Research Projects
Leveraging NQ telehealth experience for contextually-informed process guidelines to optimise health service access, quality and safety in rural and remote Australia
Sarah Larkins
17 Sep 2024 - 16 Sep 2029
Use of telehealth in north Queensland has evolved early and rapidly in response to the health service needs of a culturally diverse population spread over a large area. This project maps knowledge about existing telehealth usage, examines strategies for safe and high quality use, including cultural acceptability and co-develops guidelines for health care providers and consumers for the optimal usage of telehealth across north Queensland. This is likely to be applicable across other RRR areas.
Consultancy - Aquatic Animal Health & Biosecurity Bali 29 June - 01 July 2024
Susan Kueh
29 Jun 2024 - 01 Jul 2024
The purpose of this consultancy is to review the fish health management and biosecurity practices at 2 marine aquaculture facilities that farms mainly barramundi/ Asian seabass and groupers. The farms are interested in improving these practices, and better manage important common diseases in these two aquaculture species. Adisseo Asia Pacific will be paying for the consultancy fees and all travel expenses related to this trip, as part of their extension outreach to fish farms in the AP region.
Exploring eDNA methods for an ornamental snake detection
Cecilia Villacorta Rath
24 Jun 2024 - 31 Oct 2024
This project aims to develop and validate an environmental DNA assay targeting the ornamental snake, Denisonia maculata. This includes in-silico and in-vitro assay development and validation on eDNA samples collected on the field from sites where the target species had been observed within < 5 m distance.
An evaluation of the chemical composition and invitro methane production of novel legumes and a plant bi-product
Saranika Talukder
01 Jul 2024 - 31 Dec 2025
Our proposed research aims to explore novel tropical plants, with a particular focus on legumes, and their in vitro fermentability, methane production, and chemical composition. Through the evaluation of various leguminous pasture plants and plant products, our goal is to pinpoint those with the potential to mitigate methane production in northern livestock. This preliminary investigation will position us favourably to pursue larger, more comprehensive grant opportunities through Australian Government and industry funding bodies. The project will produce impactful publications and scientific insights into in vitro research, and the nutritional profiles of investigated legumes and plant products. With global warming and greenhouse gas emissions at the forefront for both government and industry priorities, ongoing interest in research within these fields guarantees continued opportunities for larger project calls and the expansion of related research capacity at JCU.
Building Capacity for Frailty management in Regional Queensland Residential Aged Care Facilities
Michael Inskip
01 Oct 2024 - 31 Dec 2025
Virtually all older adults living within aged care are at risk of becoming or are currently frail, with increased risk of adverse health outcomes. The core treatments for frailty are good nutrition, medication optimisation, and robust exercise, which was recently evaluated in the novel Frailty Reduction via Implementation of Exercise, Nutrition and Deprescribing (FRIEND) trial. This trial developed comprehensive training resources for the aged care sector. This project aims to build capacity through dissemination of this training to aged care champions across regional Queensland facilities and support them to improve frailty care and client health within their facility.
The project has two main project aims:
1. Disseminate FRIEND in an online and in-person, train-the-trainer model to build capacity of aged care champions and key regional, healthcare professionals
2. Support aged care champions to develop local facility training, and an organisational strategy for improving frailty care
The study will involve two phases:
1. Pre/post evaluation of a train-the-trainer education intervention (FRIEND website modules and an intensive one-day course on frailty management). Five strategically located RACFs across North-West Queensland will nominate an aged care champion (i.e. senior staff member) by early September to complete website training and travel to Townsville for intensive training in Late October/Early November along with local healthcare professionals (e.g. nurses, physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, social workers) working within aged care.
2. Involves evaluation of the champion-led local training implementation development of an organisational strategy to improve frailty care over a six-month period. The champion will identify key implementation/leadership staff and training needs to develop a 1–2-hour training webinar and develop an organisational strategy to improve frailty management in their facility
Queensland Smithsonian Fellowships Grant Program
Cecilia Villacorta Rath
01 Aug 2024 - 31 Jul 2025
This project, carried out in collaboration with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), aims to create improved determination of ecosystem health through novel detection of indicator microbial species. It build-up on my work at TropWATER, focused on applying genomic tools for detection of species of management concern.
Seed funding -improving stroke management by characterising the ischaemic penumrba proteome.
Joseph Moxon
01 Jul 2024 - 30 Jun 2025
Current therapies for stroke work by restoring the blood supply to the brain to rescue oxygen-starved tissue at risk of dying (known as the ischaemic penumbra). Consumer groups highlight that therapies to slow the death of cells in the penumbra is a priority, however, surprisingly little is known about the biology of this tissue. This study will utilise laboratory models of stroke, and apply modern imaging, proteomic and bioinformatic approaches to characterise the major pathways driving penumbra phenotype. Generated data will provide a world's first perspective into penumbra biology as an important foundation for subsequent grants seeking to test potential therapuetic targets.
Rare earth corrosion inhibitors in hydrogen production and storage systems
Peter Junk
01 Jul 2024 - 30 Jun 2025
This project is an internally funded project for a near miss ARC Discovery Grant, which was within 10% of those who missed.
This project addresses corrosion and embrittlement of steel in hydrogen storage facilities, a new dimension in the world-wide multi-trillion dollar problem of the corrosion of steel. With the emerging hydrogen economy, new infrastructure for hydrogen storage will need to be constructed. It has been recently found that hydrogen gas can decompose to hydrogen atoms on the surface of the steel on the inner lining of storage vessels, and impregnate the infrastructure, and therefore compromising the integrity of the high pressure storage vessels.
Defects in hydrogen storage facilities can therefore lead to catastrophic failure of hydrogen energy infrastructure.
The project will enhance the capacity of rare earth carboxylate corrosion inhibitors, which are an inexpensive and green solution, to mitigate both corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement of steel, and provide an understanding of the protection process. The benefits of this project will ultimately be a new bulk use for Australia’s abundant rare earth resources and new chemical manufacturing to produce the inhibitors.
The project aligns with JCU’s major theme of “Industries and economies in the tropics” particularly relevant with the proposed Townsville Region Hydrogen Hub, a $70M Australian Government investment. Furthermore, the rare earth metals are classified as critical metals, and the project aligns with the Critical Metals Trailblazer project.
The project requires bulk amounts of corrosion inhibitors for assessment. The most expensive items are lanthanoid salts (all REs required) for the synthesis of lanthanoid carboxylates. Listed costs for rare earth chlorides and nitrates follow as examples, but carbonates and acetates are required for optimising procedures. The metal costs are (quotes are for the least expensive to most expensive chlorides and nitrates): lanthanoid chlorides range from $209/100g for CeCl3 to $1580/5g for ScCl3 while nitrates are $127/100g for Ce(NO3)3 to $975/5g for Sc(NO3)3. For optimum inhibitor systems, all 16 rare earths will need to be. For brevity, we do not quote all prices here, but chlorides total ca $5800, while nitrates total ca $4400. Organic supporting ligands are estimated to cost ca. $3,000. Analysis costs are included below. Travel to Melbourne is planned to meet with our Monash and Deakin collaborators to draft the next grant proposal.
Characterising the complete reproductive proteome of two high-value aquaculture species using advanced proteomic techniques
Jarrod Guppy
19 Jun 2024 - 31 Dec 2024
This 2024 CSTFA Early Career Researcher Development project combines the multidisciplinary skills (applied reproductive biology and proteomics) of two of CSTFA ECR’s, Dr Jarrod Guppy (CSE) and Dr Shaymaviswanathan Karnaneedi (CPHMVS). This project will apply proteomics for the study of the reproductive biology of two commerically important finfish species. This will provide critical information to guide the development of improved and novel breeding techniques these aquaculture species.
Delivery of science to support the implementation of a National Marine Park Management Effectiveness system
Alexandra Carter
22 Apr 2024 - 31 Dec 2026
Parks Australia is implementing a management effectiveness framework for Australian Marine Parks (AMPs). This system will support the management of 48% of Australia's EEZ. The Marine and Coastal Hub has supported the development of Parks Australia's (PA) Management Effectiveness (ME) system. The ME system is designed to allow Parks Australia to test the effectiveness of the Australian Marine Park (AMP) system and ensure that AMPs are effectively and appropriately managed. PA have identified priorities for research to assist in the implementation of the ME system, to identify scientific outputs needed for network management and adapt to new issues in the marine environment through the Australian Marine Parks Science Plan. This project will deliver several of the key science needs identified in the plan and will draw on the combined expertise of the partners and scientists within the Marine and Coastal Hub to generate the outcomes which build onto extensive work previously delivered.