MONASH UNIVERSITY

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

Crisis, Insurance, and the Techno-Politics of Climate Risk Governance Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Real Time Nuclear Magnetic Resonance for Sustainable Technologies Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Corrugation Control in Unsealed Roads: Mechanisms and Sustainable Solutions. This project addresses widespread corrugation distress in unsealed roads, a safety, economic, and environmental issue for 63% of Australia’s road network. It aims to understand corrugation mechanisms through field studies, laboratory tests, and advanced modelling and to develop sustainable solutions. The expected outcomes include novel material tests, design tools, innovative road materials, and construction methods. This project expects to reduce maintenance costs, improve road safety, and enhance environmental sustainability by addressing the root causes of corrugation. This project should provide significant benefits such as improved infrastructure resilience, environmental alignment with net-zero goals, and enhanced rural connectivity. Field of research: 4005 - Civil Engineering Australia has around 500,000 km of unsealed roads, which constitutes about 63% of the national road infrastructure. These roads are vital for regional communities, farming, and transport. But they often develop corrugations — bumpy, ripple-like patterns that make travel rough and unsafe. Corrugations can increase vehicle running costs by up to 50%. With around 537 councils across Australia, maintaining these roads costs substantial funds annually, with local councils like Cassowary Coast and Scenic Rim spending $2–3M a year each, just to keep them driveable. Despite this severe problem, we still do not fully know why these bumps form or how to stop them economically. This project will help change that by investigating the causes of corrugation and testing better materials and road designs that keep surfaces smoother for longer. The benefits are clear: smoother roads mean fewer repairs, safer trips, and less dust and emissions. Councils could save millions, and remote communities will enjoy more reliable access. In addition, the project outcomes will facilitate the well-engineered utilisation of natural and recycled materials for sustainable unsealed road construction and maintenance. We will ensure these findings are put into practice by working closely with local councils, Austroads, and infrastructure managers. We will develop practical tools and clear guidelines to translate research outcomes into action nationwide, ensuring safer, smoother roads for all Australians.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Evolution of aridity in the Red Centre expressed in linear dunes. This project aims to understand how the linear dunes that cover one third of Australia’s surface record the history of aridity in the Red Centre over the last 125 thousand years. Correct interpretation of these records is highly significant as there are very few alternative ways to infer the environmental conditions during population of the continent and megafaunal extinction. Expected outcomes of this project are to revaluate the history of aridity in Australia’s interior from the sand grains and layers inside the dunes by developing new computational and laboratory techniques. This project will benefit Australia by providing new, robust environmental context for late Quaternary history in the arid interior. Field of research: 3705 - Geology This project is about using the layers of sediment within the sand dunes in the interior of Australia to infer how aridity has evolved over the last 200 thousand years. It is addressing two primary research gaps. First is improving our capability to infer past climate from one of the few available environmental proxies in the arid zone. Second is revaluating past inferences from these sand dune layers which used flawed and outdated techniques. This research will benefit Australians in two primary ways. First, for social and cultural benefit, we will produce a clearer narrative of climate change over this period that serves as critical context for the spread of aboriginal societies and cultures through the continent. Second, for environmental, economic, and commercial benefit, we will discover how the landscapes of Australia’s arid interior we now use for agriculture and other economic sectors adjusted to changes in past climate, which are readily applicable to present & future climate change. To ensure there is maximal understanding, translation, use and adoption of our research beyond academia in the future, we will promote our research outcomes through three primary methods. First, we will ensure our research is covered in public-facing media such as The Conversation and other outlets. Second, we will deliver our research findings to the Aboriginal Corporations who we work with for field research. Third, we will incorporate our findings into our tertiary education content.

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

Enhancing Reproductive Health by New Evidence-synthesis Methods based on... Category: Medical Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Indonesia in the global geography of Islamic knowledge. Indonesia has branded itself on the global stage as the home of 'moderate Islam', yet in the world of Islamic learning Indonesia is a consumer in a one-way flow. Indonesian students still flock to centres of learning in the Middle East where Indonesian thought is not studied. The project addresses two problems arising from this disparity. Do Indonesia's claims to be the home of moderate Islam have impact in global hierarchies of Islamic learning? How significant are the domestic political tensions generated within Indonesia by traditions of study in the Middle East? Project is relevant to Australia because it researches the position of Australia's regional partner in a network of international relations to which Australia is an outsider. Field of research: 4499 - Other Human Society This project is about the study journeys made by contemporary Indonesian Muslims to centres of learning in the Middle East. Even through these journeys are a long-established feature of our region, they are not part of the nation-to-nation cooperation that is growing between Australia and Indonesia. Instead, they are part of Indonesia’s collaboration with Middle Eastern countries, especially Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Sudan. They are important because although Indonesia is trying to assert leadership in the Muslim world with its brand of ‘moderate Islam’, many Indonesians still prefer the authenticity of famous centres of learning in the Middle East. Graduates of those centres, especially those who become popular preachers, form a conservative political bloc within Indonesia. This project will add our region’s links with Middle Eastern centres of Islamic learning to the map of Australian self-awareness, and will provide stronger foundation for Australia’s relationship with its closest neighbour by focussing on those parts of our neighbour that do not closely resemble Australian civic and political realities. Furthermore, as the size of Australia’s Muslim community increases, more Australians will participate in these study trajectories in the future. The project’s third year will include a showcase event at which Indonesians and Australians who have participated in the study routes researched in this project will share their experiences.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Chemosynthesis: a hidden foundation of marine biodiversity and productivity. Microbial chemosynthesis (i.e. carbon fixation using inorganic energy sources) is a critical but understudied process supporting life and nutrient cycling in the unlit ocean. This program will provide the first systematic assessment of the importance, processes, and mediators of chemosynthesis for ocean biodiversity and productivity. To do so, we will combine microbial and biogeochemical analyses of (i) depth transects in the open ocean, (ii) understudied unlit niches (sea caves, shipwrecks), and (iii) reef-building coral microbiomes. The project will provide wide-reaching benefits by increasing knowledge of marine ecology, microbiology, and biogeochemistry, including better understanding and constraining a key global carbon sink. Field of research: 3107 - Microbiology Life flourishes across the ocean's vastness through processes that still evade our full understanding. Microbes colonize every marine environment and by transferring energy into the food chain contribute to the overall functioning of the ocean. However, we lack a detailed understanding of the microbial processes that sustain healthy and productive marine environments, which ultimately translate into resources for the Australian community. This project will address this knowledge gap and shed light on elusive but critical microbial processes. Specifically, this project will show the role that microbes play in supporting the food web of key marine environments, including ocean waters and coral reefs, independent of the amount of light available. This project will also provide reliable estimates of CO2 uptake via microbial processes, show how marine microbes participate in buffering climate change, and reveal hidden processes influencing the productivity of fisheries and coral reefs. This new knowledge will be instrumental for effective marine conservation policies and sustainable management. In addition, this information may be utilized by the fisheries industry and government departments to better manage marine resources, leading to economic and commercial benefits for the Australian community.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Australia’s first history of disability: Making a more inclusive Australia. This project aims to uncover the lived experience of disability in Australian families between 1945 and the Disability Royal Commission of 2019–23, using innovative methods to co-produce data with people with disability and their families. The project expects to develop the first comprehensive, national history of disability in Australia. Expected outcomes include a new understanding of disability as an integral aspect of the Australian story, rather than a minority experience. This should provide substantial benefits, informing initiatives and policy aimed at creating a more inclusive Australia, and bringing new insights to bear on public discussion about disability policy and the future of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Field of research: 4303 - Historical Studies Disability has a significant and growing impact on Australian society. Over 20 percent of Australians (5.5 million) live with disability; 3 million Australians are unpaid carers. However, we have no historical account of the effects of disability on Australian lives, and how these experiences contributed to the creation and shaping of Australian disability policy. This project will deliver the first national history of disability in Australia, focusing on the diverse stories of families living with disability from 1945 to the Disability Royal Commission of 2019–23, and using inclusive methods to co-produce data with people with disability and their family members. Through accessible and publicly available writings, podcasts, public lectures, workshops and an interactive website, the Australian community and policymakers will gain critical insights into how barriers to inclusion have shaped the lived experience of people with disability and their families over time, and the factors that have brought positive change. The project will inform initiatives and policy aimed at creating a more inclusive Australia, and bring new insights to public conversations about the future of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

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

Advancing the diagnosis and management of primary aldosteronism, a... 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

Democracy's Knowledge Problem: from Polarization to Collective Wisdom. This project aims to understand how democratic societies can track knowledge despite increasing polarization and technological change. The research will develop mathematical models to analyze how beliefs become signals of group identity in social networks and evaluate institutional designs for promoting epistemic accuracy while respecting social bonds. This will provide significant benefits through identifying effective governance interventions for digital platforms, developing metrics to distinguish healthy from dysfunctional opinion clustering, and creating principles for reform. The findings will help Australian policymakers design better democratic institutions and regulatory frameworks while fostering epistemic robustness. Field of research: 5003 - Philosophy Democratic societies face an unprecedented challenge as citizens increasingly form opposing belief camps on issues ranging from climate change to vaccine safety. This project will help Australia address these challenges by developing mathematical models to analyze how beliefs become signals of group identity and how social media platforms influence these dynamics. Our research will provide three key benefits to Australia. First, it will identify effective governance interventions for digital platforms, helping policymakers design regulations that improve information quality without restricting free expression. Second, it will develop metrics to distinguish healthy from dysfunctional forms of opinion clustering, giving Australians better tools to evaluate our democratic discourse. Third, it will create evidence-based principles for institutional reform tailored to Australia's unique democratic features including compulsory voting and concentrated media ownership. To ensure these findings benefit Australia beyond academia, we will create policy briefs for government agencies, conduct roundtable discussions with regulators, develop visualizations for public education, and host a symposium bringing together key stakeholders. By translating research into accessible formats and engaging with policymakers throughout the project, we will maximize adoption of our findings to strengthen Australia's democratic resilience in the digital age.

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

Natural Killer T cells to treat Inflammatory Bowel Disease Category: Medical Research

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

Metal-based complexes and materials that challenge antimicrobial... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

In situ discoveries at the immune synapse. Immune cells form synapses to kill malignant and pathogen infected cells. The formation of the immunological synapse is underpinned by a complex array of biological macromolecules that collectively influence immune and target cell destiny. To understand the organisation of molecules within immune synapse we need to directly visualise the immune synapse in situ and in sufficient detail to identify the major protein components. To achieve this we will use cryogenic electron tomography and proteomics to identify and understand the spatial arrangement of key molecules present in the synapse. The work will provide new and long-sought after insights into an immunity-related process that is required for life. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology The immune system is essential for mammalian life. We currently have an incomplete understanding of how immune cells identify and destroy infected or damaged cells. This paucity of knowledge hampers the development of new approaches to alter the potency and / or the targeting of an immune response. Using state-of-the-art imaging approaches we will address this critical knowledge gap and visualise the molecular details of key components of immune cells and their targets as they interact with one another. The knowledge we gain will inform our understand of the basic functioning of the immune system as well as other areas of biology where cells interact in dynamic fashion with one another. This will result in research outcomes that will reach beyond academia, for example in the context of new techniques that will be applicable broadly across the life sciences, and in informing research translation (e.g. in the context of development of new biologics or re-programmed immune cells).

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.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Combining biomechanics and biomarkers to establish brain injury thresholds. This project aims to define biomechanical thresholds for brain injury, overcoming limitations of prior efforts reliant on peak acceleration metrics and controlled lab tests that fail to capture the complexity of brain tissue mechanics. By integrating head kinematic data from instrumented mouthguards, MRI-based finite element modelling of brain strain, and brain injury-specific blood biomarkers, this project seeks to link mechanical strain with biological responses. Expected outcomes include identifying strain thresholds derived from wearable sensor data, facilitating timely detection of high-risk impacts. This approach promises significant benefits, enhancing injury detection and informing helmet design for sports, military, and transport. Field of research: 4207 - Sports Science and Exercise This project will define scientifically validated thresholds for brain strain by identifying the levels at which head impacts lead to brain cell disruption, using real-world head kinematic data from athletes, advanced computational models of brain mechanics, and biological evidence of injury. These thresholds will inform the design, evaluation, and standards used for helmets across sport, transport, and defence settings. They will also support improved identification of high-risk impacts—such as in community sport and military training—where significant impacts may otherwise go unrecognised. This will help ensure that safety standards reflect how impacts actually affect brain tissue, rather than relying on indirect measures such as skull motion or acceleration alone. The outcomes will strengthen Australia’s capability in biomechanics, risk modelling, and equipment safety innovation, with broad benefit across sport, defence, and transport. Findings will be translated into practice through collaboration with standards agencies, industry, and sporting organisations. This will support the adoption of biomechanically grounded protocols to guide impact assessment and contribute to the development of objective testing methods and performance standards across key sectors.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Evolutionary expansion of neocortical computations. The neocortex is the most evolved part of the mammalian brain, exhibiting massive expansion of neuronal number in non-human primates (NHPs) and humans. Are the enhanced cognitive abilities of humans and NHPs formed by a complexification of neocortical neuronal networks, which operate with evolutionary conserved principles? We aim to address this fundamental question by investigating the functional properties of molecularly and anatomically defined neocortical neurons, the computational elements of the neocortex, using high-resolution electrophysiological and optical techniques in acute ex vivo preparations of the living human, NHP and rodent neocortex. The results will herald a new computational understanding of the evolution of neocortex. Field of research: 3209 - Neurosciences The neocortex is the most evolved part of the brain which underlies all of our cognitive abilities. Across evolution the complexity of the mammalian neocortex is elaborated reaching a zenith in humans. Knowledge of how individual neocortical nerve cells and networks of nerve cells work, the building blocks of brain function, is essential for the development of future treatments for diseases of cognition which have major socio-economic impacts on our communities. Existing knowledge of how neocortical nerve cells work is based on experimental investigation of the rodent neocortex, but the failure of translational of therapeutic treatments for cognitive diseases derived from such work questions if neocortical operations are conserved between rodents and humans. To test this, we will directly investigate if the building blocks of cognition are evolutionarily refined in the human neocortex. Direct demonstration of an evolutionary refinement of human neocortical nerve cell and network function will have enduring impacts, informing neuroscience, medicine and the development of engineered intelligence systems. To ensure the accessibility of technologies and findings the programme will form and lead an international human and non-human primate brain consortium to facilitate direct engagement with partners/stakeholders. New knowledge of the operation of human neocortical nerve cells and networks will likely have significant economic and societal benefits for Australia.

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.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Macromolecular design of sustainable polymeric materials. This project aims to investigate microorganism-derived polymers as source for innovative biodegradable polymers and nanoparticles. This project expects to develop novel functional and high-value added materials that are suitable for a wide variety of applications, such as drug delivery and in packaging. Expected outcomes from this project include new insights into their potential for diverse nanoparticle and drug formulations, and new strategies to transform sustainable polymers into new materials after their usage. This project should provide significant benefits, including new sustainable materials that can form the basis for new start-ups and long-term contribute to lowering landfill growth and microplastic pollution. Field of research: 3403 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry The persistence of commodity plastics in the environment and the issues associated with microplastic accumulation in our ecosystems have created awareness for the need to develop new innovative biodegradable polymeric systems. However, even poly(lactic acid) (PLA) which is the gold standard biodegradable polymer, investigated for its use in various biomedical, drug delivery and industrial applications, has now been associated with serious health issues. This project investigates microorganism derived polymers that ultimately can be produced from food waste as an alternative polymer platform for the development of new functional biodegradable and sustainable materials and nanoparticles of unprecedented composition and properties. As substitutes for PLA in drug delivery systems they will contribute to the improvement of the sustainability of healthcare in Australia. Moreover, the project has clear environmental and economic benefits to Australia in the future as it will help to lower the environmental pollution through the recuperation of material values and the delivery of end-of-life options for these materials. We will use our existing links to Australian companies (Hydrobe, Ecopha, Phacell) for upscaling and translation of the fundamental discoveries made in this project.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

On the origin of sex differences in gene regulation. Animals and humans have different traits depending on sex, such as manes present only in male lions. Many sex differences are not visible, such as in internal organs. All human organs display robust sex differences in molecular profiles, but the reason for these differences is not known. To determine whether sex differences arise due to differing sex chromosomes or differing hormones, the team developed a highly innovative rat model that can answer this. This project will elucidate which factors, sex chromosomes or hormones, drive sex differences in molecular regulators across multiple tissues, and during development, revolutionising the fundamental understanding of the origin of sex differences in mammals. Field of research: 3105 - Genetics Traits differ greatly between male and female animals, such as the mane of male lions. Despite sex differences in biology, research has historically focused on males or overlooked sex differences. This has limited our understanding of biology in both sexes. All mammalian tissues have vast sex differences in their instructions (mRNA) and building blocks (proteins), impacting cellular functions, metabolism, and physiology. The problem is we don’t have the ability to identify if a sex difference is caused by sex chromosomes or by sex hormones, as they are inherently linked (XY=testes=testosterone). To address this problem, we developed an animal model that uncouples sex chromosomes and sex hormones (XX males and XY females) and use cutting edge technologies to pinpoint which of these cause a sex difference. This first-of-its-kind developmental atlas will transform our understanding of when and how sex differences emerge, persist, or change across the lifespan. Our team is well-placed to build research capacity in this space, with Australian groups interested in our model to study cognition, cardiovascular function, ageing and sex chromosome function. This research will benefit beyond academia, potentially informing Australian wildlife conservation strategies by understanding sex-specific vulnerabilities. Defining sex-specific mechanisms will deliver economic and social benefit by encouraging future researchers to incorporate sex variables, advancing equity in Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

The act of imagining: Co-creating participatory climate futures methods . This project aims to co-create new participatory methods that build the imaginative capacities needed to respond to uncertain and contested climate futures. It expects to advance participatory co-design and applied theatre by developing methods to bring together diverse participants who can influence climate action. Expected outcomes include a suite of climate futures methods that climate workers can scale and adapt to generate more equitable, accurate and actionable climate responses. This should provide significant benefit to Australian climate efforts by developing government, business, and community capacity to anticipate, adapt, act and invest in combating climate change and its impacts. Field of research: 3303 - Design Climate adaptation efforts often focus on technological, infrastructural, and policy-driven solutions, overlooking the role of human motivation, agency, and imagination in driving meaningful change. This project explores how participatory methods can help people in Australia imagine and plan for a changing climate. By co-designing and testing participatory workshops, we aim to create new methods that climate professionals and communities can adapt and use in their own contexts, building on existing strategies and improving Australia’s climate response. This project will provide significant social and environmental benefits by tapping into our natural abilities to imagine, connect and take action, strengthening climate adaptation efforts. We will work with climate-focused organisations in Australia and around the world to develop methods that reduce environmental risks, improving the ability to engage communities directly for collective resilience and democratisation of climate governance. The project will produce free, practical resources to help climate stakeholders engage communities in creative adaptation efforts. These resources will include an easy-to-read report on the power of imagination, a crowdsourced playbook for building resilience, and explainer videos for use in government, philanthropy, and community settings.

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.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Do mitochondria transfer horizontally into the mammalian female germ line? Mitochondria, the energy producers in cells, are passed down only from mothers through their eggs. To understand how healthy and viable an organism will be, it's important to know how these mitochondria are set up during egg development. About 1,000 mitochondria in the juvenile egg multiply to over 200,000 in the mature egg. Eggs grow in structures called follicles, surrounded by supporting cells that contain their own mitochondria. Supporting cells communicate with the egg through tiny tunnels. This research aims to understand whether the eggs receive mitochondria from these surrounding cells and how this influences oocyte metabolism and embryo development. This new knowledge will provide insights into animal breeding and human health. Field of research: 3109 - Zoology This project aims to discover the mechanisms underlying the formation of mitochondrial pool within female gametes (eggs). The mitochondria, often called the "powerhouses" of cells, play a vital role in energy production and contain their own DNA. Fascinatingly, mitochondria are inherited exclusively from mothers, passed down through their eggs. Quality and quantity of egg mitochondria are critical determinants of reproductive success and fitness and viability of the subsequent generations. Knowledge generated in this project may have economic benefits (e.g. could be harnessed by veterinary reproductive technologists, as part of breeding and cloning strategies for improving livestock quality), social benefits (e.g. improve ongoing efforts to generate eggs on a dish), environmental benefits (e.g. conservation of endangered species by enhancing quality of precious eggs), and cultural benefits (e.g. enhance Australia’s research reputation, train new scientists, spark new international collaboration). Finally, while beyond the scope of the current project, our findings have long-term potential to provide insight into mitochondrial disease and ultimately pave the way to using mitochondrial replacement therapy. To maximise the understanding and translation of our research, all findings will be freely available through open access journals online, and directly communicated with any consumer/industry groups with potential benefits from our work.

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

Hitting the Limits: Intersectional sexisms in Australian universities Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research