Measurement and imaging of pathogenic and diagnostic iron oxide nanoparticles using proton magnetic resonance. This project is likely to result in new and improved technologies to aid in the management and diagnosis of a range of diseases including iron metabolism disorders such as thalassaemia and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Other aspects of the research may lead to technologies for the early detection of some cancers. The technologies will enhance Australia's intern ....Measurement and imaging of pathogenic and diagnostic iron oxide nanoparticles using proton magnetic resonance. This project is likely to result in new and improved technologies to aid in the management and diagnosis of a range of diseases including iron metabolism disorders such as thalassaemia and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Other aspects of the research may lead to technologies for the early detection of some cancers. The technologies will enhance Australia's international standing in the field of advanced medical imaging and have the potential to be commercialised within the Australian biotechnology sector. During the project, research students will receive high quality multidisciplinary training ensuring the supply of personnel with high-level technical expertise into the future.Read moreRead less
Novel imaging technologies for continuous measurement of tracer kinetics in awake animals. The fates of biologically relevant molecules, such as proteins and antibodies, in the body are fundamentally important for understanding the mechanisms and treatment of disease. This project will enable for the first time continuous imaging of the location and time course of labelled molecules in conscious, freely moving animals.
Advanced computational algorithms for brain imaging studies of freely moving animals. Current brain imaging technology requires the animal to be unconscious. This project will remove this barrier by developing computational algorithms that measure brain function in freely moving animals. These technologies will provide brain scientists with new tools to study behaviour altering diseases, such as schizophrenia and depression.
Nonlinear Time Series Analysis in Cardiac Physiology. We will develop innovative mathematically-based diagnostics with potentially significant savings in mortality and quality of life for affected individuals and health care costs to the community.
Cardiac diseases kill more Australians than any other disease group. According to the National Heart Foundation the prevalence to heart conditions increased by 18% over the last decade.
Medical practitioners are in need of reliable diagnostic too ....Nonlinear Time Series Analysis in Cardiac Physiology. We will develop innovative mathematically-based diagnostics with potentially significant savings in mortality and quality of life for affected individuals and health care costs to the community.
Cardiac diseases kill more Australians than any other disease group. According to the National Heart Foundation the prevalence to heart conditions increased by 18% over the last decade.
Medical practitioners are in need of reliable diagnostic tools to decide whether a person in front of them is at high risk from developing sudden cardiac death, and whether they should be fitted with an implant that could save their life.Read moreRead less
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
Investigation of three dimensional terahertz computed tomography for biomedical applications. Terahertz (T-ray) imaging is an exciting newly emerging technology that can perform safe, non-invasive, imaging and chemical sensing at the same time. This research aims to achieve an advance in terahertz imaging by using advanced methods that will enhance our ability to achieve accurate detection of diseased tissue in vivo. Socio-economic benefits to Australia include: (i) contributions to terahertz sy ....Investigation of three dimensional terahertz computed tomography for biomedical applications. Terahertz (T-ray) imaging is an exciting newly emerging technology that can perform safe, non-invasive, imaging and chemical sensing at the same time. This research aims to achieve an advance in terahertz imaging by using advanced methods that will enhance our ability to achieve accurate detection of diseased tissue in vivo. Socio-economic benefits to Australia include: (i) contributions to terahertz systems, enhancing Australia's reputation for cutting-edge research; (ii) international collaboration will be strengthened; (iii) results will potentially lead to commercialisation opportunities; (iv) the outcomes will ultimately impact on improving terahertz imaging in quality control, medical diagnosis, and detection for national security.Read moreRead less
Development of microwave tomography techniques and inverse methods for biomedical imaging applications. Microwave tomography is a rapidly emerging imaging technology with highly significant applications in industry and medicine. In particular, given its sensitivity to differences between normal and malignant breast tissue, non-invasive microwave imaging has been the subject of intense research interest in the last ten years. In collaboration with workers at Chalmers University in Sweden, we wi ....Development of microwave tomography techniques and inverse methods for biomedical imaging applications. Microwave tomography is a rapidly emerging imaging technology with highly significant applications in industry and medicine. In particular, given its sensitivity to differences between normal and malignant breast tissue, non-invasive microwave imaging has been the subject of intense research interest in the last ten years. In collaboration with workers at Chalmers University in Sweden, we will develop and evaluate a scanning microwave imaging tomographic system with a number of potential industrial and biomedical applications. This appears to be a new Australian initiative.Read moreRead less
Low dose methods for detecting early lung disease using x-ray phase contrast imaging. This project will develop a highly sensitive, low-dose x-ray imaging technique for the early detection of diseases of the respiratory system. This technology will have the potential to be used as a diagnostic screening tool to reduce the incidence of respiratory related deaths from diseases such as lung cancer and emphysema.
Novel Motion Correction Technologies for Simultaneous Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The recent development of the world's first prototype combined MR-PET scanner for human use has prompted immense interest. MR-PET is likely to revolutionize clinical diagnosis and basic research, by providing exquisite structural images co-registered with simultaneous functional PET images. We will exploit the as yet unexplored potential for motion information derived from the MR sy ....Novel Motion Correction Technologies for Simultaneous Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The recent development of the world's first prototype combined MR-PET scanner for human use has prompted immense interest. MR-PET is likely to revolutionize clinical diagnosis and basic research, by providing exquisite structural images co-registered with simultaneous functional PET images. We will exploit the as yet unexplored potential for motion information derived from the MR system to be used to correct the simultaneously acquired PET data for patient motion. This research is an excellent opportunity for Australian researchers to make important contributions to an emerging technology with high economic potential, and will strengthen Australia's international position in engineering and biomedical systems development.Read moreRead less
Novel technologies for motion-compensated simultaneous Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging. The aim of this work is to develop motion tracking and motion correction techniques for an emerging hybrid imaging technology, MR-PET. The MR-PET scanner simultaneously acquires structural MR images and functional PET images. The work will provide clearer images without the effects of motion blur for both research and clinical applications.