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Environmental Monitoring & Assessment of Frances Creek Operations (Old ID 22583)
Review of historic data and site visit for development of a receiving environment monitoring program for the Frances Creek Iron Ore Mine, Northern Territory.
Norfolk Island baseline reef health assessment (Old ID 26821)
Conduct baseline benthic community and coral health surveys (condition and resilience) at Emily Bay/Slaughter Bay and Ball Bay to investigate the structure and health of coral communities.
Spatially integrated Portfolio Approach to support a portfolio of livelihoods. (Old ID 27105)
The Integrated Livelihoods Approach (ILA) provides an approach to diagnose and help navigate interrelated and cumulative impacts, trade-offs and co-benefits of interacting livelihood activities occurring in spatially defined coastal areas. Participatory and interdisciplinary research, integrated governance, negotiation, trust-building, ongoing conflict management, and cross-sectoral and political engagement are central to the ILA. This project will establish the mechanisms for achieving the strengthened networks, integrated governance and policy, and improved planning required to implement an ILA in Western Province, Solomon Islands, with the potential to scale-up to other locations.
Waters of Jericho Part 2: Refining the Cu isotope characterization of waters overlying IOCG-style deposits in the Mt Isa Block (Jericho and Eloise deposits) (Old ID 27190)
The Department and JCU have an ongoing Project Schedule under the existing Umbrella Research Agreement ("Waters of Jericho: Characterizing the Cu isotope composition of waters overlying IOCG-style deposits in the Mt Isa Block (Jericho and Eloise deposits"). This project has produced significant initial results for ~40 borehole water samples that indicate a clear Cu isotope anomaly (higher 65Cu) proximal to known ore deposits within the field area (which drops off distal to deposits). These findings have led The Department and JCU to pursue an expansion of this investigation by re-sampling approximately 60-90% of the same boreholes as previously sampled (depending on field sampling availability/viability), and to characterize their Cu isotope composition, in order to test potential influences on Cu isotope compositions in groundwater by changes in season (e.g. late dry season vs post wet season).
Supporting grouper farming small holders in Vietnam to produce commercial feeds (Old ID 27286)
Developing key nutrient requirements for giant grouper in Australia for application to Australia and Vietnam. The project is based at JCU Townsville, with engagement from key stakeholders in the aquafeed industry in Vietnam through development of an Expert Working Group for dissemination and input into future research. It is aimed at developing feeds for grouper that enable smallholders to transition from ‘trash’ fish feeding to commercially produced feeds and to support the industry in R&D dissemination, implementation and feed supply debottlenecking.
Evaluation of QAIHC Sexual Health and Wellbeing Project. (Old ID 27405)
The overall goal of the QAIHC Sexual Health and Wellbeing Project is to improve Sexually transmissible infection (STI) and blood borne virus (BBVs) services in QAIHC Member Services and to work towards reducing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander positive notifications. To help achieve this, support is provided for Member Services to implement models of care aimed to increase client engagement, education opportunities, as well as improve screening, notification and treatment rates. Tools, resources and support are provided to participant health services to implement sexual health and wellbeing activities that are culturally safe, led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and tailored to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander model of care. The aim of this work is to evaluate the implementation, impact and outcomes of the QAIHC Sexual Health and Wellbeing Project.
Next-generation therapeutics inspired by parasitic helminths. (Old ID 27418)
This project utilises helminth secretomes to develop: (i) anti-helminth vaccines; (ii) diagnostics for helminth infections; and (iii) helminth secreted moieties for treating autoimmune and metabolic diseases. The end goal is to discover and develop innovative vaccines, diagnostics and immunotherapeutics sources from helminth secretomes.
Finally new tools are available to combat drug resistant tuberculosis, but how do we make them work? Models to determine effective implementation strategies in Australia and our region (Old ID 27632)
Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) is a growing concern which may make TB elimination impossible if not addressed head-on. Strategies to control MDR are available or in trial including: • MDR diagnostics • MDR directed treatment • New vaccines However, the best way to operationalise these new tools in different settings to maximise impact remains uncertain. Mathematical modelling, data analysis and health economics can play a role in assisting the fight to eliminate TB by providing insights into best deployment of TB strategies depending on the setting. My work is to combine best evidence with country context (health system,TB burden and costs, to simulate TB epidemiology and test possible interventions and their impact "in silico". This project will undertake 3 streams of activity Stream 1 Control of MDR TB in high burden settings: I will develop models to assess how new tools can best be used to impact on the MDR TB epidemic in high incidence regions. This will consider the new short course regimens for active MDR TB and the value of levofloxacin to treat latent TB, as well as emerging therapeutics and vaccines. Stream 2. Optimal drug combinations for MDR treatment: I will develop pharmacokinetic / pharmacodynamic models to investigate whether low, high or adaptive dosing of levofloxacin leads to the best outcome in treating MDR TB. Stream 3. How can new tools for MDR best be deployed in Australia? This work will address the large pool of latently infected people in Australia, and large proportion of TB arising from immigration, including those with latent MDR TB. Through two Centres for Research Excellence, I will collaborate with Australia's leading tuberculosis clinical trialists, policy makers, health systems experts, clinicians and pharmacologists to analyse the data arising from recent and current clinical trials, particularly relating to the use of drugs to tackle MDR TB.
Life and death of Australopithicus sediba: how a potential ancestor ended up dead in a cave in world heritage site in South Africa (Old ID 20796)
In August 2008 the remarkable Malapa fossil site was discovered with remains of the first and only fossils of Australopithecus sediba - a potential direct human ancestor. The fossils are in an exceptional state of preservation, and excavations will start in late 2013, creating a unique opportunity to develop a detailed understanding of the chemical, physical and biological factors that led to burial and fossilisation. This research will focus on the complex interplay between termites, sediment chemistry, landscape conditions and palaeo-climate as contributing factors to fossil preservation. Results will document the environment in which sediba lived and died, and assist future exploration for hominid fossils.
Maximising genetic growth potential of barramundi in different culture environments. (Old ID 22428)
Good Fortune Bay Fisheries (GFB) is Australia's largest farmed barramundi producer. GFB operates two farms, one located north of Bowen where barramundi are reared in a high density. Brackish water raceway culture system and the other in Kelso, where fish are reared in freshwater earthen ponds. The company holds the largest number of barramundi stock in the country and is Queensland's largest hatchery facility. Given a need to maintain domestic and international competitiveness GFB has identified genetic improvement of their stocks as the highest R&D priority for the company. Due to the unique culture systems they farm barramundi in, however, GFB recognise there are critical knowledge gaps that need to be overcome before they can produce an improved strain that maximises genetic gain under both culture environments (marine/freshwater & pond/raceway).