UQ researchers awarded $13m from ARC

In a highly competitive national field, the researchers will receive funding over 4 years to undertake high quality research in areas of national and international benefit. 

ARC Future Fellowships 2025 round 1 include:  

• Dr Aude Bernard – create a model to predict how changes in migration policy will affect Australia’s population size, workforce, and housing demand, supporting policy and planning decisions.   

• Dr Shekhar Chandra – combine AI with MRI technology to improve image segmentation, making scans faster, cheaper, and more focused on important areas.  

• Dr Seth Cheetham – develop “cloaked” mRNAs with better stability, delivery, and cost-efficiency, transforming mRNA manufacturing and expanding its applications.   

• Dr Anne Karine Lagendijk – understand adhesive properties of artery and vein cells, improving knowledge of blood vessel function and helping tissue engineering.  

• Dr Miaoqiang Lyu – create safer, high-performance perovskite materials for efficient indoor solar energy use, helping power smart devices sustainably and supporting Australia’s clean energy goals.  

• Dr Luke Munn – understand effects of climate change on the workforce and develop a climate-aware blueprint to support worker-wellbeing and foster a future-ready economy.   

• Dr Jenny Munro – improve maternal health services and reduce birth trauma among culturally diverse women and ethnic minorities by exploring how cultural beliefs affect maternity care.  

• Dr Ruirui Qiao – create stronger, smarter hydrogels to build robotic devices with programmable movements, which will revolutionise hydrogel manufacturing with 3D and 4D printing technologies.    

• Dr Andrew Walker – understand how venom from paralysis ticks and processionary caterpillars harms animals.  

• Associate Professor Richard (Ruifeng) Yan – create a data-driven method to model renewable energy generators more accurately, helping improve power grid stability and support wider use of renewable energy.  

• Professor Zuduo Zheng – develop a virtual testing platform to safely assess how automated vehicles interact with people on the road, helping create safer, smarter systems and support Australia’s leadership in transport innovation.