Winners Of The 2008 Awards For Excellence In Innovation At The Sydney Conference
CRC for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC) - Winner
2008 Awards for Excellence in Innovation
Making Deep Cuts in CO2 Emissions
CRC for Greenhouse Gas Technologies – Winner – Award for Excellence in Innovation 2008 for the application and use of research, (from left) Ms Bernie Hobbs (MC); The Hon Tony Staley AO (CRCA Chair); Mr Michael Hartmann (CRCA CEO); Dr Geoffrey Ingram (Regional Manager Australasia, Schlumberger Carbon Services); Dr Tess Dance (CSIRO Researcher); Dr Peter Cook CBE (CO2CRC CEO); Senator Kim Carr (Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research); Dr Geoff Garrett (CSIRO CEO and Board member).
The Otway Project of the CRC for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC) is an Australian first and a world-leading greenhouse gas technology project, which will geologically store 100,000 tonnes of CO2 at a depth of 2km in western Victoria. CO2CRC has taken the concept of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Australia from a fringe idea to one that is now a vital component of government and industry greenhouse policy nationally and internationally.
CCS involves capturing carbon dioxide that would otherwise be emitted to the atmosphere, compressing it, transporting it to a suitable site, and injecting it into deep geological formations where it will be trapped for thousands or millions of years.
CRC for Molecular Plant Breeding - Winner
2008 Awards for Excellence in Innovation
Cross Outcome Prediction
CRC for Molecular Plant Breeding – Winner – Award for Excellence in Innovation 2008 for the application and use of research, (from left) Ms Bernie Hobbs (MC); The Hon Tony Staley AO (CRCA Chair); Mr Michael Hartmann (CRCA CEO); Dr Russell Eastward (Australian Grain Technologies); Dr Karen Cane (Vic Department of Primary Industries); Senator Kim Carr (Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research).
Plant breeding is a time-consuming process, taking as long as fifteen years from initial cross to final release to farmers. The cross prediction technology developed by Dr Howard Eagles and collaborators allows breeders to optimise crossing decisions, and thereby reduce the total number of crosses.
The technology is used routinely by many of the largest Australian breeding programs, and has delivered significant cost savings to breeders.
CRC for Oral Health Science - Winner
2008 Awards for Excellence in Innovation
Tooth Mousse Plus
CRC for Oral Health Science – Winner – Award for Excellence in Innovation 2008 for the application and use of research, (from left) Ms Bernie Hobbs (MC); The Hon Tony Staley AO (CRCA Chair); Mr Michael Hartmann (CRCA CEO); Prof Eric Reynolds (CRC for Oral Health Science CEO); Mr Stephen Haynes (Manager Australasia, GC Corporation), Senator Kim Carr (Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research); Dr Geoff Garrett (CSIRO CEO and Board member).
Innovation by Australian CRC repairs damaged teeth around the world.
Tooth Mousse Plus is a topical treatment that prevents dental decay and reverses the damage decay causes to teeth. Developed and commercialised by scientists in the CRC for Oral Health Science, Tooth Mouse Plus is now recommended to patients by dentists in 35 countries.
The paste, which is applied to teeth and gums, is the world’s first commercially available product to improve the effectiveness of topically-applied fluoride by combining it with peptide-calcium phosphate nanocomplex. Studies have shown that the new combination penetrates 10 times deeper into teeth than traditional fluoride preparations, resulting in greater tooth protection and repair.
CRC for Sustainable Resource Processing - Winner
2008 Awards for Excellence in Innovation
Sustainable Researchers: CSRP School Teacher Professional Development Program
CRC for Sustainable Resource Processing – Winner – Award for Excellence in Innovation 2008 for education and training, and public outreach activities, (from left) Ms Bernie Hobbs (MC); The Hon Tony Staley AO (CRCA Chair);Dr Nicholas Welham (University of Ballarat); Mr Michael Hartmann (CRCA CEO); Dr Dan Churach (Education Manager CRC for Sustainable Resource Processing); Mr Ken Seymour (Murdoch University); Mr Stevan Green (CEO, CRC for Sustainable Resource Processing); Senator Kim Carr (Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research); Dr Geoff Garrett (CSIRO CEO and Board member).
The CRC for Cooperative Resource Processing (CSRP) has implemented an innovative Teacher Professional Development Program as an effective tool in addressing the decline in the number of young people studying the physical sciences.
When speaking of “sustainability issues” facing Australia today, it would be both short sighted and counterproductive to ignore the importance that an ample supply of human capital has on the long term viability of our economy. The increasing shortage of young people choosing careers in the minerals industry goes beyond Australian shores and is rapidly becoming a global problem.
Outcomes of the CSRP Program are that 500 teachers are already involved in the program and that ~60,000 school students are taught and influenced by these teachers. The program will continue in Western Australia and Queensland and will expand into Victoria in 2008.
Early Career Scientists – 10 Minute and 3 Minute Presenters at the CRCA Sydney Conference 2008
Winner - 10 Minute Presenter at the Conference
Mr David Nisbet
New Stem Cell Strategies for Nerve Regeneration
Mr David Nisbet, Early Career Scientist from the CRC for Polymers, the winner of the 10 minute presentation with Ms Bernie Hobbs, MC and Dr Geoff Garrett, CSIRO Chief Executive and Board Member.
David Nisbet a Monash PhD student from the CRC for Polymers has developed a technique which has the potential to revolutionise nerve regeneration using stem cells and “smart” nanomaterials. This major advance in stem cell research also provides a boost to the search for treatments for crippling conditions, particularly in the areas of Parkinson’s Disease and spinal cord injury.
Nerves lost due to degenerative diseases or spinal cord injury are not regenerated and the consequences for the patient are severe. Engineering principles and stem cells will be used to regenerate damaged nerves restoring function to the patient. This will be achieved by engineering next generation polymer materials that assist stem cells in replacing damaged nerves.
A scaffold has been constructed that supports neural stem cells and provides important signals to assist nerves to regrow. The scaffold is generated from plant seeds and provides a three-dimensional platform and anchor point for the cells. It functions in a similar way as the temporary scaffolding in building construction – after the scaffold has served its purpose it degrades away leaving the cells to exist on their own natural matrix. These scaffolds are also capable of guiding nerves within the body to specific locations.
Winner – 3 Minute Presenter at the Conference
Ms Emily Piper
Australian Cattle Producers are Ticked Off!
Ms Emily Piper, Early Career Scientist from the CRC for Beef Genetic Technologies, the winner of the 3 minute presentation with Ms Bernie Hobbs, MC and Dr Geoff Garrett, CSIRO Chief Executive and Board Member.
Emily Piper, a PhD student from the Beef CRC is aiming to find a clean, green way of controlling cattle ticks. Currently, synthetic insecticides are used to control the cattle tick (Rhipicephalus microplus) but they are costly to producers and their use could possibly leave residues in food products and the environment.
Found in tropical and subtropical environments worldwide, the blood-sucking cattle tick costs Australian cattle producers more than $175 million per year in control costs and lost production. Heavy tick infestation can also kill animals if they are left untreated.
Emily’s work focuses on identifying the mechanisms responsible for “natural” host resistance against cattle ticks.
Some breeds of cattle such as the Brahman are naturally more resistant to the cattle tick and ticks will die rather than feed on them. However European breeds such as the Holstein-Friesian and Hereford become heavily infested when there are many ticks in the field. Controlling ticks by using resistant breeds is not new; however, it is difficult to identify highly resistant animals, especially in cross breed animals.
Emily has show that Brahman animals have a different profile of immune cells to that of the susceptible Holstein-Friesian animals. The Brahman cattle had more B cells and helper-T cells in their blood, while the Holstein-Friesian cattle had more macrophage type cells.
