur Basin System . This project aims to build a stratigraphic and water chemistry framework for the greater McArthur Basin—a rock system that covers northern Australia from WA to Queensland. This will be a vital resource for researchers and energy/mineral explorers. This project expects to develop novel sediment dating and isotopic proxies for salinity, redox and bioproductivity and use them to build a sequence stratigraphic framework of the basin. The expected outcome is a unique 3D lithological, geochronological and geochemical framework for the basin. Expected benefits include de-risked information for the petroleum and minerals industry, assisting northern Australia's resources economy, as well as insights into the development of our planet in deep time.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR200200677
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$180,000.00
Summary
Staying on Country: Infrastructure Needs for Remote Community Viability. This project introduces the concept of infrastructural biographies to revisit the history of remote community formations from the self-determination era to today. Using ethnographic approaches to understand infrastructural legacies, it aims to interrogate the governance and hardware requirements for supporting Indigenous residents to stay on country. The project will produce four case studies capturing community resilience ....Staying on Country: Infrastructure Needs for Remote Community Viability. This project introduces the concept of infrastructural biographies to revisit the history of remote community formations from the self-determination era to today. Using ethnographic approaches to understand infrastructural legacies, it aims to interrogate the governance and hardware requirements for supporting Indigenous residents to stay on country. The project will produce four case studies capturing community resilience efforts in northern and central Australia. Expected benefits include an enhanced understanding of infrastructural issues in relation to viability concerns, and improved policy strategies for Indigenous corporations, NGOs, and governments working on remote Indigenous governance, maintenance programs, and climate-readiness.Read moreRead less
Enabling three dimensional stochastic geological modelling. This project aims to develop technologies to mitigate three dimensional (3D) geological risk in resources management. This project expects to create new knowledge and methods in the field of 3D geological modelling through the innovative application of mathematical methods, structural geology concepts and probabilistic programming. The expected outcomes are an enhanced capability to model the subsurface, characterise model uncertainty a ....Enabling three dimensional stochastic geological modelling. This project aims to develop technologies to mitigate three dimensional (3D) geological risk in resources management. This project expects to create new knowledge and methods in the field of 3D geological modelling through the innovative application of mathematical methods, structural geology concepts and probabilistic programming. The expected outcomes are an enhanced capability to model the subsurface, characterise model uncertainty and test multiple geological scenarios. This enhanced capability is important for the future of Australia's subsurface management, including urban geology and our continuously growing sustainable resources industry.Read moreRead less
Three-dimensional Bayesian Modelling of Geological and Geophysical data. The project aims to develop technologies enabling rapid informed decision-making related to the management of natural resources, including critical metals, copper and water. This new technology will support a greener future, securing our energy future, our access to clean water and reduce the mining footprint. Expected outcomes include an enhanced capability in interoperable, integrated three-dimensional geological and geop ....Three-dimensional Bayesian Modelling of Geological and Geophysical data. The project aims to develop technologies enabling rapid informed decision-making related to the management of natural resources, including critical metals, copper and water. This new technology will support a greener future, securing our energy future, our access to clean water and reduce the mining footprint. Expected outcomes include an enhanced capability in interoperable, integrated three-dimensional geological and geophysical modelling in order to predictively characterise sub-surface geology. The outcome will be an open-source forecasting dashboard enabling decision making while considering underlying risk related to resource extractions and management with significant benefits to the Australian society (lower emissions, clean water).Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE160100015
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
An Ultra High Resolution Mass Spectrometry Facility for Lipidomics Research. An ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry facility for lipidomics research:
This proposal aims to establish an ultra-high-resolution, accurate mass spectrometry facility in Australia for comprehensive lipidomics research. The platform would consist of a Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Fusion mass spectrometer interfaced with ultra-high-pressure high-performance liquid chromatography. This proposal will address a major need ....An Ultra High Resolution Mass Spectrometry Facility for Lipidomics Research. An ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry facility for lipidomics research:
This proposal aims to establish an ultra-high-resolution, accurate mass spectrometry facility in Australia for comprehensive lipidomics research. The platform would consist of a Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Fusion mass spectrometer interfaced with ultra-high-pressure high-performance liquid chromatography. This proposal will address a major need for advanced mass spectrometry-based lipid analysis capabilities across mammalian, plant, parasite, and microalgae research disciplines, as well as enabling fundamental studies of lipid separation, chemistry and reactivity. The instrumentation would be applicable to a diverse range of projects including studies of the role of lipid metabolism in mammalian biochemistry and cell biology, plant biology and parasitology, and micro algae biofuel production.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC180100045
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,582,638.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Uniquely Australian Foods. The ARC Training Centre for Uniquely Australian Foods aims to provide a cohort of trained and industry-ready researchers who can lead the native foods industry forward. It plans to transform the native food and agribusiness sector, through the development of selected crops, foods and ingredients. The Centre will use an Indigenous governance group to oversee the process of converting traditional knowledge into branded products. Expected outcomes ....ARC Training Centre for Uniquely Australian Foods. The ARC Training Centre for Uniquely Australian Foods aims to provide a cohort of trained and industry-ready researchers who can lead the native foods industry forward. It plans to transform the native food and agribusiness sector, through the development of selected crops, foods and ingredients. The Centre will use an Indigenous governance group to oversee the process of converting traditional knowledge into branded products. Expected outcomes include technical information to support branding and market development, best practice development in social factors and legal arrangements for benefit sharing. This Centre will help drive sustainable growth of high-value products within the premium Australian food sector.
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Impacts of Banned Drinkers Register Re-introduction in Northern Territory. This project aims to investigate the impact of the re-introduction of the Banned Drinker Register in the Northern Territory, where rates of alcohol-related harm are more than twenty times that seen in other Australian states.
This interdisciplinary team will use qualitative and quantitative methods across urban and remote locations to answer complex questions about policy impact.
This Project expects to provide evidence ....Impacts of Banned Drinkers Register Re-introduction in Northern Territory. This project aims to investigate the impact of the re-introduction of the Banned Drinker Register in the Northern Territory, where rates of alcohol-related harm are more than twenty times that seen in other Australian states.
This interdisciplinary team will use qualitative and quantitative methods across urban and remote locations to answer complex questions about policy impact.
This Project expects to provide evidence to inform future policy introduction and refinement. It aims to enhance Aboriginal research capacity for investigating alcohol policy.
Benefits should include world’s best evidence on the impact of supply restriction policies on treatment needs and the massive levels of harm seen in the Northern Territory.Read moreRead less
Linking terrestrial–aquatic fluxes to rectify the Australian carbon balance. This project aims to rectify the Australian carbon balance by determining the amount of terrestrial carbon that is lost to streams and rivers across the country. Through a novel integration of high-resolution hydrochemical and gas measurements, remote sensing and machine learning algorithms, the project intends to generate new knowledge about the links between terrestrial carbon sequestration and aquatic carbon export. ....Linking terrestrial–aquatic fluxes to rectify the Australian carbon balance. This project aims to rectify the Australian carbon balance by determining the amount of terrestrial carbon that is lost to streams and rivers across the country. Through a novel integration of high-resolution hydrochemical and gas measurements, remote sensing and machine learning algorithms, the project intends to generate new knowledge about the links between terrestrial carbon sequestration and aquatic carbon export. Expected outcomes include a refined estimate of the net carbon sequestration potential across Australian biomes and seasons. This should provide significant benefits such as avoiding misalignment of greenhouse gas abatement policies and advancing carbon cycling models and predictions.Read moreRead less