Is spider venom the solution to controlling locusts? What secrets do underwater Golden Kelp forests hold? And can the propolis of native stingless bees spawn a new health industry?
Three University of the Sunshine Coast researchers will work with industry to investigate, after securing a total of almost $1 million in funding in the latest round of the Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowships program, announced today.
The fellowships support researchers partnering with industry to complete original research that will have a positive impact on Queensland.
UniSC marine ecologist Dr Alexandra Campbell has secured $360,000 towards research on Golden Kelp forests, a project that will investigate ways to better understand and restore South East Queensland’s remaining underwater seaweed forests.
UniSC chemistry academic Dr Trong Tran has received $360,000 to help unlock the potential of stingless bee propolis for a sustainable future.
His project will expand on research by UniSC’s Centre for Bioinnovation that identified for the first time 16 types of Australian high-grade propolis, or ‘bee glue’ produced by honeybees, brimming with enough antioxidants and other chemical properties to spark a new national industry for food and health products. [Read more here]
UniSC Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Shaodong Guo has been awarded $240,000 towards creating eco-friendly insecticides from spider venom for locust pest control.
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