Charting the human brain connectome over the lifespan. This project aims to develop neuroimaging reference charts for the human connectome and track the vast individual variability in brain connectivity across the life course. Connectomes will be mapped using tractography and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data for 40,000 individuals, establishing the largest connectome biobank to date. Expected outcomes include an innovative lifespan brain charting platform, new paradigms to model individ ....Charting the human brain connectome over the lifespan. This project aims to develop neuroimaging reference charts for the human connectome and track the vast individual variability in brain connectivity across the life course. Connectomes will be mapped using tractography and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data for 40,000 individuals, establishing the largest connectome biobank to date. Expected outcomes include an innovative lifespan brain charting platform, new paradigms to model individual brain variability and knowledge of how cognition, lifestyle and environment shape brain ageing. Brain charting will usher in a new era of precision connectomics, paving the way towards neuroscience-based personalisation of pathways in education, employment and wellbeing. Read moreRead less
Managing the risks posed by Artificial General Intelligence. It is widely acknowledged that a failure to implement appropriate controls for the next generation of Artificial Intelligence, Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), could have catastrophic consequences, including in the worst case - the extinction of the human race. This research aims to forecast the risks associated with AGI systems and identify the controls required to ensure that risks and existential threats are minimised. The exp ....Managing the risks posed by Artificial General Intelligence. It is widely acknowledged that a failure to implement appropriate controls for the next generation of Artificial Intelligence, Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), could have catastrophic consequences, including in the worst case - the extinction of the human race. This research aims to forecast the risks associated with AGI systems and identify the controls required to ensure that risks and existential threats are minimised. The expected outputs will provide designers, organisations, regulators and governments with a framework to support the design, implementation, and management of safe and efficient AGI systems. This will ensure that the potential far-reaching benefits of AGI are realised without undue threat to society.Read moreRead less
Assessment of circadian and light interactions in adolescent sleepiness. This project aims to examine the relative contributions of multiple biological clock and sleep factors that may be linked to cognitive function and sleepiness in adolescents. Over 70 per cent of adolescents in Australia experience insufficient sleep. Cross-sectional studies have shown that insufficient sleep and mistimed sleep lead to reduced cognitive function. The project intends to identify specific sleep and circadian m ....Assessment of circadian and light interactions in adolescent sleepiness. This project aims to examine the relative contributions of multiple biological clock and sleep factors that may be linked to cognitive function and sleepiness in adolescents. Over 70 per cent of adolescents in Australia experience insufficient sleep. Cross-sectional studies have shown that insufficient sleep and mistimed sleep lead to reduced cognitive function. The project intends to identify specific sleep and circadian markers that are linked to academic performance, and generate innovative algorithms that predict these associations. The project will provide new knowledge to drive prevention and early intervention programs that use sleep-wake and light exposure information to improve sleep quality.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100372
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$373,536.00
Summary
Understanding the role of self-regulation in moderating distracted driving. The goal of this project is to combine naturalistic driving and simulation methods to explore the role that driver-initiated adaptive behaviour (self-regulation) can play in mitigating the effects of distraction on driving performance and safety. Driver distraction is a growing threat to road safety worldwide, contributing to approximately one-quarter of all crashes. Distraction is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon and, ....Understanding the role of self-regulation in moderating distracted driving. The goal of this project is to combine naturalistic driving and simulation methods to explore the role that driver-initiated adaptive behaviour (self-regulation) can play in mitigating the effects of distraction on driving performance and safety. Driver distraction is a growing threat to road safety worldwide, contributing to approximately one-quarter of all crashes. Distraction is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon and, despite its impact on safety, our understanding of it is far from complete. The project aims to develop and assess a set of new countermeasures designed to enhance drivers’ self-regulatory behaviour when distracted. The outcomes of the project may reduce the impact of distraction on road trauma in Australia.Read moreRead less
Physical musicality: Optimising lived experience among older adults . The aim of this project is to investigate how music-supported exercise, called physical musicality (PM), can promote wellbeing, quality of life, and cognitive-motor function in older adults, beyond the benefits of exercise or music listening alone. To achieve this aim, we will (a) conduct randomised control trials on PM programs; (b) isolate the ingredients and mechanisms underlying the benefits of PM; and (c) design culturall ....Physical musicality: Optimising lived experience among older adults . The aim of this project is to investigate how music-supported exercise, called physical musicality (PM), can promote wellbeing, quality of life, and cognitive-motor function in older adults, beyond the benefits of exercise or music listening alone. To achieve this aim, we will (a) conduct randomised control trials on PM programs; (b) isolate the ingredients and mechanisms underlying the benefits of PM; and (c) design culturally appropriate programs that optimise wellbeing and cognitive-motor function for older adults. Our research will reveal simple, non-medical steps that all adults of advancing age can take to maintain their wellbeing and cognitive functions so they can lead productive and successful lives into older age. Read moreRead less
Boosting organ donation registration in diverse communities. This project aims to increase the number and diversity of people on the Australian Organ Donor Register. Transplant success can increase when organs are matched between people of similar ethnic backgrounds, but diverse communities have historically low registration rates. This project is significant because it focuses on this disparity to co-create with two diverse communities interactive media and community dissemination strategies th ....Boosting organ donation registration in diverse communities. This project aims to increase the number and diversity of people on the Australian Organ Donor Register. Transplant success can increase when organs are matched between people of similar ethnic backgrounds, but diverse communities have historically low registration rates. This project is significant because it focuses on this disparity to co-create with two diverse communities interactive media and community dissemination strategies that respect cultural and religious beliefs while addressing concerns about donation raised in our previous research. Tested with a third diverse community, the outcome will be a model that can be both scaled and tailored to ensure equitable access to transplantation for all, benefiting the lives of many. Read moreRead less
A comprehensive framework for modelling the human connectome. The human brain is an extraordinarily complex network of interconnected cells. This project aims to use mathematical modelling and brain imaging to uncover key principles of network wiring in the human brain. Using an interdisciplinary approach that combines elements of neuroscience, genetics, physics, and psychology, the project will result in a new, rigorous framework for testing competing theories of brain development, the identifi ....A comprehensive framework for modelling the human connectome. The human brain is an extraordinarily complex network of interconnected cells. This project aims to use mathematical modelling and brain imaging to uncover key principles of network wiring in the human brain. Using an interdisciplinary approach that combines elements of neuroscience, genetics, physics, and psychology, the project will result in a new, rigorous framework for testing competing theories of brain development, the identification of key wiring principles for developing brains, and an understanding of how these principles shape behaviour. This work will shed new light on the developmental processes that underlie human behaviour and disease.Read moreRead less
The impact of circadian and sleep factors on neurodevelopment. This project aims to longitudinally examine the contributions of multiple circadian and sleep factors on the development of the teen brain. Adolescence is associated with a change in the internal body clock, leading to later bed and wake times and loss of sleep. It is also a time when the teenage brain is rapidly maturing to support learning. Despite the known importance of sleep in adolescence we know little about how the circadian ....The impact of circadian and sleep factors on neurodevelopment. This project aims to longitudinally examine the contributions of multiple circadian and sleep factors on the development of the teen brain. Adolescence is associated with a change in the internal body clock, leading to later bed and wake times and loss of sleep. It is also a time when the teenage brain is rapidly maturing to support learning. Despite the known importance of sleep in adolescence we know little about how the circadian clock and sleep impacts the developing brain. Our project expects to advance understanding of the importance of sleep and circadian timing for healthy brain and cognitive development. This knowledge will inform policy and prevention/intervention programs to benefit individuals, parents and the community.Read moreRead less
Human Scheduling of Perceptual Tasks. This project aims to develop a novel approach for synthesising how people prioritise information with theories of attention and decision making. Characterising inefficient scheduling in the tradeoff between the difficulty and the cost/benefit of different subtasks will allow the development of a formal computional model that generalises statistical models of rank order data to a theory of the timing of scheduling decisions and task completions. Outcomes incl ....Human Scheduling of Perceptual Tasks. This project aims to develop a novel approach for synthesising how people prioritise information with theories of attention and decision making. Characterising inefficient scheduling in the tradeoff between the difficulty and the cost/benefit of different subtasks will allow the development of a formal computional model that generalises statistical models of rank order data to a theory of the timing of scheduling decisions and task completions. Outcomes include benchmark data from a novel paradigm for studying perceptual decisions and behavior and a model which can explain and predict human scheduling. This project aims to benefit industry by allowing for the simulation of information prioritisation by human agents in complex environments.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100950
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$459,051.00
Summary
Identifying hypothalamic circuits that integrate stress and metabolism. This project aims to investigate how the brain integrates threat during hunger. Using cutting-edge technology to manipulate and record neural activity this project will elucidate the brain circuits that integrate threat and appetite to minimize stress exposure during foraging. This will expand our knowledge on how the brain perceives and responds to hunger and may provide relevant information for a large number of basic biol ....Identifying hypothalamic circuits that integrate stress and metabolism. This project aims to investigate how the brain integrates threat during hunger. Using cutting-edge technology to manipulate and record neural activity this project will elucidate the brain circuits that integrate threat and appetite to minimize stress exposure during foraging. This will expand our knowledge on how the brain perceives and responds to hunger and may provide relevant information for a large number of basic biological processes controlling the brain. Expected outcomes of this project will contribute to a better understanding of the circuitry controlling more complex decisions from food selection through to social interactions. This should provide significant benefits for Australia’s competitiveness within neuroscience research.Read moreRead less