Structural and pharmaceutical studies on a novel human protein, MIC-1. Cancer and obesity are two of the main health problems facing Australia, as reflected by the National Research Priority: Promoting and Maintaining Good Health. This project will develop new diagnostic tools for early cancer detection and prognosis using the protein, MIC-1. MIC-1 is responsible for cachexia, a wasting disorder responsible for 25% of cancer deaths, which has no effective therapy. MIC-1 and antibodies neutrali ....Structural and pharmaceutical studies on a novel human protein, MIC-1. Cancer and obesity are two of the main health problems facing Australia, as reflected by the National Research Priority: Promoting and Maintaining Good Health. This project will develop new diagnostic tools for early cancer detection and prognosis using the protein, MIC-1. MIC-1 is responsible for cachexia, a wasting disorder responsible for 25% of cancer deaths, which has no effective therapy. MIC-1 and antibodies neutralising MIC-1 may provide therapeutic agents to control cancer cachexia and severe obesity. The project will optimise these molecules for therapeutic uses. These diagnostic and therapeutic tools will form the basis of a spin-off company for commercialisation. Read moreRead less
Advanced Nanostructured Biointerfaces for Cell Capture. The expected outcomes of this interdisciplinary project, which apply the most recent advances in nanotechnology and biophysics to cancer research, will enhance Australia's capacity in Frontier Technology and build strength in Nanobiotechnology. They will bring competitive advantages to the Australian biotechnology and biomedical community for further developments and applications in the multi-billion dollar field of biodiagnostics. These in ....Advanced Nanostructured Biointerfaces for Cell Capture. The expected outcomes of this interdisciplinary project, which apply the most recent advances in nanotechnology and biophysics to cancer research, will enhance Australia's capacity in Frontier Technology and build strength in Nanobiotechnology. They will bring competitive advantages to the Australian biotechnology and biomedical community for further developments and applications in the multi-billion dollar field of biodiagnostics. These innovative biodiagnostic strategies will potentially achieve a significant step in the direction of the once elusive goal of early detection and improved understanding of cancer.Read moreRead less
Smart Information Use for PET-CT Quantitative Molecular Imaging. This project aims to use advanced computing algorithms to tackle
challenging problems associated with a new medical technology called
PET-CT which combines two imaging modalities in one device. While this technology is very new and has great potential in cancer and brain disorders, it also poses major challenges for information processing and transmission. We will address these challenges by developing advanced algorithms that op ....Smart Information Use for PET-CT Quantitative Molecular Imaging. This project aims to use advanced computing algorithms to tackle
challenging problems associated with a new medical technology called
PET-CT which combines two imaging modalities in one device. While this technology is very new and has great potential in cancer and brain disorders, it also poses major challenges for information processing and transmission. We will address these challenges by developing advanced algorithms that optimally extract information from PET and CT using mathematical models that correct for the various sources of inaccuracy. Our research will put Australian biomedical researchers and healthcare professionals at the forefront of advanced medical imaging technology.Read moreRead less
An Innovative Multimedia Framework for Multidimensional PET-CT Image Navigation and Communication. The recent development of a combined positron emission tomography and computerized tomography (PET-CT) device ushers in a completely new era in molecular imaging that will revolutionize the approach to imaging in the clinical environment. In this project, we address a number of the critical challenges associated with the introduction of PET-CT, and provide a range of innovative multimedia technolo ....An Innovative Multimedia Framework for Multidimensional PET-CT Image Navigation and Communication. The recent development of a combined positron emission tomography and computerized tomography (PET-CT) device ushers in a completely new era in molecular imaging that will revolutionize the approach to imaging in the clinical environment. In this project, we address a number of the critical challenges associated with the introduction of PET-CT, and provide a range of innovative multimedia technologies to visualize, manipulate and deliver these multi-dimensional data. Our research will greatly enhance the clinical and research benefits of PET-CT and facilitate new discoveries which will have a significant scientific and social impact in Australia and the world at large.Read moreRead less
Automated 3-Dimensional Biomedical Registration for Whole-body Images from Combined PET/CT Scanners. This project will aid rapid assimilation of very large medical imaging datasets from different imaging devices, and will have clinical applications in diagnosis and treatment and improve patient care. The research, when extended to protein registration, will facilitate analysis of DNA and advance research in bioinformatics and biotechnology. The research could also be used for target recognition, ....Automated 3-Dimensional Biomedical Registration for Whole-body Images from Combined PET/CT Scanners. This project will aid rapid assimilation of very large medical imaging datasets from different imaging devices, and will have clinical applications in diagnosis and treatment and improve patient care. The research, when extended to protein registration, will facilitate analysis of DNA and advance research in bioinformatics and biotechnology. The research could also be used for target recognition, mosaic construction, content-based retrieval, in remote sensing and multimedia. Benefits to Australia include the provision of a readily adaptable image registration program for patient care (e.g., early detection of cancers, dementia), cutting-edge research, high-quality training for students, and encouraging international research collaboration.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
Imaging of properties of coherent elastic light scattering from turbid biological media. Imaging with coherent, elastically-scattered light for visualisation of thick-tissue morphology in vivo, or of cells buried deep in a turbid medium, remains a major challenge. We adopt an alternative approach of imaging of properties of light scattering based on regarding cellular tissue as a spatially-varying refractive-index continuum which encodes scattered light. We propose new methodologies to infer t ....Imaging of properties of coherent elastic light scattering from turbid biological media. Imaging with coherent, elastically-scattered light for visualisation of thick-tissue morphology in vivo, or of cells buried deep in a turbid medium, remains a major challenge. We adopt an alternative approach of imaging of properties of light scattering based on regarding cellular tissue as a spatially-varying refractive-index continuum which encodes scattered light. We propose new methodologies to infer tissue state and morphology indirectly based on phase delay, speckle, and angle-resolved scattering. We will break new ground in correlating the structure and function of in situ epithelial tissue and cells to light scattering enabling, e.g., the detection of mitosis and apoptosis in cells buried in thick, turbid media, and of cancers and precancers in vivo.Read moreRead less
Advances in optical coherence tomography. We propose to continue our research into the biomedical imaging technique of optical coherence tomography by making substantial new advances in the key areas of ultra-broad bandwidth operation, coincident confocal gate scanning, and dispersion compensation. These advances are aimed at improving resolution to the 1-5 micron range, which should allow a breakthrough to sub-cellular in vivo imaging, making visible sample histology in situ, which is currentl ....Advances in optical coherence tomography. We propose to continue our research into the biomedical imaging technique of optical coherence tomography by making substantial new advances in the key areas of ultra-broad bandwidth operation, coincident confocal gate scanning, and dispersion compensation. These advances are aimed at improving resolution to the 1-5 micron range, which should allow a breakthrough to sub-cellular in vivo imaging, making visible sample histology in situ, which is currently not possible. We also plan to make advances in the key area of scanning delay line technology by employing acousto-optics in OCT for the first time. Acousto-optics conveys advantages in no-moving-parts, scan-speed and accuracy.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
New methods to improve regional isotope therapy of liver tumours in cancer patients. The most common cause of death in cancer patients is secondary tumours in vital organs. Successful treatment of liver tumours with regional isotope therapy now offers improved survival rates. This project will research novel radiolabelled nanoparticles and advanced computer imaging algorithms to improve regional isotope therapy of liver tumours. It will provide better methods of objective assessment and manageme ....New methods to improve regional isotope therapy of liver tumours in cancer patients. The most common cause of death in cancer patients is secondary tumours in vital organs. Successful treatment of liver tumours with regional isotope therapy now offers improved survival rates. This project will research novel radiolabelled nanoparticles and advanced computer imaging algorithms to improve regional isotope therapy of liver tumours. It will provide better methods of objective assessment and management that can reduce risk and improve patient survival.Read moreRead less