The Benefits of Utilising Visual-Spatial Representations of Numbers . The aim of this project is to investigate how visual-spatial representations of numbers enhance practice to promote the use of retrieval-based over counting-based strategies for children learning early arithmetic. About one-third of Australian children stay reliant on counting strategies for basic arithmetic, despite these being associated with lower achievement in mathematics in later years. Expected outcomes of this project ....The Benefits of Utilising Visual-Spatial Representations of Numbers . The aim of this project is to investigate how visual-spatial representations of numbers enhance practice to promote the use of retrieval-based over counting-based strategies for children learning early arithmetic. About one-third of Australian children stay reliant on counting strategies for basic arithmetic, despite these being associated with lower achievement in mathematics in later years. Expected outcomes of this project are new understandings of how problem-answer associations can be strengthened in memory and the development of tools to promote retrieval-based strategies. Potential benefits include children who are better prepared to take on higher-level mathematics in secondary school and, subsequently, more numerate citizens. Read moreRead less
Encoding Interactions and Printability into Hairy Colloidal Biomaterials. Printing mixtures of live cells and biomaterials (or 'BioInks') to make bespoke engineered tissues has the potential to enable personalised platforms for therapeutic discovery and organ replacement. Using a novel high throughput approach to materials synthesis, BioInk design and process optimisation, this project aims to discover new biomaterials and printing nozzles to help realise this potential. It will produce new insi ....Encoding Interactions and Printability into Hairy Colloidal Biomaterials. Printing mixtures of live cells and biomaterials (or 'BioInks') to make bespoke engineered tissues has the potential to enable personalised platforms for therapeutic discovery and organ replacement. Using a novel high throughput approach to materials synthesis, BioInk design and process optimisation, this project aims to discover new biomaterials and printing nozzles to help realise this potential. It will produce new insights in colloid science, cell-laden biomaterials design, and BioInk processing. Structure-property-function guides for colloid-based BioInks and quality-assured bioprinting as outcomes represent significant benefits for researchers and industries alike engaged in biofabrication, cell therapy and biotherapeutics.Read moreRead less
Self-reinforced biopolymer composites. This project will pioneer high performance and biodegradable composites using self-reinforced biopolymer composites. Composites can have poor properties due to interfacial issues, and this reduces their performance. By producing a fully self-reinforced (where the fibre and the polymer are the same type of polymer) polymer composites, the project will develop a way to improve properties, increase the use of biobased materials, and improve recyclability and b ....Self-reinforced biopolymer composites. This project will pioneer high performance and biodegradable composites using self-reinforced biopolymer composites. Composites can have poor properties due to interfacial issues, and this reduces their performance. By producing a fully self-reinforced (where the fibre and the polymer are the same type of polymer) polymer composites, the project will develop a way to improve properties, increase the use of biobased materials, and improve recyclability and biodegradability. Outcomes include greater understanding of design of self-reinforced biopolymer composites structure, processing and properties. This will produce opportunities for high performance biobased composite manufacturing and a growing circular plastics economy for Australia.Read moreRead less
Bioplastics in the environment: lifetimes and toxicology. Globally, governments are implementing policies to drive a move to a circular economy. In the process, new materials are being introduced whose potential impacts need to be understood before they are widely used. This project pioneers investigations into the rate and extent of biodegradation of biodegradable plastics in aquatic and soil environments and the associated ecotoxicology of this process. In particular, it aims to quantify the e ....Bioplastics in the environment: lifetimes and toxicology. Globally, governments are implementing policies to drive a move to a circular economy. In the process, new materials are being introduced whose potential impacts need to be understood before they are widely used. This project pioneers investigations into the rate and extent of biodegradation of biodegradable plastics in aquatic and soil environments and the associated ecotoxicology of this process. In particular, it aims to quantify the extent to which the surfaces of these materials accumulate environmental pollutants via adsorption and other mechanisms. The outcomes will include conceptual models of biodegradation across environments, including lifetimes and likely impacts, critical information for framing a sustainable plastics industry.Read moreRead less
Catalytic conversion of Australia's natural gas to value added products. While natural gas (of which methane is the primary component) is an abundant source of energy, it is normally found in remote areas and for its successful exploitation it needs to be processed. The processing usually requires significant energy and resources input. In this project we will develop a fundamental understanding to a single step catalytic process that can utilise natural gas and nitrous oxide (both potent greenh ....Catalytic conversion of Australia's natural gas to value added products. While natural gas (of which methane is the primary component) is an abundant source of energy, it is normally found in remote areas and for its successful exploitation it needs to be processed. The processing usually requires significant energy and resources input. In this project we will develop a fundamental understanding to a single step catalytic process that can utilise natural gas and nitrous oxide (both potent greenhouse gases) and oxygen to produce selectively methanol and hydrocarbons from a natural gas feedstream in a controlled manner. A single step process for natural gas conversion utilising waste green-house gases is expected to be of great benefit to the Australian economy, environment and energy securityRead moreRead less
Digital mediation of children’s interactions with the more than human world. This project aims to investigate how children deploy digital devices to interact with the "natural" world and how this influences their literate practices, emotional engagement and identities. The project intends to examine these issues longitudinally across Australia and Finland, and in relation to key contextual issues of social class, material conditions, and pedagogical approach. Expected outcomes include identifyin ....Digital mediation of children’s interactions with the more than human world. This project aims to investigate how children deploy digital devices to interact with the "natural" world and how this influences their literate practices, emotional engagement and identities. The project intends to examine these issues longitudinally across Australia and Finland, and in relation to key contextual issues of social class, material conditions, and pedagogical approach. Expected outcomes include identifying ways of educating students through mobile digital technologies that connect them in emotional, creative and engaging ways with the "natural" world. This should provide significant benefits as children contribute as co-researchers in establishing a set of protocols for using digital technologies to both maximise learning in "nature" and mitigate harm to the environment.Read moreRead less
Targeting TGF-beta proteins to control animal reproduction. This project aims to develop a suite of novel biologics to control fertility in female mammals. This project expects to demonstrate that targeting a single class of ovarian proteins will enhance or inhibit egg production. The expected outcomes of this project are to (1) transform the breeding of livestock animals, which should provide significant benefits to the agricultural industry, through increased herd/flock sizes, and (2) provide ....Targeting TGF-beta proteins to control animal reproduction. This project aims to develop a suite of novel biologics to control fertility in female mammals. This project expects to demonstrate that targeting a single class of ovarian proteins will enhance or inhibit egg production. The expected outcomes of this project are to (1) transform the breeding of livestock animals, which should provide significant benefits to the agricultural industry, through increased herd/flock sizes, and (2) provide a non-surgical method of contraception in companion/feral species, which should address the large unmet need for fertility control in these animals.
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Next-generation lithography: photo-directing assembly of block copolymers. This project aims to introduce a novel approach to organising block polymers through the photochemical modification of the surface of a photo-sensitive polymer. Chemo-epitaxy is the science of organising materials on a surface decorated with chemical patterns. The process has the potential to revolutionise the manufacture of integrated circuits, enabling faster processors. This project expects to introduce innovative conc ....Next-generation lithography: photo-directing assembly of block copolymers. This project aims to introduce a novel approach to organising block polymers through the photochemical modification of the surface of a photo-sensitive polymer. Chemo-epitaxy is the science of organising materials on a surface decorated with chemical patterns. The process has the potential to revolutionise the manufacture of integrated circuits, enabling faster processors. This project expects to introduce innovative concepts in polymer chemistry and nanoscale assembly with the potential to advance a multi-billion-dollar industry.Read moreRead less
Australia's native sorghums: a model for testing plant adaptation theories. This proposal tests an emerging theory that allocation of resources by plants to growth or defence are interrelated, not alternatives as currently assumed. Like many crops, sorghum produces toxic cyanide, especially during droughts but its wild relatives make much less. This project aims to discover why cyanide is so common in domesticated plants and why levels increase with stress. This has important implications for de ....Australia's native sorghums: a model for testing plant adaptation theories. This proposal tests an emerging theory that allocation of resources by plants to growth or defence are interrelated, not alternatives as currently assumed. Like many crops, sorghum produces toxic cyanide, especially during droughts but its wild relatives make much less. This project aims to discover why cyanide is so common in domesticated plants and why levels increase with stress. This has important implications for developing crops that are high yielding and also climate resilient. Expected outcomes include full genome sequences for all of Australia’s unique native sorghums, confirmation of new theories on the interrelationships between defence and growth and identification of new traits vital for developing the crops of the future. Read moreRead less
Deciphering organelle transport mechanisms in plants. Plant growth, productivity and seed yield all depend on organelle function which requires metabolites and proteins
to be transported across membranes. This mechanism of transport is carried out by specific transporters that have
the ability to transport macromolecules, and regulate organelle function. We have identified new transporters that
are involved in amino acid and protein transport in the mitochondria, chloroplast and peroxisomes. We ....Deciphering organelle transport mechanisms in plants. Plant growth, productivity and seed yield all depend on organelle function which requires metabolites and proteins
to be transported across membranes. This mechanism of transport is carried out by specific transporters that have
the ability to transport macromolecules, and regulate organelle function. We have identified new transporters that
are involved in amino acid and protein transport in the mitochondria, chloroplast and peroxisomes. We will assign
function to each protein and investigate the importance in regulating organelle biogenesis. This will allow us to
modulate plant energy production for optimal growth and to withstand abiotic stress, all of which have
agriculturally beneficial consequences. Read moreRead less