A year of innovation, success and defying challenges

USC Moreton Bay

Whether opening pathways to dream careers, protecting our natural environment and wildlife, or creating safety nets for those who need it most, USC’s campuses in Moreton Bay and Caboolture united with valued collaborators to deliver impact for the greater region in 2021.

Together, USC and partners helped implement important initiatives and research that will continue to have benefits locally and globally as we move into the future.

Our achievements extend far beyond USC exceeding predicted enrolments at its stunning and transformative Moreton Bay campus at Petrie and announcing exciting new expansion plans.

We stood behind campaigns to preserve and research the lives of koalas, sea turtles, native birds and manta rays, were involved in long-term strategies for preserving coastal dunes, and championed causes which aid homeless youth and military veterans.

In the medical field, our many strides included clinical trials to improve treatments for breast cancer, melanoma, malaria and COVID-19, simultaneously maintaining a position as a leader in mental health and suicide prevention research via the Thompson Institute.

With partnerships central to all we do, USC continued to join forces with events and organisations far and wide, including Moreton Bay Regional Council and local health providers, through to international wildlife research collaborations.

Our USC-affiliated athletes were given a platform, shining on a global stage at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, while closer to home, USC experienced its best-ever returns at the 2021 universities multisport carnival on the Gold Coast.

In challenging and uncertain times for our cohort, we’re extremely proud to have again secured a five-star rating in the ‘student support’ category by the Good Universities Guide. It’s indicative of the student-first ethos that shapes our culture.

USC was named the nation’s best for something we love doing – helping to create real change across our communities by giving back.

Our ‘G-Day’ fundraising campaign was awarded ‘Best fundraising campaign – small team’ by Universities Australia after raising almost $280,000 to find solutions for mental health challenges, help koalas devastated by bushfires and disease, and support financially disadvantaged students. 

USC Development Office team

Director of USC’s Development Office Russell Ousley said the message for this year’s Giving Day was that kindness could change everything. “And thanks to the incredible generosity of USC alumni, staff, supporters and friends, we showed just what a difference we could make across three key areas of need.”

A platform for saving and changing lives

Understanding and avoiding factors that contribute to pregnancy complications is a key driving force behind Dr Georgina Kafer’s novel 3D design which mimics the cellular architecture of human placentas.

Based at USC’s Moreton Bay campus, Dr Kafer is a Lecturer in Biomedical Science who has a desire to know greater detail about the causes of placental defects and subsequent problems in pregnancy.

“Through our approach of growing cells in a hanging culture system on 3D-printed scaffolds, we have created the only known model which can mimic the true structure of the placenta,” said Dr Kafer.

“The placenta supports the life of the baby, and during pregnancy nutrients, waste and oxygen cross special placental cells – called trophoblasts – which are the key to this exchange between the mother and growing baby.”

Dr Kafer recently secured almost $400,000 from the National Health and Medical Research Council Ideas Grant scheme for the research, being conducted with research partners Dr Melinda Dean and Dr Jo James.


A short drive north, USC’s Clinical Trial Centre at Morayfield has been central to investigations regarding anti-malaria medication.

Responsible for claiming more than 400,000 lives per year, malaria causes more deaths than any other parasitic disease in our closest neighbours Papua New Guinea. Elsewhere, in places such as Africa, it also remains an ongoing health issue of prominence.

New approaches to malaria control are required because malaria parasites are becoming immune to existing treatments.

For the latest trials, USC has collaborated with QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Brisbane.

The trials are a shining example of USC having relevance on an international scale and forming strong partnerships which benefit the community, researchers and students.

The Morayfield precinct also houses trials for a needle-free vaccine for measles and rubella, as well as mixed dyslipidaemia, otherwise known as abnormal blood lipid levels.

A high-density microarray patch (nanopatch) coated with measles and rubella vaccine is used in the needle-free study, while the mixed dyslipidaemia research is conducted as a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

A destination for making a difference

The long-term survival of koalas – particularly in South East Queensland – could be greatly enhanced by ongoing trials for a chlamydia vaccine, developed at USC.

Several wild populations around Moreton Bay are being vaccinated in a trial involving approximately 400 koalas.

The project is a collaboration between USC, Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, Moggill Koala Rehabilitation Centre, RSPCA Wildlife Hospital, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, CSIRO Manufacturing and QUT.

Peter Timms

Peter Timms

USC Professor of Microbiology Peter Timms has been at the forefront of research into infectious diseases in animals for more than 40 years, with his tenure at USC attracting significant support from federal, state and regional incentives, international animal foundations, and passionate philanthropists.

Chlamydia is particularly cruel to koala populations, causing debilitating conjunctivitis, painful bladder infections and, at times, infertility.

Several wild populations around Moreton Bay are being vaccinated in a trial involving approximately 400 koalas.

The project is a collaboration between USC, Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, Moggill Koala Rehabilitation Centre, RSPCA Wildlife Hospital, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, CSIRO Manufacturing and QUT.

Peter Timms

Peter Timms

USC Professor of Microbiology Peter Timms has been at the forefront of infectious diseases in animals for more than 40 years, with his tenure at USC attracting significant support from federal, state and regional incentives, international animal foundations, and passionate philanthropists.

Chlamydia is particularly cruel to koala populations, causing debilitating conjunctivitis, painful bladder infections and, at times, infertility.

A community drawn closer together

USC plays an active role in enriching the surrounding community with a number of outreach projects.

Moreton Minds is a series of presentations conducted by our academics in conjunction with Moreton Bay Region Libraries to bring knowledge to those with an interest. It is a chance for USC experts to connect with the general public about some of their pet topics. 

The series aims to make the knowledge of university academics available to the public and, in particular, to challenge the audience. Topics covered to date included: Can poetry save humanity?; Tourists as scientists; Music, memory and wellbeing; Busting crime myths; Good health and the ageing brain.

Furthermore, our ongoing successful relationship with Moreton Bay Region Industry and Tourism (MBRIT) via a sponsorship agreement sees USC engage with the community via popular community events, such as the Redcliffe Kite Fest and Caboolture Family Fun Day.

USC Moreton Bay staged a Market Day for the community to showcase the creative works and performances of students and local vendors.

And in an exciting partnership with Queensland Ballet, USC Moreton Bay is hosting an immersion day for creative local teenagers to benefit from the expertise of Queensland Ballet instructors and USC academics.

Did you know?
USC employs 224 staff who live in the Moreton Bay region, 99 are Academic staff and 125 are Professional staff. 2021

USC Caboolture gathered key stakeholders in the Greater Caboolture region together to discuss employment trends, identify needs, address gaps, explore issues, and work together as a community to develop accessible education opportunities and regionally relevant research projects.

Campus Head Dr Wayne Graham said roundtable conversations explored research opportunities for future advancement and improved employment outcomes for the area.

“These discussions will help inform and shape USC's teaching programs and research in the region,” he said.

USC also partnered with the Institute of Managers and Leaders to assist with industry engagement activities for our Business Postgraduate coursework students at Caboolture and strengthened its relationship with TAFE Queensland.

A promoter of opportunity for all

USC continues to do its utmost to ensure all sections of the community have access to tertiary education.

A free two-day University Skills For You course was held at Moreton Bay and Caboolture campuses for adults contemplating university or TAFE study.

Designed to build confidence and introduce academic writing, researching, speaking and critical thinking skills, the course was followed by individual sessions to help develop study and career plans.

New scholarships were introduced to help students aged 25 years or older at USC’s Moreton Bay campus succeed in their studies.

 Pine Rivers Community Finance partnered with USC to fund three annual Community Bank Samford Scholarships, valued at $5,000 each, for full-time second-year students in that age category.

Head of USC Moreton Bay Professor Karen Becker said the scholarships would boost the students’ university experience by easing their financial pressures while they completed degrees.

“Many of our students are returning to university after a few years – and in some cases, many years – out of high school and this scholarship will give them a financial lifeline to support them to reach their full potential,” Professor Becker said.

A free USC Business Planning Course helped 120 business owners and managers gain skills to help future-proof their businesses by developing strategies for sustainability and success.

Held at the Caboolture campus, the seven-week course allowed participants to improve their abilities, while learning about business support initiatives, bounce ideas off other participants, and pitch their best ideas to a panel of business experts.

“Although most were experienced and successful operators, many had been unsure how to organise information into a formal business plan when seeking loans, investment or government grants,” said presenter Dr Wayne Graham.

At a younger age level, students aged 8-15 were invited to feed their creativity and innovation at a series of eDiscovery sessions.

A call was made for “all aspiring scientists, explorers, artists and actors” to get involved in activities as diverse as robotic sumo wrestling, micro-drone adventures, magical flowers, drama, improvisation and characterisation.

The workshops at Moreton Bay and Caboolture were led by USC academics, alongside innovators and artists from the community.

USC also threw open its doors to Year 10 students for interactive lectures and campus tours as part of the initiative Experience USC.

In 2022, USC will offer even greater options for learning, with a suite of new career-focused diplomas in Animal Ecology, Business, Allied Health Assistance, and Primary and Early Childhood Education available online and on campus.

USC Graduates
in Moreton Bay

Agriculture, Environmental
and Related Studies 91

Architecture and Building 14

Creative Arts 196

Education 313

Engineering and
related technologies 42

Health 787

ICT 39

Management and Commerce 470

Natural and Physical Sciences 257

Society and Culture 402

Total 2611

A hub for innovation and adaptation

USC compiled a recent report that showed the Moreton Bay Region was one of the regions which best demonstrated a proactive response in the face of rapidly changing circumstances.

It’s no wonder the area presents an ideal environment to teach students about how we approach the future.

The Queensland Regional Innovation Benchmark Report found organisations quickly  adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic by embracing new ways to do business and offering new services.

USC Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Dr Retha de Villiers Scheepers led the research and said it challenged traditional thought that “cities are the places where innovators gather”.

Dr Retha de Villiers Scheepers

Dr Retha de Villiers Scheepers

“With the influx of people to Queensland’s regions – including Moreton Bay, Noosa, Gympie and the Fraser Coast – this report highlights innovation opportunities for future growth,” she said.

“The levels of innovation shown in regions were much higher than expected. After coming to terms with the initial shock of COVID-19 restrictions, many small regional firms quickly started embracing different types of innovations.

“The findings reflect these regions are a great place to innovate and contribute strongly to Queensland’s economy.”

USC wrapped up 2021 by announcing plans to expand its Moreton Bay campus at Petrie next year to accommodate strong demand for university education in the region.

USC Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Helen Bartlett said the development was another step towards creating a thriving innovation ecosystem at The Mill at Moreton Bay in partnership with the Moreton Bay Regional Council and industry.

“These buildings will significantly increase the space available for our teaching and research, as well as provide our students with sporting facilities and more areas for them to study, collaborate and socialise."

The development will help accommodate the growing student population at USC Moreton Bay, which has exceeded expectations during the campus’s first two years.

“Our main focus is to provide high quality face-to-face, interactive teaching at USC Moreton Bay and this campus expansion will help us enhance our students’ experience of university,” Professor Bartlett said.

See you in 2022!