Research Projects
Filters for Projects
Research Units
SENSOR-Q: Sensor data solutions (Old ID 21566)
The SENSOR-Q project brings together world leading technology from industry and academia - data management and analytics expertise from CoastalCOMS (CCOMS), telemetry solutions from Taggle Systems and sensor expertise from James Cook University (JCU), in order to develop a unique end-to-end water monitoring, analysis and management solution for Townsville City Council (TCC). The SENSOR-Q project combines a multi disciplinary collaborative team that aims to create an integrated data collection, storage, analysis and visualisation platform that can be implemented across a variety of applications and industry sectors, and so enable Queensland to more effectively participate in the big data economy.
An immune transcriptional regulatory network approach to Multiple Sclerosis (Old ID 22105)
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease resulting from a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. In an attempt to understand the integration of both sets of risk factors, we have compared mRNA transcripts between relapsing/remitting (RR) MS patients and healthy controls in 5 leukocyte subsets: CD4 and CD8 T cells, B cells, NK cells and monocytes. A gene co-expression network was generated based on correlation of expression levels across >700 gene expression microarrays, and a major co-ordinately regulated sub-network (module) of mRNA transcripts that is differentially expressed in the monocytes of RR-MS patients was identified. This project validates, characterizes and attempts to manipulate this transcriptional module in human cells ex-vivo and in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of central nervous system (CNS) autoimmunity. These results should provide greater explanatory power than the analyses of individual risk factors separately and may provide a multi-faceted target for intervention.
Marine Science Data Services (Old ID 22126)
The objectives of the RDS project are to mature sustainable data services that deliver research outcomes and impact by: Refocusing of RDSI Infrastructure into Data as a Service in support of research communities with petascale data challenges. Secondly consolidating the linkages and alignments, where appropriate, with other Commonwealth-funded (NCRIS and Super Science) e-infrastructure investments.
Your Stories, Our Histories: 150 Years of Mixed Marriages and War Brides in Townsville and their Contricution to the Success of Multiculturalism in Townsville (Old ID 22451)
Using archival materials available at the National Archives of Australia, CityLibraries and interviewing of families involved in mixed marriages, a clear picture of the multicultural landscape in Townsville and north Queensland over the last 150 years will be recorded and examined. We search the past and map the present through an exhibition of photographs, documents and other artefacts, and public lectures on the rich multicultural history of Townsville. Using focus group discussions and interviews, as well as a survey of residents, we vision the future of our city. Another public lecture will be held on this, and a final copy of the report will be included in the CityLibraries Repository for future reference of the public at large.
International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW12) Conference Travel Grant (Old ID 22786)
To attend and present a research paper at the International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW12) in Nant, Gwrtheyrn, Wales 16-21st October, 2016
Mitigation of Losses in Community from Extreme Wind Events (Old ID 23175)
The objective of the project is to investigate and inform on aspects of building codes/standards and implementation to mitigate losses from extreme wind events including Cyclones.
The Relationship between Maternal Health and Infant Renal Development and Function (Old ID 25013)
This will be the first study to comprehensively link the maternal environment, including maternal renal size and ethnicity, to the development of the human fetal kidney and subsequent childhood kidney growth and function in both Indigenous and non-Indigenous children. Developing non-invasive measures of renal development and understanding the pathway to reduce nephron number in Indigenous infants is essential for the planning of public health interventions to reduce Indigenous disadvantage in renal health.
Allocative efficiency modelling to support National TB programs (Old ID 25074)
Tuberculosis (TB) has now been unequivocally identified as the world's leading infectious killer, with global control failing to make significant inroads into the huge burden of disease. TB in Australia is driven by this huge global burden, with around 60% of all TB cases occurring in our region and nearly 90% of Australia's cases occurring in the overseas born. Our group has an established track record of undertaking country-level simulations to better understand TB epidemiology and predict the effectiveness of programmatic interventions in the local context. These applications are linked to a program of theoretical and epidemiological research to improve understanding of TB transmission and strengthen model underpinnings. Recently, we have been working to develop our model into a flexible and robust platform by using principles of software engineering, including object-oriented and modular programming. This approach allows rapid adaptation of our tool ("AuTuMN") to new objectives without the need to modify many of the constituent modules. In this project, we will extend the AuTuMN structures to undertake country implementations in up to six additional countries, funded by The Global Fund Against AIDS, Malaria and tuberculosis (TGF). These countries are: Myanmar Timor L'este The Kingdom of Bhutan Cambodia The Philippines Sri Lanka This RFAF is an indicative budget, as airfares and other direct costs will only be paid upon submission of receipts. Additionally, TGF produces contracts in US dollar amounts so amounts below are subject to change. Which of the above countries elect to undertake this work has not yet been determineJCU will administer the grant but University of Melbourne and Monash University will send invoices for work undertaken as part of this grant.
Prevalence, Perceptions, Motivations of and Response to Cyberbullying among Adolescents in Singapore (Old ID 25086)
This study seeks to understand the prevalence, perceptions and motivations of cyberbullying among adolescents as well as the coping behaviours, mental and emotional well-being of adolescent victims of cyberbullying among Singapore youths aged 10-16 years old. This study will also inform the design of research-based cyber wellness prevention and intervention programmes.
System-based approaches to inform the design of vaccines and biologics against complex pathogens (Old ID 25110)
The development of effective interventions against malaria and other chronic infectious diseases is impeded by a lack of understanding of host-pathogen interactions and the mechanisms and antigenic targets underlying protective immunity. The fundamental premise of this proposal is that integrated and unbiased systems-level approaches provide an excellent framework to develop a comprehensive understanding of immune responses and identify key molecules/pathways that can be targeted for therapeutic intervention or for immunodiagnostics. Taking advantage of unique human experimental infection models and field studies, this research encompasses: (i) antigen discovery; (ii) host-pathogen immunity; (iii) vaccine engineering; and (iv) biomarker discovery. It will develop a pipeline of parasite antigens and immunomodulatory molecules that can be transitioned towards clinical development and testing, as well as identify biomarkers of disease risk that can be used for population based screening to define at-risk individuals for targeted intervention.