Varroa Mites to Brain Study: UniSC Secures ARC Funds

Varroa Mites to Brain Study: UniSC Secures ARC Funds

The University of the Sunshine Coast will investigate new ways to kill Varroa mites without harming honeybees, develop pheromone traps for parasitic worms and gain novel insights into vital brain receptors, after being awarded almost $2.2 million in funding from the Australian Research Council.

Four UniSC research project teams have received funding through the 2025 ARC Discovery Projects Scheme, announced this week.

UniSC Associate Dean of Research in the School of Health Professor Robert Harvey, who will lead two of the projects, said the research would help to increase our understanding of brain function and find new, practical solutions to pressing challenges in environment and agriculture.

Funding of $844,766 was awarded to investigate neurotransmitter receptors in Varroa destructor mites, a deadly honeybee parasite that threatens honey production and agricultural crops that are reliant on the bees for pollination, including almonds, avocados, apples and mangoes.

Professor Robert Harvey

"We will characterise Varroa receptors, the key targets of miticides - chemical agents used to control mites," Professor Harvey said.

"The next step is to exploit differences in Varroa and honeybee receptors to develop new methods of control which are safe for honeybees and other insects.

"This UniSC-led project aims to provide environmental and economic benefits by positioning Australia at the forefront of Varroa miticide research."

Senior UniSC Biomedical Science Lecturer Dr Kate Mounsey is part of the project research team, with partners at the University of Sydney, University of Queensland and the Swiss Bee Research Centre.

Dr Kate Mounsey

Researchers discover 'missing' receptor components in the brain

A separate $965,408 ARC project led by Professor Harvey, will study synaptic glycine receptors, which are vital for brain functions including motor coordination, breathing, pain, learning and memory.

"Using modern methods to capture and analyse glycine receptors, we have been able to find missing components that have evaded detection for over 40 years," Professor Harvey said.

"In particular, we have identified a new auxiliary protein that forms part of the glycine receptor complex and will explore how it affects receptor function."

The project will involve partners at the University of Queensland and VU University Amsterdam and will link UniSC to the international SynGO (Synaptic Gene Ontologies) initiative.
Nanoparticle formulations to improve crop varieties

Dr Andrew Eamens from UniSC School of Health is a co-applicant on another ARC project that will use nanotechnology to deliver RNA into crops for enhanced yield and quality. The UQ-led project was awarded $653,891.

Setting a pheromone trap for parasites

Developing eco-friendly, species-specific traps for parasitic worms is a key aim for another UniSC project, led by Dr Tianfang Wang and Professor Scott Cummings from the Centre for Bioinnovation, who have received $387,346 in ARC funding.

"This is a fantastic outcome that will enable us to continue exploring sustainable alternatives to the current methods of managing helminth parasite infections," Professor Cummings said.

"We will discover the odours - or molecular components - that attract the parasite to its host, which can in turn be used in parasite attractant traps, similar to that of an insect pheromone trap."

Dr Wang said helminth parasite infections caused significant economic losses to the livestock industry and were a major public health concern in tropical regions.
"The outcomes would have the potential to mitigate liver fluke parasite infections in livestock, saving millions annually but could also provide a scalable framework for managing other aquatic parasite-related diseases," Dr Wang said.

Summary of helminth parasite infection trap

The collaborative project will bring together researchers in molecular biology, chemistry, behaviour and parasitology.

"Interdisciplinary collaboration is crucial to help find a solution to this challenge and will allow us to utilise advanced comparative bioinformatics and proteomics techniques, animal behaviour analysis and field trials to design and test the traps."

UniSC-led projects received a total of $2,197,520 in the Research Management System - Funded Projects - Discovery Projects 2025 round 1.

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