Environmental Influences In The Establishment Of The Epigenetic Landscape In Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$695,097.00
Summary
The DNA in each of our cells does not exist alone, it is packaged into complex structures called chromosomes, through association with many different proteins. The distribution of these proteins varies along the length of a chromosome depending on the type of cell and this phenomenon is called 'epigenetics', literally meaning 'above the DNA'. Epigenetic analysis is the study of how proteins and other molecules can change the activity of a gene without changing the DNA sequence. All of our cells ....The DNA in each of our cells does not exist alone, it is packaged into complex structures called chromosomes, through association with many different proteins. The distribution of these proteins varies along the length of a chromosome depending on the type of cell and this phenomenon is called 'epigenetics', literally meaning 'above the DNA'. Epigenetic analysis is the study of how proteins and other molecules can change the activity of a gene without changing the DNA sequence. All of our cells use epigenetic changes to help control how they grow and develop. Evidence suggests a direct link between diet and environmental influences on our epigenetic profile. Recent research has traced the origins of many of the health problems of adult life back to the earliest periods of development _ to the time spent in the womb and the first few years of life. If we are born with a low birth weight, we are more likely to get sick later in life. Overwhelming evidence exists that the environment in the womb is critical for a healthy birth weight (and health in later life) and it is thought that epigenetics may be the missing link between this environment, low birth weight, and therefore health in later life. In addition, mounting evidence supports a general link between epigenetic de-regulation and predisposition to disease. However, the timing and the overall contribution of environmental- genetic influences to the establishment of faulty epigenetic markings remain largely unknown. Twins are the best model to study this link as they share similar (but not identical environments) and some share identical genetic makeup. Using twins, Dr Jeffrey Craig and his team will investigate the factors in the prenatal environment that modify specific cells, leading to low birth weight and increase disease risk later in life. They predict that this occurs via specific changes in gene activity caused by epigenetic disruption.Read moreRead less
Mental Health Across Generations: Pre-and Post Conception Predicators Of Early Life Risks
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$666,231.00
Summary
In 2003, mental illnesses were among the ten leading causes of disease burden in Australia, accounting for 13% of the total burden of disease, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Mental health problems and mental illness are among the greatest causes of disability, diminished quality of life, and reduced productivity. People affected by mental health problems often have high levels of morbidity and mortality, experiencing poorer general health and higher rates of death f ....In 2003, mental illnesses were among the ten leading causes of disease burden in Australia, accounting for 13% of the total burden of disease, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Mental health problems and mental illness are among the greatest causes of disability, diminished quality of life, and reduced productivity. People affected by mental health problems often have high levels of morbidity and mortality, experiencing poorer general health and higher rates of death from a range of causes, including suicide. These conditions are significant in terms of prevalence and disease burden, and have far-reaching impacts for families, carers and others in the community. Mental health problems commonly cluster in families. However, few studies have previously been able to investigate the range of ways in which mental disorders may pass from one generation to another. Further, evidence suggests that influences that arise prior to conception may have major effects on early life risks such as development in utero, birth outcomes and early maternal infant bonding. Mental Health across Generations: Pre- and post-conception predictors of early life risks is a unique study that will examine antenatal maternal mental health and risk behaviours during pregnancy. The study will also examine the links between prior maternal mental health and later birth outcomes, and post natal maternal infant bonding. The risk processes to be tested will include genetic, epigenetic (changes in gene expression), physiological and psycho-social parameters.Read moreRead less
ARC Research Network in Spatially Integrated Social Science. The ARC Research Network in Spatially Integrated Social Science (SISS) builds Australia's capacity and capability for innovative, collaborative, cross-disciplinary effort to investigate the impacts of change on the behaviour and well-being of people and the fortunes of places. SISS theories and research tools permit the integration of diverse and complex databases, the generation of new synthetic datasets, the incorporation of spatial ....ARC Research Network in Spatially Integrated Social Science. The ARC Research Network in Spatially Integrated Social Science (SISS) builds Australia's capacity and capability for innovative, collaborative, cross-disciplinary effort to investigate the impacts of change on the behaviour and well-being of people and the fortunes of places. SISS theories and research tools permit the integration of diverse and complex databases, the generation of new synthetic datasets, the incorporation of spatial concepts into statistical analysis and modelling, powerful visualisation of information, and the building spatial decision support systems, to provide an improved evidence base and better informed decision-making to address the significant challenges facing Australia's people and its places.Read moreRead less
Pedalling for change: cultural geography for traffic congestion innovation. This project aims to offer new knowledge about why commuter cycling has failed to increase at a time when leisure cycling grows exponentially. The project seeks to provide evidence about what cycling enables people to achieve through analysis of a database of media discourses, policies and most importantly the experiences of cyclists. Expected outcomes include an enhanced understanding of cycling as response to congestio ....Pedalling for change: cultural geography for traffic congestion innovation. This project aims to offer new knowledge about why commuter cycling has failed to increase at a time when leisure cycling grows exponentially. The project seeks to provide evidence about what cycling enables people to achieve through analysis of a database of media discourses, policies and most importantly the experiences of cyclists. Expected outcomes include an enhanced understanding of cycling as response to congestion and improved policy strategies for increasing purposeful cycling in cities including moving the focus from cycling participation rates to cultures of cycling. Australia will benefit from cycling growing as a mode of transport to attenuate traffic congestion in metropolitan centres.Read moreRead less
Navigating New Waters: Supporting Fisheries And Aquaculture Businesses To Pursue Seafood Tourism As A Diversification Pathway
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$135,000.00
Summary
This project is a strategic initiative to support seafood businesses in diversifying into new economic markets. Amidst evolving global challenges and the impact of Covid-19 on the seafood industry, the need for diversification is more pressing than ever. The proposed project addresses this need by providing seafood business with the necessary support and resources to diversify into a sector which boasts much potential: seafood tourism. Seafood tourism presents a practical and feasible appro .... This project is a strategic initiative to support seafood businesses in diversifying into new economic markets. Amidst evolving global challenges and the impact of Covid-19 on the seafood industry, the need for diversification is more pressing than ever. The proposed project addresses this need by providing seafood business with the necessary support and resources to diversify into a sector which boasts much potential: seafood tourism. Seafood tourism presents a practical and feasible approach to diversification, which leverages the intrigue of marine environments and the seafood production process. Whilst feasible, there are inherent challenges and risks involved in pursuing this diversification pathway. This project directly responds to the request of F&A for support in navigating the diversification process. Central to its approach, is the delivery of decision-support tools which can facilitate informed decision-making and mitigate potential risks involved in diversifying. These tools will be vital in ensuring F&A businesses make sound and strategic decisions regarding their suitability to different seafood tourism models.
Objectives: 1. Identify the range of seafood tourism business models and determine success factors for different models. 2. Document and compare the operating environment and the regulations in each jurisdiction (across production, food safety, tourism) for establishing and maintaining seafood tourism enterprises. 3. Identify the business capacity and capability needed for successful seafood businesses, inclusive of skills, assets, and networks. 4. Develop decision support tools for seafood operators to undertake a first pass assessment of the potential suitability of different tourism models. Read moreRead less
Early Career Industry Fellowships - Grant ID: IE230100672
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$470,337.00
Summary
Measuring real-time mental workload to improve our Defence capability. This project aims to develop a novel platform for measuring real-time variation in the cognitive workload of humans working with advanced Defence technologies. The project expects to combine innovative statistical techniques with cutting-edge psychological and neuroscience developments to measure and process workload-related brain activity in real-time. Expected outcomes of the project include an enhanced capacity to measure ....Measuring real-time mental workload to improve our Defence capability. This project aims to develop a novel platform for measuring real-time variation in the cognitive workload of humans working with advanced Defence technologies. The project expects to combine innovative statistical techniques with cutting-edge psychological and neuroscience developments to measure and process workload-related brain activity in real-time. Expected outcomes of the project include an enhanced capacity to measure and respond to cognitive workload in the field. This should provide significant benefits such as enhanced performance and safety outcomes, which will provide a strategic advantage to the Australian Defence Force by facilitating the development of advanced technologies that respond to the capabilities of the human user.Read moreRead less
Changing approaches to gender and development in rural China. Harmonious and cooperative relations with China are crucial to Australia's economic and cultural development and to security in the region. By contributing to Australian understanding of Chinese society, this project will enhance such relations. Knowledge gained through this project will also enhance Australian development projects in China, and more generally, contribute to development projects focusing on gender and development in A ....Changing approaches to gender and development in rural China. Harmonious and cooperative relations with China are crucial to Australia's economic and cultural development and to security in the region. By contributing to Australian understanding of Chinese society, this project will enhance such relations. Knowledge gained through this project will also enhance Australian development projects in China, and more generally, contribute to development projects focusing on gender and development in Asia and elsewhere. In addition, the contributions of the project to research and postgraduate training in Chinese studies, gender studies and development studies will benefit Australia by raising the international profile of Australian institutions within these disciplines.Read moreRead less
Review Of Approaches For Determining Commercial Fisheries Compensation
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$136,420.00
Summary
WAFIC and DPIRD are seeking an improved understanding of the methods available for valuing fishery access rights, their relative advantages and disadvantages, and more specifically which methods would be most relevant and appropriate for Western Australia’s small-scale fisheries. This is to better ensure that future compensation schemes better meet their objectives while also building increased certainty and confidence for industry and the holders of access rights, which ultimately supports impr ....WAFIC and DPIRD are seeking an improved understanding of the methods available for valuing fishery access rights, their relative advantages and disadvantages, and more specifically which methods would be most relevant and appropriate for Western Australia’s small-scale fisheries. This is to better ensure that future compensation schemes better meet their objectives while also building increased certainty and confidence for industry and the holders of access rights, which ultimately supports improved resource security.
Our proposed approach draws on relevant literature and consultation with both government and fishery stakeholders (including fishers, investors, and brokers) to understand the range of approaches applied to valuing commercial fishing rights and their relative advantages and disadvantages. We will then define some key evaluation criteria that define what an appropriate compensation method is and then assess identified methods against these criteria. This evaluation will also consider how the applicability of methods may vary for different fishery types and circumstances.
The end outcome will be identification of the most appropriate valuation methods for the development of future compensation schemes for different fishery types, with a particular focus on small-scale fisheries. This advice will be developed to be readily adopted and applied by in relevant legislation and/or policy instruments.
Objectives: 1. To review and summarise methods that can be used to value fishery access rights for compensation purposes, including each method’s advantages, disadvantages and appropriateness for given circumstances. 2. To understand the views and perspectives of those that hold or trade fishery access rights regarding how they value fishery rights. 3. To identify and recommend compensation calculation approaches that are most suitable for Western Australian small-scale fisheries and that could readily be adopted in Western Australian government legislation, policy or processes. Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC170100016
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,123,492.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Personalised Therapeutics Technologies. The ARC Training Centre for Personalised Therapeutics Technologies aims to create and develop the skills and technology to benefit from the transformative impacts that cell/organ-on-a-chip technology will have on the medtech/pharma industries. By combining microfluidics-based/real-time technologies with personalised medicine the Training Centre will provide industry growth opportunities through improved screening of potential therap ....ARC Training Centre for Personalised Therapeutics Technologies. The ARC Training Centre for Personalised Therapeutics Technologies aims to create and develop the skills and technology to benefit from the transformative impacts that cell/organ-on-a-chip technology will have on the medtech/pharma industries. By combining microfluidics-based/real-time technologies with personalised medicine the Training Centre will provide industry growth opportunities through improved screening of potential therapeutics. The use of an individual patient’s cellular and molecular research findings will ultimately enable personalised diagnostic and therapeutic decisions.Read moreRead less
Social Science And Economics Research Coordination Program (SSERCP) – Economic Consultant Services
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$67,000.00
Summary
Request from Emily Ogier to sub contract Sarah Jennings for the economic component of the parent project 2015-300 Objectives: 1. To provide economic consultancy to the Social Science and Economics Research Coordination Program (SSERCP).