EDUCATION NEWS
News from Universities
University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
Circular Timber project offers alternative to landfill after climate disasters
UTS-led research through the Circular Timber project has piloted an alternative to traditional demolition that allows valuable materials to be recovered and reused, tested on two flood-damaged houses in Lismore using a circular model designed to eliminate waste. The project emerged because the NSW government’s buy-back scheme for flood-prone homes typically saw damaged houses demolished and their materials sent to landfill or low-value recycling such as woodchipping, despite many containing valuable materials like hardwood timbers. The NSW Reconstruction Authority, Living Lab Northern Rivers and UTS collaborated to explore how to recover timber that is otherwise extremely difficult to source, with researchers identifying premium hardwoods including Ironbark, Bloodwood, Rosewood and Blackbutt during the deconstruction process. The project’s report found the approach carries considerable social and environmental value alongside potential economic benefits for the local community.
New drug therapies target leading cause of limb amputation
UTS researchers are developing breakthrough therapies for peripheral artery disease, a debilitating condition affecting one in five Australians and more than 230 million people globally, which reduces blood flow to the extremities and leads to a limb being lost in Australia every two hours. The team, working with the Heart Research Institute, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and University of Newcastle, has been awarded $450,000 from the NSW Government’s Cardiovascular Research Capability Program to target a recently-discovered protein, FK506-binding protein like (FKBPL), which plays a central role in regulating the formation of new blood vessels. Associate Professor Lana McClements said most current therapies for the disease do not improve survival or quality of life, and that targeting this protein to restore blood vessels in a stable manner could help prevent leg amputations. The team plans to modify an existing cancer therapeutic peptide drug to create new treatment candidates, testing them using 3D tissue engineering platforms and patient samples, with the broader goal of understanding why the disease disproportionately affects women and produces worse outcomes for them.
UTS community honoured in King's Birthday list
UTS has celebrated several of its academics, alumni and associates recognised in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours, including Distinguished Professor Claude Roux, made an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to forensic science as a world-leading authority who helped define the field through the Sydney Declaration, and Professor Attila Brungs, also made an Officer for service to tertiary education, leadership, research and social justice, having served as UTS Vice-Chancellor from 2014 to 2021 and now leading UNSW. Also recognised was Emeritus Professor Simon Darcy, made a Member of the Order of Australia for his contribution to improving rights and inclusive approaches for marginalised groups including people with disability, alongside honours for contributions to information technology, literature and creative writing, veterans’ services, local government and business education. Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Parfitt said the honours highlight the profound impact UTS community members are having in shaping a better future for Australia and beyond.