Synchrotrons, wavelet analysis and novel imaging techniques - applying physics tools to the war against breast cancer. Breast cancer leads to the second highest number of person-years of life lost due to cancer in Australia, with little known about its transport around the body. Current screening methods for breast cancer are neither 100% sensitive or specific and are heavily dependent upon expert training. This project will contribute by yielding valuable information on the transport of breast ....Synchrotrons, wavelet analysis and novel imaging techniques - applying physics tools to the war against breast cancer. Breast cancer leads to the second highest number of person-years of life lost due to cancer in Australia, with little known about its transport around the body. Current screening methods for breast cancer are neither 100% sensitive or specific and are heavily dependent upon expert training. This project will contribute by yielding valuable information on the transport of breast cancer and contribute to the development of an automated diagnostic method, with the possibility of its application to other diseases. The project will also involve members of the regional community, train regional scientists and provide synchrotron experience for Australian scientists in time for Australia's first synchrotron.Read moreRead less
Terahertz and optical coherence tomography for improved cancer imaging. This project aims to improve cancer imaging by combining two complimentary, novel techniques. Its success will create an internationally leading position for Australia in cutting-edge research in optical and terahertz biomedical imaging. This innovative, fundamental research will expand Australia's research capacity in imaging sciences. The nation will benefit from new medical diagnostic techniques that will improve the dete ....Terahertz and optical coherence tomography for improved cancer imaging. This project aims to improve cancer imaging by combining two complimentary, novel techniques. Its success will create an internationally leading position for Australia in cutting-edge research in optical and terahertz biomedical imaging. This innovative, fundamental research will expand Australia's research capacity in imaging sciences. The nation will benefit from new medical diagnostic techniques that will improve the detection and treatment of cancer; as well as aid the clinical assessment of burns. This multidisciplinary, internationally collaborative research has additional wide ranging benefits in biology, medicine, pharmaceutical science and national security.Read moreRead less
Mathematical studies on the statistical properties of complex systems. Introduced in the late `50's to model nuclear spectra, random matrices are now standard in the theory of quantum chaos, mesoscopic phenomena and disordered systems. These are all examples of physical complex systems, characterized by unknown interactions leading to predictable behaviour due to symmetries. Vast mathematical structures result from the symmetries - integrable systems, Painleve equations, Macdonald polynomial the ....Mathematical studies on the statistical properties of complex systems. Introduced in the late `50's to model nuclear spectra, random matrices are now standard in the theory of quantum chaos, mesoscopic phenomena and disordered systems. These are all examples of physical complex systems, characterized by unknown interactions leading to predictable behaviour due to symmetries. Vast mathematical structures result from the symmetries - integrable systems, Painleve equations, Macdonald polynomial theory to name a few. These structures will be further developed, leading to the analytic form of distribution functions quantifying classes of complex systems. Analogous statistical quantification is the essence of recently proposed methods to analyze artificial complex systems such as the stock market.Read moreRead less
Integrated Photonics for Secure Communication and Related Applications in Financial Transaction Data Analysis. The project includes excellent basic science, semiconductor device fabrication and applied mathematics with explicitly identified consequences for innovation. There is strong potential for national economic benefits through the manufacture of new integrated photonic devices, the application of these devices in secure communication systems, the research of advanced non-linear analysis pr ....Integrated Photonics for Secure Communication and Related Applications in Financial Transaction Data Analysis. The project includes excellent basic science, semiconductor device fabrication and applied mathematics with explicitly identified consequences for innovation. There is strong potential for national economic benefits through the manufacture of new integrated photonic devices, the application of these devices in secure communication systems, the research of advanced non-linear analysis protocols, and the implementation of these in financial transaction analysis. Professional development and research education of postgraduate students and early career researchers will be carried out in a multi-disciplinary research environment with ongoing uptake of the research in industry and commercial sectors.Read moreRead less
Photoactive Semiconducting Biopolymers. The basic aims of this project are to elucidate, manipulate, and utilise the unique chemical and physical properties of a class of biopolymers called the melanins. These materials are the only known solid state semiconducting biopolymers, and are non-toxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable. Their use as active components in biomimetic soft electonic, optoelectronic or photovoltaic devices, has not hitherto been demonstrated. It is anticipated that the k ....Photoactive Semiconducting Biopolymers. The basic aims of this project are to elucidate, manipulate, and utilise the unique chemical and physical properties of a class of biopolymers called the melanins. These materials are the only known solid state semiconducting biopolymers, and are non-toxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable. Their use as active components in biomimetic soft electonic, optoelectronic or photovoltaic devices, has not hitherto been demonstrated. It is anticipated that the key outcomes from the project will be a demonstration of biopolymer-based photoelectrochemical and solid-state p-i-n solar cells, and an improved understanding of the physics and chemistry of these important biological macromolecules.Read moreRead less
Naturally Photoactive Biopolymers. The basic aim of this project is to assess the viability of using semiconducting biopolymers from the melanin family of macromolecules in photoactive device based applications. In order to do this, key optical, structural, electronic, and photochemical properties will be assessed on thin films in the solid state. The melanins are the only known semiconducting biopolymers, and are non-toxic, biocompatible and biodegradable. Their use as ?active? materials in ....Naturally Photoactive Biopolymers. The basic aim of this project is to assess the viability of using semiconducting biopolymers from the melanin family of macromolecules in photoactive device based applications. In order to do this, key optical, structural, electronic, and photochemical properties will be assessed on thin films in the solid state. The melanins are the only known semiconducting biopolymers, and are non-toxic, biocompatible and biodegradable. Their use as ?active? materials in solid state or photo-electrochemical devices has never before been suggested. Specifically, these materials could be used as the light harvesting components in dye sensitised Gratzel cells, or, as the donor material in soft solid photovoltaic junctions. The melanins are also a key class of biomolecules (their involvement in skin cancers is well documented), and hence, any advancement in our understanding of their functions and properties could have biological importance.Read moreRead less
New method of remote characterization of hydrocarbon films on the ocean surface through studies of wave turbulence. Development of a novel method of remote characterization of oil films on the sea surface will help early detection of oil spills in environmental monitoring. It will also be used for detection of naturally occurring oil seeps in the oil exploration on the sea shelf. The project addresses the national research priority of Environmentally Sustainable Australia and the priority goal o ....New method of remote characterization of hydrocarbon films on the ocean surface through studies of wave turbulence. Development of a novel method of remote characterization of oil films on the sea surface will help early detection of oil spills in environmental monitoring. It will also be used for detection of naturally occurring oil seeps in the oil exploration on the sea shelf. The project addresses the national research priority of Environmentally Sustainable Australia and the priority goal of developing deep earth resources. Australian industry will greatly benefit from the outcome of the project. These studies will also help advancing Australia's position at the forefront of remote sensing research. Australian undergraduate, postgraduate and research training is an integral part of the project.Read moreRead less
A wavelength-versatile visible laser for ophthalmic instrumentation. Treatment of a wide range of retinal disorders can be enhanced by a range of treatment modalities using laser beams of different colours. The outcome of this project will be a new laser technology for ophthalmic applications which is unique in its versatility while reducing size and cost. This will allow our partner, Opto Global, to gain a unique market position for its ophthalmic products with flow-on benefits to the Austral ....A wavelength-versatile visible laser for ophthalmic instrumentation. Treatment of a wide range of retinal disorders can be enhanced by a range of treatment modalities using laser beams of different colours. The outcome of this project will be a new laser technology for ophthalmic applications which is unique in its versatility while reducing size and cost. This will allow our partner, Opto Global, to gain a unique market position for its ophthalmic products with flow-on benefits to the Australian economy and ultimately benefits to the community through improved clinical efficacy and patient outcomes. The frontier technology represented by these new laser devices is also applicable to other industries including medical aesthetics, colour projection and display, and defence systems.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0561221
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$142,450.00
Summary
Australian Virtual Observatory. The explosion in the rate of data acquisition in disciplines such as Astronomy requires new database structures and management systems. Scientists need fast access and analysis of data from many diverse telescopes, instruments and theoretical modeling packages. In 2005, we will begin the critical process of unifying the different aspects of the Australian Virtual Observatory based on GrangeNet. This program is complementary to and builds on substantial investm ....Australian Virtual Observatory. The explosion in the rate of data acquisition in disciplines such as Astronomy requires new database structures and management systems. Scientists need fast access and analysis of data from many diverse telescopes, instruments and theoretical modeling packages. In 2005, we will begin the critical process of unifying the different aspects of the Australian Virtual Observatory based on GrangeNet. This program is complementary to and builds on substantial investments in Europe, the US and the UK to develop the International Virtual Observatory. The Australian Virtual Observatory will be a key demonstrator for Australia's information infrastructure.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0453677
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$308,700.00
Summary
Australian Astronomy Grid. An explosion in the rate of data acquisition in disciplines such as Astronomy will require new database structures and management systems. Scientists need fast access and analysis of data from many diverse telescopes, instruments and theoretical modeling packages. In 2004, we will start building the Australian Astronomy Grid based on GrangeNet,including at least three nodes. This program is complementary to and builds on substantial investments in Europe, the US and ....Australian Astronomy Grid. An explosion in the rate of data acquisition in disciplines such as Astronomy will require new database structures and management systems. Scientists need fast access and analysis of data from many diverse telescopes, instruments and theoretical modeling packages. In 2004, we will start building the Australian Astronomy Grid based on GrangeNet,including at least three nodes. This program is complementary to and builds on substantial investments in Europe, the US and the UK to develop the International Virtual Observatory. The Australian Astronomy Grid will be a key demonstrator for Australia's information infrastructure.
Read moreRead less