MONASH UNIVERSITY

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Global Encounters & First Nations Peoples: 1000 Years of Australian History. This fellowship aims to examine one thousand years of dynamic encounters between Australia’s Indigenous peoples and voyagers from the sea. The project expects to use an interdisciplinary, multilingual team to generate new understandings by synthesising historical, archaeological, anthropological and linguistic sources from Australian and European collections. Expected outcomes include an innovative reconstruction of Australia’s role in global exploration, enduring international collaborations, and a massive open, interactive and translated database. This should provide significant benefits, creating a new transdisciplinary intellectual school, with the potential to recast Australia’s history, national identity, and place in the world. Field of research: 2103 - Historical Studies

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Structural assembly for remote housing using fibre reinforced composites. This project aims to address construction challenges in remote housing by off-site manufacturing and on-site assembly using fibre reinforced composites and digital made-to-measure approach. Its goal is to generate interdisciplinary knowledge and practical technologies for reliable, affordable and durable housing in remote harsh environments. Intended results include innovative connections and systems with valuable understanding of their performances under various loading scenarios and accurate digital visualization for remote construction. The outcomes expect to unlock remote development, enhance our competitive strengths for manufacturing and construction industries, and further offer new solutions in post-disaster recovery applications. Field of research: 0905 - Civil Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Conviction Politics: the convict routes of Australian democracy. This transnational digital history project aims to demonstrate the importance of collective convict protest to the early development of democracy in colonial Australia. It generates new knowledge about Australian convict history, documenting for the first time the extent and character of convict activism 1788-1850 and offers fresh perspectives on the role of ‘political’ transportees in the mobilisation of the wider convict and free population for reform. Expected project outcomes include building international and interdisciplinary HASS/STEM/industry collaborations in digital methods for archive research and communication, delivering significant benefits, notably innovative media ensuring impact with domestic and international audiences. Field of research: 2103 - Historical Studies

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

ARC Training Centre for Green Chemistry in Manufacturing. Globally, there is demand for products that are effective, safe and environmentally benign. The ARC Training Centre for Green Chemistry in Manufacturing aims to utilise local and global experts to provide the next generation of Australian chemists and engineers, with skills to develop innovative products and processes that are intrinsically safe and benign. It will provide collaborating partners and the broader manufacturing industry with new products and processes with strong export potential, and the ability to respond to the market pressures, underpinned by green chemistry and sustainable principles. Resulting benefits include increased competitiveness for Australia's manufacturing industry, jobs, social as well as environmental benefits Field of research: 0305 - Organic Chemistry

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Metabolic control of gene expression networks and microbiome interactions. The proposal aims to advance our understanding of how metabolism (and resulting metabolites) regulate the expression of genes, and investigate how these processes dictate the interaction of microbiota with the immune system. The project is expected to generate transformative knowledge of gene regulation, a fundamental process for cellular function, and decipher how the microbiome yeast Candida albicans interacts with immune cells and bacteria. By utilising a powerful combination of molecular and systems biology with molecular genetics and imaging, the project outcomes should foster interdisciplinary collaborations and build capacity for fundamental and applied research to benefit academia and industry, locally and globally. Field of research: 0604 - Genetics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Precise atomic-scale structure determination in thick nanostructures. This project aims to tackle a great challenge of atomic-scale characterisation: quantitative structure determination. Powerful new electron microscopes offer a window into the atomic world, but complex electron multiple scattering has limited reliable structure determination to ultrathin materials. This project expects to overcome this barrier. Anticipated outcomes include methods that use the latest detector technology to determine structure and interatomic bonding in much thicker nanostructures than hitherto possible. This should benefit academic and industrial researchers by giving them new tools to understand and design high-performance materials for applications ranging from catalysis to energy storage to next-generation electronics. Field of research: 0204 - Condensed Matter Physics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Shining gravitational waves on binary astrophysics. This project aims to take advantage of the growing data set of gravitational-wave observations, which ushered in a new field of gravitational-wave astronomy, to answer fundamental questions in astrophysics. This project will combine state-of-the art theoretical modelling with innovative machine learning techniques in order to explore how the Universe makes merging black holes and neutron stars, and what they tell us about the lives and deaths of the most elusive but incredibly important massive stars. This will strengthen Australia's role in the emerging field of gravitational-wave astronomy and provide broad benefits through transferrable machine learning techniques, collaboration building, and big data training. Field of research: 0201 - Astronomical and Space Sciences

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Expanding the toolbox of synthetic stealth polymers. This project aims to develop a new generation of synthetic and biomimetic pseudo peptide polymers with advanced biomedical properties. The polymers will be used for the fabrication of a range of nanoparticles, which will allow to study the effect of architecture, composition and surface functionalisation on their behaviour in a biological environment. Carefully conducted structure-physicochemical property relationship and bio-nano interaction studies will generate new knowledge in the area of stealth and protein repellent nanomaterials. The intended outcome of the project is the generation of a platform of bioinert materials that could potentially find applications as building blocks in next generation nanomedicines and medical devices. Field of research: 0303 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Genetic networks regulating gene silencing by intronic repeat expansions . Changes in the copy number of DNA repeats are associated with phenotypic variations in several species. Expansions of DNA repeats underlie several human genetic diseases, including Friedreich’s ataxia. The molecular mechanisms that mediate these genetic abnormalities are currently unclear. This project aims to identify the novel genetic pathways and mechanisms mediating these genetic disorders. Using a plant model in an innovative way this project will discover novel genes, uncover fundamental molecular mechanisms and reveal the genetic networks that govern gene silencing caused by triplet repeat expansions. This project, in addition to revealing fundamental biological mechanisms, will also have implications for human disease. Field of research: 0604 - Genetics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Programmed cell death signalling in innate immunity. This proposal aims to address the under-explored potential for programmed cell death to promote innate immune cell signalling, which is a critical and fundamental biological process. It aims to generate new knowledge in the areas of cell death and innate signalling using innovative interdisciplinary approaches and discover new molecules that impact innate inflammatory responses. The expected outcomes of this project are to enhance our basic understanding of cell death, and build interdisciplinary collaborations. This work should provide significant benefit to the economy and health of Australians, as it is expected to identify molecules that will be of interest to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Field of research: 0601 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Substructural logics for limited resources. This project aims to develop logical tools for managing reasoning and computation under conditions of bounded resources: fixed limits on the amount of time, memory, or other resources that can be allocated to a particular course of reasoning or computation. By drawing on both philosophical and computational approaches to logic, the project will develop new logical systems aimed at capturing these limitations. The expected outcome is new logical methods for managing limited resources, as well as boosting interdisciplinary capacity. Anticipated benefits include developing a new programming language that will enable programmers to issue strong guarantees about the resources their programs will use. Field of research: 2203 - Philosophy

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Exploiting Context in Multilingual Understanding and Generation. Automatic translation technologies produce incoherent and incorrect outputs in critical areas, such as health, finance, and law. This is due to translating sentences independently, without regard to the global extra-sentential context and rich linguistic structures inherent in the wider document context. This project aims to exploit global linguistic structures, capitalising on recent advances in deep neural networks, in order to generate coherent and faithful text. Expected outcome include next-generation computational technologies for language understanding and generation. This should significantly benefit document-based language technologies and increase their applications in a range of cultural, industrial, and health settings. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Human-centric Model-driven Software Engineering. This project aims to find fundamentally new ways to capture and use human-centric software requirements during model-driven software engineering and verifying that systems meet these requirements. There are major issues with misaligned software applications in terms of accessibility, usability, emotions, personality, age, gender, and culture. This project aims to address these through new conceptual foundations and modelling techniques for their support during software engineering. The intended outcomes are enhanced theory, models, tools and capability for next-generation software engineering with these critical elements. Significant benefits are expected to include greatly improved software quality, developer productivity and cost savings. Field of research: 0803 - Computer Software

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

High resolution airborne P-band radar for environmental research. This project aims to establish a new national capability for airborne-radar remote-sensing to provide unprecedented detail on environmental variables including soil moisture, salinity, vegetation and terrain height. This instrument, together with existing radar and radiometer capability, will yield the first airborne satellite simulator of its type in the world, providing Australian and overseas researchers with a unique and affordable tool for world-class pioneering research. This novel combination of sensors is expected to yield a level of detail that cannot be achieved with any one sensor alone. Applications include increased capability for monitoring of important environmental data, such as information on soil moisture status required for efficient and sustainable water use. Field of research: 0909 - Geomatic Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

All you can eat: evolution of feeding in the largest animals on Earth. This project aims to establish how Baleen whales, the largest animals on Earth and major ecosystem engineers, evolved their signature filter-feeding strategy. Unlike other mammals, whales are toothless, and instead use a keratinous, comb-like sieve to filter vast amounts of small prey from seawater. Various approaches, including biomechanics, three-dimensional imaging, geochemistry and quantitative palaeobiology will unravel how and when filter feeding emerged, how it diversified over time, and whether its evolution correlated with past environmental change. The project is expected to reveal clues on how whales became one of the greatest ecological actors in the sea, and will benefit conservation by providing a glimpse into their future. Field of research: 0403 - Geology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Milk mimicry: Self-assembly in complex lipid mixtures during digestion. This project aims to decipher the chemical complexity required to mimic the digestive behaviour of milk fats and to identify their influence on lipophilic nutrient activity during transit through the gut. The link between milk's complex fat composition and its nutrient delivery properties are unknown because the digestive colloidal structures that drive fat-soluble nutrient absorption are poorly understood. The project expects to identify which milk lipids are essential to milk’s role as nature’s nutrient delivery vehicle. It will also identify a universally-available nutrient delivery platform for resource-poor communities, and enhanced knowledge of lipid physical chemistry. The findings will promote greater interaction between the dairy and pharmaceutical industries, adding value to their respective products. Field of research: 0306 - Physical Chemistry (Incl. Structural)

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Engineering new tools to aid structure determination of membrane proteins. This project aims to address the inherent instability of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which are cell-surface proteins that are a major drug targets. The instability of GPCRs has resulted in a lack of atomic-level structural information that has hindered structure-based drug discovery efforts. This project expects to develop tools to improve GPCR stability and streamline the structure determination process. Project outcomes are intended to lead to significant advances in membrane protein structure determination and will have a substantial impact on future research in the pharmaceutical industry. Field of research: 0601 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Digital energy futures: forecasting changing residential electricity demand. This project aims to understand and forecast changing digital lifestyle trends and their impact on future household electricity demand, including at peak times. The project expects to generate new knowledge by employing digital ethnography and sociological theories to investigate how changing social practices will impact on electricity sector planning. Expected outcomes include: scenarios and principles for digital energy futures; an interdisciplinary energy demand forecasting methodology; and demand management tools to help the sector meet future residential consumption. This should provide significant benefits, such as lowering the cost of infrastructure spending, and helping secure affordable electricity provision. Field of research: 1608 - Sociology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Landfill gas leakages in geosynthetic lining systems: closing missing gaps. This project aims to resolve the shortfall in the fundamental understanding of the coupling between gas flow and geosynthetic liner systems by developing practical and new modelling techniques. The project expects to underpin the development of an experimentally validated theory to predict gas leakage rates through geosynthetics composite liner systems. Expected outcomes of the project are the establishment of a new conceptual framework and improved integrated design tools for the mitigation of gas escape through geosynthetics liner systems. These outcomes are expected to benefit the waste industry by providing the necessary scientific advances to enable a better estimate of gas emissions from landfills. Field of research: 0905 - Civil Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Dynamic regulation of cell signalling scaffolds. This project aims to determine how cells utilise scaffold-type signalling proteins to orchestrate, over time, diverse cellular responses critical for normal development and physiology. The project expects to generate fundamental new knowledge in cell and synthetic biology with broad relevance that will foster establishment of new international linkages and networks. This research should benefit the biotechnology sector by identifying strategies for engineering scaffolds with desired biological outputs, with applications in areas such as large-scale cell production, immunotherapy, wound healing and regenerative medicine. Field of research: 0601 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Assessment of circadian and light interactions in adolescent sleepiness. This project aims to examine the relative contributions of multiple biological clock and sleep factors that may be linked to cognitive function and sleepiness in adolescents. Over 70 per cent of adolescents in Australia experience insufficient sleep. Cross-sectional studies have shown that insufficient sleep and mistimed sleep lead to reduced cognitive function. The project intends to identify specific sleep and circadian markers that are linked to academic performance, and generate innovative algorithms that predict these associations. The project will provide new knowledge to drive prevention and early intervention programs that use sleep-wake and light exposure information to improve sleep quality. Field of research: 1701 - Psychology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Understanding flapping aerodynamics in non-optimal environments. This project aims to produce a deeper understanding of factors affecting the aerodynamic forces and detailed flow dynamics of a flapping insect-like wing over a multi-dimensional parameter space with an initial focus on micro-air vehicles. The project will determine the effects of oncoming flow uniformities and environmental factors on flight performance, and how to correct for these factors to stabilise flight using feedback control. The project will use advanced computational and experimental modelling and analysis to provide specific design guidance and strategies for very-small and highly functional micro air vehicles for wide ranging applications in areas including transport, marine engineering and sport. Field of research: 0915 - Interdisciplinary Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Precision porous polymer microparticles via integrated flow processes. This project aims at a step-change in functional, porous microparticle manufacture. To achieve this, the project will use precision flow chemistry techniques that will integrate emulsion preparation, microparticle production and chemical functionalisation in one continuous process. The expected outcome of the project is a process for the manufacture of a suite of designer porous polymer microparticles. Expected benefits are disruptive advances in a number of key technological sectors, including biomedicine, pharmacy, energy and bioprocessing. Platform technology for cartilage tissue engineering has been chosen as an exemplar of the power of precision microparticles. Field of research: 0303 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Machineries that maintain mitochondrial architecture. This project aims to define and characterise the protein machines that give mitochondria their characteristic shape in different cellular tissues. Innovative approaches involving gene editing and quantitative proteomics with molecular cell biology will be employed. This project expects to generate new knowledge in protein-mediated membrane shaping and mechanisms by which signaling occurs across multiple membranes. The project outcomes should include enhanced capacity for fundamental cell biology research in Australia. The project anticipates the contribution of new tools for structural biology, benefiting therapeutic and biotechnology applications and the training of young researchers in frontier technologies. Field of research: 0601 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Formation of boundaries in the developing embryo. This project aims to decipher how the boundaries between the different organs are established in the developing embryo. The project aims to identify the components of the gene regulatory network that controls lateral plate mesoderm formation, develop a mathematical model that can explain how the domains are formed within this region, and validate novel interactions in vivo in zebrafish. The expected outcome of the project is to reveal how the progenitors of our body parts are instructed to be positioned at the right time and at the right place in the embryo. This project should provide significant benefit such as the expansion of Australia's knowledge base and research capability in cross-disciplinary science. Field of research: 0601 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology