Instruments designed by visual neuroscientist Professor Ted Maddess have helped to diagnose glaucoma in millions of people around the world. Now a new device could transform the detection and management of patients with other diseases.

Photosynthesis is an essential biological process that depends on the activity of the enzyme Rubisco which catalyses carbon fixation. Rubisco is slow, inefficient and cannot accurately distinguish between CO2 and O2. ANU researchers have been trying to improve the efficiency of Rubisco in crop plants.

In 1984 Dr Graham Farquhar and Dr Richard Richards showed that variation in the carbon isotope composition of different wheat types was correlated with water use efficiency. This carbon isotope analysis was used to develop highly successful water-efficient wheat varieties for the Australian environment.

ANU has a long history of pioneering research into alpine trees. The work Professor Ralph Slatyer undertook in the 1970's was used to show that the tree line was defined by temperature, not altitude, which explains why Australia has a lower tree line than most other countries.