Inhibition Of Interferon-?/? Induction By Ross River Virus
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$589,664.00
Summary
Ross River virus is a mosquito-borne virus that causes arthritis in the joints of many people infected. This project will look at the early interactions of a virulent virus with the mammalian host that appear to enable the virus to replicate and spread in the host and thereby cause disease. These interactions are with the host interferon protein which the virus has developed the ability to inhibit. The effect of the invading virus on the host's interferon system, part of the immune system, will ....Ross River virus is a mosquito-borne virus that causes arthritis in the joints of many people infected. This project will look at the early interactions of a virulent virus with the mammalian host that appear to enable the virus to replicate and spread in the host and thereby cause disease. These interactions are with the host interferon protein which the virus has developed the ability to inhibit. The effect of the invading virus on the host's interferon system, part of the immune system, will be examined.Read moreRead less
The Role Of Corticothalamic Feedback On The Response Dynamics Of Thalamic Neurons
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$351,852.00
Summary
A fundamental question in neuroscience is how the brain selectively processes sensory information to generate a reliable representation of the world. Positioned in the centre of the brain, the thalamus plays a key role in sensory processing. This project investigates how the interaction between thalamus and cortex shapes the selection and gating of sensory information. This is a fundamental question in basic neuroscience with the potential to increase our knowledge about attentional deficits.
Discovery Of A Novel Immune Evasion Strategy Employed By Mosquito Borne Viruses To Suppress Antiviral Immune Responses
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$418,642.00
Summary
The transition from mosquitoes, ticks, or other invertebrate vectors to the human hosts represents a crucial step in the successful establishment of arthropod borne viruses (arboviruses). The incidence of arbovirus infections such as dengue virus, West Nile virus, Ross River virus is increasing at an alarming rate in various parts of the world. In addition, the emergence of new viruses resulting in significant mortality in the population is of utmost concern. Vaccines for many of these viruses r ....The transition from mosquitoes, ticks, or other invertebrate vectors to the human hosts represents a crucial step in the successful establishment of arthropod borne viruses (arboviruses). The incidence of arbovirus infections such as dengue virus, West Nile virus, Ross River virus is increasing at an alarming rate in various parts of the world. In addition, the emergence of new viruses resulting in significant mortality in the population is of utmost concern. Vaccines for many of these viruses remain elusive. One factor that contributes to this is the ability of viruses to develop ingenious strategies to avoid or suppress the host defence systems, which enable its successful establishment in the host. Understanding how viruses evade-suppress host defence machinery will certainly enhance and improve our approaches to fight them. For the first time internationally we have discovered a new and novel pathway employed by arboviruses to suppress antiviral immune responses in the host. We have discovered that naturally occurring carbohydrates on viruses derived from mosquito cells, would influence these virus s ability to evade-suppress host antiviral proteins such as interferons. This may be a general effect of arboviruses or may even extend to other viruses , which include a number of deadly pathogens (HIV, Influenza). This research has the potential to significantly expand our understanding of how these viruses establish infection and cause disease. Also this discovery has broader implications for understanding inflammatory processes and their regulation.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE150100015
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$430,000.00
Summary
Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research . Australian facility for taphonomic experimental research: The aim of this project is to establish a unique Australian research facility dedicated to studying the physical, chemical, and biological processes of human decomposition. This facility will be the first of its kind in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere, drawing together a collaborative team of experts in a broad range of taphonomy disciplines. The results of the research are ....Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research . Australian facility for taphonomic experimental research: The aim of this project is to establish a unique Australian research facility dedicated to studying the physical, chemical, and biological processes of human decomposition. This facility will be the first of its kind in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere, drawing together a collaborative team of experts in a broad range of taphonomy disciplines. The results of the research are expected to advance our limited understanding of the taphonomic processes acting on remains in a natural Australian environment. The outcomes will assist police and forensic services to improve their procedures for searching, locating, recovering, and identifying missing persons, victims of homicide, and victims of disaster on both a national and international scale.Read moreRead less
Reducing flood loss - A data-assimilation framework for improving forecasting capability in sparsely gauged regions. Floods are the biggest and severest natural disaster we face year after year. Furthermore, there has been little improvement in our capability to prevent flood damage over past decades. This research proposes a paradigm shift in the way flood forecasting, warning and evacuation proceeds, using 21st century technologies for collecting and incorporating flood related data into exist ....Reducing flood loss - A data-assimilation framework for improving forecasting capability in sparsely gauged regions. Floods are the biggest and severest natural disaster we face year after year. Furthermore, there has been little improvement in our capability to prevent flood damage over past decades. This research proposes a paradigm shift in the way flood forecasting, warning and evacuation proceeds, using 21st century technologies for collecting and incorporating flood related data into existing modelling platforms. It is argued that assimilating real-time satellite soil moisture data into flood models can increase accuracy manifold, even if the images are uncertain. The understanding gained in course of the proposed project has the potential to significantly reduce the damage caused year after year, especially in the data poor regions of the world.Read moreRead less
Mechanism/s Of Disease Caused By Respiratory Viral Infections
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$479,517.00
Summary
A newly discovered respiratory virus, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), causes clinical disease that is very similar to human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and co-circulates with RSV. Human RSV is a major cause of morbidity and life-threatening respiratory tract disease in infants and young children worldwide, and is recognised as an important respiratory pathogen in elderly adults and immune compromised patients. The recent isolation of HMPV from children hospitalised with respiratory tract ill ....A newly discovered respiratory virus, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), causes clinical disease that is very similar to human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and co-circulates with RSV. Human RSV is a major cause of morbidity and life-threatening respiratory tract disease in infants and young children worldwide, and is recognised as an important respiratory pathogen in elderly adults and immune compromised patients. The recent isolation of HMPV from children hospitalised with respiratory tract illness similar to RSV, but with an unknown etiology, suggests that HMPV may mediate similar clinical pathology. Nothing is currently known about the immune response to HMPV, or the association of these responses with lung disease. The objectives of this proposal are to elucidate the mechanisms of immunity and disease pathogenesis associated with human metapneumovirus (HMPV) and to investigate the use of a novel vaccine to protect against HMPV infection. Once this data is obtained, the study will provide the foundation for further research in the development of vaccines or therapeutic protocols to treat HMPV. It will also provide valuable information for understanding the disease in humans. Also,it is likely that HMPV, like hRSV, may prove to be an agent associated with long-term decreased pulmonary function and airflow limitation perhaps developing to asthma.Read moreRead less
View-based processing of pattern matching queries in large graphs. Graph data exist ubiquitously in modern information systems. Graph pattern matching (GPM) finds parts of the data graph that match a given pattern. It has applications in many areas including knowledge discovery, public health, and crime detection. This project will develop novel techniques for the efficient processing of GPM queries in large graphs.
The role of the innate immune response in the asymptomatic nature of viral infections in bats. Bats are natural reservoirs to a variety of viruses, including many that are lethal in humans and other mammals. This project will generate fundamental information on the mechanisms involved in the asymptomatic nature of viral infections in bats and contribute towards the development of new antiviral strategies for other susceptible species.
Identifying and controlling the source of Campylobacter and Salmonella in Australia. This project will identify the source of foodborne illnesses due to Salmonella and Campylobacter in order to inform food regulatory policy. The ultimate aim is to reduce the amount of foodborne disease in Australia.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100786
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Slow catastrophes: drought resilience amongst farmers and agricultural communities in south eastern Australia, 1880s-2000s. Drought is a profound shaper of rural society. This project will explore the way rural Australians have adapted to, and survived, drought in Australian history. Understanding human resilience in drought in the past will contribute to developing strategies for coping with drought and global climate change in the future.