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PM's science prizes to be announced next week

Next Wednesday evening, 31 October, the Prime Minister will announce the winners of the 2012 Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science at a dinner in the Great Hall of Parliament House, Canberra.

We have password-protected media kits for the five winners available online here.

There will be a media briefing in the Great Hall at noon on Wednesday 31 October, all details of the prize winners are under a strict embargo of 5pm on Wednesday 31 October.

If you need to know in advance who the winners are, call Niall Byrne on 0417 131 977 or email niall@scienceinpublic.com.au.

[Read more…] about PM's science prizes to be announced next week

Galaxies in the thick of it grow up fast

In a quest to learn more about our own galaxy, a Sydney astronomer has identified dozens of previously unknown galaxies in a distant cluster.

Using one of the world’s largest optical telescopes, Dr Amanda Bauer—an ARC Super Science Fellow at the Australian Astronomical Observatory—and her team around the world have been studying this cluster closely. They have found that the galaxies close together in the crowded centre of the cluster mature faster than those in isolation on the cluster’s outskirts.

“We are trying to find out why galaxies stop growing and mature, because this will tell us something about the ultimate fate of our own galaxy, the Milky Way,” Amanda says.

A galaxy grows when it is forming new stars. Amanda is trying to find out what stops galaxies from doing this, therefore reaching maturity. [Read more…] about Galaxies in the thick of it grow up fast

Cardiology, TB, aging and immunology – Centenary wins support for research thrust

Centenary scientists have won over $5 million in the latest NHMRC grant round – with seven research grants and three early career fellowships.

The development of a TB vaccine, the genetic regulation of ageing, the fundamental workings of the immune system, the genetic basis of heart disease—these are some of the research areas of key interest to Centenary Institute for which the Australian Government has announced funding through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). [Read more…] about Cardiology, TB, aging and immunology – Centenary wins support for research thrust

Turmeric could spice up malaria therapy

A Centenary researcher is off to New Delhi to study the impact on cerebral malaria of the major ingredient of turmeric, curcumin.

Dr Saparna Pai has been awarded an Australian Academy of Science Early-Career Australia-India Fellowship to investigate curcumin’s action on immune cells during malaria infection. The Fellowships were announced by the Academy during the visit to India of the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.

[Read more…] about Turmeric could spice up malaria therapy

Milk that protects against HIV

Melbourne researchers have developed cows’ milk that protects human cells from HIV.

The milk contains antibodies which defend against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

The next step will be to develop it into a cream which women can apply to protect themselves from contracting HIV from sexual partners.

Melbourne University’s Dr Marit Kramski and colleagues found that using cows to produce HIV-inhibiting antibodies is cheaper than existing methods.

They worked with Australian biotechnology company Immuron Ltd to develop the milk. The scientists vaccinated pregnant cows with an HIV protein and studied the first milk that cows produced after giving birth.

The first milk, called the colostrum, is naturally packed with antibodies to protect the newborn calf from infections. The vaccinated cows produced HIV antibodies in their milk.

“We were able to harvest antibodies specific to the HIV surface protein from the milk,” said Marit, who is presenting her research this week as one of the winners of Fresh Science — a national program for early-career scientists.

“We have tested these antibodies and found in our laboratory experiments that they bind to HIV and that this inhibits the virus from infecting and entering human cells,” she said.

Cows cannot contract HIV. But their  immune systems develop antibodies against the foreign protein.

The HIV-inhibiting antibodies from cows’ milk will be developed into a cream called a microbicide that is applied into the vagina before and /or after sex to protect women from contracting sexually transmitted infections. Other microbicides are being developed around the world but the antibodies in this research are easier and cheaper to produce, providing a new HIV-prevention strategy.

“We hope that our anti-HIV milk antibodies will provide a user-friendly, female-controlled, safe and effective tool for the prevention of sexually acquired HIV infection,” Marit said.

“If proven effective in humans, it will empower women to protect themselves against HIV.”

About 30 million people are living with HIV globally and there is presently no effective vaccine for humans.The research was supported by the Australian Centre for HIV and Hepatitis Virology Research and the NHMRC.

Marit and her colleagues are now developing plans for animal and human studies.

Marit Kramski is one of 12 early career scientists unveiling their research to the public for the first time thanks to Fresh Science, a national program sponsored by the Australian Government.

An example of Marit’s work is online here: http://aac.asm.org/content/early/2012/05/30/AAC.00453-12.abstract

 

Marit Kramski analysing cells on a computer (Credit: Gregor Lichtfuss)

Marit Kramski in the lab

Marit Kramski describing her research in the time it takes a sparkler to burn. Credit: Thami Croeser

Marit Kramski, left, in a lab at The University of Melbourne with frozen milk containing HIV antibodies. Her colleagues Behnaz Heydarchi, middle, and Rob Center, right are pictured with her.

 

Sustainable fuels throw up health concerns

Compounds that affect respiratory health have been found in biodiesel exhausts. This might lead to restrictions on the use of this form of biofuel as an alternative to fossil fuel, according to researchers from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

“With fossil fuel reserves dwindling, developing renewable alternative fuels is important,” postdoctoral fellow Dr Nicholas Surawski says, “but we should be particularly careful to protect against unwanted respiratory illness when we adopt new transport fuels.” The team is now looking at ways of cleaning up biofuel exhausts.

Nicolas is one of the 2012 Fresh Scientists, presenting his work for the first time to the public.

The team looked at a range of biodiesels made from soy, tallow and canola.

Using specialised analytical monitoring equipment developed at the University, they discovered that burning diesel fuels with a high percentage of biodiesel (up to 80%) produced higher emissions of compounds linked to respiratory disease. These biologically active compounds are called reactive oxygen species and form on surface of small soot particles in the exhaust emissions. Reactive oxygen species can lead to the cell damage called oxidative stress which, over long periods of time, can progress to serious respiratory disease.

“This is a very important discovery,” Nicholas says. “Now we’ve identified a component of the emissions that causes the problem we can start to look for solutions.

The research team, led by Professor Zoran Ristovski, is now focusing on understanding the way the reactive oxygen species in the emissions are generated, and on how to remove them.

This work is aimed at providing the transport industry with fuels that not only have a favourable environmental impact, but also that place a lesser burden on respiratory health.

Images and video footage to support the story are available on request from the research team.

The research was published in Environmental Science and Technology.

For interviews:

Nicholas Surawski describing his research in the time it takes a sparkler to burn. Credit: Thami Croeser

 

Can your gums tell you if you will get arthritis?

Adelaide scientists have found that mice with gum disease develop worse arthritis.

The scientists are using this knowledge to investigate whether treating mouth conditions could help relieve arthritis.

As part of  her PhD studies, Melissa Cantley worked with colleagues at the University of Adelaide to develop a new way to study these two diseases and their relationship. She is presenting her research this week as part of Fresh Science — a national program for early-career scientists. [Read more…] about Can your gums tell you if you will get arthritis?

In London for dinner—with an Australian ceramic rocket

Melbourne researchers are doing rocket science with ceramics.

They have developed a cheaper and more efficient way of making the complex, heat-resistant parts needed to build tomorrow’s rockets and hypersonic airliners.

Using clever chemistry to modify a standard method of casting ceramics in a mould, they have developed an alternative to the traditional technique of forming these ceramics as blocks at high temperatures and pressures. And their new method, a form of slip casting, allows them to generate ultra-high-temparture ceramic components at lower temperatures and pressures, which do not require extensive machining, hence saving time and energy. [Read more…] about In London for dinner—with an Australian ceramic rocket

Offshore fish farming produces bigger, healthier tuna

Port Lincoln tuna are bigger, healthier and happier when they are kilometres offshore, according to a study by University of Tasmania researchers.

Tuna are normally farmed near the shore, but a study published in the international journal PLoS ONE found that southern bluefin tuna thrive when they’re raised further out to sea.

The researchers collaborated on the world’s first commercial-scale trial of offshore fish development, finding that tuna farmed in deep, turbulent waters gained weight twice as fast as fish reared closer in. They also had better survival rates and superior health. [Read more…] about Offshore fish farming produces bigger, healthier tuna

Whole black carrots reveal the key to gut health

Black carrots have revealed how fruit and vegetables help maintain gut health and reduce the risk of developing cancer.

The antioxidant compounds they contain combine with fibre to play an important role in protecting the colon from cancer, Dr Anneline Padayachee from the University of Queensland has  discovered.

The compounds, known as polyphenols, are released from the plant cell during chewing. However, Anneline found that the majority of polyphenols are bound to fibre during this process. She found they were not free for absorption until they reached the colon in the final stages of digestion.

[Read more…] about Whole black carrots reveal the key to gut health