Asia–Pacific research and industry collaborations to address shared challenges

Australian-led collaborative projects to help address the Asia–Pacific affordable housing crisis, tackle hepatitis B and monitor the impact of coastal climate changes are amongst five research organisations to receive $897,210 collectively in Australian Government funding today.

The funding is provided under the first round of the $3.2 million Regional Collaborations Programme, which is administered by the Australian Academy of Science and is part of the National Innovation and Science Agenda.

The grants will support Australian researchers and businesses who are collaborating with partners in our immediate region to develop innovative solutions to shared challenges.

The projects will build strong regional partnerships across a wide range of fields including agricultural and environmental sciences, transport and construction, health, manufacturing and materials sciences.

The biggest grant, $379,210 over three years, goes to Academy Fellow Alan Cowman FAA FRS and his team at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. Together with partners in Indonesia and Japan they will use the grant to understand mechanisms leading to immunity and resistance to malaria and severe dengue fever.

Other grants include collaborative projects between:

• the University of Melbourne, and partners in Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand and China to establish an Asia–Pacific research network on sustainable materials and prefabricated systems to address the housing crisis in the region through resilient affordable housing ($210,000 over two years).

• the University of South Australia, and partners in New Zealand and Japan to overcome barriers to the mass production of biomedical devices to promote improved health care outcomes for ageing populations ($180,000 over three years).

• the University of Melbourne, together with partners in China, Singapore, USA, Canada and France to establish an international coalition to support the discovery of a safe, affordable, scalable and effective cure for hepatitis B ($83,000 over 15 months).

• the University of Wollongong, and partners in Indonesia and the United Kingdom to develop regional monitoring of coastal climate change impacts using remote sensing technologies ($45,000 over three years).

The Regional Collaborations Programme is designed to build strong linkages between Australian researchers and businesses and their Asia–Pacific regional counterparts by supporting multi‑partner science, research and innovation collaboration activities that address issues of significance to our nation and the region.

The programme also supports greater mobility among our technical and research workforce, and builds Australia’s research capability by linking to global science and research networks and infrastructure.

More information on the Regional Collaborations Programme