The feasibility, acceptability and cost-effectiveness of nurse-led models of chronic disease management in general practice. This study directly relates to the National Research Priority of 'promoting and maintaining good health' through our approach to trial a new and innovative model of chronic disease management specifically for CVD and Type II diabetes in general practice. This project aims to test a new model of health service delivery - that is, the use of a practice nurse to provide chro ....The feasibility, acceptability and cost-effectiveness of nurse-led models of chronic disease management in general practice. This study directly relates to the National Research Priority of 'promoting and maintaining good health' through our approach to trial a new and innovative model of chronic disease management specifically for CVD and Type II diabetes in general practice. This project aims to test a new model of health service delivery - that is, the use of a practice nurse to provide chronic disease care rather than a general practitioner. Our strategy involves collaboration with health providers, stakeholders and consumers to help achieve this by providing patient education and disease management through a registered nurse in general practice.Read moreRead less
The early evolution of the Earth system from multiple sulfur isotope records of sediments and seafloor mineral systems. This project addresses the early evolution of the Earth system that is one of the most important questions in Earth Sciences. It will use Australia's unique rock record and analytical techniques developed in Australia in collaboration with leading international researchers. The National Research Priority area 'An environmentally sustainable Australia: developing deep Earth reso ....The early evolution of the Earth system from multiple sulfur isotope records of sediments and seafloor mineral systems. This project addresses the early evolution of the Earth system that is one of the most important questions in Earth Sciences. It will use Australia's unique rock record and analytical techniques developed in Australia in collaboration with leading international researchers. The National Research Priority area 'An environmentally sustainable Australia: developing deep Earth resources' will benefit through the development of better exploration models for Archaean submarine metal deposits. Students will obtain a high level understanding of the early Earth system, ore deposits, stable isotope and transition metal geochemistry, which are directly applicable in both pure and applied research and mineral exploration.Read moreRead less
Examining scientific, philosophical, and folk perspectives on time=. This project aims to consider three very different physical theories, each of which reconciles quantum mechanics and general and special relativity in a different way. While science is more accessible than ever, we are increasingly faced with a scientific world-view that is antithetical to the way we see the world and experience ourselves in it. This project will consider the tension between the scientific picture of the world ....Examining scientific, philosophical, and folk perspectives on time=. This project aims to consider three very different physical theories, each of which reconciles quantum mechanics and general and special relativity in a different way. While science is more accessible than ever, we are increasingly faced with a scientific world-view that is antithetical to the way we see the world and experience ourselves in it. This project will consider the tension between the scientific picture of the world and our experience of the world, and aims to reconcile the two by bridging the gap between lived experience and scientific findings. The project will provide a range of ways of bridging the tension between these physical theories with our lived experience.Read moreRead less
Seeing without eyes: the evolution of non-visual photoreceptors in vertebrates. Australia's underwater biodiversity is second to none with endemic species representing the earliest stages in vertebrate evolution, many of them relying heavily on vision for survival. Tracing the evolution of light detection and image formation will provide crucial information about the lifestyles of our vertebrate ancestors, the environmental selection pressures driving speciation and colour communication. Charact ....Seeing without eyes: the evolution of non-visual photoreceptors in vertebrates. Australia's underwater biodiversity is second to none with endemic species representing the earliest stages in vertebrate evolution, many of them relying heavily on vision for survival. Tracing the evolution of light detection and image formation will provide crucial information about the lifestyles of our vertebrate ancestors, the environmental selection pressures driving speciation and colour communication. Characterisation of optimal light environments and extra-ocular light detection will also help protect and manage endemic species in wild and captive environments. Read moreRead less
Aquatic eye design: sharks and rays as models of underwater colour and luminance vision. Sharks are usually assumed to be colour blind. We have discovered that they may in fact see colour very well and that the eyes of different species are adapted to their particular lifestyles. Our research will help to raise the profile of sharks and portray them as animals with advanced sensory systems and complex visual behaviours rather than just dangerous killing machines. Studying the vision of sharks m ....Aquatic eye design: sharks and rays as models of underwater colour and luminance vision. Sharks are usually assumed to be colour blind. We have discovered that they may in fact see colour very well and that the eyes of different species are adapted to their particular lifestyles. Our research will help to raise the profile of sharks and portray them as animals with advanced sensory systems and complex visual behaviours rather than just dangerous killing machines. Studying the vision of sharks may also help to reduce the number (currently >50,000) that are killed each year as bycatch by Australian long-line fisheries and make a valuable contribution to one of Australia's National Research Priorities (an Environmentally Sustainable Australia) for managing and conserving our biodiversity.Read moreRead less
Circular Plant Proteins with Pharmaceutical Applications. The proposed research will develop methods for using plants as protein production factories. Initially I will use plants to create engineered cyclotides that incorporate peptides with proven therapeutic activity against cancer and multiple sclerosis. Successful production of therapeutic proteins in plants will benefit Australians by making treatments for these and other diseases more accessible. It also has the potential for a major econo ....Circular Plant Proteins with Pharmaceutical Applications. The proposed research will develop methods for using plants as protein production factories. Initially I will use plants to create engineered cyclotides that incorporate peptides with proven therapeutic activity against cancer and multiple sclerosis. Successful production of therapeutic proteins in plants will benefit Australians by making treatments for these and other diseases more accessible. It also has the potential for a major economic benefit from the sales of Australian-based drugs. This proposal will also provide outstanding research training for graduate students in multidisciplinary methods that constitute state-of the-art structural and plant molecular biology.Read moreRead less
Impact of increased sediment and nutrient discharges on the long-term sustainability of the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef, one of Australia's greatest natural assets, is under increasing threat from extreme climatic events caused by global warming and from land-based pollution. This research will identify the main sources of sediment and nutrient pollution caused by river runoff and by how much this has increased above 'natural levels'. We will discover how the very sensitive offsho ....Impact of increased sediment and nutrient discharges on the long-term sustainability of the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef, one of Australia's greatest natural assets, is under increasing threat from extreme climatic events caused by global warming and from land-based pollution. This research will identify the main sources of sediment and nutrient pollution caused by river runoff and by how much this has increased above 'natural levels'. We will discover how the very sensitive offshore coral reefs have responded to increased pollution and whether this is the cause of the very devastating crown-of-thorn-starfish infestations. Understanding the long-term effects of land-based pollution on the ecology of coral reefs in the GBR will thus provide a scientific basis to help ensure that it has a sustainable future.Read moreRead less
Nature's mechanisms for leaching and remobilising metals. This project aims to understand the chemical and physical processes that govern reactive transport and metal scavenging in rocky environments. Much of Australia's mineral wealth is the result of the interaction of warm fluids with rocks deep in the Earth over geological timescales. The formation of ore deposits is governed by the physical chemistry of mineral dissolution and crystallisation, and by fluid flow through porous rocks and frac ....Nature's mechanisms for leaching and remobilising metals. This project aims to understand the chemical and physical processes that govern reactive transport and metal scavenging in rocky environments. Much of Australia's mineral wealth is the result of the interaction of warm fluids with rocks deep in the Earth over geological timescales. The formation of ore deposits is governed by the physical chemistry of mineral dissolution and crystallisation, and by fluid flow through porous rocks and fractures. This project integrates innovation in geology, chemistry, and mineral engineering, and will deliver mineral-scale reaction models that will increase efficiency of in-situ mining and leaching technologies. Knowledge generated can be applied to improve mineral exploration, mining, and processing, contributing to unlocking billions of dollars’ worth of resources tied up in low grade, mineralogically complex ores.Read moreRead less
How do sunflowers make protein drugs in their seeds? We recently discovered in sunflower the origin of a small protein ring that chemists have used for a decade to base designed drugs upon. This project aims to know how sunflowers make it so we may manipulate other plants to manufacture ring-based drugs.