Australia announces funding for 19 international research projects
Australian researchers are welcoming the announcement of AUD 5.2 million (EUR 3.2 million) for 19 research projects involving international partners. Seven of the new projects involve cooperation under the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) for research, and 14 in total involve European partners. 'World-class science is currently being undertaken in Australia and these projects allow these leading researchers to participate further in the international science community, enriching our partnership with other countries,' said Australian Minister for Education, Science and Training, Julie Bishop. The 19 projects are receiving funding under Australia's International Science Linkages (ISL) competitive grants scheme. The initiative is part of the Government's 10-year 'Backing Australia's Ability' plan, which has a budget of AUD 8.3 billion (€5.12 billion). The projects involving European partners cover: - developing nematode-resistant wheat; - reversing diabetes in dogs using liver-directed gene therapy; - manufacturing microarrays of gradient chemical activity at the micron scale using plasma processing technology; - developing an ultra-fast optical switch for 100 gigabytes (Gb/S) per second optical networks; - developing plant types able to deal with climate change; - organising a workshop on the mechanics-based design of materials; - hosting a congress on optics and opto-electronics communications; - developing flexible colour computer displays based on self-organising polymer coatings; - investigating novel microbial technologies for the improved treatment of industrial wastewater; - understanding leaf growth in plants; - developing new drugs targeting the microgial peripheral benzodiazepine receptor; - using advanced optical technologies to help control and optimise performance of fusion reactors; - developing technologies for effective communication in work groups, particularly in clinical network teams in health services; - hosting an international symposium on veterinary laboratory diagnostics.
Countries
Australia