Meta-microscopy of insect tissue: How nature grows bicontinuous nanosolids. Several butterfly species grow a complex nano-sculptured matrix whose chiral network structure confers remarkable optical properties, including jewel-like reflections. The formation process remains mysterious and a spectacular case of bottom-up self-assembly at far larger scales than accessible in the lab. The project aims to decipher this process, by (a) tomography of a species where arrested growth sites represent time ....Meta-microscopy of insect tissue: How nature grows bicontinuous nanosolids. Several butterfly species grow a complex nano-sculptured matrix whose chiral network structure confers remarkable optical properties, including jewel-like reflections. The formation process remains mysterious and a spectacular case of bottom-up self-assembly at far larger scales than accessible in the lab. The project aims to decipher this process, by (a) tomography of a species where arrested growth sites represent time-frozen snapshots of the development, and (b) by a combination of micron-resolved in-vivo microscopy of a developing butterfly wing with a growth model to infer nanometer-scale information. This insight will lead to blueprints for self-assembly strategies and shed light on function and form of inner-cellular membranes. Read moreRead less
Bulk nanobubbles: from fundamentals to biomedical applications. This project aims to extend optical and acoustic tools to detect bulk nanobubbles, control their size-distributions, and understand how they interact with biomolecules. Liquids containing nanobubbles have numerous applications particularly in biomedicine. Using interdisciplinary approaches, this project expects to gain convincing evidence of the existence of bulk nanobubbles. This is expected to advance existing fundamental knowle ....Bulk nanobubbles: from fundamentals to biomedical applications. This project aims to extend optical and acoustic tools to detect bulk nanobubbles, control their size-distributions, and understand how they interact with biomolecules. Liquids containing nanobubbles have numerous applications particularly in biomedicine. Using interdisciplinary approaches, this project expects to gain convincing evidence of the existence of bulk nanobubbles. This is expected to advance existing fundamental knowledge at the forefront of soft matter research, and give Australia a decisive technological head start in a competitive and lucrative industry through patentable technology.Read moreRead less