ARC Future Fellowship Awards

Dr. James McCaw has received the prestigious award of an ARC Future Fellowship

Dr. James McCaw, from the Melbourne School of Population Health, in the University of Melbourne  has  received the prestigious award of an ARC Future Fellowship working in the field of mathematical modelling of infectious diseases.  Under the leadership of Associate Professor Jodie McVernon, Dr McCaw works with a team of outstanding post-doctoral research fellows in the Melbourne School of Population Health conducting both basic scientific research and applied public health policy work. He obtained his PhD from the University of Melbourne (2004) in mathematical physics, where he examined the classification of solutions to periodically perturbed quantum mechanical systems.  His current interests include the study of the within-host dynamics of influenza infection, the use of historical data sources from past influenza pandemics to inform pandemic preparedness plans, and investigation of the role of antiviral agents to control influenza. He also has an interest in the characterisation of social-contact networks and how their structure impacts upon disease transmission.

His research intersects with the Defence Science Institute's themes in two broad ways.
Firstly, the quantitative methods he has developed for analysis of within-host dynamics are ideally suited to assessing the "fitness" or transmissibility of novel pathogens, including those of potential concern in a military or civilian context.
Secondly, his interests in social-contact networks extend to concepts of social cohesion and robustness, of relevance to disaster management planning, particularly in the event of widespread transmission of a highly pathogenic biological agent.

Associate Professor James Bailey awarded an ARC Future Fellowship

Congratulations to Associate Professor James Bailey from the Department of  Computer Science and Software Engineering at the University of Melbourne who has been awarded a prestigious four-year ARC (Australian Research Council) Future Fellowship.

Associate Professor Bailey’s project will analyse “Smart comparison and assessment of prediction models for better health using next generation data mining”. This project will develop principles for the smart management of large collections of prediction models using data mining, enabling more timely medical interventions for Australians to live healthier and longer. Prediction models can be used to provide early warning of events, such as adverse medical outcomes.  

This work has important applications for the DSI in the area of real-time health monitoring of soldiers.

Dr. Brant Gibson awarded an Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowship

Congratulations to Dr Brant Gibson from the School of Physics at the University of Melbourne for his prestigious ARC Future Fellowship award for his project ‘ Hybrid Diamond Materials for Next Generation Sensing, Biodiagnostic and Quantum Devices’

This Future Fellowship will draw on world leading expertise in hybrid diamond materials to develop a revolutionary quantum-photonic platform.   Combining the exquisite properties of nanodiamonds, containing negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres, with advanced optical glasses[1]^,[2], inorganic and organic compounds will enable new architectures for sensing, biodiagnostic and quantum devices.  The project will deliver a radical change from existing methodologies to facilitate applications in remote magnetic-field gradiometry, biosensing on the nano-scale for defence and medical devices and the manipulation of light for quantum information processing.  This research will establish Australia as a leader in the future of hybrid diamond materials.

This project presents a unique opportunity to undertake research in the area of hybrid diamond materials which is aligned with the DSI themes of Active and multi-functional materials along with the National Research Priority Area of Safeguarding Australia and the National Research Priority Goals of Transformational defence technologies and Protecting Australia from terrorism and crime.

Harnessing the knowledge and capabilities within these DSI themes and National Research Priorities offers a unique prospect to develop innovative and rapid solutions to counter serious terrorist threats.  This Future Fellowship has a strong strategic alignment with DSI and it will develop technologies which can Safeguard Australia.