An immunological and immunogenetic approach to understand and to protect Tasmanian devils against Devil Facial Tumour Disease. The Tasmanian devil is the world's largest living carnivorous marsupial. From an environmental perspective, devils play a fundamental role through scavenging. Dead and dying animals were removed nightly from Tasmania's landscape and therefore decaying carcases did not require removal. Loss of this top order scavenger will alter the balance of biodiversity and non-native ....An immunological and immunogenetic approach to understand and to protect Tasmanian devils against Devil Facial Tumour Disease. The Tasmanian devil is the world's largest living carnivorous marsupial. From an environmental perspective, devils play a fundamental role through scavenging. Dead and dying animals were removed nightly from Tasmania's landscape and therefore decaying carcases did not require removal. Loss of this top order scavenger will alter the balance of biodiversity and non-native animals (such as foxes, feral cats, crows, and even European wasps) will then compete for this scavenger role. As these animals are non-selective they will also prey on living animals and many of Tasmania's native animals (such as Eastern barred bandicoot, potoroos, quolls etc.) will be seriously threatened and our biodiverse landscape could be irreversibly altered.Read moreRead less
Mitigating ecosystem impacts by improving the way we breed and manage devils. The Tasmanian ecosystem faces irreversible change due to the decline of the apex predator. An insurance population of Tasmanian devils has been established to prevent extinction of the species. Using the latest sequencing technologies the project aims to determine whether the Tasmanian ecosystem can be restored with Tasmanian devils that are more resilient to a changing environment by improving the way that devils are ....Mitigating ecosystem impacts by improving the way we breed and manage devils. The Tasmanian ecosystem faces irreversible change due to the decline of the apex predator. An insurance population of Tasmanian devils has been established to prevent extinction of the species. Using the latest sequencing technologies the project aims to determine whether the Tasmanian ecosystem can be restored with Tasmanian devils that are more resilient to a changing environment by improving the way that devils are bred and managed in captivity.Read moreRead less
Development of an amoebic gill disease vaccine to protect Atlantic salmon. This project aims to identify candidate vaccine antigens and produce an experimental vaccine against amoebic gill disease (AGD) that will benefit the Tasmanian and international Atlantic salmon aquaculture industries. AGD is the most significant health problem affecting Atlantic salmon aquaculture in Tasmania. In the last decade, AGD has become a legitimate health threat to the multibillion dollar global Atlantic salmon i ....Development of an amoebic gill disease vaccine to protect Atlantic salmon. This project aims to identify candidate vaccine antigens and produce an experimental vaccine against amoebic gill disease (AGD) that will benefit the Tasmanian and international Atlantic salmon aquaculture industries. AGD is the most significant health problem affecting Atlantic salmon aquaculture in Tasmania. In the last decade, AGD has become a legitimate health threat to the multibillion dollar global Atlantic salmon industry. A solution is needed before AGD fully establishes itself in the largest Atlantic salmon producing nations. The expected outcome of this project is the development of a commercial vaccine that should significantly benefit the Australian and international aquaculture industries. Read moreRead less
Development of an immune enhancing vaccine to protect Tasmanian devils against a contagious cancer. The iconic Tasmanian devil is threatened with extinction from a uniformly fatal transmissible facial cancer. Our team has shown in proof of concept that the cancer cells can be recognised by the devil immune system. This project will develop and test a vaccine against the tumour, which will ultimately protect devils in the wild.
Geologic, genetic and exploration implications of syndeformational, structurally-controlled, sediment-hosted copper deposits: investigation of the Mt Oxide deposit, Queensland. This project will use a multi-disciplinary approach to understand the geology, geochemistry and genesis of the syndeformational, structurally-controlled, sediment-hosted copper mineralisation at the Mt Oxide deposit, Queensland. Copper deposits, like Mt Oxide, are an important exploration target in sedimentary basins but ....Geologic, genetic and exploration implications of syndeformational, structurally-controlled, sediment-hosted copper deposits: investigation of the Mt Oxide deposit, Queensland. This project will use a multi-disciplinary approach to understand the geology, geochemistry and genesis of the syndeformational, structurally-controlled, sediment-hosted copper mineralisation at the Mt Oxide deposit, Queensland. Copper deposits, like Mt Oxide, are an important exploration target in sedimentary basins but their characteristics and formation are poorly understood. Discovery of further sediment-hosted Cu deposits is imperative as Australia's industrial competitivness in exploration and mining depends on the discovery of new ore depsoits. This project specifically addresses the need for better genetic and exploration models for copper deposits concealed within ancient, deformed sedimentary sequences in Australia and overseas.Read moreRead less
Origin and setting of Congolese-type Cu deposits. This project aims to understand the genesis of the giant sediment-hosted Cu ore deposits of the Congolese Copperbelt, and their relationship to the enclosing strata. We will use selected study areas within the correlative Neoproterozic basin successions in Australia, which are well exposed and covered by modern geoscientific datasets, as analogues for the poorly exposed Congolese system. Once this is achieved, we will combine the results with tho ....Origin and setting of Congolese-type Cu deposits. This project aims to understand the genesis of the giant sediment-hosted Cu ore deposits of the Congolese Copperbelt, and their relationship to the enclosing strata. We will use selected study areas within the correlative Neoproterozic basin successions in Australia, which are well exposed and covered by modern geoscientific datasets, as analogues for the poorly exposed Congolese system. Once this is achieved, we will combine the results with those of a previous ARC linkage project on the nearby Zambian Copperbelt, to provide the first integrated model of the worlds largest sedimentary Cu system.Read moreRead less
Will genetic rescue save the Tasmanian devil? This project aims to measure the long-term genetic impacts of the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program’s ‘Wild Devil Recovery’ initiative. The project will determine whether supplementing small populations with individuals that are genetically diverse reduces inbreeding depression. The project will also monitor the impact of supplementation on the evolutionary trajectory of Devil Facial Tumour Disease. The project will train a cohort of conservation scie ....Will genetic rescue save the Tasmanian devil? This project aims to measure the long-term genetic impacts of the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program’s ‘Wild Devil Recovery’ initiative. The project will determine whether supplementing small populations with individuals that are genetically diverse reduces inbreeding depression. The project will also monitor the impact of supplementation on the evolutionary trajectory of Devil Facial Tumour Disease. The project will train a cohort of conservation scientists to translate genetic data into management actions. The outputs will directly inform the management actions of the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries Parks, Water and the Environment and will help shape other species recovery programs.Read moreRead less
Developing a chlamydial vaccine for koalas. Developing a chlamydial vaccine for koalas . This project aims to produce an optimised, safe, field-tested, protective Chlamydia vaccine for koalas. In many regions of Australia, Chlamydia infection severely reduces female koala reproductive rates, threatening the species’ long term survival. This project builds on work developing a prototype vaccine for koala Chlamydia, and intends to produce a vaccine ready for potential registration and use by koala ....Developing a chlamydial vaccine for koalas. Developing a chlamydial vaccine for koalas . This project aims to produce an optimised, safe, field-tested, protective Chlamydia vaccine for koalas. In many regions of Australia, Chlamydia infection severely reduces female koala reproductive rates, threatening the species’ long term survival. This project builds on work developing a prototype vaccine for koala Chlamydia, and intends to produce a vaccine ready for potential registration and use by koala care centres, wildlife hospitals and government departments.Read moreRead less
Study of molecular interactions between wood pitch fixatives and components of wood pitch. Wood resins, released in pulping, agglomerate in the papermaking process to cause pitch deposits. These deposits adversely affect paper machine efficiency and product quality and limit further recycling of process water. This project aims to investigate the interactions between the components of the wood resins and different fixatives using capillary electrophoresis and other techniques. This knowledge w ....Study of molecular interactions between wood pitch fixatives and components of wood pitch. Wood resins, released in pulping, agglomerate in the papermaking process to cause pitch deposits. These deposits adversely affect paper machine efficiency and product quality and limit further recycling of process water. This project aims to investigate the interactions between the components of the wood resins and different fixatives using capillary electrophoresis and other techniques. This knowledge will provide a better understanding of the role of the physical and chemical properties of the fixatives in fixing the different compounds in wood resins. Molecular modelling will be used to design new fixatives that will be selective to a mixture of wood resins.
Read moreRead less
Reduced water usage in the Australian pulp and paper industry through novel process chemistry. Norske Skog Paper Mill operates two paper mills on major rivers in Australia. For these mills to reduce water consumption greater recycling of the process water is needed which results in a build-up of detrimental substances that will affect paper machine performance and efficiency. The knowledge gained from this project will help the paper mills to find strategies to control the build-up of the detr ....Reduced water usage in the Australian pulp and paper industry through novel process chemistry. Norske Skog Paper Mill operates two paper mills on major rivers in Australia. For these mills to reduce water consumption greater recycling of the process water is needed which results in a build-up of detrimental substances that will affect paper machine performance and efficiency. The knowledge gained from this project will help the paper mills to find strategies to control the build-up of the detrimental material and deal with it in such a way that the process water can be recycled and the paper mills can reduce water consumption.Read moreRead less