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Potential projects at UniSA for Summer Research Scholars 2009/10

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Business

Division of Business website

School of Management

School of Management website

An exploration of how individuals perceive secular and spiritual organisations identify and embed spirituality in practices and policies

This qualitative study is in the early stages of design.

Contact: Dr Joanna Crossman


Intercultural negotiation, international education in business contexts, managing cultural diversity, organisational communication and diversity, spiritual leadership, emotional labour

Contact: Dr Joanna Crossman

Centre for Regulation and Market Analysis

Centre for Regulation and Market Analysis (CRMA) website

Improving water market outcomes through a better understanding of market behaviour

The project will focus on water resources and their sustainable use, probably the most important issue facing the rural sector. The research team will investigate the water reform process and the aim to secure water for the environment; the economic and social impacts resulting from structural change within the irrigation sector; and the impact of properly functioning water markets in facilitating the process of water reform. It is anticipated that the study will enable policy makers and water managers to optimise the positive outcome of water markets and increase the likely success of programs to purchase environmental water.

Contact: Dr Sarah Wheeler


Competition, consumer protection and regulation in Australia

This project will focus on one or more contemporary cases of competition, consumer protection and regulation in the Australian context.

Contact: Professor David Round

Centre for Tourism and Leisure Management

Centre for Tourism and Leisure Management website

Visitor service quality at a selection of South Australian cultural sites

What are the underlying dimensions of service quality at public cultural institutions, and do they vary with visitor segments? This contract research has just completed 1 of 3 years data collection for ArtsSA and second round of data collection is due in the summer of 2009 -2010.

Contact: Dr Gary Crilley


Visitor service quality in Australian and New Zealand botanic gardens

How effective are the botanic gardens of Australia and New Zealand as free choice learning institutions? This research program, as part of an MOU with the Botanic Gardens of Australia and New Zealand (BGANZ) is about to enter its 3rd year of data collection in Autumn 2010.

Contact: Dr Gary Crilley


Areas of interest

Operations of leisure management, including visitor service quality, programs, and marketing of sites/facilities/programs.

Contact: Dr Gary Crilley  

Ehrenberg-Bass Institute

Ehrenberg-Bass Institute website

Does a consumer's attitude to importance of wild-caught seafood mediate their seafood purchases?

To many in the seafood industry, there is a strongly held view that the production method of seafood (farmed s wild) is an important consideration to consumers. With the growing trend to environmental awareness, it is reasonable to assume that consumers' views on this would guide their purchase behaviour. However, there are potential environmental concerns with both methods. This project involves analysing consumer survey data from approximately 1,500 consumer respondents in order to better understand their purchase behaviour in relation to this issue; and to see what difference, if any, does exist between those who say they favour one method over another.

No longer available. Please contact Dr Nick Danenberg to identify other possible projects.


What does the term 'functional food' mean to consumers and how does this understanding relate to consumers' purchase of one such functional food, Atlantic Salmon?

A recently coined term in the food industry is that of 'functional food' - to mean a food that confers health benefits beyond just nutrition. Atlantic Salmon is one such food. However, consumers' awareness of this term, what it means to them and what foods consumers actually consider to be functional foods is important for the industry to know, if they desire producing marketing campaigns to publicise this attribute of certain foods. This project involves analysing consumer survey data from in order to better understand consumers' awareness of the term 'functional food' and to examine the extent to which purchase behaviour in the seafood category differs between those aware and not-aware of this term.

No longer available. Please contact Dr Nick Danenberg to identify other possible projects.


Are Green Consumers More Loyal?

There is frequent mention in industry literature that consumers are more loyal than 'normal' to green products.  This project will examine this assertion empirically.  It will examine if 'Green' brands, for their market share, attract higher repurchase rates than other brands without green claims.

Contact: Dr Anne Sharp


The impact of Sustainable House Day on changing behaviour

NoNow in its 8th year, Sustainable House Day 2009 will be taking place as a one-day event on Sunday September 13th.  In 2008, 142 homes were opened to the public with an audience of 13000 people.  This is an audience of people that are interested in building and renovation initiatives that save on water and energy usage.  This research will  evaluate Sustainable House Day's effectiveness. The specific questions of this research include:Now in its 8th year, Sustainable House Day 2009 will be taking place as a one-day event on Sunday September 13th. In 2008, 142 homes were opened to the public with an audience of 13000 people. This is an audience of people that are interested in building and renovation initiatives that save on water and energy usage. This research will evaluate Sustainable House Day's effectiveness.

Contact: Dr Anne Sharp


Wine packaging in the Australian Market

The Australian wine market is becoming more and more competitive with imports growing faster than domestic wines. This project entails analysing wine packaging in a range of retail outlets.  Data for approximately 200 different wine packages will be collected and then analysed for the effect of variables, such as bottle colour, bottle weight, packaging style, package weight, price.

No longer available. Please contact Professor Larry Lockshin to identify other possible projects.

 


Rural health recruitment: providing services that are needed by people that are appreciated

This research investigates the link between recruitment health needs of rural communities and recruitment mechanisms (including government package stimulants) to determine how best to design and market rural health service offerings.

Contact: Dr Liz Hemphill


Rural recruitment: brand salience versus destination reputation

This research investigates the power of a corporate brand to overcome location reputation (eg socio economics and isolation).

Contact: Dr Liz Hemphill


How effective are social marketing strategies in countering hooning behaviour?

Hooning behaviour, such as street racing, excessive speeding, or burnouts, accounts for increasing traffic fatalities and serious accidents annually. Despite these serious consequences, little is understood about the efficacy of social marketing campaigns in countering hooning behaviour. Effective social marketing campaigns to rein in this anti-social behaviour would help save lives and make Australian roads safe for all users. This project involves a literature review of social marketing strategies, and investigates their effectiveness for addressing hooning behaviour. A specific task of the project is to evaluate how eight marketing strategies previously used to degrees of success for anti-smoking may similarly apply to anti-hooning.

Contact: Dr Richard Lee


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Education, Arts and Social Sciences

Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences website

School of Communication, International Studies and Languages

School of Communication, International Studies and Languages

Areas of interest

Current research interests include 'greedy institutions' of work and family, labour movements, transnational labour activism networks, caring work in aged care and childcare, workplace cultures, women engineers, and domestic violence in the workplace.

Contact: Associate Professor Suzanne Franzway


Ethnography and cultural research

Contact: Dr Susan Luckman


Asian studies

Contact: Dr Dave Chapman

School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy

School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy website

Tea consumption, cognition and cardiometabolic health

Provide a literature review and project proposal on associations between tea and tea flavonoids and cognitive performance and cardiometabolic health in older adults. Learn skills related to cognitive assessment and assessment of cardiometabolic indicators. 

Contacts: Dr Janet Bryan (School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy) and Dr Alison Coates (Nutritional Physiology Research Centre)


DieDietary flavonoids, cognition and psychological well-being in women

Literature review and project proposal on associations between dietary flavonoids, in particular anthocyandinds, and cognition and psychological well-being in women. Learn skills related to cognitive and dietary assessment and data analysis. 

Contacts: Dr Janet Bryan (School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy) and Dr Karen Murphy (Nutritional Physiology Research Centre)


Cerebral reactivity and cognitive performance

Explore the association between cerebral reactivity (brain blood perfusion) and cognitive performance, review literature, learn skills related to cognitive assessment, use of transcranial Doppler technique and analysis of data. 

Contacts: Dr Janet Bryan (School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy) and Dr Narelle Berry (Nutritional Physiology Research Centre)

Centre for Languages and Cultures 

Centre for Languages and Cultures website

Areas of interest

Languages assessment; intercultural learning in international education; program evaluation.

Contact: Associate Professor Angela Scarino


Issues of language and interaction in medical, health, legal and educational settings; Intercultural aspects of the internationalisation of higher education; The development of the methodological/theoretical bases of language focused research;

Contact: Dr Jonathan Crichton


Language planning and policy; Language and culture in education; Discourse analysis; Intercultural language teaching and learning.

Contact: Professor Tony Liddicoat


The relationship between syntactic choices and communicative effect, focussing particularly on Spanish; Language-in-education policy, particularly in indigenous contexts (or 'ethnoeducation'); The grammar of the indigenous Barbacoan languages of Colombia and Ecuador, especially Awa Pit (Cuaiquer); The historical relationships among the Barbacoan languages of South America and between these and neighbouring languages; Linguistic typology, particularly the areas of logophoricity (especially verbal logophoricity), systems of first/non-first person marking and conjunct/disjunct systems, and the interaction of evidentiality, mirativity and person.

Contact: Dr Timothy Curnow

Centre for Work + Life

Centre for Work + Life website. S. Students should contact Catherine McMahon (email catherine.mcmahon@unisa.edu.au), Barbara Pocock (email barbara.pocock@unisa.edu.au) or the nominated researcher to discuss particular projects.

Building stronger communities: Putting together work, home and community in Australian cities

Over the past three years, the Centre for Work + Life has accumulated a large body of qualitative and quantitative data about work, home and community life - and their intersection - in a large study of ten Australian communities. Four of these are master planned communities, four are adjacent lower income communities, and two are urban arbourside master planned communities. This body of data raises important issues about social capital, the making of social relationships and the ways in which work, housing and the configuration of suburban life creates or undermines social relations. This possible topic would be of interest to someone interested in work and social relations, and would lend itself to analysis of existing data and generation of a new set of additional data perhaps on a sub-group of citizens (mothers? young people? lower income households?) to develop theory and knowledge about the lived experience of social relationships and social capital. This topic could be developed using either qualitative, quantitative or a combination of methods.

Contact: Pip.williams@unisa.edu.au or Jane.edwards@unisa.edu.au


Work, life and environmental sustainability

More and more Australians are giving more time to paid work. At the same time, many care about the environment and would like to reduce their environmental footprint, including their generation of waste and carbon and their use of water. The ways in which workers and householders put together their jobs, homes and communities affects their time- and money-poverty, and their capacity to reduce carbon emissions, save water and reduce waste. This project would allow examination of the relationship between work/home regimes and consumption and the influence of the workplace and household (positive/negative) on workers' consumption and waste. There is potential to examine role model effects, and the effects of the provision of opportunities to reduce consumption (eg petrol via telecommuting).

Contact: natalie.skinner@unisa.edu.au


 The right to request flexibility at work in Australia

Flexibility at work is not straightforward. Some forms of flexibility suit the boss, some the worker. The Rudd Government has introduced new rights for workers to request flexibility. Research at the Centre shows that some workers already make such requests, and many requests meet with success. How much does this matter, what difference does it make, who does not make such requests, and what other forms of voice and legal provision can improve the work-life and work-family situation of workers, and with what impacts upon the family, household and workplace? This project lends itself to investigation of the meaning of flexibility (a qualitative investigation) and of cultures of entitlement and deservingness around making and granting requests. What are the experiences of different groups - for example, women with and without children, men with and without children, younger and older people, non-heterosexual and heterosexual people? The research might also probe the outcomes of the right to request for personal, household, community, career and workplace. Does requesting and achieving flexibility always result in positive work-life outcomes? For example, working 0.8fte may increase expectations from family and friends about what a person can take on in their non-work time.

Contact: natalie.skinner@unisa.edu.au or barbara.pocock@unisa.edu.au


Dealing with redundancy: lived experience and comparative policy options

Many European countries have well developed systems and schemes to prevent redundancy, to redistribute working time, to use down time for training and to prevent dismissal. This research might review and critically evaluate, in cross-national perspective, programs that prevent redundancy, use down time for training, and help cushion the impacts of redundancy if it occurs. It might also take a series of Australian workplaces and probe how specific policy innovations might work, how workers and employers might view them and what the economic and well-being outcomes might be for such interventions.

Contact barbara.pocock@unisa.edu.au


 Analysis of industrial relations law and its implications for the lived experience of Australian workers

Australia has seen very significant changes in industrial law over the last 15 years. Research about the lived experience of these changes, the ways in which they have reshaped the voice, aspirations, conditions and pay of Australian workers remains under-examined. Particular lines of analysis exist: by gender, age, urban/rural difference, industry and occupation. To what extend did WorkChoices puncture the expectations of young people and workers with little power or on low pay? To what extent does Fair Work Australia rebuild these expectations? What are the implications for socio-economic inequality through work? This project could proceed using both qualitative and quantitative methods, with workplace based research as well as analysis of large existing data sets.

Contact: barbara.pocock@unisa.edu.au


The work-life effects of underemployment

The majority of work-life literature focuses on problems of over-employment, and implicitly or explicitly takes a time strain perspective (with its concomitant effects on physical and mental strain etc). The underlying paradigm is that work takes up too much room in a person's life, and has a negative effect on wellbeing and results in reduction of opportunities to pursue other commitments and interests.

We know very little about how under-employment impacts on the work-life relationship. Insufficient employment has an obvious income deficit which restricts access to life opportunities (ie holidays, travel, home ownership, some social activities etc), and also a potential career deficit (ie reduced potential to build up a good CV of work knowledge and experience). This is a related to, but different to, ideas around the 'mummy track'. Underemployment is more common for those of lower socio-economic status, and hence there is a also a social justice perspective to this topic as well. This topic would also lend itself to exploration of mental health outcomes such as depression, and therefore support from community organisations

Contact: pip.williams@unisa.edu.au or natalie.skinner@unisa.edu.au


Work-life issues in other non-western cultures

Much of the research and thinking in the work-life area is based on a white middle-class perspective on what work is, what community and family life is, and how these all fit together.

It would be useful to examine how Indigenous people think about, manage, experience and reflect on their work-family-community-personal life relationships, and to compare these to those of non-Indigenous people. The study would examine Indigenous people who have remained closely connected/residing in their traditional communities and also participate in the paid workforce (i.e. still retain many elements of a traditional lifestyle), and also those whose links are not as strong to their traditional communities (most of whom live in urban communities).


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Health Sciences

Division of Health Sciences website

Effect of hypoxia on lung and surfactant development of reptiles and birds

Surfactant, a complex mixture of lipids and proteins produced by alveolar epithelial cells forms a film at the air-liquid interface of the lung which dynamically regulates interfacial surface tension with lung volume to prevent alveolar collapse and reduce the work of breathing. As this critical system develops late during gestation, prematurely-born babies are at risk of developing respiratory distress, a condition often successfully treated with a combination of positive pressure ventilation, artificial surfactants and/or synthetic glucocorticoids. We are interested in the development of the surfactant system prior to birth/hatching in a variety of animal models, demonstrating different birthing strategies and experiencing different environmental selection pressures. We examine the interplay between genetics and the environment in shaping the development of the fetus and the outcome for the newborn/hatchling. For example, egg-laying animals exposed to hypoxic conditions during crucial developmental windows hatch earlier and experience accelerated surfactant maturation. We use chickens and bearded dragons as our model organisms to investigate the timing, control and mechanisms by which hypoxia alters surfactant development. In this project lung tissue from control and hypoxic embryos at different developmental stages will be analysed for alterations in surfactant and regulatory gene expression using real-time PCR analyses.

Contact: Associate Professor Sandra Orgeig


Pharmaceutical interventions in the battle against obesity

Evidence from a large range of clinical and population-based studies has shown that infants who are exposed to an increased supply of nutrients before birth have an increased risk of being overweight or obese as children and adults. It is not, however, fully understood why this occurs. In normal adults, factors released by fat cells play an important role in the maintenance of energy balance, and changes in the levels of these factors in the fat cell or in the circulation can lead to increased weight gain and the development of poor sensitivity of the body's tissues to the actions of hormones, such as insulin. Fat cells develop before birth, and it has been shown that increases in nutrient supply before birth can cause an early increase in fat deposition and may change the functional properties of fat cells for life. This very early increase in fat deposition may be an important link between fetal overnutrition and the increased risk of obesity in postnatal life.  In this proposal, we will investigate whether promoting an increase in fat deposition before birth in the absence of any change in nutrient supply is associated with changes in metabolic function before birth and an increased fat deposition and dysregulation of the appetite-regulating neural network in the brain after birth. Understanding the mechanisms which link the risk of obesity to events before birth will allow clinicians of the future to provide children who are born to overweight, glucose-intolerant or diabetic mothers with a healthy start to life. This project will involve studying the effects of rosiglitazone infusion during fetal life on postnatal development of fat depots and metabolic function. Studnets will have the opportunity to participate in the data collection including blood and tissue collection. Studnets will also perform real-time PCR to determine gene expression in tissues. Plasma concentrations of glucose and insulin will also be determined.

Contacts: Dr Beverly Muhlhausler, Professor Caroline McMillen and Dr Janna Morrison


Role of the periconceptional environment on the timing of birth

Preterm delivery remains a major health problem in western societies, with a global incidence of 5 to 10% and whilst there are a series of known pathways and risk factors which lead to preterm delivery, the mechanisms underlying preterm delivery are largely unknown and poorly understood.  The hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis plays a critical role in fetal development.  The HPA axis is essential for preparing the fetus for the transition between the intra uterine environment and the outside world.  In long gestational species such as the human and the sheep the HPA axis is also involved in the hormonal cascade of events that signals the timing of parturition. Our research group has investigated the effects of altering the environment of the early embryo of the sheep in terms of in vitro culture (as part of assisted reproductive technologies).  What we have found is novel in that altering the environment of the early embryo can alter the timing of parturition.  We have shown that exposing an embryo to in vitro culture in the presence of serum can delay the timing of birth (a slowing of the HPA axis).  There is evidence in the human literature to support these observations in the sheep model.  One possibility is that there is a critical window during early embryo development that causes changes to either the DNA structure itself or the cascade or mechanisms that regulate the expression of genes of the HPA axis. This study will involve mapping the timing of birth in pregnancies resulting from in vitro culture and the growth of these lambs in the first 8wks of life. The response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis will be investigated in lambs at 8wks of age. Studnets will participate in the collection of blood and tissue samples and in drug challenge tests. Students will learn how to measure cortisol concentrations in plasma.

Contacts: Dr Song Zhang, Professor Caroline McMillen and Dr Janna Morrison 


Linking intrauterine growth restriction to proteins involved in metabolic syndrome in adult life

Being born small due to intrauterine growth restriction is associated with an increased risk of developing metabolic disorders in adult life.  Previous studies have shown that the development of the liver before birth is significantly affected when fetal nutrient supply is low.  Specifically, we have demonstrated that the expression of genes associated with glucose production and metabolism are altered.  If these changes persist in postnatal life, it may explain the underlying cause of the hyperglycaemia seen in the development of metabolic disorders in adult life. We hypothesise that fetal growth restriction results in an increased expression of gluconeogenic enzymes which ones in the liver after birth. We propose to determine whether experimental induction of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) results in changes in hepatic expression of enzymes which regulate glucose homeostasis after birth using an animal model of IUGR. This study will analyse the changes in protein expression via Western blot analysis in liver tissue that has previously been collected from 21 d lambs. Ethics has been granted for this project as the tissues have previously been collected. The student will be involved in protein analysis via Western blot and/or immunohistochemistry.

Contacts: Dr Sheridan Gentili, Dr Janna Morrison and Professor Caroline McMillen


Mechanisms of surfactant development: Are they inducible by 5d infusion of cortisol?

Babies born preterm or born small for their gestational age are at an increased risk of developing respiratory distress because their pulmonary surfactant system is not fully developed. We wish to establish the mechanisms and timing of surfactant maturation during late gestation in relation to environmental factors that lead to IUGR. We hypothesize that 5d infusion of cortisol will increase the expression of surfactant proteins A, B and C in the lung of the late gestation sheep fetus. In this project lung tissue from control and sheep fetuses treated with cortisol for 5d will be analysed for alterations in surfactant expression. Ethics has been granted for this project as the tissues have previously been collected. The student will gain experience in animal handling, care and welfare, real-time PCR analysis of gene expression and Western analysis of protein expression.

Contacts: Associate Professor Sandra Orgeig and Dr Janna Morrison


Role of nutrient restriction versus hypoxia on surfactant development in the intrauterine growth restricted fetus 

Babies born preterm or born small for their gestational age are at an increased risk of developing respiratory distress because their pulmonary surfactant system is not fully developed. We wish to establish the mechanisms and timing of surfactant maturation during late gestation in relation to environmental factors that lead to IUGR. We hypothesize that intrauterine growth restriction in the guinea pig induced by maternal undernutrition or maternal hypoxia will increase the expression of surfactant proteins A, B and C in the lung of the late gestation guinea pig fetus. In this project lung tissue and lung lavage (washings) from control and intrauterine growth restricted guinea pig fetuses will be analysed for alterations in surfactant expression. Ethics has been granted for this project as the tissues have previously been collected. The student will gain experience in animal handling, care and welfare, real-time PCR analysis of gene expression and Western analysis of protein expression.

Contacts: Associate Professor Sandra Orgeig and Dr Janna Morrison


What is the role of the IGF signalling system in heart development?

In Australia, intrauterine growth restriction occurs in 7% of babies. Large studies show that these babies are at an increased risk of suffering from heart disease in adult life. The mechanisms that link these events are not clear. We have, however, shown that the IGF-1 receptor signalling pathway plays an important role in heart growth in late gestation and this pathway is altered in growth restricted fetuses. We hypothesize that up regulation of components of the IGF-1 receptor signaling pathway result in changes in heart development in growth restricted fetuses. This study will use Western blots and immunohistochemistry to analyse protein expression and distribtion. Ethics has been granted for this project as the tissues have previously been collected. The student will gain experience in animal handling, care and welfare, and Western and immunohistochemistry analysis of protein expression and distribution. 

Contacts: Dr Janna Morrison and Professor Doug Brooks


A taste for junk food:  does eating a junk food diet during pregnancy result in junk food addiction in the offspring?

Eating a high fat diet activates the reward circuitry in the brain in the same way as taking addictive drugs. In both humans and animal models, infants born to drug-dependent mothers can be born with a drug-dependency, suggesting that the developing brain can be programmed to be addicted to substances that it was exposed to during fetal development. It is not known whether the offspring of mother’s who consume large amounts of Junk Food during pregnancy have an increased preference for these foods in adult life. In this study, we will use a rodent model to determine whether pups born to mothers who are fed a junk food diet during pregnancy exhibit symptoms of Junk Food addiction after birth. We will explore this research question by investigating the effect of being exposed to a Junk Food diet before birth on food preferences, behaviour and function of the central reward pathway in later life. This project will involve in vivo animal work, including routine measurement of weight, measures of food intake and assessment of behaviour. This project will also involve molecular techniques, including immunohistochemisty and Real Time PCR.

Contacts: Dr Beverly Muhlhausler and Dr Jenni Hiscock 


Blocking the early origins of obesity: a role for Omega-3 Fatty Acids?

There can be no argument that obesity, and in particular childhood obesity, is currently a major health problem in Australia. The current interventions for overcoming childhood obesity have failed to prevent the continued rise in its incidence, and there is a need to rethink our approach to combating this problem. Importantly, it is becoming increasingly clear that the pathway to obesity begins very early in life, in many cases before an individual is even born, and that once this pathway is established, it is very difficult to reverse. Therefore, strategies for intervention which are applied early in life are likely to be the most effective way of curbing the rise in the prevalence of obesity. In this study, we will test a novel strategy for intervention which aims to reduce the accumulation of body fat early in life, by increasing the availability of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (fish-oil), a substance which is known to inhibit fat cell formation and fat storage in adults, during the period of fat development. We will determine whether providing mothers with a high-dose fish-oil supplement during pregnancy and lactation will reduce body fat mass in her offspring as children and adults. This project will involve in vivo animal work, including routine measurement of weight, food intake and behaviour. This project will also involve molecular techniques, including immunohistochemisty and Real Time PCR. You will also measure fatty acid composition of plasma and red blood cells in the pregnant dams and their offspring.

Contacts: Dr Beverly Muhlhausler and Prof Robert Gibson


Effects of periconceptional nutrition (in vivo and ex vivo) on fetoplacental and postnatal development

A number of studies in the human and animal models have demonstrated that the period around the time of conception (oocyte and early embryo development and during early gestation), the periconceptional environment, can have a substantive impact on fetoplacental development.  In particular, maternal undernutrition/overnutrition during the periconceptional period or exposure of an embryo to in vitro culture (involved in in vitro fertilization and assisted reproductive technologies) can lead to an alteration in cardiovascular, renal and placental function. In addition, changes to the periconceptional environment during early embryo development may 'program' the timing of birth. We are currently investigating how the environment of the developing embryo during the first seven days of life causes changes in prenatal and postnatal growth, cardiovascular and renal function and the development of adult diseases such as cardiovascular disease and obesity. This project will use real-time PCR to analyse gene expression in tissue collected from fetuses and lambs that were exposed to a periconceptional insult, either maternal undernutrition in the 3 wks around conception or in vitro culture. Ethics has been granted for this project as the tissues have previously been collected. The student will gain skills in animal handling and care as well as real-time PCR analysis of gene expression.

Contacts: Dr Song Zhang, Professor Caroline McMillen and Dr Janna Morrison


Blood pressure regulation and heart rate variability: role of fetal growth and hypoxia

Growth restricted fetuses have the same blood pressure as normally grown fetuses but are at increased risk of hypertension in adult life. This predisposition to hypertension is established in prenatal life when blood pressure regulation is more reliant on the sympathetic and rennin angiotensin systems. The role of hypoxia versus absolute growth restriction is not fully understood. This project will compare blood pressure, blood pressure regulation, heart rate and variability in heart rate in fetuses that are normoxic or hypoxic, normally grown or growth restricted. 

Contacts: Dr Janna Morrison and Professor Caroline McMillen


Expression of genes that regulate circadian rhythm in the male guinea pig

In Australia, 7% of babies are born low birth weight. These babies are at an increased risk of preterm delivery, neonatal death and infant death, including sudden infant death. This dysregulation of cardiorespiratory control may be due to altered development of the circadian rhythm system. The mechanisms underlying this increased risk are not fully understood but the development of the circadian rhythm in these babies may be altered and thus play a role in their increased vulnerability. Interestingly, no studies have investigated the presence of a circadian rhythm in guinea pigs. Therefore, the melatonin rhythm and the expression of clock genes in the guinea pig fetus under normal development conditions and after fetal growth restriction will be investigated. We hypothesize that that clock genes will show circadian expression in the guinea pig. Real time PCR will be used to analyse the expression of several clock genes in the heart of male guinea pigs collected at 6 hourly intervals over a 24h period. Ethics has been granted for this project as the tissues have previously been collected. The student will gain experience in animal handling, care and welfare and real-time PCR analysis of gene expression.

Contacts: Dr Janna Morrison and Dr Dave Kennaway (University of Adelaide)


How the physiological status of the female reproductive tract alters the immune response to viral challenge and influences reproductive outcomes

Female reproductive tract viral infection can lead to pregnancy complications such as miscarriage. We believe that the mother's anti-virus immune response can negatively impact upon fetal development. This study will characterise the female immune response to reproductive tract viral infections, investigate how sexual activity may impact on disease susceptibility and provide an understanding on how infection can interfere with pregnancy.

Contacts: Dr John Hayball and Dr Lachlan Moldenhauer 


A computerised activity preferences questionnaire

Physical activity is known to be effective in the prevention and treatment of a wide range of physical and psychological conditions. However, people who do not have a long experience of physical activity often find it hard to identify activities which fit in with their preferences and lifestyle. We have developed and validated a questionnaire which asks adults about their activity preferences (for example, whether they prefer to exercise alone, indoors or outdoors, what their main goals are, etc.). We use the answers to rank about 100 activities (ranging from gymnastics to gardening) according to how well they fit in with their preferences. The goal is to be able to advise people on physical activity options.

The aim of this project will be to produce a computerised, web-based version of the questionnaire. We have developed appropriate predictive algorithms, and hyperlinks to service providers, but need someone with web programming and design expertise to embody them in a user-friendly online version. The project will involve developing a beta version, checking system compatibility, and running pilot trials.

Contacts: Professor Tim Olds, Dr Nicola Burton (UQ) and Chris MacFarlane


What gets published? What gets cited?

Academics are required to publish and publish well, and are judged in part by the number of publications they have and the number of times they have been cited by other researchers. Journal editors are keen to publish articles which will be highly cited, to increase the profile of their journals. But what are the characteristics of a study which mean that it is more likely to be published, and more likely to be cited once it has been published? A few studies have identified a number of characteristics, including publication in full-text online journals, level of evidence, number of authors, and positive findings, which predict citation success. The aim of this project will be to develop an algorithm predicting publication and citation success in an Australian allied health journal (either in physiotherapy or human movement or both). The candidate will audit all papers published in the target journal(s) and all submissions rejected over a given period, and will code each submission on factors such as level of evidence, funding source, quality, etc. Publication success and citation rate will then be used as response variables to see which factors are the best predictors.

Contacts: Professor Tim Olds, Associate Professor Marie Williams and Louise Wiles


Testing predictive models for mosquito nuisance and arbovirus transmission in South Australia 

Published statistical models are now available for predicting mosquito nuisance and arbovirus activity. In this project, such models would be validated against data collected in the field (by mosquito surveillance crews - including the participant) and by the state health department. The usefulness of such models in providing effective early warning to the public will be evaluated. Work will involve a field component (mosquito trapping), lab component (mosquito ID), and statistical analysis.  

Contact: Dr Craig Williams


Characterisation of synaptosomes from mouse brain tissue

Lysosomal storage disorders (LSD) are a group of devastating inherited genetic diseases, with a common feature of lysosomal accumulation of undegraded macromolecules. Mucopolysaccharidosis IIIA (MPS IIIA) is one of the most common LSD displaying neuropathology, however, the sub-cellular effects of storage material and the connection between storage and clinical symptoms are yet to be defined. One of the research interests of our group is to establish if neuronal synapse function is impaired in mucopolysaccharidosis IIIA neurons. Synapses are specialised contact sites between neurons where signals are propagated from cell to cell via neurotransmitters. A synaptosome is an isolated synapse from a neuron and is a suitable model to study synapse function. The aim of this project will be to isolate synaptosomes from brain tissue of age matched (new born and 15-week old) control and mucopolysaccharidosis IIIA mice and to characterise the protein composition. Synaptosomes will be obtained after homogenisation and fractionation of nerve tissue and their protein composition will be determined by SDS-PAGE and immunnoblotting.

Contacts: Dr Emma Parkinson-Lawrence and Professor Doug Brooks


Characterising the storage compartment in a sucrosome model of lysosomal storage

Lysosomal storage disorders (LSD) are a group of devastating inherited genetic diseases caused by a deficiency in the activity of one or more lysosomal hydrolases. A common feature for all lysosomal storage disorders (LSD) is the accumulation of undegraded material in endosome-lysosome organelles. While the biochemical basis of LSD has been defined the molecular basis of pathogenesis and the structure of storage compartments are yet to be defined. The aim of this project will be to perform a marker study to characterise the storage compartment in a sucrose model of lysosomal storage (sucrosome). Vesicular compartments will be analysed by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy. To induce sucrosome formation, fibroblasts will be grown in media with 100 mM sucrose between 1-28 days. At appropriate time points cells will be prepared for immunofluorescence as described above. The markers that will be used in this study are EEA-1, Rab7, LIMP-II, LAMP-1, CD63, LAMP-2, LC3 and dextran texas red.

Contacts: Dr Emma Parkinson-Lawrence and Professor Doug Brooks


Pharmacogenomics in clinical practice: modelling the value of interventions

Personalised medicine is a convenient umbrella term for the use of individualised biological information to improve the clinical outcomes of pharmacotherapy.  The aim of personalised medicine is conceptually simple: to maximise the chances of effective treatment of a specific indication and minimise the likelihood of adverse drug reactions. While recent years have seen remarkable advances in basic pharmacogenomic research, the extent to which individualised or personalised medicine will emerge as a sustainable new therapeutic paradigm remains controversial. Although long overdue, potential barriers to the clinical uptake of pharmacogenomics are now receiving closer scrutiny and as a result, a framework for the successful clinical implementation of pharmacogenomics is emerging. Critical to this framework is a focus on measuring the impact of pharmacogenomic interventions on clinical and economic outcomes in real world settings.  Against this complex background, a new generation of biological and targeted cancer medicines have recently emerged heralding a new era of targeted therapeutics. Notably, the swelling ranks of these innovative and expensive drugs may in some cases exceed the capacity of the public purse to pay for them. There is an urgent need for integrated analyses that embrace the complexity of biological data, in order to explore and understand multiple, interacting, and potentially conflicting predictors of drug response and patient prognosis.

We offer a range of projects aimed at assessing the cost-effectiveness of various genomic interventions in clinical practice. For example, we ask research questions such as the following:

This research involves careful literature evaluation and the integration of this evidence in to clinical decision making based on a variety of pharmacoeconomic modelling methodologies.

Contacts: Professor Ross McKinnon and Dr Michael Sorich


Optometrist prescribing: who's prescribing what?

Optometrists obtained prescribing rights under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in January 2008. This research will examine the types of medicines optometrists are most commonly prescribing, determine if there has been any change to general practitioner prescribing rates and examine variation in patterns by state.

Contacts: Dr Lisa Kalisch and Associate Professor Libby Roughead


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Information Technology, Engineering and the Environment

Division of Information Technology, Engineering and the Environment website

School of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering

School of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering website

Optimisation of heat transfer in thermal energy storage using phase change materials

An experimental investigation will be undertaken of various configurations of encapsulated phase change materials for use in off peak thermal energy storage. The project will involve building and testing a prototpye of an energy storage system, and evaluating its performance.

Contact: Dr Martin Belusko


Synthesis of polymer stabilized silver nanopatricles and their antibacterial properties

There has been an increased interest in recent years in silver nanoparticles as antibacterial agent. This is because of the resistance of some bacteria to conventional antibiotics , a process called antimicrobial resistance. The project is concerned with development of methodology for synthesis of polymer stabilized silver nanopatricles of controlled size and polydispersity. The project will also involve testing the efficiency of the synthesized silver nanoparticles against antibiotic resistant bacterial species.

Contact: Dr Krasimir Vasilev


Surface gradients for controlling the response of biological cells

Recently, there has been a tremendous interest in the scientific community for technologies suitable for development of surface gradients of various properties. This is because many essential biological processes are mediated by gradients of biological molecules. For example, chemotaxis plays a role in diverse physiological processes, such as the recruitment of leukocytes to sites of infection, trafficking of lymphocytes throughout the human body, and patterning of neuronal cells in the developing nervous system. Gradients of cytokines play a role in the ability of our body to resist invading pathogenic microorganisms by providing immune cells with the directional cues they need to rapidly migrate to the infection site. In embryonic development, gradients induce proliferation, differentiation, or migration in other cells. In cancer metastasis, migrating tumor cells escape the original tumour, invade new tissues, and recruit endothelial cells to create blood vessels to feed the new tumour site. In order to fully understand these processes there is a need for laboratory generated surface gradient suitable for studding complex physiological phenomena.

In this project various surface gradients will be created via a technique uniquely available at Mawson Institute. The adhesion, proliferation, differentiation and mobility of various cell types including stem cells will be studied.

Contact: Dr Krasimir Vasilev


Novel drug delivery platform

CCurrently, there is enormous need for drug delivery platforms for controlled release of therapeutic compounds which are difficult to deliver by traditional means. Recently developed nano-porous materials such as titania and alumina produced by electrochemical etching have been speculated to have the potential to fulfil this need. It has been demonstrated that the nano-porous of such materials can be filled with therapeutics. However in a biological fluid these therapeutics are released very quickly in the order of minutes. Thus a technology is needed for efficient control over the release from the nano-pores. In this project plasma polymerisation will be used for regulating the diameter of the openings of the nano-pores via deposition a polymer film via plasma deposition on the surface of material. Plasma polymerisation is uniquely suitable for this purpose because film deposition is conducted in dry stay. Film deposition by any wet technique would lead to loss and contamination of the drug loaded in the pores. Plasma polymerisation also allows fine tuning of the chemical properties of the films to increase the biocompatibility of the material. In this project therapeutic drugs with different properties will be loaded in to nano-pores of the material. Release will be examined after plasma deposition of films of different physicochemical properties. In addition the response of biological cell to these novel materials will be tested.

Contact: Dr Krasimir Vasilev

School of Computer and Information Science

School of Computer and Information Science website

Discovering functional microRNA regulatory modules

Computer Science and Bioinformatics; Data mining projects

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of newly found non-protein-coding RNAs which have very important roles in gene regulations for all known organisms. It is generally believed that genes cause various diseases, but some suffer a disease whereas some do not when all have the same gene. Recent research shows that the expression of genes is regulated by other biological regulators. MicroRNA is a type of gene regulators. The discovery of functional microRNA regulatory modules gives direct indications to the pathologies of a disease. Such knowledge can be directly used in miRNA therapeutic treatments of diseases and miRNA-based drug development. This project aims at designing efficient and reliable methods and a tool to discover functional miRNAs regulatory modules.

Contact: Associate Professor Jiuyong Li

School of Mathematics and Statistics

School of Mathematics and Statistics website

Areas of interest

Bioinformatics, synthetic biology, systems biology (Phenomics and Bioinformatics Research Centre)

Contact: Associate Professor Desmond Lun

Mawson Institute

Mawson Institute website

Areas of interest

ErgoLab - Ergonomics and Biomechanics Lab, Automotive and Human Modelling Studies

Contact: Dr Gunther Paul, Senior Research Fellow

SA Water Centre for Water Management and Reuse

SA Water Centre for Water Management and Reuse website

Using membrane filtration to treat the brackish ground water

Desalination, membrane and nano-materials in water purification

The project aims to investigate the feasibility of using reverse osmosis membrane filtration to treat the brackish ground water in the local area, to remove salt for fresh water supply. The membrane scaling caused by inorganic ions such as calcium and magnesium in the ground water will be investigated, and the effects of reducing the scaling by using antiscalent will be assessed.

Contact: Associate Professor Linda Zou


Hydrophilic modification of RO membrane surface to reduce boifouling

Desalination, membrane and nano-materials in water purification

This project will investigate the use of different processes including plasma and wet chemical process to deposit hydrophilic polymers on the surface of the membrane, and followed by testing their effects on the membrane performance in flux and fouling resistance.

Contact: Associate Professor Linda Zou

Defence and Systems Institute

Defence and Systems Institute website

Characterisation of Facial Strain Patterns Based on CCD Video Images for Forensic Identification

Facial strain pattern is a technology used in plastic surgery due to its strong root in biomechanics related to material properties of soft tissue that is unique for each individual. Specifically, facial strain pattern has following advantages:

This project will explore a novel methodology for the characteristics of the soft tissue properties of face through strain pattern exhibited during facial expression as the biometric signatures, and will have the following unique features:

This research will have the following challenges:

Area of interest: Systems Performance Modelling

Contacts: Professor Liren Zhang and Associate Professor Jill Slay


3-D Position Tracking Using Ultra Wideband Sensor Networks

Real-time position tracking and communications of mobile agents in critical indoor, urban, underground or ravine forest environments are challenging tasks. The performance of conventional GPS technology for positioning and target tracking is either limited or even non existent due to serious effects of radio signal fading and multiple path interference. The other conventional sensing technology such as odometer, Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), laser, ultra-sound and magnetic compass are also not applicable due to either their limited sensing range or the accuracy of sensing capability, especially in the complex environments.

Another significant challenge relevant to this research is that the transmission of sensing signal and data via wireless communication links in critical complex environments presents numerous uncertainties.

  1. The wireless channel is a random variable with considerable variance.
  2. The wireless links are characterised by communication delays and data loss due to the signal fading, shadowing effects and multi-path interferences.
  3. The significant delay jitters may cause out-of-sequence measurements.
  4. The context of sudden sensor node breakdown and the ever changing topology of the ad hoc sensor networks result in frequently switching of signal forwarding routes.

This research aims to discover an effective methodology to use ultra wideband (UWB) technology in support of operations, in which real-time accurate position tracking and communications are essential. In particular, we focus on critical complex environments such as underground, indoor, urban or ravine forest areas, where conventional GPS technology for positioning and target tracking is subject to seriously fading of radio signals and interferences. The outcomes of this research can be used for a variety of applications ranging from underground mining, emergency rescue, environment monitoring, smart homes, healthcare, industrial sensing and diagnostics, supply chain management, surveillance, navigation and intrusion detection in homeland security.

Contacts: Professor Liren Zhang and Dr Quoc Do


Systems Modelling Language (SysML) Representation of a SWARM Robotic Architecture for Complex Model-Based System Engineering Applications

The Microcosm project with the sponsorship of DSTO (Defence Science Technology Organisation) aims to provide:

Microcosm includes both physical and model-based systems, where every physical system or attribute has a model-based analogue. It consists of autonomous systems moving and interacting with each other and humans in a physical environment. Microcosm is not a technology program and is not about researching autonomous systems per se, or even about the science of autonomy. Rather, Microcosm will use model-based autonomous systems as a means to explore systems engineering and system integration. Microcosm aims to provide a systems engineering environment that can be used to stage demonstrations, conduct experiments, support teaching programs and systems engineering research.

Overcoming the challenges inherent in developing ever larger and complex systems such as Microcosm have been focusing on transitioning from a traditional, document-centric to a modern, model-based approach. Construction and usage of a comprehensive conceptual system model throughout the system lifecycle is a key factor in successful management of contemporary systems development complexity. In this context, an important factor is the modeling language to be used for specifying the system's conceptual model. Systems Modelling Language (SyML) is one of state-of art systems modelling languages, being used for conceptual modelling of ever large and complex systems.

The project aims to develop an algorithm and engine for automatically creating SysML views (with their underlying model) for Microcosm. Developing such a mechanism is interesting since it has potential benefits.

Firstly, SysML conceptual modelling would allow Microcosm users to share and present their models to other stakeholders who are familiar with the SysML notation in a relatively easy and quick manner. This advantage should be able to improve communication among the various stakeholders with benefits of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) in general and of conceptual systems modeling in Microcosm environment. In practice, when taking into account the wide familiarity of software engineers/systems engineers with the SysML notation, it is highly likely that this modelling ability addresses a real industry need.

Another potential benefit is improved system analysis and understanding, since the automatically generated SysML views enable further 'slicing and dicing' of the system model, so even skilled users can find it useful. The additional views can be helpful for both model construction and model comprehension. This is somewhat analogous to the ability to examine and analyze a large body of data in a data warehouse using data mining techniques.

Generation of SysML views along with the underlying SysML model can also promote Interoperability.

This project will develop a usage scenario for demonstration and training in Microcosm. In this case, user is interested in using some unique feature which is available only in a SysML supporting tool. In order to allow import of the auto-generated model into a SysML supporting tool, it is required that the SysML model be created in a standard format that is widely supported by tools. The SysML representation will be used to describe the existing project as well as examine the suitability of the SysML representation for automated reason and simulation.

Contacts: Professor Stephen Cook (Director: Defence and Systems Institute) and Dr William Scott

Institute for Sustainable Systems and Technologies

Institute for Sustainable Systems and Technologies 

Transport systems - areas of interest

Traffic modelling, intelligent transport systems, environmental impacts of transport, logistics, traffic signal systems

Contact: Branko Stazic

Computer Systems Engineering Centre

Computer Systems Engineering Centre website

Finding patterns in parametric systems

Distributed systems often include parameters, such as the maximum number of retransmissions in a communications protocol, or the number of 'customers' being server by an operating system. These systems can be modelled by Coloured Petri Nets, or Stochastic Petri Nets and traditionally are analysed for each value of the parameter. Under an Australian Research Council discovery grant, we are investigating how to analyse these systems for all values of the parameter in one pass.

One approach is to discover patterns in the analysis results that can then be generalised for any value of the parameter and written down symbolically. The task will be to discover these patterns and perform the generalisation. The vacation scholar will need to have strong mathematical and analytical ability to perform this task, but otherwise little background is required, and hence the student may come from any area of mathematics, engineering or computer science. However, having a background in computer science or electrical and information engineering would be an advantage.

Contact: Professor Jonathan Billington, Director: Computer Systems Engineering Centre

Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation

Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation website

Carbon sequestration through wastewater irrigation

There are a number of ways by which the pressure on fresh water resources for irrigation use can be mitigated. One possible approach is the recycling of wastewaters and drainage water that can be used in place of other fresh water sources for irrigation. The specific objective of this project is to examine the assimilation and transformation of various carbon pools in wastewater during land application.

Methodology:

Contact: Professor Nanthi Bolan


Chromium reduction in soils

Chromium is used as trivalent Cr (Cr(III)) in the tannery industry and as hexavalent Cr (Cr(VI)) in the timber treatment industry.  Cr(VI) is highly toxic and carcinogenic even when present in very low concentrations in water. While Cr(III) is strongly retained onto soil particles, Cr(VI) is very weakly adsorbed and is readily available for plant uptake and leaching to groundwater. Cr (VI) can be reduced to Cr(III) in the environments where a ready source of electrons is available.  Suitable conditions for Cr(VI) reduction occur where organic matter is present to act as an electron donor. The specific objective of this project is to examine the effect of various organic amendments on the reduction of hexavalent Cr in soils. 

Methodology: In this study, various organic amendments such as biosolid compost, farm yard manure, fish manure, horse manure, spent mushroom, pig manure and poultry manure will investigated for their effects on the reduction of hexavalent Cr(VI) in soils that are low in organic matter content.   

Contact: Professor Nanthi Bolan


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Institute for Telecommunications Research

Institute for Telecommunications Research website

Reliable Communication in the Absence of a Common Clock

In an information storage system, for example, compact disc, magnetic tape or hard disk, data is recorded as a sequence of 0's and 1's on a physical medium for later retrieval. When data is read from the medium, errors can occur (due to timing jitter) where:

  1. some of the sequence symbols are deleted or
  2. some binary symbols are inserted into the sequence.

For example, suppose there is a long run of 0's recorded on the tape. During playback, in the presence of timing jitter due to the fluctuation of the reading speed of the motor, the total number of 0's that is read may be incorrect. To protect our data against these errors, we need to encode our data sequence carefully. The usual way to tackle this problem is to imbed synchronization cues in the input signal at possibly irregular intervals to prevent the accumulation of timing jitter. Existing coding schemes are not optimal, as shown in a paper [Yeung, Cai, Ho and Wagner 2009] and an optimal code has been proposed in [Cai, Ho and Yeung 2007].

In order to derive a practical scheme from these theoretical works, a lot of interesting research problems are still waiting to be solved. In particular, the aforementioned optimal code works in a communication system without noise and is optimal when the code-length (or the file) is large. In this project, we aim to understand its performance in the presence of noise or when the file is small in size.

Contacts: Dr Siu Wai Ho and Dr Terence Chan


Efficient Compression of Data for Transportation over Networks

The amount and rate at which data (for example, voice, video or text) can be transported in any telecommunications network depends on how it is processed. An important component of this processing is compression: the act of removing all redundancies from the data so that less memory is used to store the same information. When data is compressed, more information can be transported to more users in less time.

The importance of data compression has grown significantly in recent years with the proliferation of capacity-constrained wireless networks such as cellular networks, sensor networks, and mobile ad-hoc networks. In addition, new 'bandwidth hungry' applications in fixed-wired networks, such as internet television, are also fundamentally limited by network-capacity constraints. The design and analysis of data-compression schemes for networks is rich research area with many open problems ranging from the fundamental mathematics right through to practical algorithm design.

This project will introduce the student to advanced concepts in coding and information theory with an emphasis on data compression in networks. The student will work closely with members of the coding and information theory group at the Institute for Telecommunications Research (ITR). This group is Australia's largest research group in the field of coding and information theory, and it has strong links with several leading international research organizations.

The project is intended to prepare the student for a future postgraduate research degree in information theory at UniSA and/or the ANU. A basic knowledge of communications theory and probability theory is essential. The project duration will be eight weeks.

Contacts: Dr Ingmar Land, Dr Roy Timo and Dr Gottfried Lechner


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Ian Wark Research Institute

Ian Wark Research Institute website

Synthesis of Peptide-Assembled Optically Responsive Nanoparticle

Nanotechnology, Biomaterials - This project would be suitable for students in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Molecular Biology and related areas with an interest in materials science.

Recently, biologically assembled nano-sized noble metal particles and clusters have attracted significant attention due to their unique chemical, physical, electronic and surface properties. These nano-objects have led to advances in the fields of device fabrication, photochemistry, electrochemistry, optics, magnetic, electronics, medicine and catalysis. The conformational change of biomolecules stimulated by controlling the environmental conditions such as temperature, solvent, pH, ion concentration is a novel bottom-up approach for template-mediated synthesis of such bio-conjugates. The bio-conjugates of plasmonic nanoparticles (nanoparticles whose optical properties are controlled by their size, shape and geometry) are highly promising for imparting optical responsiveness into nano-scale structures; and is of significant importance for numerous applications including sensors, optically triggered drug delivery, biological assay, immunoassay, microfluidic devices.

In this project a novel biomimetic protein (protein molecule synthesised borrowing amino-acid segment from nature) rec-1 resilin and its environment (pH, temperature etc) dependent organization will be employed to develop novel multifunctional fluorescent inorganic nanoparticles. Particular emphasis will be given to gold and gold/silver nanoparticles. The self-organization pathways of the protein template and the developed nanoparticles will be characterized using state-of-the art scattering, spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The student working in the projects will have the opportunity to work in an interesting branch of nanotechnology and develop in depth understanding of different spectroscopic and microscopic techniques including dynamic light scattering, ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV/VIS), fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) etc.

Contact: Dr Naba Dutta


Electrospinning of Composite Membranes for High Temperature Fuel Cell Applications

This project would suit a chemical engineering, chemistry or engineering student with interest in materials science.

The fuel cell represents a fundamentally promising but different way of generating electrical power from a variety of fuels, which converts the chemical energy of a fuel and oxidant directly into electrical power. The key features of a fuel cell are its high-energy conversion efficiency, cleanliness and fuel flexibility. The polymeric proton exchange membrane (PEM) is one of the key components in solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC). PEM fuel cells offer high power density, possess no corrosive liquids, are relatively simple, and operate at relatively low operating temperatures (50 oC-95 oC) and pressure (<5 atm). In a typical PEM fuel cell, a polymeric membrane provides the ionic path between the anode and the cathode of the galvanic cell and serves to separate the two-reactant gases. A profound drawback of current PEM, common to all aqueous-based proton exchange membranes, in general, is their inability to operate at temperature higher than 100oC, or under lower humidity, for extended periods.

This project will address the critical issue of operating proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) at above 100oC - a temperature desirable for several technical reasons, but destructive to current PEM and catalyst components. The project aims to develop and characterise composite polymeric membranes for high temperature fuel cell membranes. Such composite membranes utilise an inert, mechanically stable porous polymeric membrane matrix and a proton conducting component which could be an ionic liquid, ionomer or functional inorganic nanoparticle, or a combination of those materials.

Electrospinning will be used to create highly porous membranes consisting of polymer nanofibers. Such membranes will possess very high porosity and excellent inter-connectivity, making them ideally suited as a matrix for highly proton conducting materials required for fuel cell applications. The project also involves characterisation of the membranes, using techniques such as electrochemical and thermal analysis in order to assess its suitability for use in high temperature fuel cells. The project will thus examine the novel materials' proton conductivity, electrochemical property under different temperature and humidity to draw a structure-property-performance relationship.

Contact: Professor Namita Roy Choudhury


Increasing composite particle recovery by optimizing the flotation medium characteristics 

Minerals and metallurgical processing; chemical engineering; physical chemistry

Value minerals locked in composite particles in coarse size fractions is the single largest contribution to value mineral loss from many base metal sulfide flotation plants. The coarse particle flotation rate is controlled by detachment of particles from bubbles, which in turn is dependent upon particle hydrophobicity and flotation cell turbulence. For composite particles, containing regions of hydrophobic value and less hydrophobic gangue, the bubble may attach to the hydrophobic region of high contact angle but the expansion of the three phase line of contact is limited due to the presence of hydrophilic regions.  Hence, the equilibrium contact angle may never be achieved, and the force of attachment is decreased relative to that possible for homogenous particles containing only the hydrophobic value mineral. Studies within P260E project have revealed that dramatic increases in the recovery of homogeneous coarse particles can be achieved by simply increasing the medium viscosity. This proposed project will further explore the influence of the separating medium (viscosity, specific gravity) on the detachment of composite particles from bubbles. This project objectives will be to investigate the conditions for detachment of model composite particles from bubbles under controlled turbulent and pulp rheological conditions, in particular pulp density.

Expected outcomes: To determine the critical hydrophobicity of composite coarse particles (including % liberation, distribution and size of each phase) for a specific size fraction to be floated for a given power input under different pulp rheological conditions. The flotation characteristics of synthesis composite particles, eg lead borate - silica composite, will be investigated after altering the medium specific gravity by adjusting either % solids of suspended particles (ferrosilicon), and/or medium viscosity by addition of viscosity modifiers.  

Contacts: Dr Hamid Manouchehri, Professor Stephen Grano and Associate Professor Daniel Fornasiero


Iron ore flotation - hematite and quartz selectivity issues

Minerals and metallurgical processing; chemical engineering; physical chemistry

Long chain collectors, in particular C12-C18 alkyl ether amines, are used for separation of hematite from quartz by flotation. Amines are adsorbed at the quartz/solution interface to hydrophobise quartz. Selective separation is attained by using a modifier agent (corn starch) which adsorbs preferentially at the hematite/solution interface reinforcing its naturally hydrophilic character.  Market demands for hematite concentrates dictate that the SiO2 concentrates must be less than 1%, thus it will be a challenge to maximize the quartz flotation to the concentrate and hematite recovery to the tailing.  Iron ore deposits, containing hematite, exhibit different mineralogical composition and textures.  The hematite content can vary from 60 to 95% occurring in two distinct habits; ie slab-shaped and rounded. Slab-shaped hematite shows predominant faces parallel to crystallographic planes (001) while 'granular' (rounded) particles are likely to show crystal faces parallel to planes (101), (102) and (113). Slab-hematite particles show a sphericity factor very much smaller than rounded-hematite particles. In practice it is considered that slab shaped hematite particles are lost into the froth product to a greater extent than granular hematite particles. In selective separation of hematite from quartz, hematite floats and a loss of Fe recovery occurs mainly because:

  1. Starch molecules do not adsorb very well onto hematite/water interface, mainly onto crystal faces (001) which are very common at slab shaped particles
  2. Slab shaped particles of hematite are dragged to the froth layer, regardless of their size
  3. Fine particles of hematite, regardless of their shape, are dragged to the froth layer.

The main objective of the proposed project is to determine if the hematite particles float because of their shape and size (i.e., physical reasons for loss of recovery) or because their surface properties are not appropriate for depression. Samples will be collected and ground to specific size fractions and laboratory flotation tests will be conducted. The particles from concentrate and tails will be analyzed by shape (Qem-Scan analysis). Furthermore, different size fractions of hematite will be hydrophobized to different contact angle and the floatability of the hematite of different shape as a function of contact angle and size will be determined.

Expected outcomes: The results from the study will reveal the mechanism(s) for misreporting of hematite to the froth product and silica to tailing product

Contacts: Dr Hamid Manouchehri and Professor Stephen Grano


Comparison between dry and wet grinding in flotation characteristics of sulphide minerals

Minerals and metallurgical processing; chemical engineering; physical chemistry

Although the main objective of grinding in mineral processing is size reduction and achieve decent liberation of value from associated gangue minerals, grinding may cause mechanochemical activation of the mineral surfaces, including phase transformation, surface activation, chemical reaction, etc. Studies have revealed that grinding environment has a major influence on the mechanochemistry of the solids resulting in changes in solid characteristics in subsequent processing, such as flotation. 

Industrially, wet grinding is preferred to dry one since it is more energy efficient and causes less bulk structural deformation. Structural changes in minerals have effect on their flotation characteristics. Metal ion sorption onto sulfide minerals during wet grinding and conditioning results in changing on surface properties of sulfide minerals and their flotation characteristics. In comparison, dry grinding results in oxidation of grinding. In general, different structure and enthalpy for minerals in wet and dry grinding results in different flotation respond. The proposed project objective is to explore whether different grinding environment have significant effect on flotation and recovery of sulfide minerals or not? Therefore, the effect of dry and wet grinding on surface characteristics, collector adsorption, and thereby flotation characteristics of sulfide minerals will be investigated. Surface analysis methods, ie XPS, ToF-Sims, SEM and AFM, will be used to identify the differences in surface roughness, surface topography, and collector adsorption of ground particles in wet and dry environment. Flotation tests will be conducted to explore the enhancement in flotation recovery of value minerals.

Expected outcomes: The outcome will lead to well understanding the effect of grinding environment on surface characteristics, morphology, collector adsorption, and flotation of sulfide minerals

Contacts: Dr Hamid Manouchehri and Associate Professor Daniel Fornasiero


Size reduction, surface cleaning, and evidence for preferential oxidation of fine sulfide minerals

Minerals and metallurgical processing; chemical engineering; physical chemistry

The importance of the grinding and its environment in flotation and recovering of fine particles, in particular fine sulfide minerals, is evident. Research studies have revealed that by controlling the grinding environment an optimum criterion for recovering fine valuable minerals can be defined. Increasing fine particles recovery and enhancing depression of gangue sulfide minerals can be performed by grinding conditions. However, the importance of the mechanism of size reduction in milling, e.g., abrasion vs impact in stirred media mill, on the floatability of different size fractions is still unclear which is the main focus of the current proposed project. Furthermore, the influence of breakage on fine particle oxidation and hydrophobicity will be explored. The project seeks to investigate the effect of impact and abrasion mechanisms of size reduction in an Isa Mill by controlling the media size relative to the feed particle size. Furthermore, surface analysis techniques will be employed to explore the role of surface cleaning, i.e., removal of hydrophilic oxidized layers on flotation characteristics of the fine value minerals. The oxidation state and hydrophobicity of the ensuing fine particles generated in size reduction will be determined.  The project objectives are to enhance the surface cleaning action relative to size reduction of stirred media mill (IsaMill) and to determine the effect of surface cleaning on the hydrophobicity and flotation properties of the original particles and fine particles produced from breakage.  Furthermore, subsequent effects on hydrophobicity, of fine particles generated in grinding will be explored.

Expected outcomes: The outcome will lead to establish a milling strategy to produce unoxidised particles irrespective of the feed surface condition.

Contacts: Professor Stephen Gran, Dr Hamid Manouchehri and Dr. Max Zanin


Generation of particle-stabilized emulsions in a microfluidic chip

Microfluidic technologies are challenging our conventional views of fluid processing. Microscopic droplets have become the vessel of choice for nanolitre-scale reactions, high speed analysis, and efficient separations. Emulsion stability is crucial to a wide variety of commercial applications, including food processing, composite materials, cosmetics, and explosives. The stability of conventional emulsions is largely determined by the surfactant present at the liquid-liquid interface; however, nanoparticles may also be used to generate 'particle-stabilized emulsions' with superior stability against coalescence. In this project, particle-stabilized emulsions will be generated in microfluidic channels and their stability will be determined by inducing controlled collisions at microfluidic junctions.

Contacts: Dr Catherine Whitby and Dr Craig Priest


Particle detachment from bubbles: an interfacial study

Control over bubble and drop stability is crucial to a wide variety of commercial applications. The presence of particles may produce bubbles and drops with superior stability against coalescence. In processes such as wastewater treatment and oil recovery this can be highly undesirable and significantly increase the cost of these operations . In this project, particle-stabilized bubbles will be generated and their stability in the presence of chemical agents which may cause particle detachment will be investigated using surface-sensitive techniques.

Contact: Dr Catherine Whitby


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