Switchable and stereocontrolled photoredox catalysis. This project aims to develop new catalytic synthetic reactions for the rapid and more direct functionalisation of organic compounds under mild conditions with the use of visible light. An integrated experimental and computational approach will be used to design potent visible-light photocatalysts that retain the advantages of standard photoredox catalysis but with the added ability to intercept and, thus control, reactive intermediates in sit ....Switchable and stereocontrolled photoredox catalysis. This project aims to develop new catalytic synthetic reactions for the rapid and more direct functionalisation of organic compounds under mild conditions with the use of visible light. An integrated experimental and computational approach will be used to design potent visible-light photocatalysts that retain the advantages of standard photoredox catalysis but with the added ability to intercept and, thus control, reactive intermediates in situ. This will enable the control of stereochemistry in photoredox reactions – not possible with standard catalysts - and establish other useful synthetic transformations. These strategies will make it easier to prepare valuable classes of organic molecules – efficiently, safely, and cost-effectively.
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New Horizons in Quinonedimethide Chemistry. Quinonedimethides (QDMs) are organic molecules with a notorious reputation for instability, hence they are poorly understood and an underexploited resource. This project will unite the ideally suited computational and experimental skills of the CIs to perform the first thorough investigation into fundamental QDM chemistry. It aims to map structure-reactivity in QDMs, investigate their ability to rapidly generate complex structures, and demonstrate thei ....New Horizons in Quinonedimethide Chemistry. Quinonedimethides (QDMs) are organic molecules with a notorious reputation for instability, hence they are poorly understood and an underexploited resource. This project will unite the ideally suited computational and experimental skills of the CIs to perform the first thorough investigation into fundamental QDM chemistry. It aims to map structure-reactivity in QDMs, investigate their ability to rapidly generate complex structures, and demonstrate their potential in spintronics and other applications. Anticipated outcomes include powerful and general new synthetic concepts, methods, strategies and tactics. This should provide significant benefits, such as better ways to manufacture important medicines and other materials.Read moreRead less
Deciphering ion specificity in complex electrolytes . This project aims to understand how ions influence the behaviour and properties of complex electrolytes (solutions containing either multiple ions, solvent mixtures, high electrolyte concentrations or a variety of interfaces, solutes or polymers). Complex electrolytes are ubiquitous in colloidal and particle technologies and underpin industrial and natural processes. Our team will combine experiment, simulation and theory to deliver a univers ....Deciphering ion specificity in complex electrolytes . This project aims to understand how ions influence the behaviour and properties of complex electrolytes (solutions containing either multiple ions, solvent mixtures, high electrolyte concentrations or a variety of interfaces, solutes or polymers). Complex electrolytes are ubiquitous in colloidal and particle technologies and underpin industrial and natural processes. Our team will combine experiment, simulation and theory to deliver a universal framework for understanding and predicting specific ion effects in complex electrolytes. The project outcomes are expected to deliver new understanding for researchers, robust rules of thumb for technologists and a public resource for data-driven solutions in applications utilising salt solutions. Read moreRead less
Global integration of microbial community and climate data. Microbial communities in the environment control the cycling of carbon and nutrients on Earth, but climate models do not directly incorporate microbial inputs. This interdisciplinary project will link planetary-scale climate modelling data with novel large-scale microbial community analysis, using climate information to provide insight into the fantastic diversity of microbial processes on our planet. The interdisciplinary approach will ....Global integration of microbial community and climate data. Microbial communities in the environment control the cycling of carbon and nutrients on Earth, but climate models do not directly incorporate microbial inputs. This interdisciplinary project will link planetary-scale climate modelling data with novel large-scale microbial community analysis, using climate information to provide insight into the fantastic diversity of microbial processes on our planet. The interdisciplinary approach will inform the next generation of climate models and better predict our future climate’s feedbacks. Conversely, it will make progress on the grand challenge of understanding microbial community function by enabling microbial ecology to be treated as a data-intensive machine learning problem.Read moreRead less
Genome evolution & adaptation of the multinuclear wheat stripe rust fungus. Animals and plants package their genomes into a single nucleus within each cell. In contrast, millions of fungal species accommodate multiple nuclei containing individual haploid genomes. It is currently unknown what the evolutionary implications are for this unusual genome division into multiple nuclei. Here we explore the evolutionary consequences of genome division into multiple nuclei for the first time by applying c ....Genome evolution & adaptation of the multinuclear wheat stripe rust fungus. Animals and plants package their genomes into a single nucleus within each cell. In contrast, millions of fungal species accommodate multiple nuclei containing individual haploid genomes. It is currently unknown what the evolutionary implications are for this unusual genome division into multiple nuclei. Here we explore the evolutionary consequences of genome division into multiple nuclei for the first time by applying cutting edge genome biology tools and algorithms. The economically significant study system is the devastating wheat stripe rust fungus. This pathogen costs Australian farmers over $100 million a year. New understanding is expected to lead to better disease management, reduced fungicide applications, and increased yields.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100301
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$440,000.00
Summary
Reducing uncertainty in prediction of leaf respiration in a changing world. This project aims to advance our understanding of responses of carbon dioxide (CO2) release by leaf (leaf respiration) to sustained changes in CO2 and temperature. Leaf respiration in terrestrial forests releases yearly CO2 that is two to four times higher than CO2 emitted by human activities, but its response to climate change is not well understood. The project expects to generate new knowledge on mechanisms underlying ....Reducing uncertainty in prediction of leaf respiration in a changing world. This project aims to advance our understanding of responses of carbon dioxide (CO2) release by leaf (leaf respiration) to sustained changes in CO2 and temperature. Leaf respiration in terrestrial forests releases yearly CO2 that is two to four times higher than CO2 emitted by human activities, but its response to climate change is not well understood. The project expects to generate new knowledge on mechanisms underlying responses of leaf respiration to these climate change variables, separately and combined. Expected outcome is to deliver criteria that enable dynamic changes in leaf respiration to be predicted in climate models. Results should benefit improved forecast of feedback between Australian forests' carbon cycling and climate.Read moreRead less
Next generation supramolecular frameworks. This project aims to prepare new supramolecular frameworks assembled by hydrogen or halogen bonds. It is anticipated that this work will increase fundamental understanding of supramolecular self-assembly processes and the dynamic processes that are possible within these rearrangeable systems. The project aims to prepare a family of related frameworks, which will allow a detailed comparison of the stability, porosity and biotechnological applicability of ....Next generation supramolecular frameworks. This project aims to prepare new supramolecular frameworks assembled by hydrogen or halogen bonds. It is anticipated that this work will increase fundamental understanding of supramolecular self-assembly processes and the dynamic processes that are possible within these rearrangeable systems. The project aims to prepare a family of related frameworks, which will allow a detailed comparison of the stability, porosity and biotechnological applicability of new supramolecular materials. The expected outcomes are the development of lightweight and benign organic systems that will have applications in the removal of toxic organic and heavy metal pollutants from water, and in the encapsulation and stabilisation of catalytically-active enzymes.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240101245
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$445,047.00
Summary
Automated Modelling Assistance for the Creation of Complex Planning Models. Artificial Intelligence (AI) planning technology is used to control systems like automated factories, robots, or to solve complex optimisation problems. Creating these models is however rather complex and error-prone and requires experts to create them in the first place. This project aims at developing techniques and tools for automated modelling support. They will make the modelling process easier and guarantee desired ....Automated Modelling Assistance for the Creation of Complex Planning Models. Artificial Intelligence (AI) planning technology is used to control systems like automated factories, robots, or to solve complex optimisation problems. Creating these models is however rather complex and error-prone and requires experts to create them in the first place. This project aims at developing techniques and tools for automated modelling support. They will make the modelling process easier and guarantee desired model properties such as the desired system behaviour. The tools will thus contribute towards making the technology more easily accessible to companies that might want to deploy them, while reducing costs for doing so and increasing the quality of these models.
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Self-assembled supramolecular cages for guest binding and catalysis. This project aims to construct a family of supramolecular metal-containing cage-shaped molecules that possess specialised binding pockets with unique chemical properties that mimic enzymes. Many existing cage molecules contain well-defined three dimensional cavities reminiscent of enzymes' active sites. However, unlike natural systems they do not contain "active" metals with free coordination sites, and this limits their cataly ....Self-assembled supramolecular cages for guest binding and catalysis. This project aims to construct a family of supramolecular metal-containing cage-shaped molecules that possess specialised binding pockets with unique chemical properties that mimic enzymes. Many existing cage molecules contain well-defined three dimensional cavities reminiscent of enzymes' active sites. However, unlike natural systems they do not contain "active" metals with free coordination sites, and this limits their catalytic ability. This project aims to prepare a large family of robust organic cages quickly and easily, and subsequently incorporate metals containing free active sites that point into the cage cavity. It is expected that this will deliver strong and selective guest binding, and efficient and selective catalysis.Read moreRead less