An international collaboration reveals a new definition of sustainability that expands the concept to non-human species and their needs.
Published in Global Sustainability, the research led by Dr Christoph Rupprecht, a Griffith University alumnus now at the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, identifies a critical flaw in the original concept of sustainability.
“Past resource management based definitions of sustainability have ignored the fact that the wellbeing and needs of all living creatures is interdependent in ecologically complex ways,” Dr Rupprecht said.
Dr Natalie Osborne from Griffith University’s School of Environment and Science
Dr Natalie Osborne from Griffith University’s School of Environment and Science said the new multispecies concept of sustainability overcomes this flaw, meeting the needs of current and future generations of all species.
“We combined the latest research on how species interact, ecologically and socially, with insights from Indigenous scholars and cybernetics, the study of communication in complex systems, to develop our concept of multispecies sustainability.
“This research showcase the potential wide-ranging applications to help human-wildlife coexistence and radically rethinking urban green-space design.
“It could not only change how we plan and design cities as more-than-human habitats, but also broaden community engagement and transform how we measure economic productivity and well-being in urban environments.”
“Whether you look at climate change, biodiversity decline or microplastic pollution, sustainability efforts are failing across the board. But radical transformation requires the right tools, ” Dr Rupprecht said.
“Only a concept that understands and fosters complex multispecies relationships can help sustain the well-being of species depending on one another, today and tomorrow.”
Visualisations of sustainability to date display environment, society and economy with an equal weighting, despite the latter two being entirely depend on the environment.
Past visualisation of the sustainability displaying environment, society and economy with an equal weighting
Multi-species visualisation of sustainability demonstrating the interdependence of human, animal, plant and microbial societies
“In contrast, our conceptual models demonstrate the interdependence of human, animal, plant and microbial societies,” Dr Osborne said.
“They emphasises how the earth system including landscapes, cities and the bodies of living things are shaped by shared agency.”
Dr Rupprecht acknowledges that many of the world’s best practices in terms of sustainability have been developed by Indigenous people and are part of traditional ecological knowledge systems.
“These societies and cultures have the best track records in co-existing with other species,” said Dr Rupprecht.
The team hopes their findings will be a starting point for exploration and discussion about topics ranging from what multispecies cities might look like, to the implications of a multispecies inspired concept of public health.
Griffith University researchers were central in developing the Asian Development Bank’s world leading water security index, the Asian Water Development Outlook (AWDO) 2020, released the past week.
Over the past two years, researchers from the Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith’s International Water Centre and the University of Queensland’s Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC) have established and managed a number of the criteria or key dimensions used by the AWDO to rank the water security of 49 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
“The Asian Water Development Outlook is one of the most comprehensive and holistic water security indexes available,” said Dr Lachlan Guthrie from Griffith’s International Water Centre, who led the development and management of key dimension related to Rural Household Water Security.
“It recognises the essential, but relatively small volume, of water used by the world’s most vulnerable people in rural households,” he said.
“AWDO gives a detailed current status and trajectory for national water security in 49 countries. It helps prioritise investment and improve equity in water access,” said Professor Steven Kenway from the AWMC, who developed the Urban Water Security component of AWDO.
Despite Asia’s impressive growth in economic and social welfare during the last decades, 1.5 billion people living in rural areas and 0.6 billion in urban areas still lack adequate water supply and sanitation.
Of the 49 Asian and the Pacific countries assessed, the water security index identified 27 that face serious water constraints on economic development and 18 that have not sufficiently protected their inhabitants against water-related disasters.
National water security scores across the five key dimensions
“Importantly, the AWDO 2020 has included an environmental perspective of water security,” said Dr Ben Stewart-Koster from the Australian Rivers Institute who led the development of the Environmental Water Security aspect of the security index.
“Countless examples around the world show that water security is severely reduced because of unhealthy aquatic ecosystems.
“The work we did on the AWDO provides a platform to start to address this and has the potential to improve the water security of countries in the region.”
Griffith University was also involved with the creation of the Urban Water Security section of the AWDO, which was led by a team from the University of Queensland.
“It is great to be involved in the confluence of such a strong group of water researchers,” said Professor Mark Pascoe from Griffith’s International Water Centre who oversaw the project.
“Griffith University’s involvement in the Asian Water Development Outlook confirms our reputation as world leaders in water governance and integrated water management.”
Thousands of young Queenslanders have now received their high school results, but for those who didn’t get their dream ATAR there are still plenty of pathways to university.
Griffith University Senior Vice Chancellor Professor Debra Henly says students have more options than they realise.
“At Griffith there are several pathways to help students improve their selection rank, upgrade to their preferred undergraduate degree or satisfy subject prerequisites and even if you didn’t complete Year 12 we have access schemes that can help you gain admission to university,” Professor Henly explained.
“We have a long tradition ofrecognisingthe skills and knowledge gained through Vocational Education and Training (VET) for instance.
“The University partners with Griffith College, TAFE Institutes and private providers to offer admission pathways into a range of undergraduate degrees.
“Your academic achievements or personal circumstances can also help you get into your preferred degree.
Mitchell Paternoster in the Aviation Simulation lab on Nathan campus
“Our adjustment factor pathways, including the Gold Coast and Logan Priority Access Pathway, Educational Access Scheme (EAS), Elite Athlete Adjustment Factors, Year 12 Subject Adjustment Pathway and Guaranteed Admission Scheme, can help to get students into their preferred course.
“Students can also improve their selection rank by undertaking studies in an alternative Griffith degree and then moving into their chosen course.”
A year into a Bachelor of Aviation at Griffith, even in a pandemic year, Mitchell Paternoster is excited about his career prospects, once the industry recovers from the COVID-19 downturn.
“It has definitely been challenging and daunting for aviation but when we graduate the industry will pick up again,” he said.
Mitchell came to study at Griffith via direct entry, with the Diploma of Business he completed while in high school taken into account, even though he didn’t graduate with an OP.
“I wanted to do aviation for as long as I could remember,” he said.
“When we started discussing alternate pathways to help me get into aviation, my careers counsellor at school said that Griffith had a scheme that recognised a VET qualification.”
“Its been a good year. I’ve been really enjoying university.
“I’ll tell anyone who is worried about a low ATAR score that it definitely isn’t the end of the world and there are always pathways to get where you want to go. You just need to put your mind to it and work towards it.”
Mitchell Taylor at his 2015 graduation with now wife Rebecca.
It’s a statement echoed by current Master of Finance student Mitchell Taylor, who left school without an OP determined to make a career as a dancer, when injury ended his dreams. It was only then he realised his true calling, in the finance and insurance sector where he now works for QSuper.
“I never thought I would be able to go to university and I didn’t even finish grade 12, so I didn’t have the ability to apply,” he said.
“When I injured myself I realised that the dancing dream I had since I was a boy was unlikely to happen.
“I completed a Certificate course and sat an external exam which gave me the ability to apply for an undergraduate course at Griffith University.
“Speaking from experience, I wish someone had told me there were other pathways into University.”
Griffith’s Explore your Options online event kicked off the day ATAR results were released, with personalised advice via online chat available from 8am Saturday 19th of December.
“Heading to university for the first time is a major life moment, so there’s real value for students in having the chance to discuss their options with an expert, to make sure they’re fully informed about potential pathways into university,” Professor Henly said.
“No matter their situation, Griffith’s study advisers can help students understand their study options and pathways into the degree program of their choice, if they don’t initially achieve the entry rank.
“You can chat online with our expert study advisers 21-24 December, 9 am–2 pm daily (AEST).”
ATARs were released to 2020 Queensland Year 12 Students on Saturday 19 December and QTAC offers are scheduled to be made on Wednesday 23 December.
In what has been an extraordinary year, more than 600 students have already accepted offers to study at Griffith in 2021 through the new Year 12 Early Offer Guarantee, which introduced early degree offers based on Year 12 Semester 1 results or VET qualifications.
The new scheme was developed to provide some certainty for school leavers in what have been uncertain times. Offers were issued on 20 November.
A team of Griffith University archaeologists has been awarded a coveted place in Science magazine’s top-10 scientific breakthroughs of the year for their work on the discovery of the world’s oldest known rock art.
The team, led by Professors Maxime Aubert and Adam Brumm from the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research (GCSCR) and the Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution (ARCHE) discovered and dated a cave painting at least 44,000 years old in Sulawesi, Indonesia which portrays a group of part-human, part-animal figures — ‘therianthropes’ — hunting large mammals with spears or ropes.
Photo credit: Ratno Sardi.
“It represents our species first evidence of storytelling,” Professor Brumm said. “The figurative depiction of hunters as therianthropes may also be the oldest evidence for our ability to imagine the existence of supernatural beings, a cornerstone of religious experience.
“This is the first time such a detailed visual narrative or ‘story’ has been identified so early in the vast record of prehistoric cave art worldwide.”
The journal Science noted that the discovery “decisively unseats Europe as the first place where modern humans are known to have created figurative art” and demonstrate that our species had “already passed an important cognitive milestone: the ability to imagine beings that do not exist.”
Other research mentioned in this year’s prestigious list include the speedy development of Covid-19 vaccines, the discovery of the first room temperature superconductor, the first use of genome-snipping technology known as CRISPR to cure genetic disease in humans, and the development of an artificial intelligence (AI) program that accurately preÂdicts most protein structures.
“We are thrilled to be awarded this honour”, said Professor Aubert, “it highlights excellence in scientific collaboration between Indonesia and Australia.”
Photo Credit: Ratno Sardi
Griffith PhD student and Indonesian rock art expert Adhi Agus Oktaviana said his rock art surveys in Sulawesi with Professors Aubert and Brumm and fellow PhD student Basran Burhan have uncovered many new cave sites with spectacular figurative paintings that still await dating, but he has also observed the alarming deterioration of this art at almost every location.
“The cave wall surfaces on which the paintings were made are peeling off at an astonishing rate, erasing the art,” Oktaviana said.
“It would be a tragedy if these exceptionally old artworks should disappear in our own lifetime. But it is happening, so we need to understand why this globally significant rock art is deteriorating – and now.”
This is not the teams’ first international accolade. Their research was also recognised in Science Magazine the top-10 scientific breakthrough of 2014 and in the National Geographic Magazine top-20 scientific discoveries of the decade (2010-2019).
“In what has been a very tough year for Griffith it is wonderful to see our researchers making world-class discoveries that are changing our understanding of the human story,” said Vice Chancellor Professor Carolyn Evans.
“This is a well-deserved recognition of the bold contributions of our students and academic staff.The work illustrates beautifully the confluence of the arts and sciences and has profound implications for modern understanding of people, human thought and behaviour,” added Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) Professor Mario Pinto.
Two Griffith University law graduates passionate about social justice are reshaping the profession.
Minnie Hannaford and Maddy Harrington were recently elected to the Queensland Law Society‘s (QLS) Future Leaders Committee.
The new committee will put issues like mental health and diversity at the top of the agenda, providing a platform to help young lawyers change the culture of their profession.
Griffith Law School graduate Maddy Harrington
One of Australia’s first openly transgender lawyers, Maddy is hoping to make the legal profession more inclusive.
“You can’t be what you don’t see, and so I use my visibility as an openly transgender woman to show that being in the law is not off limits to people of transgender experience,” she said.
“I’m comfortable, open and out, but I’ve had friends who’ve had very different experience in the legal profession.
“Times are changing, but there is still a lot of work to be done – these kinds of cultural changes don’t happen overnight.”
Griffith graduate Minnie Hannaford
Fellow Griffith Law School graduate Minnie Hannaford graduated in 2014, and has spent the past five years juggling a high-flying career as a litigator with pro bono work at community legal centres, helping refugees and asylum seekers navigate the legal process.
She is now an associate at a large national commercial law firm, Holding Redlich, and is keen to advocate for young lawyers across Queensland.
“Almost half of the members of the Queensland Law Society are 35 years and younger – this committee provides an opportunity for their voices and concerns to be heard,” she said.
“We have a great chance to make an impact on the profession at large.”
Minnie said her experience as a young woman of colour had made her determined to make the profession more open and inclusive of people from all backgrounds.
“The most obvious gains have been in gender diversity and I’ve noticed real change taking place, but the conversation can’t stop at gender,” she said.
“It can seem overwhelming, but that is no reason to stop having these discussions.
“This profession can be slow to change, but we’ve made giant leaps already and I’m excited to see how we can improve the experience of being a lawyer in Queensland.”
Born in Ethiopia and adopted by Australian parents at the age of three, Minnie said she was driven by a passion for social justice and equal opportunity.
“I’ve always been an advocate – I grew up knowing the value that comes from including people with different experiences and stories,” she said.
“The opportunity to study at Griffith shaped me in more ways than I realised. It fired my passion for social justice and a focus on ensuring that quality education is accessible to people from all backgrounds.
“I got into the legal profession to make the biggest impact I could – the law is something that affects all of us, it binds us together and touches every human.
“The experience I had at Griffith made me unafraid to be myself and make my presence known.”
Children are involved in technology-facilitated abuse in 27 per cent of domestic violence cases, a new eSafety report co-authored by Griffith University researchers reveals.
The report, commissioned by eSafety and funded by the Department of Social Services under theNational Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children 2010-2022, reveals that where domestic violence practitioners have knowledge of technology-facilitated abuse involving children, monitoring and stalking is the most prevalent type of abuse reported.
Lead researcher Associate Professor Molly Dragiewicz from Griffith Criminology Institute said the research provided clear evidence of the harmful effects of technology-facilitated abuse on children, including impacts on their mental health, education, and relationships with the non-abusive parent, as well as their everyday lives.
“This study provides evidence that children are highly involved in men’s domestic violence against mothers. Rather than being exposed to or witnessing abuse, children play a central role in coercive control,’’ she said.
“Abuse does not end at separation. With most families pushed into co-parenting post-separation despite histories of domestic violence, technology facilitated abuse often escalates at separation.
“The physical exchange of children provides opportunities for continued abuse and transfer of devices that can be used in technology-facilitated stalking.”
The report found common reasons for involving the child include wanting to threaten or manipulate, disparage or harass adult victims, or get information about the activities or location of child or adult victims.
It also found technology-facilitated abuse is typically perpetrated using common, commercially available devices and platforms — mobile phones, texting and social media — that do not require sophisticated technical expertise. It can even involve gaming devices such as Xbox or PlayStation. Many perpetrators don’t see their misuse of these technologies as abusive or part of domestic violence.
Associate Professor Dragiewicz said the research had become even urgent during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There has been greater reliance on technology. This has increased the opportunity for abuse, as reflected by the dramatic increase in image-based abuse and adult cyber abuse reports to eSafety this year.
“What is needed is a clear understanding of children’s experiences of technology-facilitated abuse to ensure that technology companies and intervention services are identifying it and developing appropriate responses to help victims and prevent future violence.
“Cybersecurity policy has a blind spot when it comes to intimate threats. The focus on corporate cybersecurity and threats from foreign hostile actors leaves out some of the most common cybersecurity threats, those from intimate partners.”
Children and technology-facilitated abuse in domestic and family violence situations was written by Griffith University researchers – Molly Dragiewicz Patrick O’Leary, Jeffrey Ackerman, Christine Bond, Ernest Foo, Amy Young and Claire Reid.
The combined use of probiotic and prebiotic supplementation may reduce the mortality rate of preterm infants if given in their first few months of life, a new Griffith University study has found.
Using advanced big data analysis to identify specific probiotic supplements, researchers from the School of Medicine analysed 45 randomised controlled trials with 12,320 participants from 19 different locations including the US, Asia, Europe, Africa and Australia.
They found Bifidobacterium plus prebiotic supplementation is the optimal intervention in reducing infant mortality, while Lactobacillus plus prebiotic supplementation is the optimal intervention in reducing necrotising enterocolitis (NEC).
The duration of treatment varied from two to nine weeks or covered the infant’s hospitalisation. Baseline parameters including gestational age, birth weight, sex and sample size were similar across the study.
“Despite improvements in gestation management and healthcare, pre-term birth remains a common and serious pregnancy problem,” says lead researcher Associate Professor Jing Sun from the School of Medicine.
“The prevalence of pre-term birth ranges from 5% to 18% across 184 countries and 15 million infants are born pre-term globally.
“As intestinal muscosa is a natural barrier for migration of bacteria, immature immune system and gastrointestinal tracts are at risk of complications and are a leading cause of neonatal death.”
Associate Professor Sun said recent studies suggest the composition of infants’ gut microbiota is affected by birth weight and gestational age.
“Altered gut microbiota has been proven to put infants at high risk of developing NEC and sepsis and they often present at a late stage.
“It is evident that early probiotic supplementation may benefit premature infants by improving their gastrointestinal tolerance again potential pathogens and regulating the altered gut microbiota to that of a healthy infant.
“We hope this study will contribute to a better understanding of combined probiotics and its effectiveness in reducing future disease burden caused by preterm birth.”
Effects of Probiotics in Preterm Infants: A Network Meta-Analysis has been published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Key Griffith University research projects have received $4.5 million in funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council.
Announced on December 15 by the Federal Minister for Health, The Honorable Greg Hunt MP, the seven Ideas Grants projects will contribute to vital health and medical research.
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) Professor Mario Pinto said the funding highlights the extraordinary work conducted by the University’s researchers in addressing major societal health challenges.
“These projects have the potential to make a significant difference to people’s health and wellbeing. I extend my congratulations and appreciation to all staff who have contributed to these efforts.”
More than half the funding for Griffith University was awarded to projects within theInstitute for Glycomics, withfour research projects securing $2.56 million to explore a super vaccine that tackles bothinfluenza virus andGroup A Streptococcus bacteria and other vaccine development projects that tackle other clinically important bacterial infections.
Institute Director Professor Mark von Itzstein AO said the awards cemented the Institute’s reputation as a leading biomedical research institute.
“Our institute is focussed on translational research outcomes that diagnose, prevent and treat diseases of global impact. These grants will significantly assist our researchers to deliver on our mission to achieve a disease-free world.”
NHMRC Ideas
Dr Mehfuz Zaman, Professor Mark von Itzstein and Professor Michael Good (Institute for Glycomics) awarded $707, 717 for the project ‘Vaccine to prevent Influenza Virus and Bacterial superinfection’ (Associate Professor Victor Huber, University of South Dakota).
Associate Professor Kate Seib, Professor Michael Jennings and Dr Arun Everest-Dass (Institute for Glycomics) awarded $826,490 for the project ‘Gonococcal vaccine development guided by a cross-protective meningococcal vaccine’ (Dr Caroline Thng, Gold Coast Health).
Dr Freda Jen, Associate Professor Kate Seib, Professor Michael Jennings and Dr Milton Kiefel (Institute for Glycomics) awarded $526,949.6 for the project ‘Targeting a bacterial glycol-Achilles heel to make new vaccines for Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae’.
Professor Michael Jennings, Associate Professor Thomas Haselhorst, Dr Lucy Shewell, Dr Christopher Day (Institute for Glycomics) awarded $608,425 for the project ‘Structure and biophysical analysis aided design of novel toxoid vaccines for a major class of bacterial toxins’ (Prof James Paton, The University of Adelaide, Prof Mark Walker, The University of Queensland and Prof Victor Torres, New York University).
Dr David Lloyd, Dr Claudio Pizzolato, Dr David Saxby and Dr Laura Diamond (Menzies Health Institute Queensland) awarded $860, 231 for the project Osteoarthritis compass: ‘Predicting personalized disease onset and progression with future capacity for clinical use’ (Dr Michelle Hall, Assoc Prof Adam Bryant University of Melbourne, Prof David Hunter, University of Sydney; Prof Juha Toyras, Dr Shekhar Chandra, Assoc Prof Craig Engstrom The University of Queensland; Dr Jurgen Fripp, CSIRO Australian e-Health Research Centre; Prof Rami Korhonen, University of Eastern Finland).
Professor Heidi Zeeman, Dr David Painter and Professor Elizabeth Kendall (Menzies Health Institute Queensland) awarded $513, 483 for the project ‘Dimensional Attention Modelling for Neglect Detection (DIAMOND): A novel application for brain injury’ (Prof Julie Bernhardt, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health).
Associate Professor Hang Ta (Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre/GRIDD) awarded $523, 342 for the project ‘Developing smart nanomedicine to enable advanced diagnosis and stimuli-responsive treatment for atherosclerosis and thrombosis’ (Dr Nghia Truong Phuoc, Monash University; Dr Gary Cowin, Dr Nyoman Kurniawan, Prof Zhiping Xu, The University of Queensland and Prof Karlheinz Peter, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute).
Griffith researchers involved in research led by other institutions
NHMRC Ideas
Prof Randipsingh Bindra, Dr Mo Chen, Assoc Prof James St John, Assoc Prof Jenny Ekberg, Dr Brent McMonagle (Griffith Health) are part of a team led by Assoc Prof Jeremy Crook (University of Wollongong) awarded $805,064.45 for the project titled ‘A wireless electric nerve-guide for peripheral nerve repair’ (Dr Eva Tomaskovic-Crook, University of Wollongong).
Assoc Prof Joshua Byrnes (MHIQ, Health) is part of a team led by Assoc Prof Maree Toombs (The University of Queensland) awarded $1,279,602.45 for the project titled ‘Advancing equitable and non-discriminatory access to health services for First Nations peoples: A multidisciplinary Queensland Human Rights Act case study’ (Dr Shivashankar Hiriyur Nagaraj, Queensland University of Technology; Jodie Luck, Mr DanielWilliamson, Queensland Health; Mr Jed Fraser, Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council; Prof Anthony Smith, Dr Claire Brolan Dr Caitlin Curtis, Dr Sandra Creamer, Prof Wendy Hoy, Dr Amelia Radke (The University of Queensland), Dr Kelly Dingli (Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council); Mr Gregory Pratt (The Council of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research)
ARC Linkage 2020 Round 1
Dr Pooja Sawrikar (School of Human Services and Social Work) is part of a Western Sydney University project led by Assoc Prof Rebekah Grace awarded $387,107 for the project ‘Upholding the right to cultural connection for children in care‘.
Griffith University’s Institute for Glycomics has been awarded $2.66 million in Ideas Grant funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to aid four vital research projects.
Director Professor Mark von Itzstein AO was delighted with the grant awards and said they cemented the Institute’s reputation as a leading biomedical research institute.
“Our institute is focussed on translational research outcomes that diagnose, prevent and treat diseases of global impact. These grants will significantly assist our researchers to deliver on our mission to achieve a disease-free world.”
Professor Michael Jennings and Dr Christopher Day were awarded$608,424.50for the project titled ‘Structure and biophysical analysis aided design of novel toxoid vaccines for a major class of bacterial toxins’with Dr Victor Torres, New York University.
“Cholesterol dependent cytolysins (CDCs) are bacterial toxins produced by many important human pathogens including Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) and Pneumococcus,” Professor Jennings said.
Strep A infections cause a range of diseases including pharyngitis, Scarlet fever and necrotising fasciitis. If left untreated, they can also lead to rheumatic fever, reactive arthritis and rheumatic heart disease.
“We have developed an innovative way of inactivating CDCs based on new knowledge of how they target human cells and will use this knowledge, andthisvital funding, to facilitate the development of novel vaccines.”
Associate Professor Kate Seibwas awarded $826,490for the project titled ‘Gonococcal vaccine development guided by a cross-protective meningococcal vaccine’ with Dr Caroline Thng, Gold Coast Health.
“Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacteria responsible for the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhoea, causes more than 100 million new infections each year and is an urgent public health threat,” Associate Professor Seib said.
“Control of gonorrhoea depends on the development of a vaccine due to the continuing increase of antibiotic resistance and the staggering outcomes of infection, including infertility and increased transmission of HIV.
“We know the bacteria causing gonorrhoea and meningococcal B disease are very similar, and our preliminary studies indicate that a widely licensed meningococcal vaccine, 4CMenB,induced antibodies that cross react withgonorrhoea.
“This grant will allow us to​furtherinvestigateif themeningococcal vaccine can protect against gonorrhoeaand determine the gonococcal antigens and type of immune response needed to mediate protection against gonorrhoea, thus guiding the development of a gonococcal vaccine.”
Dr Mehfuz Zaman was awarded $707,717 for the project titled ‘Vaccine to prevent Influenza Virus and Bacterial super-infection’ with Associate Professor Victor Huber, University of South Dakota.
“Patients with viral infections of the upper respiratory tract involving the influenza virus can sometimes develop further bacterial infections such as those caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A streptococcus), as well as other types of bacterial pathogen,” Dr Zaman said.
“Known as ‘super-infections’, the severity of such bacterial infections is significantly increased despite the availability of influenza vaccines, antiviral treatments, and antibiotics.
“This grant will help facilitate the development of a novel multi-pathogen vaccine candidate against major upper respiratory tract pathogens – Influenza A andbacterialpathogens responsible forsuper-infections.”
Dr Freda Jen and Dr Milton Kiefel were awarded $526,949.60 for the project titled ‘Targeting a bacterial glyco-Achilles heel to make new vaccines for Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae’.
“Neisseria gonorrhoeaecauses the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhoea.Haemophilus influenzaeis responsible for diseases such as middle ear infections in children, sinusitis in adults, and acute bronchitis in individuals, and is the major cause of exacerbations of chronic obstructive lung disease.Unfortunately, these two pathogens are becoming increasingly multi-drug resistant,”Dr Jen said.
“These diseases are a major health and economic burden, and in the absence of new drugs, a vaccine to prevent these diseases has emerged as a major unmet need in human health.
“This grant will enable us to develop a new vaccine that targets a bacterial-specific sugar that we have discovered is the Achilles heel of these bacteria.”
Soccer star Clare Polkinghorne has won a scholarship from the Australian Institute of Sport to help her juggle an elite sporting career and criminology studies at Griffith.
The pilot AIS Education Scholarship program is designed to ease the financial burden on athletes who are preparing for life beyond sport.
The Matilda’s veteran is studying a Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Griffith University while playing for the national side, captaining Brisbane Roar and playing club football in Europe.
Clare has represented Australia at four FIFA Women’s World Cups, four AFC Women’s Asian Cups and the Olympic Games. She is a two-time Premiership and Championship winner with the Roar, and the longest serving player on the Queensland side.
She said juggling the demands of sport and study wasn’t always easy, but is looking ahead to when her football days come to an end.
“This gives me many options post-football to continue with another career.” she said.
“Having something other than football to focus on actually helps me as a footballer.
“Study provides a different outlet for me, something else to focus on and recharges the batteries.
“I’ve always enjoyed learning and Griffith is a good fit.”
Clare receiving the award for Most Outstanding Sporting Achievement at the Griffith Sports Blues Awards.
Clare earlier completed a Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) before embarking on postgraduate studies. She said the Griffith Sports College had been instrumental in her journey through university.
“Without the support of the Griffith Sports College, I wouldn’t have been able to complete the study I have,” she said.
“It’s awesome to see how many athletes the College supports and it’s crucial for athletes to have that support to make sure they are able to reach their goals academically and in the sporting arena.”
Clare said juggling elite sport and tertiary study required “discipline, motivation and persistence”.
“There’s a lot of self-responsibility, especially when you’re travelling a lot and not having the contact hours at university,” she said.
“You need to have that drive in you to make sure you are doing everything you need to be doing in both study and sport arenas.”
Clare is determined to play at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, hosted by Australia and New Zealand. But after football, she is keen to explore a very different career path.
“I always thought I would join the police force. But at the moment, my Masters thesis research is looking at police mental health, which is a perfect blend of my psychology and criminology degrees,” she said.
“Police mental health is such an important yet under-researched area that demands more attention, not only in Australia but internationally – it’s definitely something I would be interested in pursuing.”
Clare will kick off her latest season with Brisbane Roar against the Newcastle Jets on 28 December.
