Research Projects
New therapies for Coeliac Disease: Helminths and their secreted products. (Old ID 22524)
Paul Giacomin
01 Feb 2016 - 01 May 2019
Coeliac Disease (CeD) is a common and debilitating autoimmune disorder (affecting 1% of the Queensland population) where gluten ingestion triggers an inflammatory reaction and severe intestinal symptoms. A gluten-free diet is effective for some, but is expensive, inconvenient and inadvertant gluten exposure is common. Hence there is a need for new new treatements for CeD. In a recent clinical trial, our research group demonstrated the efficacy of an unlikely agent to imporive gluten tolerance; parasitic helominths (worms). The overall aim of my research is to translate this movel thereapy into a larger, placebo-controlled clinical trail and study the mechanisms by which worms control the immune response. Identification of the molecules that the worms prodcue to suppress gluten-induced pathology will allow the development of "pill-based" medcations for CeD, and potentially other autoimmune or inflammatory conditions.
Climate Vulnerability Index Aldabra (Old ID 27415)
Scott Heron
01 Sep 2021 - 31 Dec 2021
Climate change poses an existential threat to global heritage. With rising sea-levels, more extreme weather events and aridification, the extensive impacts of climate are evident at heritage sites globally and the pace of this change is startling. In most parts of the world the rate of loss is exceeding adaptive capacity and this deficit is only getting worse. Decisions on conservation and preservation begin with a detailed understanding of a place's vulnerability. The choices made will directly impact that ability to effectively integrate the goals of safeguarding heritage, adapting and mitigating climate change, and driving sustainable development. This project will apply the Climate Vulnerability Index process to assess the vulnerability of the Aldabra Atoll World Heritage property and its associated communities. There is an urgent need to assess climate vulnerability using community-based methodologies to inform actions taken by decision makers.
Implementation of Quantified Neonatal Brain MRI at Term-Equivalent Age at Townsville University and Cairns Hospital for Infants at High Risk of Adverse Neurodevelopmental Outcomes (Old ID 27559)
Liza van Eijk
01 Jan 2022 - 29 Mar 2027
Infants born preterm, with low birth weight, or whom have a hypoxic event are at risk for developing adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Currently, the timing of MRI is variable at Townsville University and Cairns Hospital’s Neonatal Units, with the infant often being at an age for which anaesthesia is required to undergo an MRI. This project aims to enable neonatal MRI (at term-equivalent age) for infants identified as high risk based, which is safer, less costly, and provides additional information for early personalized treatment plans in comparison to a later MRI (>4 months) - similar to the changes at Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital.
Add mountains and shake: fault and earthquake pattern controls in active plate boundaries. (Old ID 27639)
Melanie Finch
01 Sep 2022 - 31 Aug 2025
Transpressional mountain building occurs when tectonic plate boundaries undergo shortening and shearing parallel and perpendicular to the plate boundary. Such regions are characterised by mountains, interacting fault networks, earthquakes, volcanoes and ore deposits. We aim to determine the fundamental physical processes that link topography, seismicity, volcanism and the evolution of fault networks in these mountain belts. This work will: determine fault patterns, seismic and volcanic hazards in transpressional mountain belts, determine how seismicity modulates fault pathways, determine how high topography affects fault networks, seismic and volcanic unrest, and provide a new framework for mineral exploration at these plate boundaries.
Ecological monitoring of the Townsville Field Training Area 2022-24 (Old ID 27715)
Cassandra James
01 Jun 2022 - 31 Jan 2026
This project continues the long standing monitoring that TropWATER has undertaken for Defence that incorporates monitoring of water quality and aquatic ecology on the Townsville Field Training Area. Remnant Waterholes are the most important aquatic ecosystem in the TFTA providing a critical dry season refugia for aquatic biota. Aquatic ecological monitoring allows an assessment to be made of the trends in water quality through time. If these trends in areas of high Defence activities are similar to trends in areas with minimal Defence impact, this demonstrates the lack of impact of Defence operations on the local aquatic environment.
Exploiting a wound healing helminth granulin protein to treat diabetic ulcers (Old ID 22939)
Michael Smout
01 Sep 2016 - 31 Dec 2017
Exploiting a wound healing helminth granulin protein to treat diabetic ulcers. It is estimated that 1.7 million Australians have diabetes and 100,000 are newly diagnosed every year. Of these diabetes pateients15% will suffer from non-healing wounds that cost on average $21,480 per patient per wound. I have shown a helminth protein names granulin, from the liver fluke Opisthorchis viverinni might hold the key to developing a highly efficacious wound-healing agent. I aim to evaluate fragments of this granulin protein for wound healing potential. This granulin treatment has the potential to alleviate suffering from diabetic wounds and decrease the AUD$14.6 billion burden of diabetics on the healthcare system.
Research Vessel for Shallow Water Capture (Old ID 23069)
Ellen Ariel
11 Nov 2016 - 11 Nov 2017
An inflatable lifeguard vessel with fibreglass bottom is a great help for catching sea turtles in shallow inshore areas. The inflatable sides makes for greater safety for both turtle and catcher. Sick turtles tend to prefer shallow water.
NQBP & JCU Research & Monitoring Partnership - Seagrass and Coral Studies (Old ID 24715)
Nathan Waltham
23 Oct 2017 - 27 Dec 2020
This project conducts long term assessments of seagrass and coral in the Ports of Mackay, Hay Point, Weipa and Abbott Point. The work forms part of a research and monitoring partnership between JCU and NQBP to monitor and assess marine environmental health within ports as well as support related research and education opportunities.
'Project 25' - farmers, water quality and on-farm decision-making (Old ID 24991)
Aaron Davis
01 Jan 2018 - 10 Dec 2020
Landholder concerns surrounding the credibility of broad-scale water quality monitoring and modelling initiatives in the GBR catchment area are one of the key cane industry engagement challenges for promoting significant farming practice change, and water quality improvements. Based around small, sub-catchment water quality monitoring in a key GBR cane growing region, Project 25 utilises a bottom-up approach to integrated sub-catchment monitoring and intervention to identify 'hot spot' sub-catchments through localised water quality monitoring. The Project emphasises industry ownership and control of monitoring design, and delivery of locally targeted water quality data and extension effort to facilitate practice change.
Applying Indigenous and western science knowledges to inform the sustainable management of a dugong and seagrass hotspot in the Girringun TUMRA (Old ID 27854)
Christophe Cleguer
28 Nov 2022 - 31 May 2024
Girringun Aboriginal Corporation (GAC) are deeply concerned about potential threats and reduced resilience for the coastal environment. This project will address knowledge gaps around dugongs and seagrasses that are core to Traditional Owner’s cultural identity and traditional values; critical to the cultural, natural, socio-economic values of the Girringun Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreement (TUMRA) and Indigenous Protected Area, the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and the Hinchinbrook Island Dugong Protection Area. This project is a collaboration between GAC, seagrass and dugong experts from James Cook University, and Charles Darwin University to heal the Reef.