Novel Self Assembled Particle Systems as a Key to Next Generation Biosensor Technology. Development and commercialisation of products utilising nanotechnology is crucial to future wealth creation for Australia. The translational research in this proposal will progress innovative concepts in nanotechnology-based biosensors, with potential for substantial improvements in disease diagnosis, leading to more economical and timely therapy. The products that arise from this research will also provide f ....Novel Self Assembled Particle Systems as a Key to Next Generation Biosensor Technology. Development and commercialisation of products utilising nanotechnology is crucial to future wealth creation for Australia. The translational research in this proposal will progress innovative concepts in nanotechnology-based biosensors, with potential for substantial improvements in disease diagnosis, leading to more economical and timely therapy. The products that arise from this research will also provide further employment for Australians, building on Universal Biosensor’s proven record of commercialization in Australia. The project will lead to training of Australian researchers in nanotechnology and in utilization of key Australian science infrastructure including the Australian Synchrotron and the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication.Read moreRead less
Isolation and analysis of novel caspases. Apoptosis is an evolutionarily conserved cellular process which must be tightly controlled for normal development and to avoid disease. Rapid progress has been made recently in the elucidation of apoptotic pathways, but many important components are likely still unknown. The caspases constitute the effector arm of apoptotic signalling pathways and some members play important roles in cytokine maturation. We aim to identify novel caspases using an innovat ....Isolation and analysis of novel caspases. Apoptosis is an evolutionarily conserved cellular process which must be tightly controlled for normal development and to avoid disease. Rapid progress has been made recently in the elucidation of apoptotic pathways, but many important components are likely still unknown. The caspases constitute the effector arm of apoptotic signalling pathways and some members play important roles in cytokine maturation. We aim to identify novel caspases using an innovative technique, and to characterise their function and regulation. Molecules identified in this project may be candidate targets for therapies which modulate apoptosis for treatment or prevention of disease, or diagnostic reagent development.Read moreRead less
Advancing x-ray imaging into new dimensions using interferometry and phase-space tomography. Synchrotron science and nanofabrication technologies are priority investment areas for most industrial countries including Australia. This research program takes advantages of recent progress in these fields and aims to advance x-ray imaging techniques of high sensitivity and low radiation dose and retrieve all extractable information of an object encoded in a wavefield. The development of these techniqu ....Advancing x-ray imaging into new dimensions using interferometry and phase-space tomography. Synchrotron science and nanofabrication technologies are priority investment areas for most industrial countries including Australia. This research program takes advantages of recent progress in these fields and aims to advance x-ray imaging techniques of high sensitivity and low radiation dose and retrieve all extractable information of an object encoded in a wavefield. The development of these techniques is critical to future opportunities of frontier discoveries of the biological, nano and atomic world. Its application includes structural biology, medical diagnosis, biomedicine, material sciences and many other fields.Read moreRead less
Detection and Quantification of General Fetal Movements from Accelerometer Measurements using Nonstationary Signal Processing Techniques. There are approximately 1,750 fetal deaths per year in Australian with about one-third occurring late in gestation and without an apparent cause. The development of an automated system capable of long-term monitoring of fetal health will result in accurate diagnoses and prediction of future outcome. This will, in turn, allow early intervention by the clinicia ....Detection and Quantification of General Fetal Movements from Accelerometer Measurements using Nonstationary Signal Processing Techniques. There are approximately 1,750 fetal deaths per year in Australian with about one-third occurring late in gestation and without an apparent cause. The development of an automated system capable of long-term monitoring of fetal health will result in accurate diagnoses and prediction of future outcome. This will, in turn, allow early intervention by the clinician to reduce fetal deaths and enhance the chances of good outcomes with resultant savings in social and financial costs to the community. The development of such equipment would spawn future research into intervention treatments and contribute to Australia's position as a world leader in computerised health monitoring systems.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354583
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
Biodevice fabrication through intelligent surface modification. Achieving the reliable control of the attachment of proteins and other macromolecules to surfaces needed for sophisticated biosensors and medical diagnostics requires expertise and infrastructure from a diverse range of disciplines from the physical, chemical and biological sciences and engineering. This network will bring together researchers from a multidisciplinary pool working on problems relevant to the creation of functional s ....Biodevice fabrication through intelligent surface modification. Achieving the reliable control of the attachment of proteins and other macromolecules to surfaces needed for sophisticated biosensors and medical diagnostics requires expertise and infrastructure from a diverse range of disciplines from the physical, chemical and biological sciences and engineering. This network will bring together researchers from a multidisciplinary pool working on problems relevant to the creation of functional surfaces for applications in biodevices. The program we envisage will break down the barriers imposed by disciplinary boundaries and technical terminology to bring together the skills and infrastructure required to make rapid advances in this field.Read moreRead less
Nanoscale Coating and Biomodification of Colloids for Biological Applications. The research entails the preparation of novel biofunctional colloids of nanometer to micrometer dimensions and their utilisation in biological applications. Self-assembly processes will be exploited to achieve nanoscale biomodification of technologically important colloid particles, including latex beads and rare earth and semiconductor nanoparticles. The studies conducted will generate fundamental knowledge pertainin ....Nanoscale Coating and Biomodification of Colloids for Biological Applications. The research entails the preparation of novel biofunctional colloids of nanometer to micrometer dimensions and their utilisation in biological applications. Self-assembly processes will be exploited to achieve nanoscale biomodification of technologically important colloid particles, including latex beads and rare earth and semiconductor nanoparticles. The studies conducted will generate fundamental knowledge pertaining to the underlying factors that govern the formation of biofunctional colloid particles through self-assembly. This is essential for the development of tailored colloids that will meet the demands placed on nanomaterials synthesis and performance by nanotechnology. The colloids prepared will find new applications in medicine, biocatalysis and bioassays.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0560680
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$901,862.00
Summary
Vibrational Spectroscopy Microprobe/FESEM/AFM Imaging of Cells, Tissues and Materials. State-of-the-art vibrational mapping and imaging equipment (integrated with a field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and an atomic force microscope (AFM)) will provide enabling technologies for cutting-edge research in disease diagnosis, identification of pathogens, mapping of the entry and distribution of pharmaceutics into cells, and materials research. An InVia Renishaw Raman spectrometer (sub ....Vibrational Spectroscopy Microprobe/FESEM/AFM Imaging of Cells, Tissues and Materials. State-of-the-art vibrational mapping and imaging equipment (integrated with a field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and an atomic force microscope (AFM)) will provide enabling technologies for cutting-edge research in disease diagnosis, identification of pathogens, mapping of the entry and distribution of pharmaceutics into cells, and materials research. An InVia Renishaw Raman spectrometer (sub-micron spatial positioning and micron spatial resolution) will be interfaced to an FEI Quanta FESEM for combined Raman (spectroscopic), EDS and SEM (morphological) imaging/mapping at the sub-cellular level. Complementary new-generation Raman and IR spectrometer upgrades will provide an integrated world-class equipment platform.Read moreRead less
Discovery of Novel Respiratory Viruses Causing Influenza-Like Illness in Healthy Australian Adults Aged 18 to 64 Years. This work will inform our understanding of the causes of acute respiratory illnesses in Australia at the present time by looking for both known and previously undiscovered respiratory viruses. Increasing the knowledge base regarding causes of disease will have downstream relevance for health policy planners seeking to assess the burden of disease due to different causes. Early ....Discovery of Novel Respiratory Viruses Causing Influenza-Like Illness in Healthy Australian Adults Aged 18 to 64 Years. This work will inform our understanding of the causes of acute respiratory illnesses in Australia at the present time by looking for both known and previously undiscovered respiratory viruses. Increasing the knowledge base regarding causes of disease will have downstream relevance for health policy planners seeking to assess the burden of disease due to different causes. Early identification and description of new diseases will allow pre-emptive evaluation of new public health threats. This information will help to ensure availability and marketability of vaccines to prevent infection.Read moreRead less
Building a Smart Diagnostic System for Low Back Ailments. This research will develop an early back ailment diagnostic system that will reduce the recurrence of low back pain, and hence reduce the cost to the health system. This is significant to the community from prevention of pain, to the health care system that spends billions of dollars combating this modern day ailment and towards the industry where the low back pain is the single largest reason for sick leave in Australia. It will also giv ....Building a Smart Diagnostic System for Low Back Ailments. This research will develop an early back ailment diagnostic system that will reduce the recurrence of low back pain, and hence reduce the cost to the health system. This is significant to the community from prevention of pain, to the health care system that spends billions of dollars combating this modern day ailment and towards the industry where the low back pain is the single largest reason for sick leave in Australia. It will also give rise to employment of skilled technical people and an opportunity to increase high-value exports from Australia.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989567
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
State of the Art Surface Characterisation Facility for the Sydney Basin. Many of the grand challenges of our time, including finding alternative sources of energy, maximizing our current supply of natural resources, identifying and treating pollution in general, and in water in particular, and developing therapies and biomaterials that enable the personalisation of therapies to each individual are being solved using developments in the molecular sciences. Pivotal to the success of such research ....State of the Art Surface Characterisation Facility for the Sydney Basin. Many of the grand challenges of our time, including finding alternative sources of energy, maximizing our current supply of natural resources, identifying and treating pollution in general, and in water in particular, and developing therapies and biomaterials that enable the personalisation of therapies to each individual are being solved using developments in the molecular sciences. Pivotal to the success of such research is to understand materials and surfaces at the molecular level. The request is to purchase surface analysis instrumentation which will dramatically enhance the ability of scientists around Australia understand how to develop solutions to these grand challenges.Read moreRead less