MONASH UNIVERSITY

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Cilia biology: an emerging frontier. This project aims to define the molecular mechanisms that govern the protein and lipid composition of a largely ignored cell surface organelle named cilia, found in species from worms to mammals, which is essential for organ development. New knowledge will be generated using a multidisciplinary approach available in few laboratories worldwide, combining high-end imaging of proteins and lipids, proteomics and lipidomics of cilia. Expected outcomes include the first total proteome map of an entire organelle with altered lipid signals. Significant benefits include interdisciplinary training for students and enhanced national/international collaborations that will enable new technology generation, to answer previously unapproachable questions. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology Primary cilia are hair-like microscopic projections on cells found in all animal species. They transmit messages within cells, which is essential for the formation of all organs and structures in the developing embryo. Defects in cilia result in devastating developmental abnormalities in organs such as brain, kidney and lungs. Cilia also contribute to the maintenance of good health by regulating metabolism and ageing. How these tiny structures regulate such important biological processes remains an unresolved scientific question. Our internationally recognised team will apply the latest advanced technologies to understand the role of cilia in organ development, and thereby how severe inherited malformations of mammals, fish and other species arise. Therefore, study of cilia will answer fundamental biology questions on a vital but understudied cell component. This work will strengthen existing international collaborations and initiate new partnerships with world leading scientists, bringing new scientific skills to Australia. Development of advanced scientific tools including cutting-edge microscopy and computing technologies is of national importance in training the next generation of scientists to support the sovereign capabilities of Australia’s growing biotechnology sector. Beyond academic publication and scientific meetings, our results will be communicated through Monash University’s strong profile in traditional and social media platforms and in public lecture series.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Cellular recycling, a route to productivity in ageing. . How can we age but remain productive? This impacts on Australia’s ageing workforce and productive lifespans of livestock and plants in agriculture. Remarkably, ageing in all species is linked to autophagy, the cells ‘garbage disposal system’ that declines with age. This project investigates an innovative strategy to sustain the anti-ageing power of autophagy by stimulating production of an essential component, lysosomes. Outcomes include understanding how autophagy failure impacts on muscle function and mobility, major contributors to a productive life. Our in-depth mechanistic characterization of lysosome production will identify targets to mitigate ageing, providing opportunities for long term benefits across broad socioeconomic sectors. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology Remaining productive while ageing has major socioeconomic benefits for Australia. Our population is ageing, as is its workforce, and coupled with falling birth rates this impacts economic productivity. In agriculture, the productive lifespan of livestock or crops falls many years short of their natural lifespan. We address this challenge by investigating a critical biological question – what makes us age well and productively? We focus on autophagy, the “garbage disposal” system inside cells that fails as we age. Preserved across a billion years of evolution from plants to humans, we are yet to harness its anti-ageing benefits. Our interdisciplinary approach integrates advanced microscopy (unique to us) with studies in animal models, to build a “molecular map” of components that sustain autophagy, and track their effect on ageing in real time. To deliver meaningful socioeconomic benefits we focus on muscle as the discovery of factors that sustain mobility are key to productivity. By revealing the molecular components involved, we may also provide long-term economic/environmental benefits in building strategies to monitor or prolong agricultural longevity. This is ideal for maximising food production within a limited environmental footprint. Knowledge will be shared across scientific reports, presentations and with the public via news, social media and public lectures. Monash University commercialisation teams will facilitate engagement with pharma and industry.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Exploiting duality in quantum relative entropy optimisation. This project aims to develop improved algorithmic and modelling approaches for quantum relative entropy optimisation problems, which naturally arise in the design and analysis of quantum systems. This project expects to achieve this by developing a deeper mathematical understanding of duality for these problems. Expected outcomes include new algorithms for the design of quantum key distribution protocols, as well as theory to characterise the modelling power and limitations of quantum relative entropy optimisation. Possible benefits include the ability to design and reliably characterise properties of larger quantum information processing systems, as well as developing new application areas for this family of optimisation problems. Field of research: 4903 - Numerical and Computational Mathematics This project is about developing new mathematics, and incorporating it into computer programs, to reliably solve optimisation problems that arise in the design and analysis of quantum systems. For example, one way to make communications more secure is to exchange a key part of the information using the laws of quantum physics. Optimising the design of these schemes allows this to be done as efficiently as possible. Current computational methods to solve these optimisation problems either do not achieve high accuracy or take too much time or memory to solve problems of modest size. This research could benefit Australia by enhancing Australia's quantum industry, an area identified by the Australian Government as a critical technology in the national interest. This research could lead to a competitive advantage by developing tools that could be used to improve products known as quantum key distribution systems, currently being developed by Australian companies. The outcomes and algorithms developed as part of this research might be translated beyond academia via being incorporated as a part of larger software tools for the analysis and design of quantum systems, in partnership with Australian quantum technology companies. Because the methods developed in the project are expected to come with performance guarantees, they could be safely incorporated into larger software systems without the user requiring knowledge of the mathematics and algorithms going on inside.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

From sheep dogs to children: how food reward controls learning. Learning is essential to successfully adapt to changing environments. Anyone with pets or a farming background knows that food is one of the strongest universal behavioural rewards, and hunger or food tastiness motivates behaviour by increasing the reward value of food. Therefore, it is no surprise that hunger has provided one of the strongest evolutionary survival pressures to optimise behaviour. Yet, despite decades of behavioural research and millennia of agricultural practices showing that hunger and food reward enhances learning and motivation, we still don’t how brain circuits sensing hunger influence experience-dependent learning. This project examines how hunger and reward pathways interact to control learning. Field of research: 3209 - Neurosciences Learning is essential to successfully adapt to changing environments and food is one of the strongest universal forms of positive reinforcement guiding the rate learning, as people with pets will attest. This project examines how brain regions that regulate appetite also simultaneously control learning. An investigation into how the brain pathways controlling appetite and food reward affect learning is important for many industries in Australia. This includes agriculture, conservation and animal welfare, as they rely on learned behaviours in changing environments. For example, after catastrophic environmental events, such as bushfires or flooding, domestic and wild animals must learn to adapt to alternative feeding strategies or sources to thrive and survive. Therefore, enhancing adaptive learning through food reward may be an important pathway to impact. The inability to adapt, or inappropriate feeding behaviour, could impact growth rates, reproductive success and long-term welfare of animals causing economic hardship and a decline in productivity to certain sectors of society. More broadly, the research will make important contributions to our fundamental understanding of how the brain computes food reward and affects decision-making processes under different environmental conditions.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

New ion-pair species-driven strategies for complex molecule synthesis. Alcohols are ubiquitous and found in a broad-spectrum of natural resources ranging from petroleum to biomass feedstocks. Their frequent use to prepare valuable materials such as medicines and polymers is driven by the well-known reactivities of the molecule. This project aims to discover innovative and efficient chiral catalytic systems that allow these common building blocks to react in a completely novel way to make new compounds. The catalytic strategies will be of extensive utility by enabling the design and sustainable manufacture of agrochemicals, medicines, and functional materials. This will provide major benefits such as training the next wave of Australian synthetic chemists and wealth creation by supporting the chemical sciences. Field of research: 3405 - Organic Chemistry Cyclic molecules are of immense importance due to the critical role they play as building blocks in materials that sustain as well as advance our current way of life, from the medicine we take to the food that we eat. The creation of new chemical synthesis knowledge to construct such building blocks is therefore essential to the development of new valuable materials. Catalysis provides a way of doing this more efficiently, minimise reagent and energy use and develop safer reaction conditions. This project aims to realise new, powerful catalytic reactivity to assemble sophisticated molecules efficiently and ultimately impact the way valuable materials are made. It will provide new patentable and indispensable catalytic methods and materials that will give Australia the cutting-edge in research capacity to gain a greater share of the global US$5.7 trillion chemicals industry market. It will address the urgent global issue of the impact of chemical manufacturing on the environment by establishing and utilising new, low-cost and sustainable solutions to making molecules. The new IP generated by the new catalytic reaction chemistry will provide the potential to leverage existing collaborations with industrial partners in fine chemicals to enable their translation and commercialisation. It will also train a new generation of highly skilled synthetic chemists with the abilities to address future scientific challenges and essential to the growth of the Australian economy.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Interrogating GPCR dynamics through high-resolution, time-resolved cryo-EM. Cell surface proteins called GPCRs provide critical control of communication within evolved organisms to maintain normal cell & tissue function. GPCRs are highly dynamic and ligand binding and receptor activation occur across different time scales. This project aims to develop cryo-EM methods that move from static snapshots of structures at different stages of GPCR activation to continuous assessment of protein dynamics using time-resolved sampling and sophisticated analytical methods. The expected outcomes will address key knowledge gaps in understanding of how the largest family of receptors works. They will evolve techniques broadly applicable to other membrane proteins, and they have potential to advance drug discovery and development. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology Proteins are the key element for the propagation of all life and perform the overwhelming majority of biological functions. They achieve this by folding in specific 3D shapes and depending on the shape they adopt they can perform amazingly varied tasks, from chemical reactors, to molecular machines to chemical sensors. Until now our ability to understand the 3D shapes of proteins is by methods which capture a single snapshot of their 3D structure, much in the same way that a camera takes a static image. However, life at the protein level is never static and proteins constantly change shape depending on their environment and the specific biological role they are carrying out. This research plans to develop a new scientific method using cutting edge microscopy techniques that will capture ‘movies’ of the different shapes that proteins sample. This research program is akin to filming a movie scene rather than taking a photograph of the actors. This innovative project will provide a leap forward in Australian scientist’s ‘toolkit’ to study nature at the molecular level and will provide the basis for the acceleration of pharmaceutical drug design. The knowledge gained in this project will be widely disseminated by high quality scientific publications, but more broadly this new technology will be incorporated into training programs already provided by the investigators in this grant, ensuring that the Australian researchers are at the forefront of the molecular study of nature.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Asterix and the Making of Modern France: The Creation of a National Myth. The aim of this project is to write a new social-cultural history of France after the Second World War, showing how the country came together through a new national myth: the Asterix series of comic books. Asterix, written by René Goscinny, the child of Polish-Jewish immigrants, is the most successful publication in French history. This project will bring new understanding to the creation of national myths, a phenomenon in every nation. It will bring to light the role of immigrants in creating such myths, and provide an enlightening comparative example to Australia. It will renew the history of Jewish integration, bringing deeper context to the position of Jews in western society. Outcomes will include a book, and a Radio 4/ ABC program. Field of research: 4303 - Historical Studies Every nation has stories and myths that define it. How are these myths chosen? Where do they come from? This project will explore the history of the making of a national myth in post-war France. It will demonstrate how and why the Asterix comic book series, the most successful publishing story in French history, came to play that role. It will bring to light the role of immigrants in creating such myths, and in doing so, provide an enlightening comparative example of the process of national myth-making for Australia, a similar immigrant nation to France. Moreover, as the author of the Asterix series was Jewish, this project will renew the history of Jewish integration, bringing deeper context to the position of Jews in western society, at a time when this is subject to painful and difficult conversations around the western world, including Australia. Outcomes from this project will include an academic trade book, accessible to general readers, and a radio program, produced for BBC4, and available for broadcast on the ABC.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Strongly driven quantum gases. This project aims to generate new theories of quantum systems that are exposed to a strong driving field, e.g., light or radio waves. Such strongly driven systems provide a new way of creating quantum materials with desirable properties, an outstanding goal in physics. Yet they remain poorly understood. The key innovation is the use of cold atomic gases, where analogues of light-driven materials can be simulated, allowing theories to be formulated and tested. Expected outcomes include the realisation and control of correlated quantum phases such as exotic superfluids. As well as advancing fields in quantum physics, this facilitates the design of tailored devices that could reduce energy consumption and the reliance on rare minerals. Field of research: 5108 - Quantum Physics We are on the verge of a technological revolution, where there is the prospect of harnessing the principles of quantum mechanics to produce superior devices such as faster computers, ultra-sensitive sensors, and high-efficiency engines. Such quantum technologies are expected to shape the global economy and form a multibillion-dollar industry in Australia within the next decade, according to the CSIRO quantum technologies road map. However, to secure its place in this emerging global industry, it is critical for Australia to sustain and grow its investment in the latest quantum capabilities. This project promises to enhance Australia’s quantum capability since it aims to revolutionise our understanding of a new class of materials that rely on quantum effects: systems of quantum particles (atoms or electrons) under a strong driving field such as light or radio waves. This will generate new tools for transforming quantum materials with light, thus facilitating the design of tailored quantum devices that could reduce energy consumption and the reliance on rare minerals. The project takes cutting-edge theoretical expertise unique to Australia and combines it with world-class experiments that can test the theoretical predictions. The research is strongly aligned with Australia’s recently announced National Quantum Strategy, and the outcomes will be promoted beyond academia through outreach activities such as demonstrations at schools in order to foster the future quantum workforce.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Abelian integrals and Hilbert’s 16th problem. Hilbert’s 16th problem asks for H(n) - the maximal number of limit cycles (isolated periodic orbits) the family of 2D polynomial vector fields of degree n can display. The restricted version of this problem asks for Z(n) - the number of limit cycles that can bifurcate from a perturbation of a Hamiltonian system. The aim of this project is to significantly improve our knowledge about the solution to Hilbert’s 16th problem and its infinitesimal version by proving upper and lower bounds for important families of planar polynomial vector fields. We will use a combination of tools from dynamical systems, validated numerics, and formal proofs to put the findings on a truly solid foundation. Field of research: 4904 - Pure Mathematics This project studies the long-term behaviour of mathematical models based on differential equations. Such models are routinely used in all fields of study: finance, climate modelling, epidemiology or artificial intelligence, to name a few. Despite the ubiquity of differential equations, there are still fundamental properties of them that are not fully understood. One long-standing challenge is to understand how periodic motion can be displayed by low-dimensional differential equations. Even in the simplest setting this has not yet been settled, and it remains one of the grand challenges in mathematics. Given the recent advances in computer-assisted proofs, it is now possible to bring a modern set of mathematical techniques to bear on this problem. Expected outcomes include a better understanding of the one of the major cornerstones of mathematical modelling, which may lead to better predictive powers. The developed techniques may also be able to highlight bottlenecks in simulations, especially where accuracy is at risk. This can lead to more precise models, and therefore more efficient simulations. Australia's high-technological industries have great needs in modelling complex systems. Therefore, our proposed research may lead to improved economic and commercial benefits to the nations research intense industries. Results will be shared with relevant industries through a series of workshops, meetings, and site re-visits, allowing them to collaborate on implementation.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

A clean slate approach to solid-state nucleation in metals and alloys. Nucleation is the process of one phase forming from another phase. It is the first step of a phase transformation which is the most powerful means of modifying the microstructure of engineering alloys and therefore controlling their properties. This project aims to develop a completely new model for nucleation during solid-state phase transformations in engineering alloys, such as the steels and aluminium alloys used in transportation, and functional alloys such as nano-composite magnetic materials. The successful development of a new, predictive model for nucleation will enable better materials and process design and result in alloys with improved combinations of properties potentially benefiting all industries using advanced materials. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering The project is about developing tools to design and produce better engineering alloys such as steels, aluminium & copper alloys. These alloys play a key role in construction, transport (cars, planes, trains), energy conversion & transmission, etc. We use these alloys because they have suitable properties: cost, strength, toughness, deformability, recyclability, durability, electrical conductivity, etc. These properties depend sensitively on the chemical elements in each alloy and the processing. The processing uses complicated thermal treatments. For example, an aluminium car body panel is first held at a temperature of 500C, cooled, pressed into the shape of the panel, slowly heated to ~200C and held. These heat treatments manipulate the way the atoms are arranged in the material and this is what controls the properties. The first stage of this atomic rearrangement is called 'nucleation' and it is not understood. This project aims to develop a new understanding of nucleation to allow better control of this atomic rearrangement process, so it can be exploited to produce higher performance metals. The potential benefits to Australia are both economic (through those producing these alloys) and environmental (through the benefits of longer lasting, stronger, more recyclable, etc, metallic materials in society). The outcomes will be translated to end users by working in collaboration directly with alloy manufacturers to integrate the new understanding into their processing.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Unveiling the mysteries of rare-earth additions in magnesium alloys. This project aims to use state-of-the-art characterization and computation techniques to unveil the elusive roles of rare-earth (RE) solutes in intra-granular and inter-granular deformation processes of thermomechanically processed magnesium alloys that hold technological significance. This project expects to generate new insights into deformation mechanisms and establishing a solid platform for designing innovative RE-free alternatives with unprecedented properties. Expected outcomes are likely to fill a substantial knowledge gap and offer solutions for a much-needed class of multifunctional alloys. This should provide significant benefits for Australia’s research capability in developing advanced materials to tackle global challenges. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering Magnesium, being lightweight and recyclable, holds tremendous potential for energy-efficient and environmentally friendly applications in automotive vehicles. Additionally, magnesium is bioresorbable, and its alloys are emerging as a new generation of bio-implants for bone-fixation and cardiovascular stents. However, these products often lack the necessary mechanical properties and usually need rare-earth metals, which makes them more expensive and difficult to resource, recycle, and ensure they are safe for the human body. This project aims to tackle these critical issues through the utilisation of state-of-the-art experimental and computational facilities. The expected outcomes include the development of clear rules for mixing metals to make alloys of better performance, the identification of rare-earth-free alloying additions to magnesium alloys, and the establishment of associated manufacturing processes that can significantly enhance even mechanical properties. These advancements will not only benefit the Australian magnesium industry but also contribute to the expansion of the manufacturing and bioimplants sectors to increase their international market share. The research findings will be disseminated through publications in open-access journals or repositories, as well as presentations at both national and international conferences. Additionally, this project will also seek collaboration with Australian industry partners for potential technology transfer opportunities.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

The role of microbial interactions in controlling bacterial evolution. Bacteria evolve rapidly by sharing DNA through a process called conjugation. Conjugation enables movement of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria within diverse niches, such as within the gut or in soil, facilitating the spread of antibiotic resistance genes. Using cutting-edge techniques, this project expects to generate new knowledge into how interactions between microbes allow antibiotic resistance genes to move amongst diverse bacteria, and how the cell receiving the DNA responds to, controls, and modulates this process. This project addresses a long-standing knowledge gap, and results can be used to combat antibiotic resistance, providing significant benefits to our economy, environment, society, and agricultural industries. Field of research: 3107 - Microbiology Bacteria can develop defence strategies against the antibiotics that kill them, known as antibiotic resistance mechanisms. This makes infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria hard to treat, threatening human and animal health, and costing Australia $283 billion by 2050. Alarmingly, antibiotic-resistant bacteria can share resistance mechanisms with other bacteria leading to the spread of antibiotic resistance amongst humans, animals, and the food chain. However, there is a lack of understanding on how bacteria communicate and share these mechanisms with one another. Using new technology, this project aims to study the major resistance sharing method, conjugation, which occurs when two bacterial cells come into close contact. This will allow us to better understand how conjugation is established to drive antibiotic resistance. The findings have the potential for social, economic, environmental, and commercial benefits for Australia, such as allowing humans and animals to lead healthy lives, protecting our food industry, and developing new drugs from targets identified from this project. The research outcomes will provide new knowledge towards treatments that block bacteria from sharing resistance mechanisms which will be pursued through industry collaborations. The findings can be adopted to help inform policy for Australia’s National Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy which aims to minimise the spread of antibiotic resistance.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Learning to Value Constraints. Optimisation subject to constraints is key to improving efficiency in transport, energy and many other areas. This project will develop better optimisation algorithms by leveraging the power of machine learning to boost the handling of constraints. By developing more advanced constraint handling, the optimisation methods created in this project will enable larger and more complex optimisation models to be solved. A particular focus is optimisation in applications involving networks. The development of such machine-learning enhanced optimisation approaches is expected to lead to benefits in industries where optimisation plays an important role, including transport, logistics, and energy grid planning. Field of research: 4602 - Artificial Intelligence Optimisation is used extensively by Australian business to create efficient and effective plans and schedules. Solving such optimisation problems is computationally challenging, so mathematical and algorithmic innovations are required to create better solutions for increasingly complex problems. This project will use the growing power of Artificial Intelligence, and particularly Machine Learning, in this context. These techniques cannot directly solve optimisation algorithms. Instead, this project proposes to use them to augment the capability of existing algorithms which are already widely deployed in industry. The focus is on enabling better handling of complex constraints that are a characteristic of many practical scheduling and planning problems. The machine-learning based advances are expected to allow larger and more complex practical optimisation problems to be solved. To ensure that the benefits of research in this area are accessible to Australian businesses in improving their efficiency and effectiveness, the project includes an optimisation software company as a partner. Gurobi is one of the leading developers of optimisation software, which is widely used in Australia and across the world. Research outcomes will also be made publicly available in the form of both academic publications and open source software to support adoption of the innovations created in the research.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Can genomics identify and predict evolutionary limits to climate change? Significance: Species are already responding to climate change, and many face high predicted rates of extinction. Some species will be able to avoid extinction via evolutionary adaptation. Yet we currently lack the ability to accurately predict which species do and do not have the capacity to adapt and avoid extinction. Expected outcomes: Expected outcomes of this project include enhanced ability to predict species’ vulnerability to ongoing climate change. Benefits: This project should significantly improve our capacity to manage threatened and keystone species by identifying those that will require targeted conservation management. Field of research: 3104 - Evolutionary Biology Australia’s biodiversity is facing an extinction crisis. Some species will be able to avoid extinction through evolutionary adaptation, but many will not. Predicting which species will be able to evolve their way out of trouble, and which won’t, will be key to securing Australia’s biodiversity at a time of rapid environmental change. Genomics, the study of all the genes of an individual within and between populations and species, represents our best hope of doing so. This project will reveal how genomic data can be used to accurately predict species’ extinction vulnerability. The outcomes will inform the use of genomic data in threatened species management. By validating the use of genomics to identify species at risk we will be better able to use targeted management, such as habitat restoration, captive breeding programs or genetic rescue to mitigate extinction risk. The project may lead to advances in the agricultural and health sectors by increasing our ability to predict pest and disease vector responses to environmental change. This work will contribute to Australia’s capacity to manage biodiversity and safeguard our environment. We will ensure these benefits come to fruition by communicating research outcomes directly to governments and biodiversity managers with whom we have direct links. This will enable us to develop pathways for the translation and adoption of the research into management strategies.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Hippo signalling - from cell membranes to the nucleus. This project aims to use cutting-edge microscopy techniques to define how the Hippo pathway relays signals from the cell surface to the nucleus. Hippo is an ancient signalling pathway and key regulator of organ size, but we have a poor understanding of how it relays messages in cells and thus activity. This project expects to deliver important insights into how the Hippo pathway controls cell fate and organ size, which are essential features of life. Expected outcomes include optimised methods to assess cell signalling in vivo and new collaborations. This should provide significant benefits such as creation of jobs, new knowledge on fundamental principles of life and stimulation of new research into cell signalling and organ size control. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology Signalling pathways are groups of proteins that operate together to relay messages from the cell surface to the nucleus to change cell behaviour. Our proposal aims to better understand how animal cells use signalling pathways to respond to different stimuli and change their behaviour. This knowledge will be essential for understanding how organs (e.g. heart, liver, brain) grow to the right size as animals grow, and how cells are directed to perform certain specialised roles. Despite being essential for life, there is still much we do not understand about both organ growth and cell fate control. Our proposal will address these knowledge gaps, using a range of advanced microscopy technologies that will enable us to examine protein function with very high resolution. Our study will give employment and training opportunities to scientists and students in Australia, and impact research both nationally and on a global scale. For example, the knowledge we generate could have broad economic, commercial, and environmental benefits for Australians because control of organ size and cell fate are fundamental features of most species on earth (e.g. mammals and insects). In the long term, the discoveries we make could have impacts beyond academia. For example, industry could leverage the discoveries we publish to enhance certain types of food production like livestock agriculture, and our discoveries could lead to improvements in human health conditions such as growth disorders.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Body systems neuroscience: linking brain, body and cognition. How does cognition emerge from the brain? This Project aims to create foundational new knowledge about how the brain and body interact to drive cognition in young and older adulthood. To do this, a new sub-field of neuroscience will be developed, body systems neuroscience, enabled by two breakthrough innovations in biomedical imaging. The outcomes will be a new framework for measuring the biological determinants of cognition, and a new understanding of how age-related change in brain-body interactions contribute to cognitive change in ageing. The Project will provide significant benefits by identifying mechanisms that can be developed in the future to help Australian maintain their cognitive function and quality of life into advanced age. Field of research: 5204 - Cognitive and Computational Psychology Australia has a rapidly ageing population, and over 50% of older Australians will experience cognitive decline in their later years. A fundamental problem we face in addressing the economic and social burden of age-related cognitive decline is that we do not understand the biological underpinnings of cognition. Cognition is usually considered to be related to the structure and function of the brain, but the brain does not operate in isolation from the rest of the body. The body supplies all the fuel and nutrients to drive the brain, and the effectiveness of this declines during ageing. Here, we develop a new method for understanding brain-body relationships, and how they influence cognition across the adult lifespan. The new method will position Australia at the international forefront of the next frontier in biomedical imaging: whole-body imaging. The new understanding developed during this project will be the launchpad for future research to develop interventions to help people maintain their cognitive function into old age. By understanding how cognition is linked to interactions between brain and body, this research will benefit Australians by accelerating the development of new precision interventions: tailored not only to the person, but specific organ systems within the person. The research outcomes will be communicated to the community to help people understand how maintaining their bodies - not just their brains - contributes to their cognition in their later years.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

New polar and radical reactions via electron poor alkyne organocatalysis. Organocatalysts are small organic molecules able to catalyse chemical reactions. In contrast to metal or enzyme catalysts they are simpler to prepare, more robust, and cheaper. However, their use has largely focused on reactions at the carbonyl group (studies which led to the 2021 Nobel prize). In this proposal organocatalysts, either working alone or in tandem, are used to uncover new reactions of alkynes conjugated to the carbonyl group. The reactions targeted are all new and involve polar (2-electron) and/or radical (1-electron) bond formation, along with control of three dimensional shape (stereochemistry). The studies are focused on uncovering general reactivity patterns applicable in a range of contexts. Field of research: 3405 - Organic Chemistry Society is increasingly reliant on new and sophisticated molecules to help address emerging problems ranging from health through to energy and beyond. As the molecules become increasingly complicated the challenges in their preparation grow significantly also. To address this those studying chemical synthesis must develop new reactions that provide the desired products more quickly, with greater efficiency, and with minimal waste production. By developing new reactions that exploit naturally occurring and readily recycled organic catalysts (so called organocatalysts) we have an opportunity to both access new chemical reactions and do so without the creation of excessive waste. By contributing to the discovery and deployment of such technologies Australia has the potential to create significant economic and environmental benefits. In this proposal we will develop new chemical reactions that use either a single or pair of organocatalysts (working together) to build valuable materials from cheap and readily available building blocks. These reactions are designed to have excellent control over 3D shape, and to perform with high levels of efficiency. These innovative studies will support Australia's chemical manufacturing community by providing new strategies, and human capital, necessary for the future of this sector. The knowledge generated in this project, combined with the human capital, will help build a knowledge based Australian economy necessary for a resilient future.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Dynamics of calcitonin family receptor activation. Major life science challenges include how cells respond to their extracellular environment to mediate a biological response. This project seeks to elucidate how biological signals essential to life are transmitted through receptors on the surface of our cells. This project seeks to directly enhance our understanding of how receptors respond to essential life molecules to control fundamental physiological responses, with anticipated future benefits for the pharmaceutical industry. The primary outcomes of this project will provide detailed mechanistic insights on how receptors bind their stimuli and how this results in in their activation to mediate fundamental signalling that is important for all living organisms. Field of research: 3214 - Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences Cell surface receptors decode environmental signals and trigger cellular responses. These receptors can recognize a diverse array of signals, including hormones, odorants, light, ions, and nutrients. We have pioneered methods to study receptors in their natural state, revealing the range of structures they adopt in response to different signals. This capability is crucial for unravelling the complexities of receptor function and addressing critical gaps in our understanding. By positioning Australia as a leader in this cutting-edge technology, we will facilitate the discovery of receptor tool compounds, benefiting Australians through advancements in scientific innovation. Insights into these structural variations will enhance our understanding of receptor models, essential for future rational drug discovery. Improved structural models have the potential to streamline the drug discovery process, minimizing costly setbacks in late-stage development. Additionally, enhanced expertise in this field will open new research and commercial opportunities, reinforcing Australia's position at the forefront of global scientific research.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Trimodal Materials to Unlock Synergistic Thermal Energy Storage Mechanisms. This project aims to develop new Thermal Battery materials. The significance of this proposal stems from its potential to boost renewable energy penetration and uptake by creating inexpensive and reliable energy storage technologies based on thermal energy storage in thermal batteries. The project will focus on the design of innovative advanced materials with tailor-made properties, using advanced characterisation techniques including neutron scattering to probe their molecular features. Expected outcomes include a fundamental understanding of the molecular origins of high energy storage in thermal energy storage materials and a library of new high-performance materials that contribute to the goal of cheap energy from zero-carbon sources. Field of research: 3403 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry The objective of this project is to create inexpensive and reliable thermal energy storage materials to store energy from renewable sources like sun and wind at high efficiency. It will contribute to Australian national interests: (i) Environmental: Providing inexpensive zero-carbon energy in heat/electricity form, reducing carbon footprint and supporting transition to low-carbon economy, aligning with climate change mitigation goals. (ii) Commercial: Developing innovative distributed thermal battery techchnology (Carnot Battery), allowing Australian industries to pioneer this emerging market and capitalise on global sustainable energy demand. (iii) Economic: Novel technologies enabling efficient renewable energy utilisation, reducing energy costs, increasing affordability/adoption of renewables, and enhancing energy security. To maximise outcomes beyond academia: (iv) Knowledge dissemination through workshops, seminars, social media outreach to industry, policymakers, consumer groups for knowledge transfer and collaboration. (v) Active industry engagement for technology transfer, commercialisation, and practical adoption within the energy sector. These strategies ensure outcomes contribute to environmental, commercial, economic interests, and sustainable energy future through effective translation and adoption.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Flexible stepped wedge and cluster randomised crossover designs . Cluster randomised trials are an important class of trial used to assess the effect of interventions. This project aims to develop flexible cluster randomised trial designs by developing statistical theory for designs that can adapt to changing circumstances, update cluster and/or participant recruitment, and the software tools for trial design and analysis. This project expects to generate adaptable and flexible cluster designs. Expected outcomes include tools to allow researchers across a wide range of disciplines to design these trials, the underpinning methodology, and international collaboration. This should provide significant benefits by supporting the conduct of more high-quality, cost-efficient research in Australia and worldwide. Field of research: 4905 - Statistics Australia invests significant resources into trials to test the effect of new interventions on social and health outcomes. Cluster randomised trials are a class of trials where entire groups (e.g. all students in a school, all community members) are allocated to receive particular interventions. These are essential when assessing the impact of interventions implemented at the group level (e.g. changes in policy, education campaigns), and are frequently conducted in Australia. However, the way these trials can be conducted is restrictive; these trials cannot easily change in response to updated information about the intervention’s effect. Further, recruiting groups can be difficult, particularly when the number of groups available to participate is limited. These issues can threaten trial validity, wasting the money and effort that Australia invests. This project will develop flexible new trial designs and statistical methodology, allowing modification of trials in response to accumulating data, and enhancing recruitment of groups. The knowledge and translational tools developed will be shared with those who plan and conduct these trials, through easy-to-use web apps and tutorials disseminated through national networks such as the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance. This will reduce costs and improve trial efficiency across application areas. This will bring benefit to Australians by allowing new interventions to be tested, leading to improved health and social outcomes.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Australia’s Shared Responsibility for Pacific Climate Refugees. This project aims to build ethical guidelines for Australia’s treatment of Pacific climate refugees, outlining how responsibility should be shared internationally, domestically, and with climate refugees themselves. It expects to generate new ethical principles, concepts, and policies for a model of shared responsibility, using a collaborative approach in which refugee leaders and practitioners are engaged with academic experts in ethical dialogue. Expected outcomes include detailed ethical guidelines for international and domestic policy innovation. This should provide significant benefits to Australian policymakers, refugee-focused NGOs, and climate refugees, and advance Australia’s international leadership on climate refugee issues. Field of research: 5003 - Philosophy In the coming years, millions of people in the Pacific are at risk of being displaced by climate change, as a result of rising tides, extreme weather events, and economic disruptions. Australia has the opportunity to respond to this situation in a fair, legitimate, and sustainable way. But so far, there has been very little ethical reflection on what Australia should do and why. This project will bring Pacific leaders and affected communities into dialogue with Australian ethicists and international political theorists, in order to foster morally defensible policy-making and public conversation in this domain. The project will benefit Australians by guiding national policy for Pacific climate-induced immigration, and investigating how climate-displaced communities can be supported in their self-determination. It will further deliver actionable ethical guidance for Australian policymakers and citizens, communicated through policy documents for government, teaching resources for students, and media commentaries.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Energy efficient ammonia electrosynthesis. This project aims to develop an electrolytic technology for the production of ammonia from renewables with a significantly improved energy efficiency using first-of-a-kind electrode designs recently discovered at Monash University. New knowledge in sustainable technologies is expected to be produced by integrated experimental and modelling studies on previously unexplored materials for ammonia synthesis. The target outcome of the project is a sustainable ammonia synthesis method that can replace the current fossil-fuel-based process. The technology to be developed from these outcomes is expected to be of significant benefit to Australia as a source of low-cost fertilisers for agriculture and as a means of storage of renewable electricity. Field of research: 3406 - Physical Chemistry Megatonne-scale production of ammonia – a key component of fertilisers required to satisfy escalating food demand – is critical to the Australian economy, but is among major contributors to the national carbon footprint. This project aims to decarbonise the ammonia industry through the development of a process that converts renewables to ammonia at previously unachievable energy efficiency, based on a recent breakthrough discovery of unique materials by Monash and RMIT scientists. Implementation of this innovative, fully renewables-powered process with enhanced energy efficiency will enable, currently economically unfeasible, on-site production of fertilisers by farming businesses and will remove the need for the use of fossil-fuels by large-scale ammonia producers. While creating new jobs and cutting national greenhouse gas emissions, deployment of this new technology will enable conversion of underused Australian renewables into a high-value, high-demand commodity for the national market and export, providing significant economic benefits. The project will promote adoption of the cost-effective sustainable ammonia synthesis to replace the current fossil-fuel based process through stakeholder engagement and established extensive connections to companies within the agriculture sector, fertiliser production, energy storage and distribution at all scales. This transition will reinforce national food and energy security, and will support Australia’s 2050 Net Zero objective.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

A new mechanism of bacterial membrane defence against environmental stress. Bacterial membranes serve as a critical barrier against external stress and often undergo changes to adapt. This project focuses on investigating a novel adaptive mechanism related to the production of lipoamino acids, a unique class of amino acid-containing lipids. Using systems biology and computational and biophysical tools, this project aims to elucidate the biogenesis of lipoamino acids and their impact on bacterial membrane stability, as well as their interactions with membrane-targeting compounds. By uncovering these mechanisms, this research will greatly enhance our understanding of bacterial adaption to environmental stress and may inform the future design of new antibacterial approaches specifically targeting bacterial membranes. Field of research: 3107 - Microbiology Antimicrobial resistance has a significant socio-economic impact in Australia, posing serious challenges to health, agriculture, and the economy. Understanding how bacteria develop antibiotic resistance is crucial for addressing this pressing issue. This project focuses on investigating bacterial membranes, aiming to understand how bacteria alter their membrane composition in response to environmental changes and resist antibacterial compounds. Using cutting-edge technologies, including systems biology, and biophysical and computational tools, we will identify key factors, including genes and metabolites, involved in this process. These insights will inform the development of strategies to prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant genes in the environment, which is crucial for preserving water and soil quality and safeguarding livestock health and food safety. Through strategic collaboration with established industry partners, our research has the potential to translate fundamental findings into commercial products. Ultimately, this project will contribute to improving environmental health and reducing economic burdens in Australia, aligning with the goals of Australia’s National Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy 2020 & beyond.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Dissecting Nervous System Function – One Neuron at a Time. This project aims to investigate how the nervous system communicates to control behavior, cognition, and physiology. The project aims to map the function of communication molecules called neuropeptides in every neuron in a nervous system. This project expects to generate new knowledge in neuronal communication by employing innovative approaches in gene editing, animal behavior and physiology analysis. This study should provide significant benefits, such as training of Australian researchers in frontier technologies and acquisition of fundamental knowledge relating to brain function. This work may therefore stimulate future research in dissecting mechanisms that govern human neurological disorders and obesity. Field of research: 3105 - Genetics Brain function is essential for controlling behavior, cognition and metabolism. As such, defective signaling within the nervous system can cause psychological and metabolic disorders from epilepsy and autism to obesity. This proposed study aims to enhance Australia’s research capacity in the neuroscience field by enabling manipulation of the nervous system at an unprecedented level of specificity. This work may therefore identify future targets that are relevant to brain dysfunction. The potential economic, commercial, environmental, and social benefits are vast as better understanding of brain function is expected to have significant benefits for the health sector in the future. For example, the research findings will be of interest to pharmaceutical companies that design drugs for psychological and metabolic disorders. This project also expects to generate world-first tools to manipulate neuronal function at exquisite resolution and to expand our knowledge of how individual neurons control bodily functions. Further, this work will provide employment and exceptional training opportunities to Australian-based scientists and students in cutting-edge neuroscience techniques to expand Australian expertise. Beyond academia, our research outcomes will be promoted to the wider community through social media and media channels. Dissemination of our research will be aided by the Monash public relations office who are dedicated to assisting in communication of research discoveries.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Are lymphatics a regulator of skeletal muscle growth, metabolism & renewal? This project aims to investigate the impact of factors secreted by or transported via lymphatics on skeletal muscle growth, metabolism and regeneration using cutting-edge imaging and lymph collection techniques. This project expects to generate new knowledge about the precise location, 3D structure and functions of skeletal muscle lymphatics, including as a critical regulator of skeletal muscle growth, metabolism and regeneration. This will provide downstream benefits to: 1) Society: identify factors to reduce loss in muscle mass/function with age or disuse that are associated with disability, frailty, falls, diabetes and death; 2) Sport: improving recovery and performance; 3) Agriculture: increasing meat quality and quantity per animal. Field of research: 3109 - Zoology The skeletal muscle accounts for ~40% of body mass and is essential for life - moving, breathing, eating and energy balance. New approaches to optimise skeletal muscle growth, repair and metabolism are critically required. The lymphatic system consists of lymph vessels and nodes that play key roles in fat absorption, immune function and fluid balance. Recently, we and others have revealed new lymphatic functions in controlling fat metabolism and heart growth and repair, however, the role of the lymphatic system in skeletal muscle is currently unknown. Using innovative imaging and physiological technologies, and in vitro/in vivo model systems, we aim to determine the precise location, 3D structure and functions of skeletal muscle. We will produce new knowledge on factors secreted and transported by lymphatics with exercise or muscle damage, and how these regulate skeletal muscle growth, metabolism and repair. By identifying new lymphatic targets for nutritional therapies or modulators to combat skeletal muscle dysfunction, our outcomes will have important benefits, leading to increased participation in sport, reduced frailty, and risk of hospitalization or death. We hope to identify factors that improve meat quality and quantity (primarily skeletal muscle) yielding economic and commercial benefits. Our new knowledge will be shared widely with scientific journals, conferences, press, community members and investors, and may be the subject of future patents and products.