MONASH UNIVERSITY

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

Ascertaining the explosion mechanism of stripped-envelope supernovae Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

NextGen Blockchain Privacy & Security: Practical and Quantum-Safe... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Unveiling Human Hypoblast Specification and Differentiation. This research aims to deepen our understanding of early human development by focusing on the hypoblast, a vital cell type that contributes to the formation of the yolk sac, a structure essential for early embryonic growth and development. Using innovative laboratory-grown embryo models and advanced molecular techniques, this study will explore how hypoblast cells form, maintain their identity, and interact with other embryonic cell types. By addressing fundamental questions about the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying early human development, this research will contribute to advancing the global understanding of developmental biology and reinforce Australia's leadership in cutting-edge scientific discovery. Field of research: 3109 - Zoology This project investigates a critical yet poorly understood stage of early human development by focusing on the hypoblast, a key cell population that helps form the yolk sac, which is an essential structure that supports the embryo in the earliest weeks of life. Despite its importance, little is known about how hypoblast cells form and develop, maintain their identity, and interact with other embryonic cells. This research addresses a key gap in our understanding of human development, with direct implications for the development of in vitro models critical for biotechnology advances and drug screening in the future. Using advanced laboratory-grown embryo models and molecular techniques, this project will uncover the molecular processes governing hypoblast development. These insights will significantly advance our understanding of early human cell fate decisions, extraembryonic lineage dynamics, and the broader principles of mammalian embryogenesis. The knowledge generated will inform the development of more accurate embryo models, support ethical progress in developmental biology, and foster innovation in biotechnology and synthetic embryology further strengthening Australia’s position in the global biomedical sector. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange, this project will contribute to Australia’s global leadership in fundamental research, promote training in emerging technologies, and enhance national capability in the life sciences sector.

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

From Care to Corrections: Preventing the criminalisation of care leavers Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Structurally-informed generative modelling of brain function Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Semiconductor Photoisomerisation - A New class of Switchable Materials Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

The Role of Money in Politics: Growing Concerns but Scarce Evidence. This project aims to investigate how financial power influences political decision-making and policy outcomes. It will examine how economic booms affect political participation and assess the effectiveness of campaign finance reforms in reducing undue influence. This project expects to generate new knowledge in political economy by using innovative data science techniques to study governance and electoral policies. Expected outcomes include new academic research, public datasets, and strengthened research collaborations. This should provide significant benefits, such as informing electoral reforms, improving transparency, and supporting evidence-based policy-making in Australia and beyond. Field of research: 3801 - Applied Economics The influence of money in politics is a growing concern for democracies worldwide, including Australia. This project examines how economic power translates into political influence, using Brazil as a case study. By evaluating how specific economic sector's interests consolidate in politics and the impact of campaign finance reforms on political favoritism, this research will provide crucial insights into whether similar measures could enhance transparency and fairness in Australia’s electoral system. A key outcome is the creation of a comprehensive dataset on Australian political donations and government procurement, providing an unprecedented evidence base for further research, policymakers, electoral regulators, and the public. To ensure impact beyond academia, the findings will be shared through academic papers, domestic and international talks, and workshops with government agencies and civil society organizations, including election commissions and transparency watchdogs. Media engagement and public outreach will further support informed debate. Strengthening electoral integrity is essential for maintaining public trust in democratic institutions. By informing policy discussions on campaign finance reform, this project has the potential to contribute to a more transparent and equitable political system in Australia, ensuring that governance serves broad societal interests rather than being disproportionately shaped by financial influence.

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

Inter-organ communication during exercise and aging Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Firm closures and layoffs: The impact on Australian families Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Transforming CO2 Utilization into Sustainable Resource Recovery... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Hidden in plain sight: an investigation into telomere phage biology Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Enhancing Night Vision with Metasurface-Enabled Edge Detection. This project aims to develop advanced night-vision devices by integrating ultracompact optical metasurfaces for all-optical edge detection. By achieving edge detection across a large field of view, it will expand imaging capabilities beyond the current state-of-the-art. The expected outcomes include scalable fabrication of large-area metasurfaces with diffraction-limited imaging performance and optical edge enhancement, as well as their seamless integration into practical night-vision systems. This research will strengthen Australia’s position in optical imaging, display technologies, and the night-vision industry by fostering intellectual property development and enhancing national research capacity. Field of research: 4018 - Nanotechnology Optical systems underpin imaging, communication, displays, energy, and quantum technologies, where miniaturisation drives innovation and cost reduction. Metasurfaces—ultrathin optical structures—revolutionise compact optics, enabling advanced functionalities like flat-lens imaging and all-optical edge enhancement. Traditional night-vision devices rely on bulky refractive lenses with a single imaging function, limiting portability and affordability. This project will develop the first integrated meta-photonic night-vision platform, combining ultracompact metasurface lenses with all-optical edge-enhancement metasurfaces. The resulting night-vision devices will be lightweight, high-performing, and commercially viable, facilitating real-world translation of laboratory photonic technologies. Additionally, the project will advance scalable metasurface fabrication for cost-effective production. Research outcomes will be shared through conferences, industry workshops, and outreach, fostering collaboration and technology transfer. By enabling domestic manufacturing and industry integration, this innovation will bolster Australia's photonics sector with global commercial potential.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

The evolution of heat tolerance and life history in the Anthropocene. The evolution of heat tolerance and life history in the Anthropocene. The project aims to test a new hypothesis that seeks to explain why the evolution of heat tolerance is constrained: the life-history trade-off hypothesis. We propose that animals with high heat tolerance have a slow life history, whereas rising temperatures increase mortality and favour a fast life-history. Testing this hypothesis will generate a new understanding of how heat tolerance evolution and life history will evolve in the Anthropocene, which can be used to predict which species are likely to thrive under climate change and which will be threatened. Field of research: 3109 - Zoology Climate change poses a threat to the prosperity, health and wellbeing of all Australians. The impact of rising temperatures on the growth and reproduction of the animals on which our livelihoods depend is of critical importance. This project aims to develop a new understanding of the limits to which animals can adapt to a changing climate. Bringing together knowledge from the fields of physiology, evolutionary biology, and ecology, the project will develop and validate a novel framework to describe and predict how the heat tolerance of animals is constrained by the allocation of energy to growth and reproduction. The ultimate aim of the work is to help government and industry develop new strategies to maximise animal production and reproduction in farming, for stock replenishment, or conservation. As such, we will engage directly with government and industry managers, including the not-for-profit sector, so that these managers have the opportunity to inform the development of the framework and so that the framework can ultimately be provided in a format that will maximally benefit managers.

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

Low-cost, sustainable hydrides for green energy storage Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Evolutionary rewiring and controlled remodelling of bacterial cell... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Positional accuracy for robotic structural assembly. Building automation becomes promising with the supports from robotics and computer-vision technologies while accurate positioning is the key for its success. This project aims to understand various sources and physically quantify for the positional inaccuracies of robotic systems in navigation and placement, and finally mitigate such offsets into acceptable level for robotic structural assembly. The outcomes are expected to transform current labour-intensive practices in construction to automated manufacturing processes. This should provide significant benefits with improved productivity and safety and minimized waste of resource and energy, therefore contributing to the overall sustainability in construction. Field of research: 4005 - Civil Engineering Many industries have benefited from robotics and automation, construction industry still seems to be an exception. Labour and energy intensive processes and resource inefficient practices are constantly seen in building activities. These result in about 40% of global energy consumption and 50% of total carbon emissions, with increasingly unacceptable consequences in terms of cost, quality, and safety. This project aims to advance structural construction through robotic assembly and address positional accuracy as a key challenge during the process. The objectives are to develop robust path planning algorithms and locating strategies for collaborative robots, and safe manoeuvre protocols and installing approaches for robotic arms. The construction industry is one of the largest and fastest-growing sectors in Australia, contributing to about 10% in both the gross domestic product and total workforce. Project outcomes will be open source for industrial access, compatible with mainstream standards, and promoted at public events and through collaborative networks. They hold strong potential to inform future guidelines and support industrial uptake. As such it is expected to improve construction productivity and safety, while minimising resource and energy waste. The value-added innovations through robotic assembly are poised to enhance the cutting-edge competitiveness for the construction industry, lead to end user-orientated solutions, and contribute to the overall sustainability.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Unveiling Myeloid Cells as Regulators of Nerve Innervation in Tissue Repair. The mechanisms that regulate peripheral tissue healing are not yet fully understood. My recent research, published in Nature in 2024, discovered that a neuro-immune axis plays a critical role in controlling skin and muscle healing in normal mice after injury. I found that nociceptor sensory nerve endings grow and infiltrate the tissue injury site and release neuropeptides, promoting tissue repair by locally regulating immune cells. These findings underscore the importance of nociceptor activation in skin and muscle healing. In this proposal, I aim to investigate how nociceptors are initially activated and regulated in injured skin and muscle, and how these mechanisms contribute to the regulation of tissue healing. Field of research: 3206 - Medical Biotechnology This project aims to explore how immune cells regulate neurons during tissue healing in a normal mouse model. Using mouse skin and muscle injury models, I will investigate how myeloid cells behave post-injury and how they activate sensory nociceptors to control tissue healing. The results will improve our understanding of tissue healing as an inherent biological process in mammals, such as humans, and may apply to research in different species. Moreover, since tissue healing declines with age in mammals, including humans, exploring immune-neuron interactions could provide insights into the normal aging process. As Australia faces the challenge of an aging population, this research could support the healthcare system and improve the wellbeing of elderly Australians by reducing healthcare costs and promoting health initiatives. Moreover, the findings from this proposal will enable me toI collaborate with industry partners, government agencies, and healthcare organisations to explore their biological significance, such as regulatory mechanisms in tissue healing during aging. The research outcomes from this proposal will be promoted through scientific conferences, government briefings, and public health forums, strengthening Australia’s reputation in this field and attracting international collaborations in academia and industry. Lastly, this knowledge is expected to inspire the next generation of scientists in Australia, advancing future biological research.

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

A molecular investigation into the lipid antigen-presenting molecule,... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Corrugation Control in Unsealed Roads: Mechanisms and Sustainable... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Educational affordances of young people’s smartphone and social media use. This project aims to investigate how Australian teenagers are using smartphones and social media to support learning. This project expects to generate significant new knowledge about young people’s capacity to engage productively with these technologies in light of growing institutional restrictions and bans. Expected outcomes include insights into technical, organisational and social issues supporting the beneficial use of smartphones and social media, and development of models of digital device best practice when it comes to schools, families and young people themselves. This should provide significant benefits such as improved educational outcomes and more effective regulation and policymaking. Field of research: 4701 - Communication and Media Studies Digital technologies - including smartphones and social media - are widely acknowledged to be an integral part of how young people engage with both informal learning and formal schooling. At the same time, growing concerns over the risks associated with screen-based media have prompted smartphone bans across Australian school systems, and a proposed national ban on social media use by all young people up to the age of 16 years. This is a fast-evolving and contested area of policymaking and regulation which this project will support by: (i) generating evidence on how current regulatory conditions are impacting on young people’s educational uses of digital media; and (ii) working with young people, families, schools and local communities to develop new insights into how educationally productive uses of digital media can be best supported by policymakers, schools, families and the digital media industry while still guarding against the harms of excessive media use. This research will work to enrich and extend current debates beyond the narrow concerns of health and cognitive science research. It will foreground the views of young people to develop a road-map for future policymaking, regulation and industry practices that will successfully support educationally-empowering and safe uses of digital media. As such, the project is designed to result in a set of outcomes that are of clear social and economic benefit to Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Engaging older people and families in communicating about medicines at home. This project aims to investigate how engagement occurs in communication about medicines between older people living at home, family members and care providers. By developing and testing creative strategies, this project expects to generate new knowledge about interpersonal communication within a dynamic context of sociocultural, environmental and interpersonal challenges and opportunities. Expected outcomes of this project include enhanced capacity to enable participation in bridging communication gaps. This should provide significant benefits, in terms of increased understandings about how and under what circumstances, communication and decision making about medicines occur with older people and families in diverse contextual situations. Field of research: 4203 - Health Services and Systems Breakdown in communication about medicines is a major challenge for older people who live at home, which can lead to confusion, lack of confidence, and large costs of care. New knowledge will be developed in understanding the different and complex communication situations that older people and their families face. The project will be undertaken in different geographical locations, including metropolitan, regional and rural areas. It will involve the views of older people with diverse backgrounds, such as those with hearing, memory or thinking problems, as well as those of non-English speaking, and various socioeconomic backgrounds. The research will benefit Australians by providing novel insights in tackling social, cultural and environmental challenges in communicating about medicines. These insights will enable creative strategies to be developed by older people to use in different situations, which will provide them with the support they need to live safely and comfortably at home. Older people will have opportunities to make decisions that matter to them. Care providers will be in a better position to respect older people’s needs, values and preferences. To maximise the impact of our results, we will actively engage with national and international government, professional and consumer organisations about new and improved policy initiatives and recommendations. The rights of older people and their families will more likely be upheld, in communicating about medicines.

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

Revealing Order in Organic Semiconductors with Cryo-Electron Microscopy Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Skillphabets: Teaching robots new skills by reducing information... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

In situ discoveries at the immune synapse Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

The mechanistic basis of how bacteria respond to environmental change. The bacterial cell surface is the primary barrier that protects from external threats; however, it remains unclear how bacteria rapidly remodel this protective layer. This project aims to discover the mechanisms by which bacteria rapidly respond to changes in their local environment. The project expects to define these mechanisms using combinations of molecular analysis, cutting-edge nanoscale imaging, genome-wide profiling and AI-driven structural analysis. Expected outcomes are to understand this fundamental biological principle and advance our knowledge of bacterial cell biology and environmental adaptation. The findings from this project should provide significant benefits for the global research community and commercial biotechnology. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology Bacteria can live in environments which change quickly from one extreme to another, and climate change impacts on these changes. Bacteria must respond rapidly to these changes or risk perishing, and this project addresses the means by which bacteria can reprogram their properties in response to the environment. Australia has moved to the forefront of studies addressing this newly recognized process in bacterial cell biology. Training of new research staff and students in this arena provides a means for career development in the pursuit of knowledge using a wide array of technologies drawn from disciplines ranging from genomics to microbiology to RNA biology to biochemistry and membrane biology, and the research could provide benefits in biotechnology, food security and other commercially important sectors. The insights gained will be shared widely with the international research community and will be publicised through social media channels, scientific conferences and seminars, local newspapers and magazines to maximise the use and adoption of the research in the future, further enhancing Australia’s reputation for world-class biological research.