Enhanced algal biofuel production: optimising photosynthesis in Australian strains of marine algae. Algal biofuel produces a sustainable liquid fuel to help meet our future energy needs. This project will pioneer a multifaceted approach in molecular biology and photophysiology to engineer the best biofuel producers from Australian marine algae and will advance innovation in Australia's biofuel biotechnology development.
Novel oxygen sensing tools for monitoring the effects of dredging on Australian seagrass communities. Seagrass meadows sustain marine biodiversity and the fishing industries on Australian coasts. Dredging of ports and shipping channels is contributing to their rapid global decline. The project will use state-of-the-art technologies in bio-optics and genomics to create a toolkit for seagrass managers to make informed decisions to safeguard seagrass meadows.
Understanding the koala microbiome: unlocking the secrets of koala health and dietary specialisation, and successful husbandry and translocation. This project aims to discover how the composition and function of koala gastrointestinal microbial communities differ in space and time in response to the varying nutritional quality and chemical composition of koala diets. Using detailed chemical analysis, cutting edge metagenomic and bioinformatic pipelines and powerful approaches to study enzyme fun ....Understanding the koala microbiome: unlocking the secrets of koala health and dietary specialisation, and successful husbandry and translocation. This project aims to discover how the composition and function of koala gastrointestinal microbial communities differ in space and time in response to the varying nutritional quality and chemical composition of koala diets. Using detailed chemical analysis, cutting edge metagenomic and bioinformatic pipelines and powerful approaches to study enzyme functions in the koala’s gut, the investigators aims to reveal the role of microbes in detoxification of plant toxins and degradation of recalcitrant fibre fractions. The outcomes aim to facilitate the use of faecal transplants to improve digestive function for translocated and rehabilitated koalas, enhancing options for koala management and conservation.Read moreRead less
Improving the efficacy of pseudomonad biocontrol bacteria. This project intends to characterise the genetic basis for colonisation and persistence on plant seeds and roots by biocontrol bacteria. Pseudomonas biocontrol bacteria offer the potential to suppress agricultural crop pathogens without the need for expensive and potentially harmful agrochemicals. However, the application of these bacteria in the field is currently limited. A key reason for this is their unreliable capacity for root colo ....Improving the efficacy of pseudomonad biocontrol bacteria. This project intends to characterise the genetic basis for colonisation and persistence on plant seeds and roots by biocontrol bacteria. Pseudomonas biocontrol bacteria offer the potential to suppress agricultural crop pathogens without the need for expensive and potentially harmful agrochemicals. However, the application of these bacteria in the field is currently limited. A key reason for this is their unreliable capacity for root colonisation and persistence. The project aims to analyse the factors critical for plant colonisation. These analyses may facilitate the successful application of biocontrol bacteria for protecting Australian crops from pathogens.Read moreRead less
Sodium homeostasis and the molecular basis for neurotoxin production by bacteria and algae. An understanding of the physiology of saxitoxin-producing microorgansims in response to salt stress is critical for the prevention of toxic blooms and for risk assessment of contaminated water bodies. This is nowhere more relevant than in the depleted and increasingly saline water resources of inland Australia. This project will develop genetic tests to assay for saxitoxin-producers and to monitor toxin p ....Sodium homeostasis and the molecular basis for neurotoxin production by bacteria and algae. An understanding of the physiology of saxitoxin-producing microorgansims in response to salt stress is critical for the prevention of toxic blooms and for risk assessment of contaminated water bodies. This is nowhere more relevant than in the depleted and increasingly saline water resources of inland Australia. This project will develop genetic tests to assay for saxitoxin-producers and to monitor toxin production in response to the environment, representing an easier, more economic and ethical alternative to current tests. The market for this type of predictive test includes environmental, anti-bioterrorism and fishery organisations. These genes will also allow the bioengineering of novel therapeutic drugs based on neuroactive alkaloids.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101604
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Novel role for the universal signalling molecule nitric oxide within biofilm communities and across a biofilm-host interface. Biofilms on wet surfaces and tissues cause major problems by resisting antimicrobials. This project aims at exploiting how natural host response control systems alleviate biofilm build up and can be used to control biofilms in a non-toxic fashion. Countless environmental and clinical applications will benefit from reduced usage of antibiotics.
Development of the next generation of organo-mineral fertilisers utilising domestic and commercial waste products. Australian agriculture relies heavily on fertilisers and better products are needed that are derived from sustainable sources, have minimal adverse environmental impact and support high plant yields. This project will apply advanced approaches of nanostructural analysis and microbial ecology to developed next-generation organo-mineral fertilisers.
Colonisation by alien microbiota: identifying key ecological processes. This project aims to determine key ecological and molecular mechanisms that regulate microbial colonisation of new environments and their functional consequences. Microbial communities are important yet unseen contributors to the functioning of ecosystems, driving key ecological and economically important processes such as carbon and nutrient cycling. The project will provide a unifying framework for characterising colonisat ....Colonisation by alien microbiota: identifying key ecological processes. This project aims to determine key ecological and molecular mechanisms that regulate microbial colonisation of new environments and their functional consequences. Microbial communities are important yet unseen contributors to the functioning of ecosystems, driving key ecological and economically important processes such as carbon and nutrient cycling. The project will provide a unifying framework for characterising colonisation success of alien species across different scales, habitats, ecosystem types and environmental disturbance such as climate change.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100479
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$453,582.00
Summary
Delivering defences: using fungi to enhance plant resistance to herbivory. This project will identify how the diversity of beneficial fungi in the soil is affected by agricultural management, and will reveal how these fungi govern the ability of plants to defend themselves from insect herbivores. Through innovative field surveys and experimentation, this project will generate new knowledge in the key areas of soil ecology and plant defence. This will allow us to exploit these soil fungi to enhan ....Delivering defences: using fungi to enhance plant resistance to herbivory. This project will identify how the diversity of beneficial fungi in the soil is affected by agricultural management, and will reveal how these fungi govern the ability of plants to defend themselves from insect herbivores. Through innovative field surveys and experimentation, this project will generate new knowledge in the key areas of soil ecology and plant defence. This will allow us to exploit these soil fungi to enhance crop protection while simultaneously conserving soil ecosystems. Effectively boosting plant defence in this way will reduce reliance on ecologically damaging pesticides, promote soil biodiversity, and ensure the sustainability of crop production into the future. Read moreRead less