Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100167
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$373,536.00
Summary
Electro-optical quantum transport in semiconductor microcavities. The project seeks to expand fundamental knowledge in the new area of exciton-polariton physics which has a range of practical applications. This project plans to connect fundamental study in quantum physics with application-oriented research involving elements of quantum engineering. The project plans to investigate the transport of exciton polaritons – hybrid light–matter particles that can propagate nearly as fast as light and a ....Electro-optical quantum transport in semiconductor microcavities. The project seeks to expand fundamental knowledge in the new area of exciton-polariton physics which has a range of practical applications. This project plans to connect fundamental study in quantum physics with application-oriented research involving elements of quantum engineering. The project plans to investigate the transport of exciton polaritons – hybrid light–matter particles that can propagate nearly as fast as light and are very robust. It may allow us to better understand fundamental features in physics and optics, and to model and construct optoelectronic devices such as quantum switchers, filters, transistors and detectors. The theory that the project aims to develop could be employed in different spheres of modern physics, chemistry, and medicine and biology.Read moreRead less
Designing and Building Novel 2D Hybrid Materials. The aim of this project is to use computational and experimental techniques to discover and fabricate new hybrid materials. Single-layer (2-D) materials like graphene have gained prominence and new ones are constantly being reported. Hybrid materials built from combinations of 2-D layers are appearing but progress is slow. This project is designed to increase the rate of discovery and fabrication of hybrids. The outcome would be an extensive data ....Designing and Building Novel 2D Hybrid Materials. The aim of this project is to use computational and experimental techniques to discover and fabricate new hybrid materials. Single-layer (2-D) materials like graphene have gained prominence and new ones are constantly being reported. Hybrid materials built from combinations of 2-D layers are appearing but progress is slow. This project is designed to increase the rate of discovery and fabrication of hybrids. The outcome would be an extensive database of materials properties, clear direction on how to control material properties, and manufacturing protocols to build a wide range of new materials.Read moreRead less
Understanding and optimising the microstructure of Germanium-Arsenic-Selenium glasses for superior device performance. The project will seek to use a combined theoretical and experimental approach to develop 'state of the art' optical glass materials for use in integrated nonlinear optical components. Such materials could be used as optical waveguides in broadband communication systems and offer the possibility of significant improvement in telecommunication performance.
A theoretical hierachy to investigate the electronic behaviour of graphene nanostructures under realistic conditions. One of the most exciting new nano-materials is graphene which promises to be the basis of a new industry producing nano-electronics and nano-devices such as chemical sensors. This project aims to provide sound scientific knowledge on the effects of environmental conditions on the properties of graphene which are vital for its industrial use.
The Shape of Plants; Discovering factors that control morphology by organizing the cytoskeleton. Understanding how plants generate the huge diversity of shapes seen in nature is both a scientific challenge and a biotechnological opportunity. Microtubules dominate cell architecture, providing dynamic, yet rigid, frameworks for defining or changing growth polarity. We recently discovered and cloned MOR1, a gene that is essential for organizing microtubules and controlling morphogenesis. This place ....The Shape of Plants; Discovering factors that control morphology by organizing the cytoskeleton. Understanding how plants generate the huge diversity of shapes seen in nature is both a scientific challenge and a biotechnological opportunity. Microtubules dominate cell architecture, providing dynamic, yet rigid, frameworks for defining or changing growth polarity. We recently discovered and cloned MOR1, a gene that is essential for organizing microtubules and controlling morphogenesis. This places us in a strong position to resolve a long-standing mystery: how are microtubules organized? We intend to define MOR1's structural attributes, identify its interacting proteins and innovate an ambitious screen for additional genes that have related functions. This project should stimulate new ideas and applications.Read moreRead less
Investigating The Cellular Response To Iron-Depletion: The Trilogy Of ASK1, Thioredoxin And Ribonucleotide Reductase
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$552,572.00
Summary
Iron is crucial for many essential biological processes. Recently, we demonstrated that iron-depletion can affects important signalling pathways (e.g., JNK and p38) that play important roles in growth arrest and apoptosis. This study is designed to investigate the cellular and molecular effects of iron depletion which currently remains unclear. The research is crucial for understanding: (1) the effects of iron deficiency and (2) for understanding the effects of iron chelators that are used for t ....Iron is crucial for many essential biological processes. Recently, we demonstrated that iron-depletion can affects important signalling pathways (e.g., JNK and p38) that play important roles in growth arrest and apoptosis. This study is designed to investigate the cellular and molecular effects of iron depletion which currently remains unclear. The research is crucial for understanding: (1) the effects of iron deficiency and (2) for understanding the effects of iron chelators that are used for treating various diseases.Read moreRead less
Generalised density functional theory for accurate chemistry. The project aims to construct two new methods for predicting chemical structure, bonding and reactivity. The first of these (gLDA2) would be useful for modelling molecules whose electrons are constrained to a two-dimensional plane. The second (gLDA3) would be useful for modelling molecules with unconstrained electrons. The project plans to implement the two methods in user-friendly software packages and made available to researchers i ....Generalised density functional theory for accurate chemistry. The project aims to construct two new methods for predicting chemical structure, bonding and reactivity. The first of these (gLDA2) would be useful for modelling molecules whose electrons are constrained to a two-dimensional plane. The second (gLDA3) would be useful for modelling molecules with unconstrained electrons. The project plans to implement the two methods in user-friendly software packages and made available to researchers in Australia and around the world improve manufacturing efficiency in the chemical, biological, medicinal and agricultural contexts. Unlike the semi-empirical approaches that they seek to replace, these two new methods will be derived from the properties of electrons on spheres or hyperspheres and thereby have a solid foundation in quantum mechanics.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0453295
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$369,697.00
Summary
NMR cryosystem for structural and functional biology. State-of-the-art hardware is requested for the 600-MHz NMR spectrometers situated at University of Sydney and UNSW. A cryosystem installed at USyd. will provide a massive boost in productivity and will allow projects previously inaccessible due to excessive turn-around times, or sensitivity or solubility problems to become tractable. This system will provide new opportunities to researchers from USyd., UNSW and ANU, but will restrict the ver ....NMR cryosystem for structural and functional biology. State-of-the-art hardware is requested for the 600-MHz NMR spectrometers situated at University of Sydney and UNSW. A cryosystem installed at USyd. will provide a massive boost in productivity and will allow projects previously inaccessible due to excessive turn-around times, or sensitivity or solubility problems to become tractable. This system will provide new opportunities to researchers from USyd., UNSW and ANU, but will restrict the versatility of the USyd. instrument. The installation of a TBI probe at UNSW will counter this, and provide a REAL network of NMR instruments across NSW and the ACT.Read moreRead less
CesA (cellulose synthase) genes of Arabidopsis; all doing the same job or specialists cooperating to make the most abundant biopolymer. The biosphere makes more cellulose than any other polymer with fibre industries depending on its physical properties and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels depending on its stability as a carbon sink. Demonstrations that cellulose production needs CesA genes drove recent progress in elucidating the mechanism of synthesis. CesA proteins all look very similar but i ....CesA (cellulose synthase) genes of Arabidopsis; all doing the same job or specialists cooperating to make the most abundant biopolymer. The biosphere makes more cellulose than any other polymer with fibre industries depending on its physical properties and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels depending on its stability as a carbon sink. Demonstrations that cellulose production needs CesA genes drove recent progress in elucidating the mechanism of synthesis. CesA proteins all look very similar but if all do the same job, why do plants need so many and why do none seem redundant? We will make gene interchanges in transgenic plants, build chimeric genes and identify where each CesA protein operates. This will identify their individual and cooperative contributions to cellulose production.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE150100151
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$760,000.00
Summary
Probe and engineer interactions in atomic-scale devices with a LT STM. A low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscope: The project aims to establish a facility to exploit the spectroscopic and spatial resolution of an ultra-low temperature scanning tunnelling microscope in conjunction with atomically controlled dopant engineering. In a variety of experiments the research team will explore ultra-scaled transistors, quantum information science devices, and engineered quantum matter. Improving ou ....Probe and engineer interactions in atomic-scale devices with a LT STM. A low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscope: The project aims to establish a facility to exploit the spectroscopic and spatial resolution of an ultra-low temperature scanning tunnelling microscope in conjunction with atomically controlled dopant engineering. In a variety of experiments the research team will explore ultra-scaled transistors, quantum information science devices, and engineered quantum matter. Improving our ability to investigate semiconductor materials at the atomic scale impacts fields ranging from electronics, telecommunication, quantum information to renewable energy research and puts Australia at the forefront of the field of controlled atomic systems in semiconductors.Read moreRead less