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23 innovative �ʹڲ�Ʊ projects received funding in the latest AEA Ignite Grant round – more than any other university.

Research projects to counter public health misinformation, advance DNA sequencing technology and improve renewable energy production are among the �ʹڲ�Ʊ initiatives greenlit by Australia’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) Ignite Grants. In total, 23 innovative �ʹڲ�Ʊ initiatives received the federal government funding for research commercialisation – more than any other university this round.

The AEA Ignite Grants support early-stage research commercialisation, focusing on projects with commercial potential. This round of grants prioritised projects across critical and strategic minerals processing, sustainable fuels, digital agriculture, quantum, artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced manufacturing.

Professor Bronwyn Fox, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Enterprise at �ʹڲ�Ʊ, congratulated the �ʹڲ�Ʊ researchers who were awarded a total of $8.2 million in funding.

“The AEA Ignite Grants will support the translation of pioneering �ʹڲ�Ʊ research into impact, ranging from critical developments in medicine to innovations in AI applications,” Prof. Fox said. “The number of �ʹڲ�Ʊ projects selected for funding reflects the deep and broad expertise of our researchers who will develop new technologies to support Australia’s national interests.”

Significant project support

Professor Raina MacIntyre from the Kirby Institute at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Medicine & Health received $499,932 for SENTIWATCH: Developing real-time sentiment analysis and disinformation warning using artificial intelligence within the EPIWATCH® AI epidemic alert system. The project uses AI tools and EPIWATCH – an advanced AI system for global epidemic surveillance that Prof. MacIntyre founded in 2016 – to identify and track health disinformation in relation to infectious diseases in real time.

“Disinformation, or ‘fake news’, is a significant challenge in today’s public health field, and unfortunately is a consequence of living in a highly connected world,” said Prof. MacIntyre. “It affects community sentiment, which in turn can affect vaccination rates and uptake of other health interventions.

“AI-driven solutions will help detect and combat disinformation as more threats emerge, and will provide early warnings of negative community sentiment, which can inform health promotion and public health messaging to communities.”

Associate Professor Lawrence Lee from the School of Biomedical Sciences at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Medicine & Health received $499,778 for Advancing low-cost, high-accuracy, long-read DNA sequencing technology to revolutionise clinical diagnostics and applied genomics for global healthcare improvement. The funding will help his startup, SWAN Genomics, commercialise an innovative new approach to DNA sequencing to deliver more accessible genomics data to existing and new markets.

“SWAN is transforming DNA sequencing with an approach that moves beyond the limitations of today’s short-read and long-read paradigms,” A/Prof. Lee says. “Our breakthrough technology stems from the expertise of a diverse technical team, which discovered an entirely new way to sequence DNA with unparalleled cost efficiency and without loss of information.

“Our single-molecule platform delivers unmatched flexibility, scalability, and affordability, redefining the future of genomics and unlocking its full potential in healthcare and biotechnology.”

Dr Rahman Daiyan from the School of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Engineering received $498,500 for OzAmmonia: closing the waste NOx cycle via green ammonia production, powered by renewable energy in Australia. The OzAmmonia technology is a patented electrolyser system that generates renewable ammonia from harmful gasses known as “waste NOx”.

“OzAmmonia has the potential to generate ammonia as a clean fuel and fertiliser from existing NOx sources, including mining, transportation, large-scale power generation, and shipping,” Dr Daiyan says. “The funding from the Australian Economic Accelerator is instrumental in expediting the next stage of commercialisation of the OzAmmonia technology, which to be taken to market, requires an integrated system that goes beyond the laboratory prototype.”

Professor Levon Khachigian from the School of Biomedical Sciences at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Medicine & Health received $493,550 for A novel bimodal small molecule that reinvigorates tired T-cells to fight melanoma. The project aims to reduce the personal and economic impact of advanced melanoma – the third most prevalent cancer in Australia.

“The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted drugs brought great hope for melanoma – a cancer notoriously resistant to chemotherapy,” Prof. Khachigian said. “However, many patients fail to respond, and those that do can stop responding over time, leaving them with no other treatment options.

“We anticipate that experimental drugs being developed at �ʹڲ�Ʊ in the spirit of impactful academic-industry partnership will enhance the anti-cancer efficacy of current therapies so that more patients can respond to treatment and remain in remission longer.”

Other �ʹڲ�Ʊ recipients of AEA Ignite Grants:

Lorenzo Solano from the School of Computer Science & Engineering at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Engineering received $480,000 for SPARK: designing sovereign pedagogical AI for reinforcing knowledge in Australian education.

Dr Di He from the School of Engineering & Technology at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Canberra received $472,534 for New carbon fibre recycling process.

Associate Professor Shaghik Atakaramians from the School of Electrical Engineering & Telecommunications at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Engineering received $457,978 for Rapid and affordable imaging for identification of grass seed infestation in Australian sheep.

Professor Bing-Jie Ni from the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Engineering received $451,587 for Novel biotechnology for anaerobic algae fermentation yielding sustainable liquid biofuels.

Associate Professor Hassan Habibi Gharakheili from the School of Electrical Engineering & Telecommunications at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Engineering received $433,050 for Commercialising artificial intelligence methods for detecting and preventing data breaches in the cloud.

Professor Seher Ata from the School of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Engineering received $405,326 for Strategic and critical minerals recovery using a novel acoustic flotation technology.

Associate Professor Emma Sierecki from the School of Biomedical Sciences at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Medicine & Health received $399,009 for Manufacturing automated microscopes for rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing.

Dr Yun Cheuk Leung from the School of Chemistry at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Science received $378,267 for Indigo revolution: Australia’s sustainable dye.

Associate Professor John Stride from the School of Chemistry at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Science received $348,930 for Light-based fingerprinting technology for authenticating provenance of high-value goods.

Dr Wei Deng from the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Engineering received $337,012 for Production of an affordable and safe delivery platform for gene therapies.

Dr Gail Kenning from The Big Anxiety Research Centre at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Arts, Design & Architecture received $320,949 for Commercialising therapeutic, artificially intelligent companions.

Dr Georg Von Jonquieres from the School of Biomedical Sciences at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Medicine & Health received $299,976 for Vision BaDGE electro-lens delivery of naked VEGFscav DNA is the future for wet-AMD eye disease therapy.

Professor Hamid Roshan from the School of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Engineering received $247,957 for iStress: an AI-driven in-situ stress estimation software for the minerals and resources industry.

Associate Professor Benjamin Turnbull from the School of Systems & Computing at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Canberra received $243,689 for an AI-powered media disinformation and cyber security defence training platform.

Dr Rui Zhang from the School of Systems & Computing at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Canberra received $199,052 for Health status estimation and resilient closed-loop supply chain for retired electric vehicle batteries.

Dr Shuai Nie from the School of Photovoltaic & Renewable Energy Engineering at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Engineering received $198,883 for Advanced inspection of next-generation solar cells: integrating novel characterisation methods with AI.

Mr Ryan Hall from the School of Photovoltaic & Renewable Energy Engineering at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Engineering received $198,743 for Advanced imaging analysis by AI for solar farm damage and degradation measurement.

Mr Dongchan Kim from the School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Engineering received $190,000 for Innovative high-pressure hydrogen injection technologies for diesel vehicle retrofit solutions.

Mr Kuruparan Shanmugalingam from the School of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering at �ʹڲ�Ʊ Engineering received $161,726 for Commercialisation of mobile AI tool for real-time characterisation of mine waste materials.