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Operation Lumut (seagrass) Rescue: taking action to restore and monitor seagrass in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park (Old ID 29027)
This project brings together local knowledge and ecological expertise to develop a robust, restoration program for seagrass habitats at the Cocos Keeling Island’s southern atoll. Specifically, this project will work to improve our understanding of the natural dynamics and resilience of local seagrass habitats and the pressures acting on them to limit natural recovery, and use this information to identify, trial and evaluate restoration activities to drive seagrass recovery.
Farmers of the future: Challenges of a feminised agriculture in India (Old ID 21412)
Neoliberal economic policies are fundamentally transforming the social landscapes of rural India, causing a deep agrarian crisis. The agrarian changes accentuate the unequal consequences for poor women and women in relation to: production (labour, tenure); livelihood and food security; access to and ownership of assets such as land and water and access to agriculture innovations and institutions. This multiscalar project investigates the causes and consequences of feminisation of agriculture in India's transitioning economy in order to understand how gender roles and relations are being re-shaped in communities and households in diverse socioeconomic and cultural contexts and agro-ecological areas.
Defining the Role of Intellectual Ventures in Vector Biology Research (Old ID 21946)
a) Review outcomes of the Vector Expert Group meeting which took place on December 16th and December 17th, 2014 and the consultation on vectors with The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ("BMGF") which took place on January 5, 2015. b) Identify priority areas suitable for further developments by Client and IVPH; and c) Develop concept notes on identified priority areas, including recommended timelines, resource requirements and partners.
Bioremediation Potential of Queensland Nickel Tailings Waste Water using Macroalgae for Renewable Bioproduct Development. (Old ID 22310)
This project will provide preliminary evaluation of the growth - and remediation potential of microalgal biofilms grown in Queensland Nickel's tailings waste water. Biofilms of endemic macroalgae will be grown in tailings waste water supplemented to varying levels of phosphate. Microalgae growth rates, metal removal capacity and algae bioproduct potential will be experimentally assessed. Results will enable process modelling for evaluating large-scale microalgal treatment of mine tailings waters and cogeneration of renewable bioproducts. Results will form the basis for partnership discussions aimed at securing external funding to determine optimal integration of microalgal biofilm technology into minerals processing industries.
New strategies for improved tuberculosis vaccines (Old ID 22533)
Tuberculosis is one of the most threatening infectious diseases worldwide due to the low efficiency of the only licensed anti-tuberculosis vaccine, BCG. This project aims to interrogate two previously neglected immune mechanisms and their potential to enhance vaccine-induced immunity by incorporating these mechanisms into new genetically modified BCG strains. We will also investigate alternative BCG vaccination routes to generate long-lived immune cells that can rapidly control the infection.
Novel treatment to eliminate the high rate of psychosis in Far North Queensland Indigenous population: A preclinical proof-of-concept study (Old ID 23505)
The burden of psychosis in the Indigenous population of FNQ/Cape York is very high. We propose a completely novel treatment that will likely influence the full spectrum of psychosis symptoms without causing the deleterious metabolic side-effects of currently used antipsychotic treatment. The main aim of this project is to provide proof-of-concept for the efficacy of a novel treatment, ketone ester (KE) administration, in a validated preclinical animal model for psychosis. Specifically, we aim to determine the effects of orally administered KE on the psychosis-like behavioural changes induced by the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 (dizocilpine) in mice. These well-characterised behavioural changes include psychomotor hyperactivity, stereotyped behaviour, abnormal social interaction, deficits is working memory and impaired information processing (prepulse inhibition of startle).
Gold Mineralisation Styles in the Alice River Gold Field, FNQ (Old ID 23601)
The deposits along Alice River, including the Alice Queen mine are aligned along a lineament, interpreted as the Alice River Shear zone. The GSQ (Geological Survey of Queensland), in a recently completed study of the geology of Cape York Peninsula has interpreted the deposits as orogenic gold deposits based on outcrop patterns and limited field data. In spite of this interpretation, the age, mineral association, associated intrusives and structural styles of the deposits remains unknown and they have not been studied in details. Spitfire Materials is interested to know the age and style of mineralisation as this will assist future exploration.
Cost-benefit analysis of latent tuberculosis treatment towards elimination (Old ID 26404)
We will develop the health economic aspect of the project, and interact with and build on to the model for TB elimination in low-burden settings being developed by Monash University. This will allow estimation of the impact of the proposed Victorian TB programs. Costing the data will be included in the model in three broad ways. 1 - each disease state in the model will accrue an associated cost; and 2 - programmatic interventions will be costed separately for braod programmatic interventions; and 3 - unit costs of programmatic diagnostic and therapeutic will be incorporated into the model.
Identifying the roles of online communities in rural resilience (Old ID 26434)
The role of online communities in helping rural people to overcome isolation and service inaccessibility, and in identifying service priorities, is the study focus. We will apply social media data analytics to study seven diverse examples of online communities, to inform what rural people discuss, where, when and in different online communities and to identify the impact of online communities in addressing rural resilience. Findings will inform workshops with online hosts to develop and test a 'best practice toolkit' to inform future online community data analy6tics. The project's outcomes will be to: extend knowledge about roles of online communities for realising rural resilience and providing data to inform service innovations.
Repair and Restoration of Priority Coastal Habitat and Wetlands (Old ID 26660)
Coastal wetlands are under threat from a range of past land use changes. Efforts to restore the value back into wetlands is underway in many places, and demonstrating the success of these efforts requires access to scientific data. Here we will partner with Greening Australia to complete a range of wetland surveys to evaluate the restoration success. Field work will include water quality, aquatic flora and fauna and hydrology (water balance) calculations. These data will assist Greening Australia demonstrate program success, while also educating local communities around the value of coastal wetlands.