Researchers at The University of Queensland have attracted $11.2 million in funding for 22 projects under the Australian Research Council’s Linkage Projects scheme, which supports joint research with industry and business partners.
The ARC and Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr this week announced that a total of $67.4 million was awarded under the scheme to 31 institutions nationally, for 219 projects.
In this round of allocations, UQ drew more funding than any other institution, in relation to both ARC and partner funding.
Two UQ research projects each attracted more than $2 million.
A team led by Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg of UQ’s Global Change Institute will use its $2.657 million, five-year grant to study a range of issues relating to significant changes in coral reef ecosystems, including sea temperature and acidity. These changes are putting at risk billions of dollars per annum in tourist and fishing earnings.
The project will improve the next-generation satellite toolkit that the industry partners — the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — have at their disposal for responding to these serious threats.
A team from UQ’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience led by Professors David Craik and David Fairlie was awarded $2.45 million over three years for a project to be conducted jointly with pharmaceutical company Pfizer Australia.
The researchers will attempt to bridge the gap between expensive drugs that must be injected and cheaper oral treatments that create adverse side-effects.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Max Lu congratulated all the University's grant recipients.
“This result reflects UQ’s leadership in research engagement with industry and other end-users,” Professor Lu said.
“The award of two large Linkage projects is an excellent example of UQ’s capacity to work with industry and business on significant, large-scale projects.”
He congratulated all researchers who had contributed to the University’s outstanding grant application success rate of 57.9 per cent, compared with the national average of 40.9 per cent.
In addition to the two projects outlined above, other projects funded at UQ include:
• A large population study to identify genes associated with motor neuron disease, schizophrenia and intracranial haemorrhage. The team led by Professor Matthew Brown will work with NuNerve Pty Ltd, the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research and Shanghai Changzeng Hospital, on the three-year, $690,000 project. The project will determine genetic markers, and aid in the development of diagnostic tools and identify new therapeutic targets for these common heritable neurological diseases.
• A $465,000, three-year project that aims to determine the serious impact of marine debris on endangered sea turtles will be led by Dr Kathy Townsend and Professor Justin Marshall. The researchers say the amount of waste being released into oceans is growing exponentially each year, and is a significant global issue. Industry partners on the project are the Earthwatch Institute, Healthy Waterways, Samford Valley Veterinary Hospital and Underwater World at Mooloolaba.
• A project that aims to discover the most economical and effective way of accommodating large increases in wind power into the electricity grid and to understand its effects on the national electricity market was awarded $400,000 over three years. The research will be undertaken in partnership wth AGL Energy Ltd, Clean Energy Council Ltd, Suzlon Energy Australia Pty Ltd, TRUenergy Pty Ltd and Vestas International Wind Technology. The UQ researchers working on the study include professors John Foster, Zhao Dong and Tapan Saha, and Associate Professor Hamish McGowan.
• Disadvantaged youth will benefit from a $307,843, three-year project led by Associate Professor Annemaree Carroll, in partnership with the Queensland Department of Education and Training. The research seeks new approaches to understanding youths’ school engagement and social connectedness. Mrs Julie Bower, a member of the research team on this project was also awarded a prestigious APDI fellowship as part of the project’s funding.
• A research team led by Professor Zhiguo Yuan was awarded $255,000 over three years for a project titled Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from sewers – understanding, modelling and mitigation. The work will undertaken in partnership with Allconnex Water, the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, Melbourne Water and South East Water.
• A $191,059, three-year study will to increase understanding of the experiences of people living with HIV in Queensland, particularly in relation to ageing and support networks. Dr Lisa Fitzgerald will lead the research, working in partnership with the Queensland Association for Healthy Communities, Queensland Health, Queensland Positive People Incorporated and St Paul’s School, Bald Hills.
• A project titled Breaking the cycle of homelessness: an identity change approach to enhance resilience and wellbeing has been awarded $160,369 over three years. UQ’s Professor Jolanda Jetten will lead the research, to be undertaken in partnership with The Salvation Army (Queensland) Property Trust.
Media: Fiona Cameron, ph +61 7 3346 7086
