UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Reaching the under screened "“ Exploring and evaluating the potential of... Category: Medical Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Decoding the Hungry Brain Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Computationally efficient climate projections under net-zero and beyond. The project aims to develop a computationally efficient climate model emulator suitable for net-zero and net-negative emission scenarios. As a result, the project expects to generate new knowledge of our future climate, specifically spatially resolved projections with an explicit focus on uncertainties. The project’s expected outcome is a new capability to explore the climate implications of different choices on the path to net-zero and beyond. This should provide significant benefits, such as establishing Australia’s position in the rapidly growing area of spatially explicit climate model emulators and providing a new, open-source tool for use both within, and outside, research. Field of research: 3702 - Climate Change Science Climate change is having a profound impact on the lives of Australians, with recent bushfire, flooding and heatwave events all likely influenced by our changing climate. These impacts will continue to evolve as the climate continues to change, impacting Australia’s economy and way of life. The project aims to develop new modelling capability that would allow projections to be made for any scenario of interest, at the level of spatial detail that is most relevant to the lives of Australians. The projections would reflect our latest scientific understanding, both where we are confident about the expected changes and where there is greater uncertainty. The project’s key output would be new climate insights, improving the quality and depth of information available for Australia’s medium- to long-term planning and risk management. This will provide environmental, economic and social benefits for Australia, thanks to a deepened understanding of our current and future environment and improved information for decision- and policy-making. The project aims to have an impact beyond academia by providing the developed tools as open-source software, making them free for anyone to use in their own applications without the need for specialised computing equipment.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Mesoscale Study of Ion Transport: Transforming Energy Storage. Ion transport in porous electrodes is the core process for energy storage and conversion, governing charge speed and capacity. During fast charging and discharging, ion transport becomes spatiotemporally heterogeneous, complicated by the electrode's structure. By integrating constant potential molecular simulations and numerical models, this project aims to investigate how electrode porous structures—considering across-scale factors such as nanopore size, number, and particularly their mesoscale connectivity—impact ion transport under fast operations. Outcomes include an enhanced understanding of electrode design, optimised energy storage performance, and a cost-effective digital tool for next-generation energy storage technologies. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering Australia's renewable energy sector will play an important role in meeting our goal of net zero by 2050. However, utilisation of renewable energy still faces efficiency challenges. A major bottleneck is the lack of advanced energy storage technologies that are essential for balancing grid supply and power demand to maximise the use of renewables. Supercapacitors offer great promise for energy storage because of their long lifecycle and potential for rapid charging and release. Electrodes are the main component of supercapacitors, but, we do not know which porous structure will provide both high performance and cost-effectiveness (i.e., using less electrode materials). This project aims to design a highly efficient electrode porous structure for supercapacitors by developing physics-based numerical models complemented by experimental insights. This design approach will reduce device-testing costs, accelerate development, and achieve on-target/demand energy storage capability. The project has economic and environmental benefits for Australia. Our renewable energy sector contributed 29% of total electricity in 2022 and is projected to attract $76 billion in investment and create 600,000 jobs by 2030. It will support Australia’s transition to a sustainable future and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The resulting digital design tool will be showcased to industry and government stakeholders to accelerate its translation with industry partners.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Co-designing Housing for First Nations Prosperity. This project aims to develop an alternative and sustainable model for the design, economics, policy settings, and delivery of housing for First Nations communities. Our method employs participative co-design and strategic design in collaboration with First Nations communities in Shepparton, Victoria. This seeks to overcome a critical research gap in this field, and address shortcomings in housing provision, which has failed to make meaningful progress against the Closing the Gap targets. The primary outcomes of this research will be a design catalogue and investment model, enabling our Partner Organisations to produce homes which are affordable, valuable, culturally appropriate, providing an essential benefit to First Nations communities. Field of research: 3301 - Architecture The housing affordability crisis is one of the most complex challenges that Australia faces today. This challenge is amplified for First Nations people, who face additional barriers, accrued over centuries of colonisation. This research will develop a new approach for the design and delivery of housing for First Nations communities that places First Nations leadership, knowledge and lore at the forefront. This approach seeks to address shortcomings in the current housing models, which have failed to make meaningful progress against the Closing the Gap targets. Our method of employing participative co-design and strategic design in collaboration with First Nations communities and Partner Organisations, seeks to bring a systemic approach to this challenge and overcome a critical research gap. The model will be also applicable more broadly in meeting non-Indigenous housing challenges nationally with great benefit to Australians. The primary outcomes of this research will be a design catalogue and investment model, able to produce homes which are affordable, valuable, culturally appropriate, socially connected, sustainably designed and climate resilient. These outcomes will be implemented by Partner Organisations in their development activities, to create homes, and to attract investment. These outcomes will be shared through public forums, exhibitions, and design catalogues to enable other groups and organisations to learn from and adopt this research in their own practice.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Observer design for complex systems: robust convergence and performance. Estimation algorithms can estimate unmeasured variables using sensor measurements and the mathematical model of the system. This project aims to develop a novel estimation design methodology for systems characterised by complex dynamics and complex networked structure. Expected outcomes include novel estimation algorithms and novel methodologies for tuning the existing algorithms for the purpose of enhancing their convergence and robustness properties. As estimation is a critical enabling technology spanning all sectors, significant benefits are expected, including enhanced monitoring, control and optimisation for important classes of complex systems, including those arising in collaborative robotics and energy storage. Field of research: 4007 - Control Engineering, Mechatronics and Robotics One cannot directly measure how much charge there is in a lithium-ion battery. But, using sensor measurements and a mathematical model of the system, an ‘observer’ computer algorithm can make an accurate estimate. In physical and engineered systems with unmeasured variables, observer algorithms improve efficiency, safety and reliability. But we still do not know how to design observers for complex (nonlinear) systems (e.g. swarms of robots) or networked systems (e.g. a bank of lithium-ion batteries). Nor do we know how we can ‘tune’ an observer to a particular application to improve its accuracy and robustness. This project will develop observer design and tuning methodologies for nonlinear and networked systems. We will focus on two applications (electrochemical batteries and multi-agent robotic systems) and develop methodologies applicable across all sectors. The potential impact of this research is huge, being applicable in many areas including engineering, science, finance and defence. Collaborative robotics (e.g. drone swarms) alone could add $74b and 80,000 jobs to the Australian economy by 2030. Better battery management systems are essential for electrifying transport. We will accelerate translation of this research through our existing industry and government contacts, as well as workshops, seminars and media articles.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Bridging biological boundaries: modelling to explore the role of interfaces. This project aims to use multiscale mathematical modelling alongside statistical optimisation to leverage experimental data on multicellular interfaces (external or internal boundaries) to investigate how multicellular systems develop. This project expects to generate significant new knowledge in the areas of mathematical modelling and multicellular biology. By developing coupled simulation and statistical tools the project will answer open biological questions. Expected project outcomes include an increased understanding of the development of multicellular systems with applications in: wound healing; biofilm development and tumour plasticity, thereby laying the foundation for future benefits in manufacturing, food production and health. Field of research: 4901 - Applied Mathematics For many decades, scientists have been studying the growth and function of multicellular systems, including tissues in humans and microbial communities like biofilms. Instead of solely relying on experiments, mathematical modelling and statistical optimisation offer a unique approach to understanding these systems. This project aims to develop a cutting-edge computational framework, comprising multicellular mathematical models and statistical tools, that will provide significant new insights into how biological interfaces (such as external and internal boundaries) influence the development of multicellular systems. These models will be utilised by researchers worldwide to understand the development and function of multicellular systems, enabling the discovery and testing of biological mechanisms and the development of novel technologies. This will bring substantial social and economic benefits to Australia, enhancing health outcomes for its citizens, reducing the long-term costs associated with healthcare, and in improving manufacturing and food production techniques. Additionally, there are substantial commercial advantages for Australian industries, particularly the health and pharmaceutical sectors, that can leverage these models to reduce the cost of testing technologies and treatments addressing health issues. Where possible, all the data generated and code developed will be freely available under an open-source license from repositories such as FigShare and GitHub.

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Unravelling community assembly rules to understand biodiversity... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Transforming the diagnosis and treatment of a degenerative equine disease. This project aims to investigate how the misfolded protein, alpha synuclein, causes muscle atrophy in a common disease affecting 1 in 5 older horses and ponies; using in vitro and clinical studies. This would generate new knowledge about how this misfolded protein causes disease in horses. Expected outcomes of this project include the development of a more accurate diagnostic test for this condition, enabling the earlier identification of affected individuals, and testing novel drug treatments. The project should provide significant benefits, positioning Australian equine researchers at the global forefront as well as addressing a critical research gap and delivering benefits to the Australian horse industry and improving equine welfare. Field of research: 3009 - Veterinary Sciences The Australian horse industry is a major economic contributor, generating several billion dollars annually and supporting over 75,000 jobs across various sectors, particularly in rural communities. One in five senior horses suffer a degenerative condition that results in muscle wasting. Currently, many horses suffer from delayed or inaccurate diagnoses, reducing their quality of life. This project will develop a more accurate diagnostic test for this condition and will pioneer a novel approach to preventing welfare limiting muscle wasting in these animals. Addressing a critical research gap, our work positions Australian equine researchers at the global forefront. Our test will enable early, effective treatment and significantly improve animal welfare and veterinary capability. This research will benefit the veterinary and pharmaceutical industries by providing more effective tools to treat and diagnose equine degeneration. Horse owners will enjoy longer, healthier, and more productive animals. To broaden impact, we will share our outcomes through industry and horse owner publications, engage with veterinarians at conferences, seminars and through continuing professional education; and build strong industry partnerships with the veterinary pharmaceutical industry. By promoting understanding, translation, and adoption of our findings, we will deliver lasting economic, social, and cultural benefits to horse owners and allied industries across Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Guarding Asia’s Democratic Pillars Against Backsliding. The project aims to collaboratively develop and refine the Asian Parliamentary Transparency Index over three years, to assess parliamentary openness in Asia. Its significance lies in enhancing legislative transparency and integrity, crucial factors for fostering proactive resilience against democratic backsliding in the region. Key expected outcomes include finalising the index and making a public announcement, alongside comprehensive training for parliamentary monitoring organisations on its effective utilisation. The project supports civil society by providing a robust, evidence-based tool to directly inform and strengthen advocacy strategies for greater accountability, ultimately empowering citizens. Field of research: 4499 - Other Human Society This project is developing the Asian Parliamentary Transparency Index, a new tool to assess how open parliaments are across Asia. It addresses a key gap as existing tools are not specifically designed for Asia, particularly when democratic practices are under pressure. The project aligns with Australia’s commitment to open government, as outlined in the Third Open Government Partnership National Action Plan (2024-2025), which seeks to improve public participation and strengthen integrity. Australians could benefit by seeing Australia take a global lead in promoting democratic values and accountability in our region. By contributing valuable knowledge to the global open government agenda, the Index can help inform parliamentary initiatives to enhance legislative transparency in the Asia-Pacific, fostering stronger regional governance. This supports Australia’s interests in a stable and transparent neighbourhood. To promote outcomes beyond academic circles, the project plans events to disseminate the Index and a comprehensive report analysing parliamentary transparency detailing country-specific findings. Training will be provided to civil society organisations so they can effectively use the Index to advocate for greater parliamentary openness. Advocacy materials will be developed, and successful strategies will be shared. The Index will be designed as a living document, refined over time based on user feedback.

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Unlocking the fundamental log-law constants for turbulent flow... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Breaking Barriers: The Role of the Intestinal Barrier Ageing in... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Unravelling The Mechanism Behind Neurovascular Communication Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Living and Dying Well in an Age of Peak Death. This project aims to investigate the impact of Australia’s impending transition into an era of Peak Death – when more people will die than ever before due to ageing demographics. This project aims to generate new knowledge in the areas of anthropology and death studies utilising a mixed-methods approach to uncover the distinct preferences of dying Australians and the capacity of deathcare sector to meet them. Expected outcomes include a novel theorisation of the peak death phenomenon, a comprehensive mapping of sector capacity, enhance coordination between deathcare operators and regulators, and a new international scholarly network. This should provide significant benefits for industry, regulatory bodies, and the Australian public. Field of research: 4401 - Anthropology By 2040, Australia’s annual death rate will double, as the country enters an era of peak death that is currently poorly understood. Both the number of deaths and the distinct preferences and care needs of older Australians have the potential to upend contemporary deathcare infrastructures, with multidimensional knock-on effects. This project analyses the impact of peak death, via A) comprehensive mapping the Australian deathcare system, identifying its vulnerabilities and opportunities for growth; B) a nationally-representative survey of death attitudes and preferences; and C) targeted interviews and participant observation with older Australians and deathcare professionals. In the 2021 Intergenerational Report, the Federal Government recognised population ageing and a rising demand for support services as two of the five major forces that will shape the Australian economy in coming decades. Priority 2 of the National Science and Research Priorities further directs investment in capacity building for deathcare. The project is designed to maximise the utility of research findings for Australia’s $1.7 per annum deathcare sector, through convening a multiprofessional project advisory committee and annual Peak Death Futures Forums with regulators, industry, and community groups. The project is accompanied by a program of public events and media. Thusly, the project will deliver targeted outcomes to assist all Australians to live and die well in the peak death era.

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Evolution of novel coronaviruses at the poultry-wild bird interface Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

How does the U2 spliceosome complex regulate transcription Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Slow emergencies, policy change, and hopeful futures for young people Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Robotic Trainers for a Skilled Workforce of the Future Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

An Interventionist Approach to Explainable Artificial Intelligence Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Topology of four-dimensional spaces Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Bloomguard: Smart diagnostics for toxic algae in recycled water. We aim to develop and deploy rapid diagnostics to improve management of toxic algal blooms in Australian recycled waters. Recycled water provides $19 billion pa in economic benefit to Australia. Toxic algal blooms regularly threaten recycled water supplies, particularly over summer when they are most needed. Current diagnostics are inadequate, leading to early and unnecessarily intervention to avoid supply disruption, which costs the national water sector an excess ~$200 million pa. Rapid, accurate toxic bloom diagnostics at source will greatly improve toxic bloom management, reduce costs associated with pre-mature or unnecessary interventions and support long-term sustainablility of vital recycled water resources. Field of research: 4103 - Environmental Biotechnology Recycled water (RW) underpins long-term water sustainability of Australian agriculture, industry, urban supply and environmental flows. It provides an annual economic benefit of $19 billion, expected to rise 45% by 2050. Toxic algal blooms are a major risk to RW facilities, contaminating and disrupting supply when it is most needed. Reducing this risk requires diagnostics that support a nimble and effective response. Yet current methods take days, forcing operators to act pre-emptively. Unnecessary interventions cost the sector $200 million per year and still leave it vulnerable to sudden contamination and shutdowns. Working with the Australian water sector, we will develop rapid deployable diagnostics to support effective bloom management, meaning fewer, more cost-effective, responses. This brings major benefits to Australian water security, agriculture, industry, the environment and consumers via reduced costs and interruptions to the RW supply. The same technology is readily transferable to drinking-water and coastal or inland waterways, amplifying national benefit. Our partnership with WaterRA, the peak body uniting Australia’s water utilities, regulators and researchers, will drive rapid adoption and skills transfer, ensuring benefit to the entire sector. Strengthening Australia’s ability to manage blooms proactively delivers tangible economic, environmental and social dividends and positions the nation at the forefront of smart, climate-resilient water management.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Boom or bust? Predicting species’ responses to extreme environmental change. This project aims to transform our understanding of population responses in hypervariable environments as they face intensifying climate pressures by using Australian terrestrial ectotherms as a model system. This project will identify individual traits that drive demographic processes by integrating existing long-term field data with new genomic analysis, physiological experiments, and ecological modelling. Expected outcomes include the ability to differentiate between natural population fluctuations and changes driven by climate and human disturbance. This new knowledge will inform managers what species are at risk following disturbance and, most importantly, it will enable the prediction and mitigation of additive climate change impacts. Field of research: 3103 - Ecology Arid and semi‐arid regions cover over 70% of Australia, yet we lack a reliable way to predict how species in these hypervariable environments, classified as boom‐bust, will cope with increasing threats. Climate change, drought, fire, and human‐driven habitat changes further add to instability over the long term, risking biodiversity loss. This project will discover the physiological and genetic traits that help species persist under extreme conditions, drawing on decades of field data, laboratory experiments, and genomic tools. With these insights, we can build stronger models to forecast how species will respond to future disturbances, guiding proactive and efficient conservation strategies. The outcomes of this research will help managers and policymakers pinpoint the species at highest risk and focus conservation resources more effectively. By reducing costly emergency measures, strengthening climate resilience, and protecting our unique wildlife, this research delivers economic, environmental, and cultural benefits for all Australians. This proactive approach can reduce costly crisis interventions, strengthen Australia’s ability to adapt to climate change and protect biodiversity. Outcomes will be disseminated to national parks, ecological recovery programs, and local, state, and federal agencies. Ultimately, this project will foster greater ecological resilience in Australia’s arid and semi‐arid landscapes, safeguarding our remarkable biodiversity for future generations.

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Investigating the molecular mechanisms that regulate memory T cell fate Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

The evolution of biological rates in a warming ocean Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Rediscovering Ancient Arabic Gospels with Phylogenetics and AI. Arabic translations have been largely overlooked in New Testament textual criticism, limiting understanding of the transmission of biblical texts in the Islamicate world and neglecting key evidence for reconstructing the earliest text. This project addresses this gap by analysing three ancient Arabic translations of the Gospels found among the recently discovered Sinai New Finds. Using deep learning, large language models and Bayesian phylogenetics—an approach from evolutionary biology—the project aims to advance textual criticism methodologies applicable to diverse textual traditions. Expected outcomes include critical editions of newly discovered manuscripts and insights into the history of the Gospels, particularly in the Near East. Field of research: 5004 - Religious Studies The Bible is sacred for more than 2 billion people worldwide, including more than 11 million Australians. Its text is changing as scholars continue to reevaluate decisions affecting the editions of the Greek New Testament. But important Arabic sources are being overlooked. Furthermore, the current editors are using a ‘Big Data’ algorithm which exhibits bias and is ill-suited to the task. This project will use Bayesian phylogenetics for a more rigorous and reproducible approach. The use of AI and other natural language processing techniques will position Australia at the forefront of computational analysis of historical documents as this methodology is applicable to other manuscript traditions as well as biblical studies. The results will impact scholarship on Christian origins, recover excluded voices in textual history, and inform translations of the Bible globally in decades to come. The project will also highlight and celebrate the role of Middle Eastern Christians in preserving the text of the Bible. Hundreds of thousands of Arabic-speaking Christians have migrated to Australia from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and elsewhere. As these manuscript traditions are part of their cultural heritage and legacy, this project will benefit Australia culturally and socially. Results will be disseminated to the public by publishing articles in the media, e.g., The Conversation, as well as running a seminar for members of the Arabic Orthodox community in Melbourne.