Monash leads Australia-India research collaboration
Dr Paul Verma - one of the successful AISRF applicants
Monash projects have been awarded almost a quarter of the $5 million in available funding through Round 5 of the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF).
Monash Professors Alan Bond, Keith Murray, Raymond Norton and Dr Paul Verma will work alongside experts from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, the Central Electrochemical Research Institute and the Indian Institute of Science.
By combining their expertise, researchers hope to make important contributions to overcoming real-life global challenges.
In the field of medical research, Professor Norton’s project seeks to develop innovative approaches to the design of malaria vaccines to encourage stronger immune responses, while Dr Verma will lead the construction of a novel bioreactor and cell that could improve efficiency in the production of stem cell cultures.
To meet the environmental and energy challenges facing the globe, Professor Murray’s research aims to develop new kinds of molecular magnetic materials that could yield new nanotechnology applications, while the research team led by Professor Bond will investigate the physical and chemical changes associated with energy conversion in fuel cells.
Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Edwina Cornish said the opportunity to build on existing collaborative projects with our partners in India is welcomed.
"We're delighted to be allocated such a significant proportion of the funding through this round and believe the projects will produce outcomes to benefit not just communities in Australia and India, but worldwide," Professor Cornish said.
"Our partnership with India through the India Institute of Technology - Bombay (IITB) is long standing and we're pleased to be able to expand our research programs with other organisations."
A total of 18 collaborative research projects received a share of $5 million allocated during Round 5 of the AISRF.
Matched funding has been provided to India-based researchers by the Government of India.