Composite biomaterials for modulation of dermal fibroblast function. The successful outcome of this research will revolutionize the way scars are treated for the large number of people who suffer burns and even minor trauma that leads to disfigurement. By using advanced chemical synthesis, biochemical analysis, cell biology and polymer materials science, an intelligent gel sheet will be devised that is able to control the formation of scar tissue and also reduce the effect of existing scars. Thi ....Composite biomaterials for modulation of dermal fibroblast function. The successful outcome of this research will revolutionize the way scars are treated for the large number of people who suffer burns and even minor trauma that leads to disfigurement. By using advanced chemical synthesis, biochemical analysis, cell biology and polymer materials science, an intelligent gel sheet will be devised that is able to control the formation of scar tissue and also reduce the effect of existing scars. This will produce improved quality of life for sufferers of severe scarring and have major economic benefits in reduced health costs. Read moreRead less
Design and characterisation of a polysaccharide-based biomaterial for tissue adhesion. This proposal aims to design a new bio-adhesive material and study the mechanisms of action for tissue adhesion. Current suture technology is inadequate for anything but simple repairs and the alternative offered by surgical glues available today is at most augmentation of suturing. Combination of a strong adhesive biomaterial with factors for accelerating wound healing will generate a novel material technolo ....Design and characterisation of a polysaccharide-based biomaterial for tissue adhesion. This proposal aims to design a new bio-adhesive material and study the mechanisms of action for tissue adhesion. Current suture technology is inadequate for anything but simple repairs and the alternative offered by surgical glues available today is at most augmentation of suturing. Combination of a strong adhesive biomaterial with factors for accelerating wound healing will generate a novel material technology that, by uniting wound closure with sealing, addresses an unmet need in surgery.
The primary outcomes of these investigations will be:
1. advancement of knowledge in theories of tissue-biomaterial adhesion mechanisms
2. knowledge of effects of visible light from laser diodes on cells and isolated tissue
3. a biocompatible, visible light activated adhesive film for tissue repair based on chitosan polysaccharides
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Bioactive Polymers for Wound Healing Applications. VitroGroR is a growth factor complex which enhances cell growth and migration, and hence has great potential for treating wounds. Tissue Therapies, which holds the rights to commercialization of VitroGroR, is seeking to develop methods of delivering VitroGroR in its active form to the wound environment. Two solutions to this problem will be developed in this project; a bioactive bandage containing a novel combination of microspheres and a hydrog ....Bioactive Polymers for Wound Healing Applications. VitroGroR is a growth factor complex which enhances cell growth and migration, and hence has great potential for treating wounds. Tissue Therapies, which holds the rights to commercialization of VitroGroR, is seeking to develop methods of delivering VitroGroR in its active form to the wound environment. Two solutions to this problem will be developed in this project; a bioactive bandage containing a novel combination of microspheres and a hydrogel matrix, and secondly an in-situ polymerisable matrix for treatment of deep wounds. The growth factor complex will be protected from aggressive proteases through encapsulation within microspheres, and the use of MMP-inhibiting comonomers.Read moreRead less
The Scale-up and Evaluation of a Novel Dense Gas Technology Platform for the Production of Particles for Aerosol Drug Delivery. This project provides a unique opportunity to develop an Australian-invented technology in particle engineering, enabling it to enter the international pharmaceutical market. This will enhance the growth of Australia's pharmaceutical research and development, and benefit the Australian pharmaceutical industry. The outcome will also contribute to improvements in the heal ....The Scale-up and Evaluation of a Novel Dense Gas Technology Platform for the Production of Particles for Aerosol Drug Delivery. This project provides a unique opportunity to develop an Australian-invented technology in particle engineering, enabling it to enter the international pharmaceutical market. This will enhance the growth of Australia's pharmaceutical research and development, and benefit the Australian pharmaceutical industry. The outcome will also contribute to improvements in the health and well-being of Australians. The research falls within the Designated National Research Priority of Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries.Read moreRead less
Synthesis of stimuli-responsive star polymers for controlled drug delivery. The project aims to prepare novel star polymers suitable for drug delivery via controlled radical polymerization techniques. Such star polymers can be employed to release drugs within the human body in a controlled manner over time and are thus able to target specific sites, i.e. a tumor. The release characterisitics are be influenced by the structure and the size of the star polymer, which can easily be altered via cont ....Synthesis of stimuli-responsive star polymers for controlled drug delivery. The project aims to prepare novel star polymers suitable for drug delivery via controlled radical polymerization techniques. Such star polymers can be employed to release drugs within the human body in a controlled manner over time and are thus able to target specific sites, i.e. a tumor. The release characterisitics are be influenced by the structure and the size of the star polymer, which can easily be altered via controlled radical polymerization techniques. These novel stars are expected to improve the release kinetics of the drug comparing to similar structured micelles due to their higher stability upon injection.Read moreRead less
Molecularly engineered cell-instructive hydrogels for enhanced tissue regeneration. The outcomes of this project will be relevant to range of wounds, including burns, bed-sores, and diabetic and venous ulcers. Clearly, innovation in wound healing is urgently required as the treatment of wounds represents a significant challenge at all levels of our society, in terms of cost (physical, emotional and financial) to patients, the economy and to the wider community. Despite this obvious and overwhelm ....Molecularly engineered cell-instructive hydrogels for enhanced tissue regeneration. The outcomes of this project will be relevant to range of wounds, including burns, bed-sores, and diabetic and venous ulcers. Clearly, innovation in wound healing is urgently required as the treatment of wounds represents a significant challenge at all levels of our society, in terms of cost (physical, emotional and financial) to patients, the economy and to the wider community. Despite this obvious and overwhelming need, research in wound healing is relatively under-developed and has yet to adopt modern biotechnology and biomaterials approaches. This project is therefore directed at generating cost-effective frontier wound dressing technologies that accelerate wound repair.Read moreRead less
Pancreatic Differentiation of Cord Blood Stem Cells using Smart Surfaces. Cord blood cells obtained at the time of delivery of a baby are a valuable resource that have the potential to develop into many cell types. This Project entails attaching stem cells derived from cord blood to appropriate 3 dimensional smart surfaces, and examining the ability of such cells to develop into insulin-producing cells. An understanding of how to coax stem cells, seeded on to smart surfaces, to develop into ma ....Pancreatic Differentiation of Cord Blood Stem Cells using Smart Surfaces. Cord blood cells obtained at the time of delivery of a baby are a valuable resource that have the potential to develop into many cell types. This Project entails attaching stem cells derived from cord blood to appropriate 3 dimensional smart surfaces, and examining the ability of such cells to develop into insulin-producing cells. An understanding of how to coax stem cells, seeded on to smart surfaces, to develop into mature cells with different functions will enhance our ability to understand how cells develop. As well, it enhance the potential usefulness of cord blood for research purposes. Read moreRead less
Feasibility Studies of Using AC Electrospraying for Biomaterials Synthesis. The proposed interdisciplinary research is anticipated to benefit workers in academia and industry as well as clinicians and patients. Given the demand for point-of-care drug delivery, micro/nano-encapsulation and biomaterials synthesis, the research will be beneficial to the pharmaceutical industry and spin-off/start-up microfluidic businesses interested in commercially developing these devices. It is intended that the ....Feasibility Studies of Using AC Electrospraying for Biomaterials Synthesis. The proposed interdisciplinary research is anticipated to benefit workers in academia and industry as well as clinicians and patients. Given the demand for point-of-care drug delivery, micro/nano-encapsulation and biomaterials synthesis, the research will be beneficial to the pharmaceutical industry and spin-off/start-up microfluidic businesses interested in commercially developing these devices. It is intended that the work will improve quality of life by advancing biomaterials technology and by making medical treatment more readily accessable, portable and more efficient. For patients, the proposed drug delivery device can help prevent sudden initial bursts of dose during administration, which could potentially have fatal consequences.Read moreRead less
Application of Silver Coatings to medical Devices for Antimicrobial Properties using Electroless Deposition. Silver compounds, eg. in topical creams, can be used to treat chronic infections. The results are mediocre, and there may be significant side effects. Metallic silver when coated on bandages or medical devices is gaining wider acceptance, but the dissolution rate muct be improved to minimise infection. In this project an electroless silver coating process will be developed, with bath ch ....Application of Silver Coatings to medical Devices for Antimicrobial Properties using Electroless Deposition. Silver compounds, eg. in topical creams, can be used to treat chronic infections. The results are mediocre, and there may be significant side effects. Metallic silver when coated on bandages or medical devices is gaining wider acceptance, but the dissolution rate muct be improved to minimise infection. In this project an electroless silver coating process will be developed, with bath chemistry and coating conditions optimised for an ideal dissolution rate. This project will lead to the development of improved medical devices that will have significant social and economic benefits for Australia.Read moreRead less
Targeted growth factor delivery using natural polysaccharide materials for bone regeneration. This proposal addresses the core issue of nano-biomaterials capable of encouraging bone growth and providing better and more complete healing of bone fractures. Australia will benefit firstly through improved health outcomes by providing material-based solutions to address slow or non-healing fractures, which are increasingly prevalent in the aging population in Australia. This will have a further benef ....Targeted growth factor delivery using natural polysaccharide materials for bone regeneration. This proposal addresses the core issue of nano-biomaterials capable of encouraging bone growth and providing better and more complete healing of bone fractures. Australia will benefit firstly through improved health outcomes by providing material-based solutions to address slow or non-healing fractures, which are increasingly prevalent in the aging population in Australia. This will have a further benefit to the Australian economy improving the quality of life enabling people to work longer and reducing the need for further surgical intervention. This proposal will also have benefits to Australia through training future researchers in this field which will in turn provide economic growth through the development of Australian industries.Read moreRead less