The dynamics of turbulent entrainment in sheared convective boundary layers. This project aims to develop general laws to enable the accurate prediction of boundary layer entrainment processes. This will be significant in a wide range of environmental and engineering applications. In particular, the current lack of understanding of this area is a major source of uncertainty in the latest generation of global climate models.
Modelling The Biology And Transmission Of Influenza Virus - Learning From 1918-19 And Other Outbreaks
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$114,222.00
Summary
In preparing for a future pandemic of influenza, it is important to learn as much as possible from what happened in the past, particularly from the devastating pandemic of 1918-19. This project will collate detailed information about the spread of influenza in past outbreaks and create a publicly accessible data-base. Mathematical methods will be used to analyse historic and contemporary data, so as to provide better understanding of the spread of influenza, and of the likely effects of social a ....In preparing for a future pandemic of influenza, it is important to learn as much as possible from what happened in the past, particularly from the devastating pandemic of 1918-19. This project will collate detailed information about the spread of influenza in past outbreaks and create a publicly accessible data-base. Mathematical methods will be used to analyse historic and contemporary data, so as to provide better understanding of the spread of influenza, and of the likely effects of social and medical measures for its control. An important theme of the project is to consolidate our knowledge about how past exposure to non-pandemic influenza could provide short-lived protection against any new pandemic, and to explore the implications of this for prevention today. Another theme is to explore the severity of influenza during pandemics, and to identify social and medical factors that might reduce the dose of virus transmitted, or otherwise reduce the severity of infection. The insights from the modeling will also help to identify gaps in knowledge and understanding about the basic biology of influenza, stimulate new research to fill those gaps, and thus offer the prospect of more effective vaccines and treatments for the future control of influenza.Read moreRead less
Deadly Liver Mob: Engaging Aboriginal People In Viral Hepatitis, HIV And Sexual Health Services
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$848,441.00
Summary
Rates of blood-borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections are high among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. A local initiative in western Sydney has trialed a new approach to engagement and care of Aboriginal people. We will implement this approach in services across NSW and evaluate its effectiveness as a sustainable and acceptable model for engaging Aboriginal people in care and develop an implementation plan for future roll-out to other services.
Arbovirus Activation And Modulation Of NLRP3 Inflammasome
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$779,720.00
Summary
This project aims to establish how mosquito borne viruses such as Ross River and dengue viruses interacts with the human host to cause disease, including how the virus evades the host’s immune response to persist and cause disease for prolonged periods. Knowing how differences in the virus and the host’s immune system interplay to cause asymptomatic to severely disabling disease will assist in devising new treatments and prevention programs to lessen the impact of these diseases in Australia.
GBR as a significant source of climatically relevant aerosol particles. Every cloud drop is formed from a microscopic aerosol particle, known as a cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). In unpolluted environments the CCN particles originate from biogenic sources. Determining the magnitude and driving factors of biogenic aerosol production in different ecosystems is crucial to the development and improvement of climate models. This project aims to determine the mechanisms of new particle production fro ....GBR as a significant source of climatically relevant aerosol particles. Every cloud drop is formed from a microscopic aerosol particle, known as a cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). In unpolluted environments the CCN particles originate from biogenic sources. Determining the magnitude and driving factors of biogenic aerosol production in different ecosystems is crucial to the development and improvement of climate models. This project aims to determine the mechanisms of new particle production from one of the biggest ecosystems in Australia, the Great Barrier Reef. It is expected that the project will establish whether marine aerosol along the Queensland coast is coral-derived and show that this aerosol can affect the CCN concentration and therefore cloud formation and the hydrological cycle.Read moreRead less
New Methods in the Theory and Computational Modelling of Unimolecular and Complex-Forming Bimolecular Reactions. This project will develop new theory and computational methods for the prediction of chemical reaction rates with massively increased efficiency. Complex reactions occurring in combustion which are surprisingly common, but have previously been only poorly understood. The project will make possible the application of detailed statistical and quantum dynamical theories to such complex r ....New Methods in the Theory and Computational Modelling of Unimolecular and Complex-Forming Bimolecular Reactions. This project will develop new theory and computational methods for the prediction of chemical reaction rates with massively increased efficiency. Complex reactions occurring in combustion which are surprisingly common, but have previously been only poorly understood. The project will make possible the application of detailed statistical and quantum dynamical theories to such complex reactions in order to improve the quality of chemical data which is used for modelling atmospheric change and pollution.
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Formation, photochemistry and fate of gas-phase peroxyl radicals. This project aims to understand how peroxyl radical reactions modulate the composition of air. The gas-phase chemical reactions of organic peroxyl radicals contribute to air quality in clean and polluted environments. However, experimental observations of these reaction intermediates and the complex mechanisms governing their formation and fate are limited. This project will use mass spectrometry and laser-based methods to interro ....Formation, photochemistry and fate of gas-phase peroxyl radicals. This project aims to understand how peroxyl radical reactions modulate the composition of air. The gas-phase chemical reactions of organic peroxyl radicals contribute to air quality in clean and polluted environments. However, experimental observations of these reaction intermediates and the complex mechanisms governing their formation and fate are limited. This project will use mass spectrometry and laser-based methods to interrogate the chemical and photochemical reactions of peroxyl radicals in the gas phase. This project expects to understand the composition and dynamics of the troposphere and inform strategies to improve air quality.Read moreRead less
Function, Mechanism and Dynamics in Fluorescent Proteins: a Computational Investigation. The rich reservoir of chromoproteins and fluorescent proteins in the ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef offers Australia a unique natural advantage for the development of a niche biotechnology industry based on fluorescent markers for cellular biology and biomedical imaging. This project provides a crucial component of the science that is necessary for developing such an industry: a molecular-level knowledg ....Function, Mechanism and Dynamics in Fluorescent Proteins: a Computational Investigation. The rich reservoir of chromoproteins and fluorescent proteins in the ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef offers Australia a unique natural advantage for the development of a niche biotechnology industry based on fluorescent markers for cellular biology and biomedical imaging. This project provides a crucial component of the science that is necessary for developing such an industry: a molecular-level knowledge of how these proteins function and how we can manipulate and enhance their properties as imaging agents. It will achieve fundamental advances in biomolecular modelling techniques, train graduates with exceedingly valuable skill sets as well as deriving knowledge that aids the development of Australia's biotech industries.Read moreRead less
Quantum Unimolecular Reaction Dynamics: from Isolated Molecules to Protein-Embedded Chromophores. The outcomes of this research will (a) enhance the reputation of Australian science internationally,(b) develop highly skilled research personnel with core capabilities in computational chemistry who can contribute to Australian industry, (c) lead to more accurate modelling of atmospheric ozone depletion phenomena, and (d) improve our understanding of the most common cellular imaging tool - the Gree ....Quantum Unimolecular Reaction Dynamics: from Isolated Molecules to Protein-Embedded Chromophores. The outcomes of this research will (a) enhance the reputation of Australian science internationally,(b) develop highly skilled research personnel with core capabilities in computational chemistry who can contribute to Australian industry, (c) lead to more accurate modelling of atmospheric ozone depletion phenomena, and (d) improve our understanding of the most common cellular imaging tool - the Green Fluorescent Protein - with spinoff benefits for molecular biology research in Australia through the potential for design of new fluorescent proteins.Read moreRead less