Griffith University researchers have been awarded more than $2 million in Australian Research Council (ARC) funding in the the ARC Discovery Indigenous and ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award schemes announced by the Federal Minister for Education Dan Tehan MP this week.
Vice Chancellor and President Professor Carolyn Evans said the awards demonstrated the impact of Griffith’s research in providing research solutions to solve the major problems of today and expanding human knowledge and understanding.
“The diversity of projects approved for 2021 further highlights the University’s commitment and capacity to produce high-impact, future-focused research for the betterment of society in Australia and across the world,’’ Professor Evans said.
ARC Discovery Indigenous
Associate Professor Naomi Sunderland (AEL, Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre) awarded $820,000 (including a Discovery Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award) for the project titled ‘The role of First Nations’ music as a determinant of health’.
This project aims to track how First Nations’ music and musicians are shaped by, and in turn may shape, powerful social determinants of health in Australia. The project responds to calls for health approaches that are strength based, First Nations-led, and culturally secure.
ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher
Dr Stacy Tzoumakis (AEL, Griffith Criminology Institute) awarded $422,660 for the project titled ‘Gender differences in the prevention of youth victimisation and offending’.
This project aims to investigate how early family, individual, and school factors can be targeted to prevent victimisation and offending among vulnerable male and female youth.
“It will generate new knowledge on gender-specific risk and protective factors of victimisation and offending; and the effectiveness of school-based social-emotional learning programs for males and females,’’ Dr Tzoumakis said.
“Determining which early risk and protective factors of offending and victimisation trajectories to target bygender will help to inform the development of effective preventative interventions for vulnerable youth.”
Dr Yuhai Dou (Sciences, Environmental Futures Research Institute) awarded $404,748 for project titled ‘Single-Atom Catalysts on Atomically Thin Nanomaterials for H2O2 Production’.
This project will develop atomically thin nanomaterial to enable economically viable technologies for eco-friendly hydrogen peroxide production, which is a key chemical used in a range of industries. It will set a solid scientific foundation to enable economically viable technologies for eco-friendly hydrogen peroxide production and bring significant socioeconomic benefits to Australia.
Dr Jun Zhang (Sciences, Queensland Micro & Nanotechnology Centre) awarded $420,000 for project titled ‘Multiphysics inertial microfluidics: from fundamentals to applications’.
Early detection and monitoring of disease are two key factors for cancer therapy. The traditional diagnostic method — tissue biopsy can only be applied when the cancer is developed and symptoms are obvious.
“This project will apply liquid biopsy through circulating tumour cells to enable easy access to tumour information for diagnosis, prognosis and targeted treatment,’’ Dr Zhang said.
“This funding will help to develop advanced technology for cell separation in chemistry, biology and medicine and the outcome will enhance the research capability of Australian biomedical and the pharmaceutical industries.”
