Improving neuronal cell function with cell permeable copper complexes. Metal-based drugs offer an exciting new approach to treatment of neurodegeneration. However, little is known about how cells metabolise these drugs and this information is critical for further drug development. This project will determine how metal-based drugs are metabolised by neuronal cells and how this may result in therapeutic benefit.
Young Australians' perspectives on religions and non-religious worldviews. This project aims to elicit diverse young people’s understandings about religion and belief to inform debate about how education assists or impedes intercultural understanding as well as enhancing wellbeing and social inclusion. Australian governments have invested in programs to promote respect for religious diversity and to counter violent extremism, yet there is no coherent, evidence-based understanding of young Austra ....Young Australians' perspectives on religions and non-religious worldviews. This project aims to elicit diverse young people’s understandings about religion and belief to inform debate about how education assists or impedes intercultural understanding as well as enhancing wellbeing and social inclusion. Australian governments have invested in programs to promote respect for religious diversity and to counter violent extremism, yet there is no coherent, evidence-based understanding of young Australians’ perspectives on religions and nonreligious worldviews. Knowing more about young people's perspectives and what influences them could facilitate development of appropriate educational responses equipping schools to help young Australians to live productively in their diverse society.Read moreRead less
Understanding old age in Australian history as a foundation for improved social and economic policy. My history of old age in Australia since 1860 will provide the first book which maps our experiences of growing old in the past, as a foundation for improved social and economic policy. The national government's 'Inter-generational report' has started a process of review and planning at a time of dramatic demographic change. However, developing strategies for 'ageing well, ageing productively' d ....Understanding old age in Australian history as a foundation for improved social and economic policy. My history of old age in Australia since 1860 will provide the first book which maps our experiences of growing old in the past, as a foundation for improved social and economic policy. The national government's 'Inter-generational report' has started a process of review and planning at a time of dramatic demographic change. However, developing strategies for 'ageing well, ageing productively' depends on an informed understanding of previous and current expectations about and attitudes to ageing in Australia. The history of old age is a complex rather than simple story, and successful policy development will require a solid historical foundation.Read moreRead less
Skilled migration and the sustainability of Pacific Island education systems. Teachers' migration and the resulting shortage of teachers at national and local levels have become major concerns in many Pacific countries. This project will investigate the relationship between skilled migration, education systems and economic and social sustainability in Fiji Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu. The aims are to improve the understanding of skilled migration in the Pacific region and analyse the inter-relati ....Skilled migration and the sustainability of Pacific Island education systems. Teachers' migration and the resulting shortage of teachers at national and local levels have become major concerns in many Pacific countries. This project will investigate the relationship between skilled migration, education systems and economic and social sustainability in Fiji Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu. The aims are to improve the understanding of skilled migration in the Pacific region and analyse the inter-relationships between education-related migration, sustainability of education systems and human resource development in the Pacific Islands. The research will inform policy debates in the Pacific countries and in Australia, which is a major donor of foreign aid to these islands.Read moreRead less
One coordinate carbon and boron: Universal progenitor ligands. Compounds with bonds between metals and carbon (organometallic chemistry) underpin innumerable important industrial processes from fine chemicals to bulk agrochemical and polymer synthesis. Yet the simplest example, a single atom of carbon bound to a metal has only recently been discovered and is poorly understood. Australia's fledgling boron fine chemicals industry similarly benefits from metal-based processes. However, compounds wi ....One coordinate carbon and boron: Universal progenitor ligands. Compounds with bonds between metals and carbon (organometallic chemistry) underpin innumerable important industrial processes from fine chemicals to bulk agrochemical and polymer synthesis. Yet the simplest example, a single atom of carbon bound to a metal has only recently been discovered and is poorly understood. Australia's fledgling boron fine chemicals industry similarly benefits from metal-based processes. However, compounds with a single boron atom bound to a metal remain unknown. This proposal addresses metal-carbon and metal-boron chemistry from the most basic perspective, that of a single atom of boron or carbon, including the development of novel synthetic approaches and skills for the characterisation of such curious species.Read moreRead less
A cross-national study of the relative impact of an oral component on PhD examination quality, language and practice. High quality doctoral degrees call for the most effective forms of assessment. This project investigates the role of oral examination in PhD assessment, common internationally but not in Australia, and is the first to compare the relative impact of oral and 'no oral' models on examination quality, language and practice.
Chromatin structure and pervasive transcription. This project aims to understand mechanisms that repress pervasive transcription and to identify chromatin characteristics that repress transcription initiation outside the promoter regions. Chromatin characteristics, such as position, occupancy and turnover-rate of nucleosomes, establish an elaborate genomic indexing mechanism, which defines functional units in the genome. Defects in this process increase pervasive transcription, toxic accumulatio ....Chromatin structure and pervasive transcription. This project aims to understand mechanisms that repress pervasive transcription and to identify chromatin characteristics that repress transcription initiation outside the promoter regions. Chromatin characteristics, such as position, occupancy and turnover-rate of nucleosomes, establish an elaborate genomic indexing mechanism, which defines functional units in the genome. Defects in this process increase pervasive transcription, toxic accumulation of non-coding transcripts and genomic instability. This work aims to understand eukaryotic genome organisation and may have long-term therapeutic implications for cancer and ageing-related diseases.Read moreRead less
Observations of remarkable eastward flows in the South Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean drives much of the variability of Australian weather and rainfall and is rapidly evolving. Innovative new observations of remarkable eastward flows in the South Indian Ocean will be combined with models to understand these circulations in a region that has significant economic value for Australia.
Advancing dynamical understanding in the East Australian Current: Optimising the ocean observation and prediction effort. The East Australian Current is a highly dynamic system, thus is very difficult to observe, measure and predict. Our aim is to advance the dynamical understanding of this complex system and to quantify the value of specific observations in improving ocean state-estimates. State-estimates are critical for robust ocean predictions in a region that is warming faster than anywhere ....Advancing dynamical understanding in the East Australian Current: Optimising the ocean observation and prediction effort. The East Australian Current is a highly dynamic system, thus is very difficult to observe, measure and predict. Our aim is to advance the dynamical understanding of this complex system and to quantify the value of specific observations in improving ocean state-estimates. State-estimates are critical for robust ocean predictions in a region that is warming faster than anywhere else on the planet. This project will integrate innovative numerical modeling techniques with a state-of-the-art ocean observing system. The expected outcomes will guide future ocean observing efforts; maximising impact while reducing cost. The results will be readily applicable to analogous systems around the world and our team is well placed to implement them internationally.Read moreRead less
Environmental geodesy: variations of sea level and water storage in the Australian region. It is essential for Australia's long-term planning and security that the effects of global warming on our nation's water resources and coastlines are quantified. Sea level variations projected into the future vary around Australia and have large uncertainties, yet the impacts have substantial social and financial ramifications for our community. Australia hasn't yet quantified accurately its critical water ....Environmental geodesy: variations of sea level and water storage in the Australian region. It is essential for Australia's long-term planning and security that the effects of global warming on our nation's water resources and coastlines are quantified. Sea level variations projected into the future vary around Australia and have large uncertainties, yet the impacts have substantial social and financial ramifications for our community. Australia hasn't yet quantified accurately its critical water resources nor how they are changing. This proposal will address both these issues, providing for the first time valuable and accurate information for planning appropriate strategies to mitigate the impact of sea level rise and water storage on the Australian society.Read moreRead less