Genetic control of floral architecture. Different flowers have different designs, and so the design must ultimately be controlled by genes. We have identified a gene that keeps sepals separate, and promotes the initiation of petals. We think it does this by a novel growth suppression mechanism, and will now deduce its molecular and cellular basis. This will help maintain Australia's strength in fundamental plant biology. Also, by understanding how sepals and petals arise in a model laboratory sp ....Genetic control of floral architecture. Different flowers have different designs, and so the design must ultimately be controlled by genes. We have identified a gene that keeps sepals separate, and promotes the initiation of petals. We think it does this by a novel growth suppression mechanism, and will now deduce its molecular and cellular basis. This will help maintain Australia's strength in fundamental plant biology. Also, by understanding how sepals and petals arise in a model laboratory species, we can generalise for many species, including economic plants. Thus it may be possible to make designer crops through targeted genetic changes to their floral structure.Read moreRead less
Control of plant organ development by the PETAL LOSS gene of Arabidopsis. We have discovered a new gene in the model laboratory plant Arabidopsis thaliana that is involved in sepal and petal development. It encodes a transcription factor that apparently acts by repressing growth in the inter-sepal zone of flowers where petals arise. We now aim to determine how this growth suppression occurs, and whether it extends to leaves where the gene is also expressed. Control of the initiation and sculptur ....Control of plant organ development by the PETAL LOSS gene of Arabidopsis. We have discovered a new gene in the model laboratory plant Arabidopsis thaliana that is involved in sepal and petal development. It encodes a transcription factor that apparently acts by repressing growth in the inter-sepal zone of flowers where petals arise. We now aim to determine how this growth suppression occurs, and whether it extends to leaves where the gene is also expressed. Control of the initiation and sculpturing of plant organs by site-specific inhibition of growth is a newly discovered mechanism that may be useful in manipulating plant architecture.Read moreRead less
Understanding how auxin and dorsoventral patterning are coordinated in plants. This study will help reveal for the first time how the outgrowth of leaves, flowers and floral organs is coordinated by tissue patterning genes and the plant growth hormone auxin. All plants grow in this way, and our findings, made using a model laboratory plant, will be applicable to crop species as well. Thus we will both expand our core knowledge of how multicellular organisms are constructed, and also generate pos ....Understanding how auxin and dorsoventral patterning are coordinated in plants. This study will help reveal for the first time how the outgrowth of leaves, flowers and floral organs is coordinated by tissue patterning genes and the plant growth hormone auxin. All plants grow in this way, and our findings, made using a model laboratory plant, will be applicable to crop species as well. Thus we will both expand our core knowledge of how multicellular organisms are constructed, and also generate possibilities for modifying the patterns of leaf and flower development in agricultural and horticultural species. Crops with larger leaves, or flowers of different structure, may result.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354852
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
Sustainable Regions for a Competitive Australia. How can metropolitan, rural and remote regions balance economic and job growth, with environmental and social sustainability? This Initiative establishes a Network of researchers to work collaboratively on questions of environmental best practice, community development, regional governance, labour markets, economic development and technology transfer. The Network's vision is to find ways to use existing and future research to help make Australia ....Sustainable Regions for a Competitive Australia. How can metropolitan, rural and remote regions balance economic and job growth, with environmental and social sustainability? This Initiative establishes a Network of researchers to work collaboratively on questions of environmental best practice, community development, regional governance, labour markets, economic development and technology transfer. The Network's vision is to find ways to use existing and future research to help make Australia's regions more competitive on world markets and more environmentally sustainable, and to help build stronger regional communities. The Network cuts across traditional discipline boundaries to find integrated solutions to the real problems confronting Australian regions.Read moreRead less
Changing children’s chances: Exploring pathways to developmental inequities. This project aims to investigate the causes of health and developmental inequities between Australian children. Inequities are increasingly observed in Australian children’s physical health, social and emotional wellbeing, and academic learning. Such inequities are unjust, unnecessary and potentially preventable. This project aims to understand the pathways leading to these inequities by examining the many contexts in w ....Changing children’s chances: Exploring pathways to developmental inequities. This project aims to investigate the causes of health and developmental inequities between Australian children. Inequities are increasingly observed in Australian children’s physical health, social and emotional wellbeing, and academic learning. Such inequities are unjust, unnecessary and potentially preventable. This project aims to understand the pathways leading to these inequities by examining the many contexts in which children and their families live and grow. Through a series of innovative analyses using existing data, the project aims to identify potentially modifiable factors at the child, family, school, and community level that contribute to developmental inequities. Understanding of the most promising leverage points for interventions to reduce inequities for Australian children could be used to inform policy.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100094
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,361,651.00
Summary
Linked semantic platforms for social and physical infrastructure and wellbeing. This project aims to develop the next generation of decision-support tools for interdisciplinary research on critical public policy issues. This project will use linked open data, knowledge graphs and collaborations across existing research infrastructure projects. Expected outcomes include inter-operability across major social science databases and new analytical tools that will transform the research capabilities f ....Linked semantic platforms for social and physical infrastructure and wellbeing. This project aims to develop the next generation of decision-support tools for interdisciplinary research on critical public policy issues. This project will use linked open data, knowledge graphs and collaborations across existing research infrastructure projects. Expected outcomes include inter-operability across major social science databases and new analytical tools that will transform the research capabilities for evidence-based policy making. Outcomes are expected on sustainable built environments and transport in urban and regional communities, social care and health in the community, work and wellbeing, digital inclusion and digital health.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354908
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
The Insect-Plant Chemical Ecology Network (IPCEN). We bring together plant molecular biology, entomology and analytical chemistry to transform three leading fields of Australian research into an advanced science with far reaching capabilities in innovative research and applied outcomes. Expertise studying the biochemical pathways that produce specific plant compounds and expertise in insect recognition and response to these chemicals will be brought together. This will lead to new research outco ....The Insect-Plant Chemical Ecology Network (IPCEN). We bring together plant molecular biology, entomology and analytical chemistry to transform three leading fields of Australian research into an advanced science with far reaching capabilities in innovative research and applied outcomes. Expertise studying the biochemical pathways that produce specific plant compounds and expertise in insect recognition and response to these chemicals will be brought together. This will lead to new research outcomes and solutions to problems in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and protection of Australia's native flora. Researchers are struggling to create these links, constrained by disciplinary boundaries and geographical isolation. Key industries and researchers already support this proposal.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology. The CoE in Convergent Bio-Nano Science &Technology comprises a multi-disciplinary team focused on research aiming to understand and control the interface of materials with biological systems. The Centre will exploit knowledge of the bio-nano interface to design materials that transport and deliver vaccines, drugs and gene therapy agents, and to design new diagnostic agents and devices. Nanomedicines are on the cusp of revol ....ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology. The CoE in Convergent Bio-Nano Science &Technology comprises a multi-disciplinary team focused on research aiming to understand and control the interface of materials with biological systems. The Centre will exploit knowledge of the bio-nano interface to design materials that transport and deliver vaccines, drugs and gene therapy agents, and to design new diagnostic agents and devices. Nanomedicines are on the cusp of revolutionizing diagnosis and therapy in many diseases. The CoE will be the focus of bio-nano research activity in Australia, uniting universities, research agencies, institutes and companies. The expected outcomes are better diagnostic and therapeutic tools designed via an enhanced understanding of the bio-nano-interface.Read moreRead less
Time scarcity in Australian families: another inequity? The globalising economy, financial uncertainties and major democratic changes are all affecting family time. Parent's time is a resource on which children depend, but time scarcity has become a widespread problem for families. Our study helps focus policy attention on this problem. We deliver new methods to assess the experience of time scarcity in families, identifying those who are most likely to experience it, where they live, and how ti ....Time scarcity in Australian families: another inequity? The globalising economy, financial uncertainties and major democratic changes are all affecting family time. Parent's time is a resource on which children depend, but time scarcity has become a widespread problem for families. Our study helps focus policy attention on this problem. We deliver new methods to assess the experience of time scarcity in families, identifying those who are most likely to experience it, where they live, and how time scarcity affects them. This evidence can help support policy approaches to time, benefiting the twin economic and social policy goals of encouraging workforce participation while supporting the health and wellbeing of families.Read moreRead less
Testing the projected benefits of living in a 20-minute neighbourhood. This project aims to assess the projected lifestyle benefits associated with living in a ‘20-minute’ neighbourhood, one where important destinations are easily accessible. Urban renewal and liveability policies advocate for 20-minute neighbourhoods under the assumption these encourage more localised and healthier lifestyles. However, this has not been formally tested. This project will compare the location, diet and physical ....Testing the projected benefits of living in a 20-minute neighbourhood. This project aims to assess the projected lifestyle benefits associated with living in a ‘20-minute’ neighbourhood, one where important destinations are easily accessible. Urban renewal and liveability policies advocate for 20-minute neighbourhoods under the assumption these encourage more localised and healthier lifestyles. However, this has not been formally tested. This project will compare the location, diet and physical activity of residents of 20-minute neighbourhoods with those of residents living outside 20-minute neighbourhoods. This project expects its findings will help meet the demands of population growth and inform urban planning, public health and transport.Read moreRead less