Impactful research stories

Our researchers are helping farmers grow Australia's olive industry

UniSA researchers are making Australia's table olive industry more economically viable, efficient and sustainable by introducing mechanical engineering and chemistry into production process.

UniSA launches new nurse training model to fight skin cancer

UniSA has investigated the elevated skin cancer risk in remote communities while launching a nurse-led skin check service that has now been adopted by the prison system and industry giants like BHP.

UniSA researchers investigate how "forever chemicals" make their way into our bodies

Chances are, you've been exposed to synthetic chemicals known as "PFAS", which are known to be harmful. UniSA researchers are working to understand factors influencing PFAS exposure.

UniSA researchers find that wearable tech can detect disease

A UniSA study found that wearable activity trackers show promise in detecting COVID-19 status, atrial fibrillation and falls.

UniSA’s international research collaboration could deliver a digitally advanced healthcare system

UniSA and its research collaborators are leading an AI-revolution for South Australia's healthcare system.

UniSA has built AI that detects bushfires from space

UniSA researchers have created a breakthrough artificial intelligence technology that can detect bushfires from space in real-time, even before a blaze takes hold.  

UniSA finds that increased cardio fitness cuts death by nearly 20%

Our experts have found that a person can reduce their risk of death by 11-17% for every 1-MET increase in cardiorespiratory fitness.

UniSA is fighting leukaemia with nanomedicine

Our researchers are using nanomedicine innovations to improve leukaemia treatment and enhance survival rates.

UniSA research discovers link between gut health and brain disease

Our experts have discovered that certain molecules in the gut, produced by bad bacteria, can access brain tissues and trigger a negative response.

UniSA collab delivers cladding solution that provides longevity

Experts at UniSA have partnered with LaserBond Ltd to develop some of the world’s most resilient claddings.  

Using smart watches and AI to protect our military

UniSA Researchers are proving that smart watches and AI algorithms can give our military the edge when it comes to protection against infections.

UniSA research shows a long weekend is good for your health

UniSA research indicates that people display healthier behaviours when on holiday, even on a short three-day break.

A UniSA discovery improves diagnosis of prostate cancer

UniSA researchers have identified new biomarkers for prostate cancer that will help identify and differentiate cases, supporting treatment decisions.

We're using AI to promote personalised learning and transform academic assessment

Researchers from UniSA are proving how AI can enhance learning outcomes for students while equipping teachers with advanced education tools.

Our researchers are merging science and economics to fight a ‘silent killer’ that’s threatening millions of lives

Researchers at UniSA are fighting against a killer that’s threatening lives, agriculture, and economies.

UniSA research shows that gender targets do not lead to expected improvements in gender equity in senior roles

It will take far more than just having gender targets. UniSA research has shown it needs the right combination of practices.

Our research shows that exercise is 1.5 times more effective than counselling or medications

A UniSA review has shown that exercise is needed as a mainstay approach for managing depression and anxiety.

The South Australian idea that’s growing in sub-Saharan Africa

Farming families in Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe are quite literally reaping the benefits of a breakthrough in irrigation, nurturing previously unused land to flourish and new communities to grow.

Faster drug development a shot in the arm for health and the SA economy

The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most highly regulated. New drugs require clinical trials and complex legal processes, often over several years. This costs significant time and money, increases the price of medicines, and delays the availability of potentially life-saving therapies.

Brand aid: why the world’s biggest corporations come to Adelaide to grow

It makes sense that the world’s biggest corporations would flock to the world’s largest marketing science centre for guidance. More surprising, perhaps, is that it’s not in New York, but here in Adelaide: the Ehrenberg Bass Institute (EBI) at UniSA.

Keeping patients alive by monitoring their medication

Every year, the inappropriate use of medicines triggers more than 230,000 hospital admissions, with many Australians suffering adverse reactions. But it’s not just our health suffering: the attendant cost to taxpayers and insurance companies is around $1.2 billion.

Depressing statistics stimulate a strategy to create less stress in the workplace

Figures show that untreated depression and anxiety costs Australian businesses $10.9 billion per year in reduced productivity, increased absenteeism and WorkCover claims.

Our research gives children a voice in government policy and practice

What’s important to children about their communities and what do they want in their lives? To find out, UniSA researchers have asked children directly, and their responses are influencing state policies, community planning, children’s literacy, and the provision of educational resources both in Australia and overseas.

Our research has transformed the way languages are taught in Australia

Research driven by UniSA has been embedded in the professional practice of more than 10,000 language teachers nationwide, adding a cultural focus to the way languages are learned across Australia.

We contributed to intercultural community action along the River Murray through art and design

An exhibition mounted by UniSA in 2002 was not only the launching place and fount of inspiration for a new wave of artists; but also created a groundswell of public interest in environmental and cultural issues, the ripples of which are still felt to this day.

We’re driving legislative change to protect the human rights of older Australians

In 2017, the World Health Organization estimated that more than 15 per cent of people over the age of 60 suffer some form of abuse in any given year, with this likely to worsen as the population ages.

Our research has contributed to major reforms of Australia’s child protection system

Child abuse and neglect is one of Australia’s greatest social and public health crises. Its impact has been wide-ranging, devastating and intergenerational.

Our research is navigating a safe future for self-driving cars

An idea developed by UniSA’s Institute for Telecommunications Research (ITR) is steering us towards driverless cars that talk to one another.

We unearthed the world's most accurate way to gauge exposure to soil contamination

UniSA’s accurate and reliable assessment tools have given environmental agencies better solutions for managing and/or remediating soils without compromising human health and safety.

Three decades of research has unearthed a $1.2 billion better way to process minerals

In 1988, UniSA initiated the AMIRA P260 project to help the mining industry improve the way it processes minerals. Who would think that 30 years later, it would be still be finding refinements after already achieving over $1.2 billion in benefits?

Our research in sustainability has built the foundation for 66% greener living

An inter-disciplinary taskforce at UniSA’s Barbara Hardy Institute is influencing environmental sustainability in urban developments across Australia. In fact, it’s now an acknowledged world leader in the transition to low-carbon housing.

We partnered with the auto industry to create the world’s first shatterproof car mirrors

UniSA researchers have helped to develop a new type of car wing mirror, creating economic, safety and environmental benefits along with a new lease of life for South Australia’s automotive industry.

Our co-developed driver advice system is now on-board more than 4,000 trains worldwide

Trains across the world are running to timetable and arriving at their destinations safely using innovative technology developed by mathematicians at UniSA.