QUT researchers have been awarded six grants under the 2025 Queensland-Bavaria Collaborative Research Program, supporting innovative research from antimicrobial materials and bio-inspired 3D-printed bone implants to AI, clean energy and next-generation construction.
The program, jointly funded by the Queensland Government and the Bavarian State Government, aims to foster international research collaborations and translate new discoveries into industry, environmental and societal benefits.
Professor Christopher Barner-Kowollik, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President Research, said the projects highlighted QUT's research depth and strong global partnerships.
"By working with leading universities and industry partners in Bavaria, our researchers are creating practical innovations that address global challenges," he said.
QUT secured three Development Grants of $110,000, and three Seed Grants of $8000.
Development Grants
Next generation multi-material construction 3D printing for affordable housing
QUT and Technical University of Munich, with Hassell and Luyten 3D
Bringing together QUT and TUM researchers with leading industry partners, Professor Tim Schork, from the School of Architecture and Built Environment, has been awarded $109,964 to lead a project to pioneer sustainable, multi-material 3D printing methods for affordable housing using circular low-carbon materials and robotic construction technologies.
Dr Katie Heywood and Dr Lalehvash Moghaddam will also be involved with the project.
Green hydrogen through DC coupled PV systems
QUT and Munich University of Applied Sciences, with Australian and German industry partners
Associate Professor Dezso Sera and Associate Professor Geoff Walker, from the School of Electrical Engineering and Robotics, Power Engineering Research Group and Energy Transition Centre, have been awarded $110,000 to explore advanced solar and hydrogen energy systems to boost renewable efficiency and grid stability, paving the way for more sustainable, decentralised clean energy generation in both Queensland and Bavaria.
Personalised news: balancing editorial and audience values in AI alignment
QUT and Technical University of Munich, with ABC and Bayerischer Rundfunk
In partnership with Australia's ABC and Germany's BR, Dr Aaron Snoswell, from the School of Communication's GenAI Lab and ADM+S Centre, has been awarded $109,933 to develop new AI tools that align news personalisation with editorial integrity, helping public service media deliver trusted, values-aligned journalism in the GenAI era. Distinguished Professor Jean Burgess will also form a part of the project team.
Seed Grants
Interrogating the AI turn in search: pilot studies comparing AI summaries in German and Australian search
QUT and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
Professor Axel Bruns, from the School of Communication and Digital Media Research Centre, and his team will analyse how AI-generated Information Summaries (AIIS) in search engines shape public understanding of key issues, comparing results in Germany and Australia to inform responsible AI governance and information quality online.
Professor Bruns is a project lead for the Australian Search Experience 2.0 (ASE 2.0) signature project in the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society. The ASE 2.0 project examines the influence of search engines on society. Through the Queensland-Bavaria Seed grant, Professor Bruns, along with his colleagues Professor Daniel Angus, Dr Ashwin Nagappa, Kateryna Kasianenko, Shir Weinbrand and Brett Tweedie, extends the scope of ASE 2.0 into an international context.
Developing biomimetic polyelectrolytes as new antimicrobials to treat bacterial and viral infections
QUT and University of Bayreuth
Dr Nathan Boase, from the School of Chemistry and Physics and Medicinal Molecules and Materials Group, will lead a project to develop bioinspired polymer materials that mimic nature's defences to combat bacterial and viral infections, addressing both antibiotic resistance and the ongoing threat of global viral pandemics.
Osteogenic differentiation of 3D-printed multi-layered ceramic scaffolds under dynamic compressive load
QUT and FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
This project will see Dr Mohammad Mirkhalaf and the QUT team, including Professor Travis Klein and Zizhen Ding, from the School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering, combine advanced 3D printing and biomechanics to improve artificial bone scaffolds and implants that better mimic natural bone, enhancing recovery outcomes for patients with large bone defects.
Main photo (from top left): Dr Nathan Boase, Professor Axel Bruns, Dr Mohammad Mirkhalaf, Professor Tim Schork, Dr Aaron Snoswell and Associate Professor Dezso Sera.
