Research Highlights

Just some of the fantastic research outcomes supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council (ARC).

Active on Twitter? Tag @arc_gov_au in your ARC-funded research highlights. Twitter hashtag #ARCResearchHighlight.

Image: T-cell receptor (space filling, on top) binds to the DQ2 molecule (ribbon and mesh).

The molecular heart of celiac disease revealed

24 April 2014

Media issued by Science in Public

Researchers at the new ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaginghave discovered how immune cells bind to wheat proteins that trigger celiac disease. They have described the molecular basis of how most of the immune cells (T cells) that induce celiac disease lock onto gliadin, a component of gluten, thereby triggering inflammation of the lining of the small intestine. This is what gives many celiac sufferers symptoms similar to food poisoning after eating a slice of toast. The work opens the way to potential treatments and diagnostics.

Photo credit:

Image courtesy: ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging

Image: A "pioneer" in her field, Professor Simmons has built a formidable research team at UNSW.

Pioneer physicist joins elite academy

24 April 2014

Media issued by UNSW

Congratulations to ARC Laureate fellow and Scientia Professor of Physics, Michelle Simmons, who has been elected a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Professor Simmons is Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology at The University of New South Wales.

There are currently only ten Australian Foreign Honorary Members of the Academy.

ARC CEO Professor Aidan Byrne has commended Professor Simmons on this prestigious election.

"This election acknowledges Professor Simmons's outstanding contribution to Australian knowledge and innovation, particularly through her ongoing leadership, teaching and world-first research breakthroughs with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology."

Photo credit:

Image Courtesy: UNSW Australia

Image: Xanthe Croot and James Colless uncovered a way to study what happens when electrons in quantum dots interact with sound waves of the solid they are trapped in.

Probing the sound of a quantum dot

24 April 2014

Media issued by The University of Sydney

Physicists from the ARC Centre of Excellence in Engineered Quantum Systems (EQuS) and The University of Sydney's School of Physics have discovered a method of using microwaves to probe the sounds of a quantum dot—a promising platform for building a quantum computer.

PhD candidates, James Colless and Xanthe Croot, uncovered a way to study what happens when electrons in quantum dots interact with sound waves of the solid they are trapped in.

Photo credit:

Image courtesy: The ARC Centre of Excellence in Engineered Quantum Systems Image credit: Professor David Reilly, The University of Sydney

Bailing out the world's fresh water bank

14 April 2014

Media issued by The National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training

An Australian-based water scientist is testing a new technology to help save imperilled underground water resources in Australia and around the world as climate change tightens its grip on the global food supply.

Dr Margaret Shanafield of the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training at Flinders University has developed a ground-breaking way to measure how much water is stored underground when big rivers are allowed to flood.

Image: Fish swimming amongst carbon dioxide bubbles off the coast of PNG.

Fish respond adversely to ocean acidification

14 April 2014

Media issued by The ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies

In a world-first study published today, researchers have found that fish in the wild respond adversely to ocean acidification.

“Fish living at natural carbon dioxide seeps have abnormal behaviours similar to what we’ve observed in previous laboratory experiments,” says the lead author of the study, Professor Philip Munday from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University. He adds that the carbon dioxide levels at the seeps are similar to what is predicted for the oceans in the second half of this century.

Photo credit:

Image courtesy: Alistair Cheal

Image: Thousands of stories in more than 25 Indigenous languages are being digitised.

Unique archive of Indigenous stories opens to the world

7 April 2014

Media Issued by Charles Darwin University

A living archive that is breathing life back into thousands of Indigenous language books created decades ago was launched at Charles Darwin University (CDU) on 7 April.

The archive is an ARC-funded project which aims to preserve thousands of stories in more than 25 Indigenous languages as a resource for Indigenous communities, students, academics and the public to use and to contribute to. It was launched by Dr Tom Calma AO.

CDU Northern Institute Professor of Education and project leader Michael Christie, delivered a public lecture as part of the launch.

More information about the Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages is available from the CDU website.

Photo credit:

Image courtesy: Charles Darwin University

Image: Jo Whittaker, recent ARC DECRA recipient.

2013 Fellow at work – Jo Wittaker: rocking geophysics

4 April 2014

Media issued by Science in Public—L'Oreal

Recently boosted by winning a prestigious three-year, $389 339 ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award, Dr Whittaker is working to understand how plumes of molten rock drive the movement of continents, and how the internal workings of the planet form the landscapes on the surface.

She presented a talk in San Francisco at the American Geophysical Union last year and has been invited to speak at the European Geophysical Union Annual meeting in Vienna in April.

More information about Dr Whittaker's research can be found here.

Photo credit:

Image courtesy: L'Oréal Australia/sdpmedia.com.au

Tobacco plant has key to fighting cancer

2 April 2014

Media issued by La Trobe University

Scientists at La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science have identified a tobacco plant's natural defence mechanisms could be harnessed to kill cancer cells in the human body.

The defence molecule, called NaD1, works by forming a pincer-like structure that grips onto lipids present in the membrane of cancer cells and rips it open, causing the cell to expel its contents and explode.

The discovery is the result of a multidisciplinary collaboration. The research utilised equipment at the Australian Synchrotron and was supported by an ARC Discovery Project grant, Hexime Ltd., Balmoral Pty Ltd.

Photo credit:

Image courtesy: Dr Fung Lay

Private land 'can help save Australia's imperilled wildlife'

31 March 2014

Media issued by the ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions

Researchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions (CEED) and The Australian National University (ANU) have found that unprotected areas are faring far better than old conservation reserves as sanctuaries for the nation's woodland birds. This is because some private lands, when compared with old conservation areas, contain more flat and fertile habitats where woodland birds prosper, say Professor David Lindenmayer and Ms Laura Rayner of CEED and ANU. The finding indicates that unprotected areas have great potential to conserve and restore native wildlife. The researchers also found that landowners who join Landcare groups or have off-farm incomes are more likely to undertake native revegetation, which may help to restore biodiversity on their lands. Professor Brendan Wintle of CEED and Unimelb says this is one of the first biodiversity models to combine social with ecological data.

Immune cell defenders protect us from bacteria invasion

31 March 2014

Media issued by the The University of Melbourne

An international team of researchers, including University of Melbourne staff, supported by the new ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging and the National Health and Medical Research Council, has identified the exact biochemical key that awakes the body's immune cells and sends them into fight against bacteria and fungi.

The patented work provides a deeper understanding of our first line of defence, and what happens when it goes wrong. It will lead to new ways of diagnosing and treating inflammatory bowel disease, peptic ulcers and even TB. It could also lead to novel protective vaccines.

Active on Twitter? Tag @arc_gov_au in your ARC-funded research highlights. Twitter hashtag #ARCResearchHighlight.

The molecular heart of celiac disease revealed

Pioneer physicist joins elite academy

Probing the sound of a quantum dot

Bailing out the world's fresh water bank

Fish respond adversely to ocean acidification

Unique archive of Indigenous stories opens to the world

2013 Fellow at work – Jo Wittaker: rocking geophysics

Tobacco plant has key to fighting cancer

Private land 'can help save Australia's imperilled wildlife'

Immune cell defenders protect us from bacteria invasion

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Active on Twitter? Tag @arc_gov_au in your ARC-funded research highlights. Twitter hashtag #ARCResearchHighlight.

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