Antifreeze Proteins and Glycoproteins. Antifreeze proteins and glycoproteins permit many species of fish to survive in sub-zero oceans without freezing. These antifreeze compounds have potential applications in the frozen food industry (eg. maintaining the texture of ice cream), medical science (eg., cryosurgery) and veterinary science (eg. storage of sperm). Commercial applications are limited by the amounts of compounds available from fish and the lack of understanding of how these proteins ....Antifreeze Proteins and Glycoproteins. Antifreeze proteins and glycoproteins permit many species of fish to survive in sub-zero oceans without freezing. These antifreeze compounds have potential applications in the frozen food industry (eg. maintaining the texture of ice cream), medical science (eg., cryosurgery) and veterinary science (eg. storage of sperm). Commercial applications are limited by the amounts of compounds available from fish and the lack of understanding of how these proteins work. This research will study how natural and synthetic antifreezes inhibit ice growth in order to allow the rational design of new antifreezes and will identify new compounds with potential commercial applications as cryoprotectants.Read moreRead less
Sequence to Sequence: Rigorous Statistical and Mathematical Analysis of Biological Sequence Data. Comparative genomics is fundamental for developing an understanding of genes and their function. For example, using statistical and computational techniques, it was recently demonstrated that 60% of genes are conserved between fly and human. When the human gene that confers susceptibility to Parkinson's disease was transferred into the fly it caused symptoms similar to those seen in humans. The futu ....Sequence to Sequence: Rigorous Statistical and Mathematical Analysis of Biological Sequence Data. Comparative genomics is fundamental for developing an understanding of genes and their function. For example, using statistical and computational techniques, it was recently demonstrated that 60% of genes are conserved between fly and human. When the human gene that confers susceptibility to Parkinson's disease was transferred into the fly it caused symptoms similar to those seen in humans. The future development of 'personalized medicine' will rely upon understanding the function of human genes, as will progress in the agricultural sector. Rigorous statistical analysis and development of appropriate bioinformatic methods are crucial to biological sequence analysis in comparative genomics.Read moreRead less
Understanding, prediction and control of polymorphism in pharmaceuticals. The proposed research will lead, through a better understanding of polymorphism, to more efficient production of pharmaceuticals and will enhance the establishment and protection of patents. The work will have flow-on in other areas such as the manufacture of pigments, dyes and explosives. The project uses methodology for the elucidation of local structure and function at the atomic to nanoscale level in which Australia is ....Understanding, prediction and control of polymorphism in pharmaceuticals. The proposed research will lead, through a better understanding of polymorphism, to more efficient production of pharmaceuticals and will enhance the establishment and protection of patents. The work will have flow-on in other areas such as the manufacture of pigments, dyes and explosives. The project uses methodology for the elucidation of local structure and function at the atomic to nanoscale level in which Australia is a world leader. The project will further enhance our standing in this field and will provide excellent research training opportunities in areas particularly pertinent to future exploitation of the Australian Synchrotron and the new Research Reactor OPAL, which open in 2007. Read moreRead less
Statistical Advances in the Post-Genome Era. Biologically relevant statistical foundations for post-genome biology and biotechnology will be developed. Specific goals of the topics include the development of accurate and more efficient algorithms for sequence alignments, improved models to maximise the accuracy of analyses for gene expression data and superior statistical methods for identification of complex gene networks that predispose an organism to disease. The Project will make significant ....Statistical Advances in the Post-Genome Era. Biologically relevant statistical foundations for post-genome biology and biotechnology will be developed. Specific goals of the topics include the development of accurate and more efficient algorithms for sequence alignments, improved models to maximise the accuracy of analyses for gene expression data and superior statistical methods for identification of complex gene networks that predispose an organism to disease. The Project will make significant contributions to the new and evolving priority research area of Bioinformation Science (including bioinformatics). Outcomes will include novel techniques for analysis and mining of post-genome data, with applications to developments in Bio-medicine and Bio-agricultureRead moreRead less
Maximising the conservation of biodiversity and the delivery of ecosystem services: What to do, where and when. The economic wealth of Australia is underpinned by its remarkable biological diversity. However, land and water degradation are eroding Australia's natural asset base damaging industries such as tourism, fisheries, and forestry. Given limited funds for biodiversity conservation, we need to minimise the misallocation of resources by making wise investments. This research will result in ....Maximising the conservation of biodiversity and the delivery of ecosystem services: What to do, where and when. The economic wealth of Australia is underpinned by its remarkable biological diversity. However, land and water degradation are eroding Australia's natural asset base damaging industries such as tourism, fisheries, and forestry. Given limited funds for biodiversity conservation, we need to minimise the misallocation of resources by making wise investments. This research will result in frameworks and tools to ensure that we maximise the protection of biological diversity and the delivery of ecosystem services (such as clean water) that are important for human well-being. We will share the results of our research with decision makers, scientists, and the general public.Read moreRead less
Institutional transitions to sustainable agriculture: An inter-disciplinary analysis of a novel common-property resource governance system. Efforts to overcome the severe degradation of land resources supporting agriculture and human communities continue to be constrained by institutions and social norms. The knowledge needed for a transition to sustainable agricultural landscapes through institutional change is inadequate. A collaboration between specialists in economics, politics, sociology, ....Institutional transitions to sustainable agriculture: An inter-disciplinary analysis of a novel common-property resource governance system. Efforts to overcome the severe degradation of land resources supporting agriculture and human communities continue to be constrained by institutions and social norms. The knowledge needed for a transition to sustainable agricultural landscapes through institutional change is inadequate. A collaboration between specialists in economics, politics, sociology, ecology and soil science at the University of New England and graziers in an upper Murray-Darling subcatchment will analyse the transition to a common-property institution on this subcatchment. It will make a distinctively Australian contribution to international efforts to understand such transitions, and serve as a model for progress towards sustainability elsewhere in Australia.
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Mechanistic basis of a reproductive lesion in transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFb1) null mutant mice. Null mutation in the gene encoding the cytokine transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFb1) causes infertility in male and female mice. In recent experiments we have found that TGFb1 deficiency is associated with impaired ovarian and testicular steroidogenesis, arrested development of pre-implantation embryos and disrupted mammary gland morphogenesis. The aims of the current project are to un ....Mechanistic basis of a reproductive lesion in transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFb1) null mutant mice. Null mutation in the gene encoding the cytokine transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFb1) causes infertility in male and female mice. In recent experiments we have found that TGFb1 deficiency is associated with impaired ovarian and testicular steroidogenesis, arrested development of pre-implantation embryos and disrupted mammary gland morphogenesis. The aims of the current project are to unravel the mechanistic basis of the reproductive lesion in TGFb1 null mutant mice and to determine the effect of exogenous systemic delivery of TGFb1 in alleviating this lesion. It is expected that the project will provide new insight into key roles for TGFb1 in governing male and female fertility, and shed light on the prospects for exogenous supplementation of TGFb1 for improving reproductive performance in wild-type animals. This knowledge has potentially important applications in the livestock breeding industry, in devising novel contraceptive vaccine strategies, in the human pharmaceutical industry, and in devising novel contraceptive vaccine strategies.Read moreRead less
Presumed Guilty: An Economics Analysis of the Efficiency of Environmental Bonds for the WA Mining Sector. Environmental bonds have two important economic effects. First they give an incentive for mining firms to manage environmental damage and second they prevent excessive costs falling on the regulator in the case of bankruptcy. The aim of this project is to assess if this policy can be redesigned to increase its economic efficiency.
Bioeconomic Modelling of Marine Reserves. Australian waters contain a huge range of biodiversity, but are under threat from human activities. To face this challenge and resolve the problems of depleted fisheries and habitat destruction, innovative approaches are required to integrate marine biology with fisheries economics. The research meets this immediate need by developing bioeconomic models of marine reserves to determine reserve location and size, and analyse interactions between reserves a ....Bioeconomic Modelling of Marine Reserves. Australian waters contain a huge range of biodiversity, but are under threat from human activities. To face this challenge and resolve the problems of depleted fisheries and habitat destruction, innovative approaches are required to integrate marine biology with fisheries economics. The research meets this immediate need by developing bioeconomic models of marine reserves to determine reserve location and size, and analyse interactions between reserves and harvested areas under environmental uncertainty. The models will be developed using the latest developments in economics, biology and numerical methods and will be used to conserve Australia's marine biodiversity and improve fisheries management.Read moreRead less
Modelling Payments for Environmental Services on Indigenous held lands. Payments for environmental services (PES) such as fire management have potential to provide employment to indigenous people managing land that has previously been thought to hold no commercial value. In so doing it could transform the economies of the very remote parts of Australia where indigenous people live. For these schemes to work, however, greater understanding is required not only of the willingness of society to pay ....Modelling Payments for Environmental Services on Indigenous held lands. Payments for environmental services (PES) such as fire management have potential to provide employment to indigenous people managing land that has previously been thought to hold no commercial value. In so doing it could transform the economies of the very remote parts of Australia where indigenous people live. For these schemes to work, however, greater understanding is required not only of the willingness of society to pay for environmental services in northern Australia but also of the perceptions of the indigenous people who are providing these services. Choice modelling can (1) quantify values of different environmental services in different sectors of society and (2) help allocate the payments for environmental services efficiently.Read moreRead less