UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Strengthening evidence on harmful industries and their influence on... Category: Medical Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

The mechanism of relaxin, a novel Glucocorticoid Receptor modulator. The project aims to determine how the peptide hormone relaxin binds to the glucocorticoid receptor, a cellular protein that regulates many key functions and is a key cause of inflammation. This project expects to guide the design of new ligands that will direct what genes the receptor activates and thereby control inflammation. Expected outcomes of this project are new knowledge on controlling the function of the glucocorticoid receptor and potentially modulating inflammation. This should benefit Australian scientists in seeking ligands to modulate the activity of the receptor, provide excellent training in molecular sciences and consolidate long-term international collaborations. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is an important regulator of inflammation. While glucocorticoids are the primary activators of the GR previous studies have shown that the peptide relaxin can also activate the receptor and exert potent anti-inflammatory actions. Currently, there are no structures of any activating peptide bound to the GR. This proposal aims to determine the structure of the relaxin-GR complex which will unveil a completely novel mechanism of nuclear receptor activation. To solve the structure, the project will apply state-of-the-art structural biology techniques providing essential training to the next generation of researchers. Identification of this structure will also provide essential molecular insight for the design of novel peptide leads for the treatment of inflammation. Findings in this area will increase Australia's international reputation and competitiveness in the GR field and generate intellectual property ensuring significant commercial and economic benefits. In the long-term, mechanistic understanding of this process could be used to establish new ways of treating debilitating inflammation, but without the side effects seen with glucocorticoids, and so enable Australians to work and play more productively. The outcomes of the project will be protected by patent applications and be communicated through University media releases, newspaper articles and social media (e.g LinkedIn, Twitter).

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Laser-based 4D imaging for enhanced analysis of complex fluid flows. An ability to design for complex turbulent flows, often with heat transfer and suspended particles, is critical to a lower emissions future. These flows dictate the fuel use of ships and aircraft and the efficiency of heat exchangers and solar collectors. This project aims to establish a 4D velocity, phase and temperature measurement system that will permit these flows to be studied in unprecedented detail. This measurement capability will provide breakthrough fundamental knowledge in fluid mechanics and enhance industry and inter-institutional collaboration. It will equip the next generation of researchers in Australia to innovate more efficient engineering solutions, based on an unrivalled understanding of these complex flows. Field of research: 4012 - Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Engineering Australia’s transition towards net-zero will require the re-engineering of our current technologies in the energy and transport sector. This development will require better understandings of complex fluid flows involving droplets, suspended particles, and heat transfer. Mastery of fluid flows will improve performance in heat pumps and exchangers, solar collectors, and batteries, which are critical to a lower emission future, as well as in the turbulent flows that lead to drag and energy expenditure for ships and aircraft. Despite a concerted push within Australia to develop new experimental facilities capable of generating these flows of interest, none can measure flows at the required fidelity. This flow measurement facility will provide unique 4D velocity and temperature measuring capabilities to Australian researchers. As well as facilitating pace-setting research, it will help provide the fundamental insights required to understand, predict, and control these fluid flows across a broad range of activities. It will permit research groups in Australia to retain global competitiveness, enhance collaboration, and provide industry with solutions. Extensive links between the assembled team and industry will be used to demonstrate results and ensure rapid pathways to translation and impact. This facility will support the decarbonisation of Australia’s economy providing economic, commercial, social, and environmental benefits to all Australians.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Next-generation electrolysis: towards low-cost green hydrogen at scale. This project aims to probe and exploit the complex transport phenomena at high temperatures and pressures in water electrolysers - the key technology for green hydrogen production. The novelty lies in the use of a globally unique testing platform that enables direct bubble imaging and comprehensive electrolysis characterisations under extreme conditions up to 200 deg C and 200 bar. Through advanced characterisation and modelling, this project will develop a reliable framework of the transport mechanisms under wide electrolyser working conditions, and produce new knowledge for industrial electrolyser design. This will increase the commercial viability of green hydrogen, thereby empowering Australia's transition to a net-zero economy. Field of research: 4004 - Chemical Engineering Green hydrogen, made from water in an electrolyser using energy from renewable sources, will play a vital role in transforming our global energy infrastructure. Yet, the production of green hydrogen is limited by the prohibitively low rates and energy efficiencies of current electrolysers. Increasing the working temperatures and pressures in electrolysers can improve these rates and efficiencies, but cause undesirable energy loss, unsafe operation, and system instability. This project will investigate how advanced electrolysers behave over a wide range of operating conditions and will use this new knowledge to inform the designs of novel electrolysis cells and systems for low-cost hydrogen production. The resulting new insights into low-cost green hydrogen production will be conveyed to governments and companies through workshops, seminars, and media articles. Australia will benefit economically, environmentally, and socially. Local access to low-cost green hydrogen supply will reduce energy costs for all Australians and efficient clean energy exports will provide revenue. The improved efficiency in hydrogen production will increase profitability for companies involved in the hydrogen value chain accelerating wide adoption of clean energy technologies. Ultimately, the increased use of hydrogen across industries and communities will decarbonise our economy and provide profound social benefits.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Modular electric furnace for structural fire testing. This proposal aims to establish a novel fire testing facility capable of testing a wide range of large-scale structural systems under various fire scenarios and loading conditions at an affordable cost. By using electric furnaces assembled from modular units, the proposed facility is not only flexible for any setup, but also safer and more environmentally friendly than conventional gas-powered furnace testing facilities. This unique facility will enable the developments of novel fire-resistant building materials and products as well as possible fire safety regulations to ensure the fire safety of the built environment. This can help mitigate the risk of fire incidents (e.g. cladding fires) to benefit the Australian community. Field of research: 4005 - Civil Engineering Fire is an extreme hazard in Australia causing significant damage to buildings and infrastructure as well as loss of life. During fires, structural systems and construction materials in the built environment can lose structural integrity and trigger blazes that spread rapidly. Fire-testing facilities provide valuable insights into how various structures and materials respond to fire. Yet Australia has few facilities capable of testing full-scale specimens and most use expensive gas-powered furnaces with limited fire conditions. To date, these facilities have constrained fire research in Australia. This project will establish a modern fire testing facility using modular electric furnaces with a flexible setup for testing various mechanical loading systems. It will be cheaper, safer, and environmentally friendly. We will use this facility to foster strong collaborations with government agencies and industry partners by developing fire-resistant construction materials and building products. Results will be conveyed to the manufacturing, building, and construction industries through seminars and demonstrations. The benefits to Australia are financial, commercial, and environmental. Fire-related incidents are projected to cost Australia $1.2 billion per year over the next 25 years. Advanced research into structural fire engineering will enhance fire resilience in the built environment while reducing costs and mitigating risk in future catastrophic fires.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Construction of the SABRE South full-scale dark matter detector. This project completes the construction and underground installation of the SABRE South dark matter detector for operation in 2025. The nature of dark matter, a mysterious substance making up the majority of the of the universe's matter, is one of science greatest mysteries. Its discovery would be groundbreaking. SABRE South is located in the Southern Hemisphere's pioneering Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL). With its world-best ultra-high purity crystal target and strategic location, it is uniquely positioned to test the most persistent and enigmatic signal in the worldwide hunt for dark matter, with discovery potential across a range of dark matter models. Aspects of this project will benefit future research projects in SUPL. Field of research: 5107 - Particle and High Energy Physics The completion of the SABRE South dark matter detector in the unique Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory will position Australia as a leader in dark matter research. Its successful operation has the potential to deliver groundbreaking discoveries on par with the Higgs boson and gravitational waves, paving the way for future transformative experiments. The benefits of the project extend beyond scientific research to advanced manufacturing, by offering unique skills and opportunities for industries by developing new techniques that enhance instrument sensitivity for radiation traces. For example, by being able to detect very small amounts of radioactive elements in food, it is possible to determine its provenance. Analysis of trace elements in soil and water can improve our understanding of past climates. Australian PhD students will receive training in radiation monitoring, detector design, and precision measurement techniques relevant to Australian defense and industries. For instance, these skills are being applied to defense applications through our partnership with the DST Group. The SABRE South experiment will both advance knowledge and benefit society as a whole. By contributing expertise and a skilled workforce to our defense capabilities and industries, it will enhance our global competitiveness. The pursuit of dark matter has ignited the imagination of the Australian public, inspiring our youth to pursue meaningful careers in science and technology.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Cell death pathway – a novel target for anthelmintics for livestock. Parasitic worms cause major economic losses due to the diseases that they cause in livestock animals. Drug resistance in parasites and treatment failures now compromise parasite control. Thus, there is major demand worldwide for new treatments. Extensive preliminary work by our investigator team has shown that parasitic worms have an intrinsic B-cell lymphoma 2-mediated cell death pathway that is essential for development and survival. This interdisciplinary project aims to develop small molecule antagonists that target this pathway and function as competitive inhibitors. Major benefits should include the development of an entirely novel drug class to specifically kill worms of livestock for subsequent translation and commercialisation. Field of research: 3009 - Veterinary Sciences Parasites of animals and plants cause losses of hundreds of millions of dollars per year to the agricultural sector in Australia. This project is aimed at preventing the spread of parasites and associated diseases through better treatments for animals. The project uses a combination of advanced technologies (medicinal chemistry, structural biology, cell engineering and parasitology) to explore and develop novel drug treatments against parasites. This project works toward alleviating parasite disease problems in animals, resulting in better outcomes due to healthier animals and increased revenue. In working with industry and academic groups, this project will ensure the use of the latest technologies to discover and develop new tools and products against parasites to help the livestock and animal health industries, and the agricultural sector. To help bring communities on board with this endeavor, showcasing the technology, new drug treatment options and effects on animals will be implemented. Through the more efficient, effective and safe treatment of livestock, we can ensure a better agricultural future for Australia, and for many other countries around the world.

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Unravelling the Diversity and Function of Tissue-Resident Lymphocytes Category: Medical Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Coaching for Doctors for Clinician Wellbeing, Workforce Sustainability... Category: Medical Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Near Single Molecule Sensitivity Mass Spectrometry for Multi-Omic Research. This proposal aims to enable multi-omic analysis of recalcitrant plant/microbes and model systems by coupling robust liquid chromatography (LC) systems to near single molecule sensitivity mass spectrometry (MS). These capacities will consist of two Evosep LCs located at La Trobe (LTU-PMP) & Uni. Melbourne (Bio21MMSPF) in addition to (i) a Thermo Scientific Orbitrap 240 MS & Vanquish Neo LC for rapid study optimisation and workflow validation, located at LTU-PMP; & (ii) a Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Astral MS for ultra-deep & reproducible quantitative omic analysis, located at Bio21MMSPF. This infrastructure will enable the characterisation of atypical biomolecules from challenging biological samples incompatible with traditional LC-MS. Field of research: 3102 - Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Ultra-sensitive Mass Spectrometry (MS) is an indispensable analytical technique for the comprehensive and reproducible analysis of biological samples. However, not all teams working on diverse, and in many cases challenging samples derived from microbes and plants are able to access next-generation MS instrumentation due to the incompatibility of these samples with standard Liquid Chromatography (LC) instrumentation that is used to deliver samples into MS instruments. We will couple innovative LCs (designed for robustness) to MS instruments with near single molecule sensitivity, transforming analytical capacities. This will make the platform more accessible to teams and disciplines with non-traditional samples that cannot be handled by standard MS. These capacities will provide researchers, including early career and students, from across Australian research institutions and industry with a competitive edge in basic and strategic research disciplines focused on agri-biosciences (e.g., assessing nutritional quality of grains, livestock muscle development), microbiology (e.g., vaccine production, study of decomposition processes, antibiotic development), as well as veterinary sciences (breeding biomarker identification, diagnostics). The findings from the use of these capacities will be published in open-access journals as well as shared beyond academia through outreach to community and stakeholder groups, as well as by engaging with traditional and social media.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Optimising Predictive Analytics for Water Consumption Across Time and Space. This project aims to investigate the value of Big Data from a world-leading smart meter rollout for understanding and predicting water consumption. The project expects to create novel econometric and machine learning methodologies, applying them to build state-of-the-art water consumption models that allow for arbitrary time frequencies and spatial aggregation. Expected outcomes include interdisciplinary partnerships to inform and deploy targeted and timely water grid maintenance, investments, and behavioural programs to enhance societal water usage efficiency. This should provide significant benefits, including lower water bills, greater grid resilience, better-informed grid investment, and more cost-effective adaptation to climate change. Field of research: 3802 - Econometrics Water scarcity in Australia is rising due to climate change and a growing population, underlining the need to identify and address vulnerabilities across our water grid infrastructure and discover new ways to curb water demand. Australian-made smart water meters generate a substantial amount of data to help us address these sustainability challenges, but we lack the Big Data methods needed to harness these data toward these ends. This project will develop the methods needed to leverage smart water meter data to inform strategic investments in water grid infrastructure and enable the discovery of behavioural water conservation strategies. The project aims to position Australia as a global pioneer in smart water meter analytics by combining homegrown smart water meters and cutting-edge machine learning models. The project proposes to create a digital dashboard powered by our models to facilitate the widespread adoption of smart meter analytics. It will provide visual resources to track the evolution of water demand across time, space, and into the future, to equip water utilities with tools to predict immediate and long-range effects of grid investments, behavioural trials, and policies on water conservation and affordability. The dashboard’s ability to enable business decisions will be communicated to utilities through industry workshops to champion the adoption of smart meter analytics to optimise water infrastructure investment and conservation practices across Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Assessing resilience of building glazing systems in a changing climate. Performance of glazing systems in buildings is being impacted by the effects of climate change with existing designs being compromised by more extreme weather. This project aims to develop technology to precisely evaluate the long-term performance of glazing systems during intense winds and storm events. Significantly, this will help protect the integrity of the system and increase the resilience of buildings against extreme weather events. The expected outcomes will substantially enhance the sustainability, comfort, and resilience of buildings amid climatic changes. This will benefit asset managers, homeowners, the insurance sector, and the building and construction industry, potentially averting billions of dollars in economic losses. Field of research: 4005 - Civil Engineering As climate change is increasing extreme weather events globally, Australian buildings must increase their weather resilience and utility. Glazing systems are popular in modern building designs because they protect from weather events and conserve energy. Yet, we have no standardised testing protocols or analytical models to evaluate their long-term durability and resilience under diverse environmental conditions. This project aims to develop experimentally validated assessment models to predict system deterioration under extreme weather conditions. It will identify vulnerabilities and failure mechanisms in structural integrity, water tightness, and thermal insulation to develop targeted mitigation strategies that will improve the quality of these systems. More durable and longer lasting glazing systems with better insulation will meet market demands offering market differentiation and revenue growth for companies adopting this technology. These systems will contribute to sustainability and innovation in the construction industry. Australia will benefit commercially economically, socially, and environmentally through cost savings, improved safety and well-being of inhabitants, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and resource conservation. The project outcomes will be disseminated to the building industry through workshops and articles in industry magazines.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

How cells perform error-free repair of damaged DNA? This project aims to understand how a molecular machine, called the dissolvasome, fixes tangled DNA to ensure error-free repair of damaged DNA by homologous recombination (HR), a critical process in all life forms. This will generate new knowledge about HR pathway by recreating the function of dissolvasome in a test tube and providing atomic snapshots of its individual steps using advanced imaging technology of cryo-electron microscopy. The expected outcome will be a ‘molecular movie’ of the fundamental process of DNA repair. The project's outcomes would have significant implications, from regulating sexual reproduction and creating genetic diversity in agriculture to improving cutting-edge gene editing techniques. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology Often double-stranded DNA breaks and becomes tangled. There is a complex molecular machine in cells that helps with this untangling. We understand how some parts of this machine work, but fixing DNA needs all the parts to work together. We are not sure exactly how they coordinate because this machine is large and can change shape which has made it impossible to study using previous technologies. In this project, we will use a revolutionary new imaging technology called cryo-electron microscopy to create atomic snapshots of this machine while it is at work. These snapshots will give us a fundamental understanding of how this machine functions dynamically and increase our knowledge of DNA repair, an indispensable process to sustain all life forms. The direct visualisation of this machine will allow us to understand how this machine works and how each part contributes to its function. Catching this machine in action will generate new knowledge about DNA repair that could lead to commercial opportunities being exploited in the future including precise gene editing for enhanced agriculture productivity, better understanding of aging-related diseases and promoting healthy aging. We will communicate to the general public through our department newsletter, social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, and science events geared towards the general public, like National Science Week, where the University of Melbourne is a regular participant.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Unravelling the pivotal role of interface water in electrochemical systems. This project aims to unravel the pivotal role of the electrode/electrolyte interface water on key electrochemical properties in aqueous electrochemical systems by integrating state-of-the-art molecular simulation and experimental results. The obtained fundamental knowledge advancement will be used to develop a modern electrical double layer theory model. This project expects to meet the challenge of highly efficient and quantitative nanoscience-based design tools for advanced electrochemical energy storage and conversion devices and systems. The outcome will allow the design and operation of more efficient and sustainable technologies in the energy industry, benefitting the Australian economy and environment. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering Numerous electrochemical technologies, including energy storage, electrocatalysis, and water desalination, are based on electrified surfaces, where electrolytes are in contact with conductive solid materials. When these solids interface with electrolytes, they can form an electrical double layer (EDL) where the adsorbed ions balance solid surface charges. The EDL theory is the bedrock for designing electrochemical devices and systems in real applications. Its theoretical framework was developed in 1924, and recent advanced experiments and simulations have shown that the current EDL theory is too simple. This project will develop a new fundamental theory for the EDL at the electrified surface. It will establish new theoretical models to accelerate the design of next-generation ionic technologies. The results will be published in industry media and be commercialised to develop and design novel technologies and devices for Australia’s knowledge-based manufacturing. Once applied, this research will benefit many sectors through its use in Australian applications such as chemical or pharmaceutical production processes, water desalination, mineral extraction, and advanced technology for electrochemical energy storage and conversion. Thus, these devices and real-world applications will provide many economic, commercial, environmental, and social benefits for Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Perfect codes in Cayley graphs. Perfect codes are fundamental objects of study in combinatorics. Studied extensively in classical coding theory, perfect codes have a natural generalisation to the setting of Cayley graphs, where they correspond to interesting tilings of groups. This project aims to undertake an in-depth study of perfect codes in several important classes of Cayley graphs, with a focus on their existence, construction and connection with underlying groups. A series of foundational results essential to further development of this young area of research are expected, via techniques from algebraic graph theory, coding theory and group theory, thus substantially enriching the theory of perfect codes in a broad framework. Field of research: 4904 - Pure Mathematics This project delves into the critical realm of coding theory, the backbone of modern information transmission. At its core is the concept of perfect codes, which can provide maximum error correction without ambiguity. The project will develop theories of perfect codes within a broad framework demanded by new communication technologies, with a focus on networks described using algebraic structures. It will unveil a series of groundbreaking mathematical insights into perfect codes, paving the way to new research avenues. This research holds immense potential to benefit Australia across multiple domains. Economically, it contributes to foundational advancements in communication theory, potentially leading to more efficient and robust communication systems. Socially, it enhances international collaboration, reinforces Australia’s research standing in fundamental science, and provides opportunities for knowledge exchange. Culturally, it promotes the growth of a vibrant academic ecosystem by ensuring the continuity of expertise in this critical area. The project team will use diverse pathways to promote the research outcomes beyond academia, such as hosting interactive workshops with local libraries and schools, organising public lectures, and engaging with digital media outlets.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

microRNA 124, a key modulator of uterine receptivity to establish pregnancy. In mammals, pregnancy is established when embryos adhere and implant to a “receptive” uterus. The uterine surface epithelium is normally a barrier to embryo adhesion and must remodel in a small time window within each estrous or menstrual cycle to lose its barrier function enabling embryo implantation. If the endometrium does not remodel to become receptive this leads to failure of implantation and no pregnancy is established. There is a profound lack of knowledge on how and precisely when the uterine epithelium prepares itself to accept an embryo to ensure pregnancy is established and healthy offspring. This project will define the regulatory mechanisms by which the endometrium remodels to become receptive to embryos. Field of research: 3215 - Reproductive Medicine In mammals, pregnancy starts when embryos adhere to the uterine lining (epithelium) that must lose its barrier function to allow embryos to implant. There is a profound lack of knowledge on how and when the uterine epithelium becomes receptive, yet receptivity is crucial for establishing pregnancy of mammals. While research suggests that microRNAs in uterine epithelial cells are crucial for allowing embryos to implant, how this happens remains elusive. Our initial findings suggest microRNA-124 that remains elevated in the uterine lining during receptivity leads to failed pregnancy. This project will investigate how microRNA-124 regulates uterine surface changes to allow embryos to implant in mammals including cows, sheep, and marsupials as well as some lizards. We have made a genetic mouse model where we can switch microRNA-124 on in the uterine lining at a time of choosing. We will use this model to determine whether microRNA-124 is critical for establishing pregnancy. Our findings have the potential to inform and enhance future agricultural practices and help regulate fertility in both livestock and native species. The insights gained may inform wildlife conservation and breeding programs, thus aiding in the preserving biodiversity. We will engage stakeholders in veterinary medicine, biotechnology and agriculture to promote and translate our research outcomes.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

An innovative steel-concrete system for molten salt energy storage vessel. This project aims to develop a novel steel-concrete composite vessel for molten salt (MS) energy storage. By leveraging the merits of the two most prevalent construction materials, the developed vessel will provide the excellent performance and durability under extreme conditions of MS storage (high temperature and corrosion). Expected outcomes include advancing knowledge in the behaviours of steel-concrete composite under high temperature and corrosive environments, and developing a new generation of MS storage vessel that is highly scalable, efficient, and cost-effective. This should provide significant benefits to Australia in accelerating energy storage technologies and fostering the national and global renewable energy transition. Field of research: 4005 - Civil Engineering Australia’s abundant renewable solar energy requires energy-storage systems to manage its variability in energy production. Molten salt technology is a commercially used technology to store the heat collected by concentrated solar power. Molten salt-storage vessels are traditionally constructed of steel, which are prone to failures due to issues related to the vessel design and construction as well as its operation under high temperature cycles. Thus, Australia has an urgent need for safe, reliable, and cost-effective vessel design. This project will develop the next generation of molten salt-storage vessels using steel-concrete composite systems. We will use experimental data and computational models to determine system performance under molten salt environments and create technical guidelines. We will promote the results and guidelines through our extensive academic and industrial networks as well as public presentations. Translation of the research will be accelerated through demonstrations to relevant companies in the construction and energy sectors, leading to commercial and economic benefits. Finally, the next generation of molten salt-storage vessels for solar power will increase the reliability and utility of solar energy creating enormous environmental benefits for Australia. Importantly, it will help Australia reach our net-zero goals by 2050.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Mapping tissue-resident lymphocyte diversity and interactions. Most immune threats enter via our tissues, not the blood. Thus, our organs are packed with different immune cells that fight off danger. However, not all immune cells are equal and can behave differently depending on the organ they live in. It is not well understood why immune cells in different tissues exhibit altered functions, therefore, using cutting-edge high-resolution technology, we plan to create an ‘atlas’ that maps the immune cell network in various organs. This will reveal cell and protein interactions with immune cells that will allow us to test how this network can support the tissue landscape. These outcomes will provide a novel resource for understanding how different organs support immune cell neighbourhoods and behaviours. Field of research: 3204 - Immunology Our organs are packed with various immune cells that fight infection and protect us from invaders like viruses and bacteria. Most immune responses start in our organs, not the blood. This is where invaders enter the body and cause harm. We know that immune cells in organs better protect us from infection than those in the blood. Within the tissue, they can quickly destroy these threats. However, the organ environment is complex. What allows our immune cells to best protect us in this terrain is unknown. Therefore, our project aims to create an ‘immune cell atlas’ of the body. Using the ‘cell map’ of each organ, we will explore how the tissue landscape supports effective immune protection. By understanding how immune cells work together, we will gain critical knowledge on different immune responses in different organs around the body. Our immune cell atlas will be free and accessible via an interactive web app, offering a novel educational tool that will attract the next-generation of scientists. The project will promote global collaborations, placing Australia in a competitive position to attract further investment towards understanding varied immune responses. This will result in substantial knowledge gain for industry and research sectors. We will communicate our findings to the community by publishing in high-impact journals, presenting at international conferences, and sharing our work with the public through social media, press releases, science-based radio and TV shows.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Impact of Delayed Sleep Phase on Fear Extinction Circuitry in Adolescence. Sleep onset is progressively delayed from puberty and this sleep phase delay peaks in late adolescence, a developmental stage characterised by marked disturbances in sleep and the emergence of mental health problems. Light exposure is critical for synchronising sleep and the internal ‘body clock’, but developmental changes and night-time light exposure in late adolescence delay sleep timing, leading to impaired sleep and emotion regulation. Despite these associations, the human brain circuitry underlying sleep phase delay, light responses, and fear processes is relatively unknown. This advanced imaging project will provide the first insights into the impact of sleep and circadian (‘body clock’) factors on fear processes in late adolescence. Field of research: 5202 - Biological Psychology This project examines whether sleep and circadian factors such as delayed sleep timing and exposure to evening light in late adolescence leads to poor fear regulation. Late adolescence is the peak time for delayed sleep onset, sleep disturbances, exposure to evening light with light-emitting device use, fear regulation difficulties and the emergence of anxiety. This is the first study to examine how these sleep and circadian factors affect fear regulation responses and brain circuitry using novel ultra-highfield neuroimaging, and tracking naturalistic sleep and light exposure using wearable devices. The project will provide crucial new knowledge into the impact of sleep quality, delayed sleep timing and light exposure on fear regulation putting Australia on the cutting edge of sleep and developmental science. It will also help identify causal factors in the escalating crisis in youth wellbeing, which will lead to social and economic benefits, by enhancing productivity at school and work and reducing absenteeism. Results from this project will help us identify the specific sleep and circadian factors that lead to impaired emotional wellbeing in teenagers. This information will help us develop novel guidelines on recommended sleep and wake times, and amount of evening light exposure to promote optimal youth wellbeing. This information will be disseminated to parents, educators, clinicians and teens in workshops, online and social media forums, and school presentations.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Why is there more matter than antimatter? Probing CP violation with Hyper-K. This project leads a new Australian program with the Hyper-Kamiokande experiment in Japan, the largest underground Cherenkov detector in the world. Hyper-Kamiokande is being built to study neutrino oscillations to address long-standing puzzles of nature, such as the origin of the observed abundance of matter over antimatter in the universe. It will place Australian researchers in a position to make substantial contributions to the assembly and commissioning of this experiment and to have a critical role in the potential breakthrough discovery of matter-antimatter asymmetries in neutrino oscillations. Field of research: 5107 - Particle and High Energy Physics This project will develop technology to answer a decades-old question in physics: what is the origin of matter? It will use state-of-the-art photosensors to detect the faint flickers of light from neutrinos – ghostly particles that carry clues to the origin of matter. The project will develop machine-learning algorithms to interpret the data from these photosensors, helping to reveal how the Universe came to be dominated by matter rather than anti-matter. The project will cement Australia’s role in the Japanese Hyper-Kamiokande experiment, enhancing collaboration with a strategic partner. The machine learning algorithms developed for this project will increase our capacity for advances in artificial intelligence, providing commercial and economic benefits for Australian industries and society, while shedding light on a fundamental human question. The pattern recognition code developed in the project will be made available through public repositories so that they can be used to explore other applications by Australia's information science community.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Probing ionic micro-environment at electrochemical interfaces. The project aims to develop new materials and experimental tools to probe and exploit the complex ionic microenvironment at electrochemical interfaces – a centrepiece of clean energy and sustainable technologies. The novelty lies in using tuneable porous membranes made from electroconductive materials and charged polymers as a new platform to amplify and detect signals from the interfaces. Harnessing advanced characterisation and modelling, this project will build a key framework of the local ionic landscape and offer a new screening protocol for application-targeted ionic microenvironment design. This tool will help bridge the gap between basic research and real-world utility and accelerate Australia’s transition to a net-zero economy. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering Electrochemical interfaces are junctions where electrically charged materials meet fluids that conduct ions. They are foundational to numerous sustainable technologies, such as batteries for energy storage, electrolysers for chemical and fuel production, fuel cells for electrical power generation, and water purification for clean water production. The efficiency of all these systems relies on the structure and movement of ions near these interfaces, which remain largely unknown. This project will develop new materials and tools to better understand the dynamic and complex ionic behaviour at these interfaces and use this new knowledge to improve electrochemical system designs and operations. The resulting new insights will be made broadly available through workshops, seminars, and media articles. The Australian industries adopting the project results will benefit commercially from the improved system and process efficiency and their reduced cost, accelerating the wide adoption of these clean and sustainable technologies. The increased use of these technologies will have profound environmental and social benefits to Australia through cleaner industrial processes and lower carbon emissions. Most importantly, this project will contribute to a cleaner future for Australia and assist in meeting our net-zero carbon emission targets by 2050.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Copepod adaptation to global change and its impacts on carbon fluxes. Copepods, a key component of the zooplankton, must adapt as oceans warm and food becomes scarcer due to global change; but this evolution may alter their role in marine food-webs and carbon sequestration. This project aims to leverage a 6-year evolution experiment to explore how an Australian copepod evolves under future thermal and food regimes. This project expects to provide new knowledge on the consequences of evolution for traits, population dynamics and carbon cycles by blending empiricism with population and biogeochemical models. The intended outcomes should provide predictions of how climate-induced evolution in copepods alters ecosystem services; with benefits for the sustainable management of the fisheries that copepods underpin. Field of research: 3104 - Evolutionary Biology Australia’s marine environment is experiencing global change more rapidly than most places on earth, and our native marine fauna must adapt to these new conditions. Copepods (small marine crustaceans) play an essential role in marine food webs and the carbon cycle. By consuming and excreting phytoplankton (microscopic marine plants), copepods export a major proportion of the world’s atmospheric carbon to the seafloor. Copepods also underpin marine food webs to support fisheries and healthy marine ecosystems. But despite their ecological importance, we know surprisingly little about how copepods will adapt to global change. This project will address this knowledge gap by evolving an Australian copepod to future temperatures and phytoplankton availabilities to explore how climate change will alter their abundance and role in marine ecosystems. By focusing on an Australian native species, this project will provide direct benefits for the Australian marine environment and commercial marine economy. This project will deliver a novel framework that will allow a more robust and accurate accounting of Australia’s marine carbon sequestration potential under future climates, and will provide information essential for futureproofing Australia’s $3.6 billion fisheries industry. We will communicate our findings directly to stakeholders via our links with marine industry partners and government agencies to inform policy regarding sustainable fisheries and net carbon targets.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

How is uniparental inheritance of organelles achieved in a microbe? . Inheritance after sex results in offspring getting half their genes from the mother and half from the father, but two parts of cells—the mitochondria responsible for energy conversion, and the plastids responsible for photosynthesis—do not follow this pattern. Rather, mitochondria and plastids, including the genes therein, are typically inherited from just one parent, usually the mother. We will investigate the molecular machinery that results in maternal inheritance of mitochondria and plastids in a unicellular microbe. We will identify genes preventing microbial fathers from contributing mitochondria or plastids to their offspring. Field of research: 3107 - Microbiology Parasitic diseases cause $96m of losses in Australia’s cattle industry & a further $433m of losses to other Australian livestock industry. Related parasites infect our companion animals. For instance, Australia has 6.4 million dogs, and the annual spend on a veterinary package to keep our best friend parasite free is $450. Parasite control relies heavily on antiparasite drugs that target select genes. Inheritance of these genes is poorly understood, which hinders our ability to control the spread of resistance if these genes become resistant to our drugs. Our project aims to tease out the mechanism of gene inheritance in a model parasitic microbe, dissecting how such non-standard inheritance works, which will inform resistance management strategies. It is important to understand how only the mother can pass on this cohort of genes as they are the targets of drugs that we use to control parasites of livestock & humans. The benefit of this research is to address the gap in drug resistance management and better understand the control mechanisms.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Bioinspired analogues of nature's structurally coloured materials. This project aims to discover new ways that nature produces vivid colours using nano-structures and how these complex structures assemble from simple building blocks. This knowledge will be used to develop sustainable material analogues using biodegradable chitin and cellulose-based polymers. Such structurally coloured biodegradable materials are a promising green alternative to coloured materials currently produced using plastics and toxic chemical pigments. By integrating biology with physics and materials chemistry, this project addresses a significant biological knowledge gap and expects to develop novel, environmentally responsible materials and fabrication processes, providing both economic and environmental benefits to Australia. Field of research: 3109 - Zoology Industrial colourants are commonly chemical dyes and pigments that fade with time and involve toxic raw materials and waste products. Nature offers an alternative: colour produced by nanostructures that self-assemble from simple building blocks due to their molecular properties. Mimicking nature’s self-assembled nanostructures can provide a low-cost, low-energy alternative to chemical colourants or structurally coloured materials manufactured using expensive nanofabrication techniques. However, our ability to draw on nature’s designs – optimised by millions of years of evolution – is limited by our ignorance of how complex nanostructures form during biological development. This project’s multidisciplinary team, spanning biology, materials chemistry and physics, aims to unlock nature’s secret to producing vivid colours using extraordinarily efficient processes, and develop bioinspired analogues using abundant, biodegradable polymers such as cellulose. Sustainably produced, structurally coloured materials have diverse applications of commercial benefit to Australia including security features, packaging, labelling, and sensors. The advanced fabrication process will significantly benefit Australian industry by opening possibilities to efficiently manufacture materials and devices using greener technologies, reducing Australia’s impact on the environment.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Understanding cultural shifts in concepts of mental health. This project aims to investigate how and why public understandings of mental health have shifted in recent decades, and to examine the impact of these conceptual changes. The project will generate new knowledge of how mental health-related concepts have broadened their meanings, using innovative computational methods for evaluating semantic change. Expected outcomes of this project include enhanced knowledge of cultural shifts in mental health discourse and of how these shifts affect stigma, help-seeking behaviour and diagnosis-based identities, as well as new computational methods for studying conceptual change. These outcomes will provide significant benefits for understanding the social dimensions of the current mental health crisis. Field of research: 5205 - Social and Personality Psychology Australia is in the grip of a mental health crisis. Rising rates of mental illness impose enormous economic and human costs and heavy burdens on health services. Understanding what is driving this crisis is a matter of national urgency, but little is known about the cultural and social changes that contribute to it. This project will examine historical shifts in how the public thinks about mental health and illness, the sources of these changes, and their impact on people’s well-being. The research will clarify how concepts of mental illness have expanded their scope, so that they refer to an increasingly expansive range of experiences. It will reveal the changing cultural beliefs and values that underpin this expansion, and how broad concepts of mental illness can increase people’s vulnerability to mental ill health. Understanding these cultural and psychological dynamics can help us foster ways of thinking about mental health that boost rather than undermine resilience. The outcomes of this research will be actively shared in news articles and media appearances, capitalising on the researcher’s high national profile as a science communicator. The research will create a foundation for new ways of promoting mental health and preventing mental illness, with substantial social and economic benefits for Australians.