Organic Bionics: Soft Materials to Solve Hard Problems in Neuroengineering. This project aims to combine innovations in organic conductors, nanotechnology, 3D biofabrication and neuroengineering to develop a bioelectronic system capable of wireless neuromodulation with unprecedented stability and precision. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding the properties of materials that promote optical neuromodulation and new strategies to obtain long-term material stability in biologic ....Organic Bionics: Soft Materials to Solve Hard Problems in Neuroengineering. This project aims to combine innovations in organic conductors, nanotechnology, 3D biofabrication and neuroengineering to develop a bioelectronic system capable of wireless neuromodulation with unprecedented stability and precision. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding the properties of materials that promote optical neuromodulation and new strategies to obtain long-term material stability in biological environments. The expected outcome is to generate new material design rules to facilitate wireless neuromodulation technologies in biomedical engineering. The project will position Australia as a leader in bionic devices by creating a new 3D bioprinting hub for low-cost fabrication of bioelectronic systems.Read moreRead less
Seeing the Bio-Nano "Talk" in the brain via real-time multiplex tracking. This project aims to develop new knowledge and smart tools that have the potential to greatly improve brain research. The blood-brain-barrier is the major physiological barrier that protects the brain from environmental toxins, bacteria and viruses, but limits the effectiveness of nanoparticle-based brain imaging agents. Expected outcomes of this project include a better understanding of the mechanisms that allow nanoparti ....Seeing the Bio-Nano "Talk" in the brain via real-time multiplex tracking. This project aims to develop new knowledge and smart tools that have the potential to greatly improve brain research. The blood-brain-barrier is the major physiological barrier that protects the brain from environmental toxins, bacteria and viruses, but limits the effectiveness of nanoparticle-based brain imaging agents. Expected outcomes of this project include a better understanding of the mechanisms that allow nanoparticles to penetrate the blood-brain-barrier, as well as improving brain imaging. Benefits of the project include the commercialisation of technologies and smarl tools developed in this projetct, and establishment of a new Australian biotechnology company that exports brain-imaging technologies to the world.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100128
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$450,000.00
Summary
Engineering microenvironments to regulate osteocyte 3D networks in vitro. Most knowledge of bone is based on only a fraction of cells found in bone because the majority of cells in our bones (called osteocyte cell networks) cannot easily be grown or studied outside the body. This results in the inability to understand how the bone organ functions. Using bioinspired engineering, this project will use advanced biomaterials to biofabricate, for the first time, osteocyte cell networks in vitro. By u ....Engineering microenvironments to regulate osteocyte 3D networks in vitro. Most knowledge of bone is based on only a fraction of cells found in bone because the majority of cells in our bones (called osteocyte cell networks) cannot easily be grown or studied outside the body. This results in the inability to understand how the bone organ functions. Using bioinspired engineering, this project will use advanced biomaterials to biofabricate, for the first time, osteocyte cell networks in vitro. By unravelling how they are formed and controlled by manipulating their microenvironment, we will discover how different types of bones are formed. The benefits will be a valuable tool for the bone research community, allowing unresolved questions to be addressed in the future, such as how bone forms, repairs, and remodels.Read moreRead less
Designing functional biomaterials with superior cellular interactions. This proposal aims to make a new class of biomaterials that direct important cellular functions such as adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. This will be achieved by developing materials that leverage a previously unexplored mechanism that was recently identified in my lab: the co-engagement of integrin and syndecan-4 cell receptors. We will use these biomaterials to 1) fabricate 3D printed tissue engineering scaffo ....Designing functional biomaterials with superior cellular interactions. This proposal aims to make a new class of biomaterials that direct important cellular functions such as adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. This will be achieved by developing materials that leverage a previously unexplored mechanism that was recently identified in my lab: the co-engagement of integrin and syndecan-4 cell receptors. We will use these biomaterials to 1) fabricate 3D printed tissue engineering scaffolds with a superior ability to promote the development of new tissue, and 2) create surfaces that will enable us to answer fundamental scientific questions regarding cell adhesion and cell/material interactions.Read moreRead less
Organic Bioelectronics: Solving Key Barriers to Precision Neuromodulation. This project aims to combine the principles of molecular electronics and neurobiology to create organic conductors with enhanced biocompatibility that enable optical neuromodulation. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding the properties of materials that promote connectivity with neurons and the ability of new microscopy tools to visualise this bio-interface. The expected outcome of this project includes ....Organic Bioelectronics: Solving Key Barriers to Precision Neuromodulation. This project aims to combine the principles of molecular electronics and neurobiology to create organic conductors with enhanced biocompatibility that enable optical neuromodulation. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding the properties of materials that promote connectivity with neurons and the ability of new microscopy tools to visualise this bio-interface. The expected outcome of this project includes new high performing materials, measurement tools and fabrication approaches to overcome the key challenges to precision neuromodulation. A significant benefit of the new materials is their printability, providing the opportunity to establish a sovereign capability to manufacture low-cost bioelectronic systems in Australia.Read moreRead less
Engineering Functional Antimicrobial Polypeptide Surfaces. Antimicrobial coatings are vital in preventing bacterial contamination but a versatile solution does not exist. Structurally nanoengineered antimicrobial peptide polymers (SNAPPs) were recently developed to fight multidrug-resistant bacteria. To expand their application into antimicrobial coatings across a range of surfaces, a simple and universal coating strategy is needed. By developing phenolic-functionalised SNAPPs, this project aims ....Engineering Functional Antimicrobial Polypeptide Surfaces. Antimicrobial coatings are vital in preventing bacterial contamination but a versatile solution does not exist. Structurally nanoengineered antimicrobial peptide polymers (SNAPPs) were recently developed to fight multidrug-resistant bacteria. To expand their application into antimicrobial coatings across a range of surfaces, a simple and universal coating strategy is needed. By developing phenolic-functionalised SNAPPs, this project aims to exploit the adhesive nature of metal–phenolic materials to rapidly coat diverse surfaces, including stainless steel and textiles. The expected outcome is the generation of antimicrobial polypeptide surfaces, which will have benefits in food safety, medical implant technology and advanced textiles.Read moreRead less
Micro-electrofluidic platforms for monitoring 3D human biological models. The ability to study living cells and human biological models (cell cultures) delivers greater understanding of basic biological function and response to applied (bio)chemical stimuli. Creating the physical environments to sustain biological models, and mimic natural conditions and fluidic pathways, is immensely challenging, yet essential to deliver meaningful observational data. This project will deliver this capability t ....Micro-electrofluidic platforms for monitoring 3D human biological models. The ability to study living cells and human biological models (cell cultures) delivers greater understanding of basic biological function and response to applied (bio)chemical stimuli. Creating the physical environments to sustain biological models, and mimic natural conditions and fluidic pathways, is immensely challenging, yet essential to deliver meaningful observational data. This project will deliver this capability through the convergence of expertise and innovation in analytical chemistry, materials science and cellular biology, ultilising the latest technology and understanding of 3D micro/electrofluidics, to enable the study and stimulation of advanced biological models, sustained within precisely controlled 3D micro-environments.Read moreRead less
Nanoengineering of Biomaterial Surfaces to Tailor Innate Immune Responses. The overarching aim of this project is to provide a mechanistic understanding of how surface nanotopography affects inflammatory responses. Recently, we showed that surface nanotopography induced conformational changes in adsorbed proteins can activate or deactivate immune cells. These exciting findings are important because they show that it may be possible to engineer the nanotopography of a biomedical device surface in ....Nanoengineering of Biomaterial Surfaces to Tailor Innate Immune Responses. The overarching aim of this project is to provide a mechanistic understanding of how surface nanotopography affects inflammatory responses. Recently, we showed that surface nanotopography induced conformational changes in adsorbed proteins can activate or deactivate immune cells. These exciting findings are important because they show that it may be possible to engineer the nanotopography of a biomedical device surface in a manner which leads to a desired and predictable level of inflammation. The outcomes of the project will create new fundamental knowledge that in the future can instruct the development of the next generation of biomaterials capable of controlling and directing the body’s inflammatory responses.Read moreRead less
Encoding Interactions and Printability into Hairy Colloidal Biomaterials. Printing mixtures of live cells and biomaterials (or 'BioInks') to make bespoke engineered tissues has the potential to enable personalised platforms for therapeutic discovery and organ replacement. Using a novel high throughput approach to materials synthesis, BioInk design and process optimisation, this project aims to discover new biomaterials and printing nozzles to help realise this potential. It will produce new insi ....Encoding Interactions and Printability into Hairy Colloidal Biomaterials. Printing mixtures of live cells and biomaterials (or 'BioInks') to make bespoke engineered tissues has the potential to enable personalised platforms for therapeutic discovery and organ replacement. Using a novel high throughput approach to materials synthesis, BioInk design and process optimisation, this project aims to discover new biomaterials and printing nozzles to help realise this potential. It will produce new insights in colloid science, cell-laden biomaterials design, and BioInk processing. Structure-property-function guides for colloid-based BioInks and quality-assured bioprinting as outcomes represent significant benefits for researchers and industries alike engaged in biofabrication, cell therapy and biotherapeutics.Read moreRead less
Bridging the interface between nanoengineered materials and biological systems. Advances in nanotechnology have the potential to revolutionise how we treat many diseases. Nanoengineered drug carriers can deliver drugs to the areas in the body where they are required, limiting harmful side effects. This project will investigate how nanomaterials interact with biological systems and understand any potential side effects.