Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI)
More and more, the mining industry has
to deal with the concept of responsible
growth – growth that makes economic
sense and is environmentally and socially
responsible.
Because of this, the industry is increasingly
turning to SMI for new and unique ways of
addressing these responsibilities.
SMI’s research is driven by the need to
identify the signifcant challenges facing the
minerals industry, including:
– more effective energy systems
– managing water
– optimising resource extraction
– human factors interfacing with mining plant
– planning for mine closure
– social impact issues
– the meaning and application of
sustainable development principles
– addressing the technical issues and social
impacts of coal seam gas.
Students
Areas of research that would be of interest
to postgraduate students include:
– social and behavioural research
associated with communities and their
interaction with major industries
– use of mathematical modelling for
technical, environmental, spatial, and
mineral economics problems
– examining the principles of sustainable
development
– developing energy effcient mining
systems and mineral processing
– links in water and energy management
– applying risk analysis methodology in safety,
health and environmental applications
– measuring coal seam gas impacts.
Research centres
SMI encompasses the Julius Kruttschnitt
Mineral Research Centre, the Centre for
Mined Land Rehabilitation, the WH Bryan
Mining Geology Research Centre, the
Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre,
the Centre for Social Responsibility in
Mining, the Centre for Water in the Minerals
Industry, and the Centre for Coal Seam Gas.
Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI)
Queensland Brain Institute (QBI)
Signifcant advances in neuroscience
are bringing fundamental understanding
of brain development, diseases and
neurological disorders closer and, with
it, the promise of improved therapeutic
treatments for patients.
QBI has taken the unique strategic
approach of working to discover the
fundamental mechanisms that regulate
brain function: QBI neuroscientists
investigate neural function using molecular,
electrophysiological, computational and
behavioural approaches.
Its AUD$63 million facility accommodates
more than 300 scientists and support staff,
led by a team of 33 Principal Investigators.
Advanced technologies
QBI’s modern facilities include single and
multi-photon cellular imaging, a Sequenom
mass spectrometer, the Illumina HiSeq 2000
second generation DNA sequencer, a 16.4
Tesla animal MRI and 4T human MRI for
advanced imaging, plus a cell-sorting facility
and extensive capabilities in animal and
human behavioural testing.
In 2012, QBI established the Centre
for Ageing Dementia Research (CADR)
specifcally to address ageing dementia-
related questions and complement QBI’s
ongoing activities of understanding brain
function.
Research linkages
QBI scientists work collaboratively with
many research groups at UQ, and have
international research partnerships with the
Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of
Neuroscience, the Institute of Biophysics,
and the Shanghai Changzheng Hospital
of the Second Military Medical University
(China); the RIKEN Brain Science Institute,
and the Keio University School of Medicine
(Japan); the University of Auckland (New
Zealand), the Tata Institute of Fundamental
Research (India), and the Ludwig-
Maximilians-University (Germany).
Queensland Brain Institute (QBI)
The University of Queensland
Diamantina Institute (UQDI)
UQDI brings together clinicians, clinical
researchers and scientists working on
today’s most important health problems,
including cancer, diabetes, arthritis,
infections (viral and bacterial), bone and
joint diseases, and brain disorders.
The Institute’s goal is to develop a better
understanding of the molecular and cellular
basis of disease and to translate that
understanding into practical outcomes for
patients. Research programs are conducted
in areas as diverse as immunotherapeutics,
genetics, cancer, and immune responses to
infectious diseases, while the Institute retains
a common focus on the translation of basic
science into novel treatments and therapies.
Based at the Princess Alexandra Hospital,
UQDI is home to more than 200 scientists,
students and support staff working together
with clinicians to turn scientifc discoveries
into better treatments.
UQDI’s biggest achievement to date has
been the development of the world’s frst
cervical cancer vaccine, of which more than
90 million doses have been administered
in over 120 countries. Research highlights
include identifying a novel mechanism that
has led to the development of a rheumatoid
arthritis immunotherapy (currently
undergoing clinical trials), and identifying
a number of key genes involved in the
development of ankylosing spondylitis – the
most signifcant breakthrough in this disease
for 40 years.
UQDI has also successfully incubated
three start-up companies with interests in
vaccine technology, the treatment of obesity
and the management of autoimmune disease.
The University of Queensland Diamantina
Institute
International Postgraduate
UQ Guide 2014
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