MONASH UNIVERSITY

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

Artificial intelligence-enabled quantitative atherosclerosis imaging by... Category: Medical Research

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

Unlocking the therapeutic potential of anti-inflammatory mesenchymal... Category: Medical Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Mental healthcare pricing and socioeconomic inequities in access to care. Improving the affordability of and access to mental healthcare is a crucial issue. This project aims to understand the drivers of patient fees for mental health services and their impact on socioeconomic inequities in access to care. It will use econometric methods and population-wide administrative records on the supply of mental health workers and mental healthcare services delivered over time. The expected outcomes of this project include new evidence on how the market structure and behaviour of mental health professionals impact prices and access to mental healthcare. This will provide significant benefits, such as supporting policies that improve the affordability of mental healthcare for those most in need. Field of research: 3801 - Applied Economics Early access to mental health care is crucial for both individual well-being and economic productivity. However, half of Australians experiencing mental disorders do not receive professional care, with cost being a major barrier to timely access. Low-income individuals are particularly disadvantaged due to financial constraints. There is limited understanding of the factors influencing mental health service pricing and the role of policy in improving access. This project will analyse over a decade of population-wide data to investigate how the structure and behaviour of mental health professionals affect patient fees and equitable access to timely care. By identifying how the mental healthcare market could be reformed to improve affordability and access, this research will generate significant economic and social benefits for Australia, improving system efficiency, promoting equity, and reducing the long-term costs associated with untreated mental illness. Findings will be disseminated to policymakers, healthcare peak bodies, and mental health consumers through workshops and targeted meetings, ensuring the research informs policy and drives meaningful change.

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

New Hormone Treatments for Women with Depression Across the Life Cycle Category: Medical Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Unravelling the mitochondrial role in climate adaptation. The project aims to investigate how mitochondrial genes regulate plasticity—the ability of organisms to rapidly adjust traits in response to environmental changes. Using an innovative global-species approach and advanced methodologies spanning evolutionary ecology, ‘omics and bioenergetics, the project seeks to test the novel hypothesis that mitochondrial regulation of plasticity has evolved as an adaptation to climate stress. Expected outcomes include uncovering new genetic mechanisms that can drive species resilience to climate change and buffer against extinction. This should provide significant benefits to biodiversity conservation, by informing best-practice strategies for managing the genetic health of species in a changing world. Field of research: 3104 - Evolutionary Biology Australia’s climate is changing rapidly, placing much of its unique biodiversity at risk. A newly recognised biological mechanism—mitochondrial regulation of plasticity—could help us predict which species are most vulnerable. However, how mitochondria (the cell’s energy centres) control plasticity remains virtually unexplored. This project will address this critical knowledge gap to deliver fundamental insights into how organisms cope with climate stress. By investigating the ability of mitochondrial genomes to control how organisms respond to rapid environmental change, this project will contribute to an expanded toolkit for identifying species most at risk from climate change. This would enable more targeted conservation management and help to safeguard Australia’s unique ecological heritage. The project may also support innovation in genomic pest control. By uncovering how mitochondria mediate responses to environmental stress, the findings may inform next-generation biocontrol strategies currently under development that seek to target pest mitochondrial function. As leaders in this frontier area of biology, the research team will maximise impact by promoting project outcomes with government agencies and industry partners. Our team has links to various departments involved in conservation policy and land management, and established networks in pest biocontrol research. This engagement will support translating the project’s findings into policy and practical applications.

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

Guiding and delivering maternity healthcare that is free of weight... Category: Medical Research

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

Evidence to Impact: Solutions for Climate-Sensitive Health Challenges Category: Medical Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Electric vehicle charging tariff paradigms for the clean energy transition. This project aims to devise innovative public charging systems for electric vehicles, considering flexible ways of billing (not just paying for energy), the infrastructure required, and interaction with user behaviour and the power grid. It will create new knowledge on how to bill people for demanding rapid responses, rather than charging vehicles when renewable energy is plentiful, significantly reducing the demand for energy generation. This requires a new tariff paradigm encouraging vehicles to be plugged in longer without compromising mobility, and calls for suitably accessible charging infrastructure as expected outcomes. The benefits include fostering EV uptake to decarbonise transport and transitioning to the clean energy future. Field of research: 3304 - Urban and Regional Planning The transition to electric vehicles (EVs) is essential if Australia is to cut carbon emissions. However, the surge in EV battery charging will place a huge load on the grid, which will be mostly powered via renewables. Existing solutions use tariffs with off-peak charging incentives that are complex for consumers to understand and not well aligned with renewable energy availability. This project proposes, and evaluates, a novel tariff that bills according to flexibility in user demand from the future renewable powered grid where energy will be almost free at times, but expensive at others. The potential economic cost of decarbonizing Australia will be substantial depending on the availability of knowledge and insights developed in this project. The grid will need many millions of dollars’ worth of dedicated batteries in transitioning to renewable energy unless we leverage the growing number of EV batteries. The research designs appropriate charging tariffs and infrastructure to incentivize the use of EV batteries for energy storage in addition to mobility. This has the potential to manage the load on the grid and reduce energy bills to consumers. Maximizing understanding, translation, use and adoption of the new tariff regime will entail a comprehensive publicity campaign (press releases, social media, webinars, and conference presentations) and engagement with relevant industry stakeholders in the evaluation process in preparation toward a pilot deployment.

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

The act of imagining: Co-creating participatory climate futures methods Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Improving the quality of evidence in nutrition during recovery from... Category: Medical Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Identification and characterization of cellular derived immunogenic RNA. Cellular RNAs traverse the cytoplasm during their lifecycle and must be distinguishable from pathogenic RNA (e.g. virus) by the innate immune sensing system. A-to-I RNA editing of cellular RNA by ADAR1 is a critical mechanism in establishing and maintaining self-tolerance to cellular double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). However, despite a detailed understanding of the pathway mediating sensing and response to unedited cellular dsRNA, we lack definitive experimental evidence of the identity of the immunogenic dsRNA. This project directly addresses this by bringing together world leading fundamental knowledge and tools to define and experimentally validate the identity, features and characteristics of immunogenic cellular dsRNA. Field of research: 3102 - Bioinformatics and Computational Biology How can the cell differentiate between its own RNA, that needs to be tolerated, from foreign RNA like a virus that is a threat? We now know that cells mark their own RNA through a process called A-to-I RNA editing. This editing is done by an enzyme called ADAR1. This changes the structure of the cells own RNA, making it invisible to the cells defence system. We have a detailed understanding of the genetics and pathways involved in reacting when ADAR1 is lost, but we do not know what the specific RNAs are that are causing the cell to react. This international collaboration will use the unique tools and methods the applicants have to identify and then experimentally demonstrate the identity of the cells own potentially immunogenic RNAs. Knowing this will allow us to understand features that can make an RNA more or less immunogenic, foundational knowledge in the field. This project will enhance Australia’s research capacity by combining RNA immunity with computational biology to expand our understanding of how cells tolerate their own RNA. Our results will be shared via publications and presentations (e.g. A-RNA, AIMS - both industry attended), and news, social media and public lectures, it will boost Australia’s profile and direct future research. This project aligns closely with multiple priorities of Australia's RNA Blueprint (Depart of Industry). While discovery focussed, this research could eventually bolster Australia’s biotechnology sector via new knowledge and tools.

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

Unveiling Human Hypoblast Specification and Differentiation Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

The integrated monolithic on-chip microscope. This project aims to develop a monolithic microscope which is less than a square centimetre in size and integrate it within a microfluidic sample delivery and control system, enabling rapid and high resolution cell imaging over time. New knowledge will be generated on the performance of micro-optical components and their requirements for accurate image reconstruction and on the use of ultrasonic waves to achieve accurate cell manipulation for sample delivery and control. The expected outcome will be a fully functional imaging system integrated into a microfluidic chip. This should provide the benefit of long-term live-cell imaging with minimal photo toxicity allowing future improvements in diagnostics and patient specific medicine. Field of research: 4012 - Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Engineering Advances in the life sciences is frequently built upon the development of new analysis tools, allowing deeper abilities to probe into intercellular activity and drug responses. This work will investigate micro-optics, very small-scale optical lenses, as a way to create a coin-sized microscope capable of imaging a cell in 3D. Light sheet microscopy is a state-of-the-art technique for visualising cellular structures and changes, the sheet of light illuminates a cross-section through the cell. By scanning the sheet of light across the whole volume of the cell a 3D image can be established. This project will create a new form of micro-optical light sheet microscopy offering a massive reduced in size, cost and operational complexity, allowing integration into standard lab practices and equipment. The creation of such a scientific tool will allow wider access to imaging technologies, and the increase in knowledge on micro-optical microscopy could find their way into products as diverse as endoscopes and bank security systems. Benefits will be seen in the commercial opportunities to integrate this technology into laboratory hardware and the associated advance in the growing Biotechnology sector in Australia. The results emerging from this work will be shared across research fields and with biomedical companies via workshops, conference and trade exhibitions.

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

Transforming the management of treatment refractory sexually transmitted... Category: Medical Research

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

Antecedents and lifelong consequences of perinatal brain injuries Category: Medical Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Supporting Responsible Psychedelic Therapies with Ethical Risk Management . Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT), which is being implemented to treat debilitating mental health conditions, presents complex ethical challenges. This project employs sociological methods and bioethical analysis to develop a novel tool—an Ethical Risk Management Tool—that enables PAT service providers to responsibly address these challenges. It aims to help PAT practitioners routinise good ethical conduct in clinical service settings, thereby reducing the risk of moral harm to patients, therapists, and communities. Additionally, the project will contribute to bioethics scholarship by generating new knowledge about the relationship between organizational factors and ethical challenges in healthcare settings. Field of research: 5001 - Applied Ethics Nearly half of Australians will face mental illness in their lifetime, costing the nation $220 billion annually—10% of its GDP. With over 30% of patients unresponsive to current treatments and nearly 3,000 lives lost to suicide each year, psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is emerging as a potential solution. In 2021, Australia became the first country to allow prescribed psychedelics for depression and PTSD under strict conditions. However, their powerful effects raise significant ethical concerns. Ethical violations not only harm PAT recipients, therapists, and communities but also undermine public and political support for this promising treatment at a critical moment in its development. This project will identify key ethical issues and bring together practitioners and individuals with lived experience to develop strategies for managing them. The primary social and ethical benefit will be an Ethical Risk Management Tool, enabling PAT practitioners to systematically and transparently address ethical concerns in busy, resource-constrained healthcare settings to reduce harmful social outcomes and build public trust. The research outcomes will be promoted to bioethics and medical sociology communities, PAT practitioners, stakeholders, and the public via reports, conference presentations, and leading news publications. It will be presented to clinics for future adaptation.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Understanding health care labour markets to improve population health. The health workforce is essential for the routine operations of healthcare systems, the adoption of innovations, and sustainability during crises. However, the uneven distribution of health professionals leads to shortages, surpluses, patient harm, and burnout among health professionals. This research uses new longitudinal data on all Australian doctors and nurses to study the effects of policy changes and labour market shocks on recruitment, retention, workforce participation, health outcomes, and the well-being of health professionals. By combining labour economics and micro-econometrics with policy insights, this project aims to generate new evidence for more innovative health workforce planning. Field of research: 3801 - Applied Economics This research aims to find new ways to reduce the shortage of doctors and nurses in Australia. When there aren't enough doctors and nurses, many Australians, especially vulnerable groups, struggle to get the healthcare they need. We'll use data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics to study how pay and job characteristics in other fields attract people with nursing qualifications away from healthcare. There's not much research on how to best manage healthcare workers for Australians' benefit, especially for nurses. Better distribution of healthcare workers can improve Australians' health and wellbeing and boost their economic and social participation. Our research questions are shaped by our strong connections with policymakers and others who might use our findings. Besides publishing our research in academic journals, we'll hold regular meetings and workshops with potential beneficiaries to share our results. Building these relationships is crucial for making a policy impact.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Unveiling how central tolerance impacts T cell responses to foreign targets. T cells develop in the thymus as a consequence of self-antigen recognition via their T cell receptor (TCR). During development, ~50% of T cells recognise self-antigen too strongly and are deleted via negative selection to prevent autoimmunity. This project aims to determine the impact of negative selection on responses to foreign antigens using mice deficient in negative selection and a range of sophisticated technologies to characterize and test antigen-specific TCRs that are normally deleted. Expected outcomes include a fundamental understanding of the balance between the competing demands of self-tolerance and protection from foreign threats. These knowledge advances will ultimately inform applications to optimize immune responses. Field of research: 3204 - Immunology This project addresses a key knowledge gap in immunology: how the process of negative selection during T cell development, critical for preventing autoimmunity, also shapes the T cell repertoire available to respond to foreign antigens. While negative selection removes harmful self-reactive T cells, we hypothesise it also eliminates T cells capable of mounting strong protective responses to foreign antigens. Using innovative mouse models and cutting-edge technologies, this research will quantify and characterise how this process affects CD8 T cell immunity. By deepening our understanding of how the immune system is shaped at a foundational level, this research will offer new insights into how immune competence is built and maintained. Such knowledge is essential for designing strategies that strengthen Australia's capability in areas like biosecurity, disease preparedness, and the development of next-generation immunological tools. Findings will be shared through high-impact academic publications and presentations at national and international conferences. The project will engage with the public via open-access data, public lectures, and social media, and build connections with researchers across relevant fields and industry. This work contributes to Australia’s research capacity and supports national priorities related to health, resilience, and advancing knowledge through cutting-edge science.

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

Protecting the Australian cattle industry from haemorrhagic septicaemia Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Advancing the diagnosis and management of primary aldosteronism, a... Category: Medical Research

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

The evolution of heat tolerance and life history in the Anthropocene Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Integrating Communication and Sensing: Connecting the Cyber-Physical World . Integrating sensing and communications (ISAC) is crucial to unlock the full capabilities of future cyber-physical fusion, yet is challenged by limited network resources and diverse user requirements. The project will tackle these challenges by devising new ISAC techniques offering robust performance in both functions. Anchoring theory with practical requirements, the project expects to develop new methods leveraging advanced mathematical tools and machine learning techniques. The outcomes will break through the bottleneck of ISAC under stringent application requirements of high accuracy and high rates. The project will benefit Australia in advancing knowledge base in key wireless technologies and supporting future critical infrastructures. Field of research: 4006 - Communications Engineering The integration of sensing and communication (ISAC) technologies represents a key advancement enabling diverse applications ranging from autonomous navigation to smart infrastructure management. This integration demands sophisticated optimization of critical resources: power consumption, computational capacity, and spectrum allocation, to meet performance requirements for both functions simultaneously. The project will pioneer novel ISAC systems that maximize resource efficiency while delivering reliable, high-fidelity communication and sensing capabilities across challenging environments. The fundamental advances will be followed by a software-defined radio demonstration, showcasing our novel systems. Our innovative design will serve as a foundation for developing a variety of practical solutions to be implemented in the next generation wireless networks. The outcomes will break through the integration bottlenecks under a range of application requirements on power, bandwidth, and seamless user experience. To promote our new techniques, workshops, demonstrations, and tutorial sessions will be conducted among industry stakeholder groups and academic researchers. This will open up new opportunities for industrial innovation in the telecommunication sector, boosting economic growth and strengthening Australia’s leadership in this strategic field. The project will present valuable opportunities for young researchers to have world-class training in the area of ISAC technologies.

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

Radar Integrated Body Area Networks Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Protecting the Australian cattle industry from haemorrhagic septicaemia . The bacterium Pasteurella multocida can cause the rapidly fatal disease haemorrhagic septicaemia in cattle and other ungulates. This disease occurs in many countries, including one of our nearest neighbours, Indonesia. The importation of haemorrhagic septicaemia is a major food security and economic threat to the Australian cattle industry. Current vaccines are crude, locally made and offer only limited immunity; a commercial vaccine with increased efficacy would safeguard the Australian cattle industry and help control the disease worldwide. In this project, we aim to identify factors required for haemorrhagic septicaemia strains to cause disease and use this knowledge to generate novel vaccine strains that provide long-lasting immunity. Field of research: 3009 - Veterinary Sciences The Australian Livestock industry has an annual turnover of more than 70 billion dollars and employs nearly half a million people. The industry's strength is substantially underpinned by Australia's internationally recognised status of being free from all major diseases. One globally important disease of cattle is Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (HS), which is caused by the bacterium Pasteurella multocida. HS causes billions of dollars in economic losses globally, including in some of our nearest neighbours such as Indonesia. HS is not currently present in Australia but is seen as a serious biosecurity threat with ever-present risk of disease introduction. In many Asian countries, killed vaccines derived from locally isolated strains are used, but immunity is short lived. Therefore, in this project we aim to develop a live, attenuated vaccine strain, that will generate improved immunity against HS. We will identify all the virulence factors essential for the bacterium to cause disease. Using this knowledge we will generate attenuated strains and test their ability to act as protective live vaccines. Outcomes will be shared/promoted at livestock/agriculture industry events/workshops and the most promising candidates transferred to translational partners for future testing in a cattle disease model and the commercial phases of vaccine development. The development of an improved vaccine would be of global benefit and provide an invaluable safeguard to the Australian cattle industry.

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

Prevention of cardiometabolic-related disease in women of reproductive... Category: Medical Research