Biophysics-informed deep learning framework for magnetic resonance imaging. This project aims to bring about a paradigm shift from the conventional non-quantitative magnetic resonance imaging to ultra-fast, quantitative, and artefact free imaging. This project integrates biophysics and artificial intelligence, and it is expected to bring new knowledge in both fields. The expected outcomes of this project include next generation magnetic resonance imaging methods with a fundamental shift in the ....Biophysics-informed deep learning framework for magnetic resonance imaging. This project aims to bring about a paradigm shift from the conventional non-quantitative magnetic resonance imaging to ultra-fast, quantitative, and artefact free imaging. This project integrates biophysics and artificial intelligence, and it is expected to bring new knowledge in both fields. The expected outcomes of this project include next generation magnetic resonance imaging methods with a fundamental shift in the approach to image artefacts and image quantification. This project is expected to advance both single subject and population level biomedical imaging with greater accuracy and cost-effectiveness. This project also promotes explainable and generalisable artificial intelligence in medical imaging.Read moreRead less
Developing the basis for an quality control platform for human pluripotent stem cells and their differentiated derivatives. Biophotonic techniques based on spectroscopy have the potential to provide low-cost, automatable measurements for the quality control of stem and differentiated cells produced for use in industry and regenerative medicine. This project is aimed at acquiring the fundamental scientific knowledge base required to bring this about.
Knowledge and attitudes about life extension technology: public and stakeholder perspectives. This comprehensive investigation will contribute new knowledge that will help Australians to better cope with the social and economic consequences of an ageing population. New developments in the biosciences promise the possibility of extending human life past 120 years. This study will assist government, healthcare providers and researchers to understand the public reaction to such developments and en ....Knowledge and attitudes about life extension technology: public and stakeholder perspectives. This comprehensive investigation will contribute new knowledge that will help Australians to better cope with the social and economic consequences of an ageing population. New developments in the biosciences promise the possibility of extending human life past 120 years. This study will assist government, healthcare providers and researchers to understand the public reaction to such developments and enable them to plan for the future. The study will contribute to future strategic research and train a future researcher in the priority health goal of ageing well, ageing productively.Read moreRead less
New Approaches for Wireless Implantable Biomedical Devices. Wireless biomedical implants of the future will interface with biological systems to perform physiological tasks such as vision restoration, reanimation of paralyzed limbs, and chemical sensing. The potential benefit to society will come not only from alleviating human suffering and improving quality of life, but also by reducing the health care costs now directed to assist people with disabilities such as blindness, stroke and spinal-c ....New Approaches for Wireless Implantable Biomedical Devices. Wireless biomedical implants of the future will interface with biological systems to perform physiological tasks such as vision restoration, reanimation of paralyzed limbs, and chemical sensing. The potential benefit to society will come not only from alleviating human suffering and improving quality of life, but also by reducing the health care costs now directed to assist people with disabilities such as blindness, stroke and spinal-cord injury survivors. Using similar technologies, cochlear implants have already restored functional hearing to over 100,000 deaf patients around the world. The outcomes of the project can also be applied to a variety of other applications such environmental monitoring, security and identification systems. Read moreRead less
THE ROLE OF SMALL NON CODING RNAS IN BONE MARROW MEDIATED TUMOR ANGIOGENESIS. Despite advances in treatment and diagnosis cancer remains the leading underlying cause of deaths, representing about a third of all deaths each year in Australia (ABS stats. www.abs.gov.au). The ability to understand the process of tumour vascularisation and spread has enormous economic and social outcomes. Indeed, the most effective anti-angiogenic therapy developed to date Avastin (aka Bevacizumab), although providi ....THE ROLE OF SMALL NON CODING RNAS IN BONE MARROW MEDIATED TUMOR ANGIOGENESIS. Despite advances in treatment and diagnosis cancer remains the leading underlying cause of deaths, representing about a third of all deaths each year in Australia (ABS stats. www.abs.gov.au). The ability to understand the process of tumour vascularisation and spread has enormous economic and social outcomes. Indeed, the most effective anti-angiogenic therapy developed to date Avastin (aka Bevacizumab), although providing only a modest survival advantage (4-6 months) has annual sales of several billion dollars. microRNA represent a relatively newly discovered form of gene activity regulation. Taking a key leadership role in this area will put Australian science at the forefront of international research initiatives.Read moreRead less
Potency and activity of Meso-Endothelial bipotent progenitors in vivo. This project aims to characterise a new stem cell population that can maintain both blood vessels and contribute to a variety of tissues whether fibrous, bone, fat or cartilage. Blood vessels comprise an inner endothelial layer and surrounding mesenchyme, are integral to many organs and constitute a unique system connecting different parts of the body. Despite their importance little is known about how they are maintained and ....Potency and activity of Meso-Endothelial bipotent progenitors in vivo. This project aims to characterise a new stem cell population that can maintain both blood vessels and contribute to a variety of tissues whether fibrous, bone, fat or cartilage. Blood vessels comprise an inner endothelial layer and surrounding mesenchyme, are integral to many organs and constitute a unique system connecting different parts of the body. Despite their importance little is known about how they are maintained and how they contribute to the response to injury. Previous work has described several populations of stem cell capable of self renewal and repletion of the endothelium or the mesenchyme. This project will examine the potency of these different progenitors to give rise to each of these fates in homeostasis but also during sounding and bone formation. This will help define a unique population of stem cells capable of both vascular and mesenchymal repair.Read moreRead less
Novel technology platform for gene delivery into intact cells. Delivery of DNA to cells is a crucial but highly inefficient process. This project will develop a way to manipulate the genetic code of cells efficiently and to easily generate stem cells from normal adult cells, thus avoiding controversial embryonic harvesting. This new technology will have potential benefits for research, agriculture and humans alike.
Benign fabrication of microfluidic hydrogel for improved artificial vasculature in bone implants. We will create a benign technology for synthesising microfluidic hydrogels to generate artificial vascultures in bone implants. It is a critical step to enable the use of tissue-engineered vital organs, such as bone, heart and kidney in patients with end-stage organ failure. Thicker scaffolds will be possible, as the vasculature will provide nutrients and oxygen for cells to grow into 3D scaffolds. ....Benign fabrication of microfluidic hydrogel for improved artificial vasculature in bone implants. We will create a benign technology for synthesising microfluidic hydrogels to generate artificial vascultures in bone implants. It is a critical step to enable the use of tissue-engineered vital organs, such as bone, heart and kidney in patients with end-stage organ failure. Thicker scaffolds will be possible, as the vasculature will provide nutrients and oxygen for cells to grow into 3D scaffolds. It will promote capacity of Australia for manufacturing global biomaterial products for tissue engineering. We will also develop in-situ imaging analytical protocols for the rapid analysis of broad arrays of functional molecules, with significant bearing on BioMEMS design to develop methods for diagnosis of fatal diseases.Read moreRead less
Surveillance of the mechanisms controlling proteome foldedness. This project aims to measure how cells keep the proteome folded. Cells have extensive quality control networks to govern synthesis, folding and transport of every protein but the buffering capacity of this system is not definable. This capacity is needed to understand how problems arise in managing proteome foldedness, a central feature of human diseases and biotechnology and synthetic biology applications that need cell-based produ ....Surveillance of the mechanisms controlling proteome foldedness. This project aims to measure how cells keep the proteome folded. Cells have extensive quality control networks to govern synthesis, folding and transport of every protein but the buffering capacity of this system is not definable. This capacity is needed to understand how problems arise in managing proteome foldedness, a central feature of human diseases and biotechnology and synthetic biology applications that need cell-based production of engineered proteins such as hormones and antibodies. The outcomes are expected to provide basic knowledge of this fundamental process and provide biosensors and screening methods for use in health and biotechnology industries.Read moreRead less
Blood flow routes in muscle. Ageing well, ageing productively. The Australian population is ageing. The proportion of the population over the age of 65 is expected to greatly increase, reaching 22% by the year 2030. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in this older population is thought to be ~20%, compared to ~6% in younger populations. An initial cause of type 2 diabetes may be microvascular dysfunction brought on by physical inactivity. Therefore this project addresses the concepts of microvasc ....Blood flow routes in muscle. Ageing well, ageing productively. The Australian population is ageing. The proportion of the population over the age of 65 is expected to greatly increase, reaching 22% by the year 2030. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in this older population is thought to be ~20%, compared to ~6% in younger populations. An initial cause of type 2 diabetes may be microvascular dysfunction brought on by physical inactivity. Therefore this project addresses the concepts of microvascular function and microvascular fitness by using the latest technology to map blood flow routes in muscle under a number of relevant situations. Read moreRead less