James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2001

SCHOOL OF BIOMEDICAL AND MOLECULAR SCIENCES

The Australian Institute of Tropical Veterinary and Animal Science

ANIMAL HEALTH

Aquatic Pathobiology

Diseases of prawns and their health management.
Diseases of farmed fish species.

Microbiology

Immunological and molecular studies on Brucella suis in pigs.
Development of a diagnostic ELIZA test for bovine botulism.
Molecular and immunological studies on Mycoplasma bovis and its distribution on dairy cattle.
Listeria monocytogenes in tropical beef production systems.
The development and evaluation of a multivalent Pasteurella multocida type A vaccine against Fowl Cholera in Asian poultry.
Role of Mycoplasma bovis in bovine clinical and subclinical mastitis.

Parasitology

Epidemiology and control of a range of intestinal and tissue parasites of livestock in northern Australia and SE Asia (especially Fasciola gigantica and Trypanosoma evansi).
Onchocerca gibsoni in cattle as a model for Onchocerca volvulus in humans, its diagnosis and control.
Canine and rodent babesiosis: aspects of cell mediated immunity, including the role of cellular messengers and cytokines.
Arthropod vector-parasite relationships, with reference to the development of the parasite within its vector (haemoprotozoa and filarial nematodes).

Pathology

The pathology of disease in saltwater crocodiles and marine turtles.

Virology and Immunology

Immunological and molecular techniques for the detection and monitoring of Marek’s disease virus infection.
Study of prawn endocrinology using immunological techniques.
Strain differentiation techniques for Newcastle disease virus.
Infectious bursal disease: isotype-specific immune responses and viral detection.

ANIMAL PRODUCTION

Reproductive Physiology and Biology

Embryonic development and mechanisms of establishment of pregnancy.
Control of reproduction in Bos indicus cattle.
Bull fertility, selection and use in extensive tropical environments.
Nutritional effects on ovarian function in cattle.
Physiological mechanisms in the development of puberty in heifers.
Biology of the male and female reproductive tracts and their interactions.

Nutritional physiology and metabolism

The role and underlying mechanisms of the relative quantitative variations in muscle/adipose tissues in production/ performance and health of mammals.
Feed and management strategies for improved reproductive efficiency in cattle.
Breeding and feeding of tropically adapted pigs.

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Molecular biology, evolution and biochemistry of plant carbonic anhydrases.
Regulation of C3 and C4 photosynthesis.
Biotechnology of crop plants.
Development of novel herbicides.
Cold tolerance of C4 plants.
Molecular biology of dengue virus replication.
Bacterial signal transduction.
Protein-protein interactions.
Biochemical investigation of symbiosis in corals and clams.
Dinoflagellate Rubisco and CO2 fixation.
Evolution of developmental mechanisms.
Molecular developmental biology of animals.
Coral evolutionary genetics.
Molecular genetics of light-harvesting in dinoflagellates.
Molecular evolution.
Regulation of gene expression in animals and plants.
Biological function of protein protease inhibitors.

Chemistry

Synthesis of biologically and pharmacologically active molecules; medicinal chemistry.
Macrocyclic ligands as specific reagents for metal ions and small molecules.
Host-guest and supramolecular chemistry; molecular recognition; molecular devices.
Synthetic and structural studies of organometallic chemistry of main group and lanthanoid elements.
Spectroscopic, stereochemical and reactivity studies of polymetallic molecular assemblies and their application to photochemical molecular devices.
Molecular structure, molecular assemblies and molecular interactions using x-ray diffraction, NMR and ESR.
Theoretical and computational chemistry.
Computer modelling applied to atmospheric chemistry and to transition metal clusters.
Novel active compounds from marine organisms and terrestrial plants.
Environmental geochemistry of metals in natural water systems.
Role of organic molecules in the ecology of marine organisms.
Dimethylsulfide in the GBR lagoon and Southern Ocean.
Marine pollution studies.
Chemical and physical speciation of metals in natural waters.
Chemistry of mango skin browning.

Institute of Sport and Exercise Science

Physiological profiles of athletes under hot and humid conditions.
Predictive indicators of human performance under hot and humid conditions.
Temperature regulation during exercise in extreme hot and humid conditions.
The identification of risk factors in groin injuries.
The influence of tissue compliance in motor control and protection from injury.
The mechanisms underlying stretch exercises and their role in the prevention of injury.
Mathematical and computer modelling of the musculo-tendinous system.
Notational analysis of dominant movement patterns in sport and exercise.
Electromyographic (EMG) feedback in training.
Peripheral vision and reaction times as performance indicators.

Microbiology and Immunology

Control of fasciolosis due to Fasciola gigantica.
Vector potential of north Queensland Tabanids for Trypanosoma theileri and T. evansi.
Epidemiology of infection due to T. evansi.
Nematode pests of sugar cane.
Nematophagous fungi in ovine and bovine faeces in north Queensland.
Control potential of tea tree oil for banana and papaya diseases.
Ratoon stunting disease of sugar cane.
Microbial loss of sucrose in continuous sugar cane crushing.
Canine and rodent babesiosis.
Host/vector relationships of ticks and mosquitoes.
Penaeid prawn virology.
Gene probe development of aquatic diseases.
Avian adenoviruses.
Immunochemical technologies for detection of alphavirus antigens and immune responses.
Specific diagnostics for Dengue and other flaviviruses.
Comparative studies of Asian isolates of infectious bursal disease.
Pathogenesis of Berkholderia pseudomallei infection.
The role of Mycoplasma bovis in bovine clinical and subclinical mastitis.
Role of Helicobacter pylori in human gastric ulcer disease.
Characterisation and pathogenesis of Bohle Iridovirus.
Studies on Cherax baculovirus in the red claw.
Penaeid prawn immunity to disease.
Epidemiology of bovine botulism.
Microbial degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons.
Taxonomy, ecology and significance of Vibrio species.
Expression of the Clostridium botulinum toxin heavy chain molecule formed as a vaccine immunogen and diagnostic antigen.
Marek’s disease of poultry, immunological and molecular aspects.
Diagnostic tests for Trypanosoma evansi.
Molecular diagnosis of herpes virus diseases.
Expression of viral proteins in baculovirus
Mycorrhizal associations with eucalypts.

Physiology and Pharmacology

Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy applied to whole animal studies – brain and spinal cord injury; heart metabolism; muscle exercise and fatigue; hypoxia and ischaemia; liver toxicology; carcinogenesis.
Control of oxygen consumption and ion gradients.
Placental development in early stages of pregnancy.
Cellular proliferation and differentiation in reproductive tissues.
Glucose homeostasis.
Pharmacotherapy in brain injury following trauma or neonatal hypoxia.
Pharmacological characterisation of neuropeptides and their receptors.
In vitro neuropeptide release studies – the effects of neurotoxins.
Receptor structure/function relationships.
Drug metabolism and biological free radical toxicology of hallogenated environmental pollutants.
Corticosteroid therapy in chronic lung disease.
Interrelationships between temperature and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in tissue and organ injury.
Cellular adaptation to drugs of abuse.