Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100074
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$418,210.00
Summary
Nanoscale laser cooling in physiological environment. By developing fluorescence pattern-based 3D motion-detection technology in optical tweezers, this project aims to reveal how to achieve nanoscale laser cooling in physiological media. It plans to discover new mechanisms of cooling associated with surface phonons and energy looping in optically trapped lanthanide-doped nanoparticles. Key expected outcomes are technology and a toolset to create interaction between cooled nanoscale objects and b ....Nanoscale laser cooling in physiological environment. By developing fluorescence pattern-based 3D motion-detection technology in optical tweezers, this project aims to reveal how to achieve nanoscale laser cooling in physiological media. It plans to discover new mechanisms of cooling associated with surface phonons and energy looping in optically trapped lanthanide-doped nanoparticles. Key expected outcomes are technology and a toolset to create interaction between cooled nanoscale objects and biological samples. These are expected to create a research area of biological laser refrigeration, enabling intracellular organelles cooling, nanoscale membrane disruption and high sensitivity force-sensing for integrin study for use in single-molecule biophysics and multimodality subcellular sensing.Read moreRead less
Laser-free on-chip super-resolution microscopy. The project aims to develop a compact, cost-effective on-chip super-resolution microscope through an innovative combination of imaging algorithms, optics and integrated photonics. This project addresses limitations in imaging algorithms that increase laser system complexity and constrain imaging speed and applications, as well as nanostructure fabrication issues. Expected outcomes include the discovery of emitter self-interference microscopy, new k ....Laser-free on-chip super-resolution microscopy. The project aims to develop a compact, cost-effective on-chip super-resolution microscope through an innovative combination of imaging algorithms, optics and integrated photonics. This project addresses limitations in imaging algorithms that increase laser system complexity and constrain imaging speed and applications, as well as nanostructure fabrication issues. Expected outcomes include the discovery of emitter self-interference microscopy, new knowledge in imaging, photonics and biophysics, the world’s fastest super-resolution technology, compact on-chip nanoscopy that can be added to existing technology and proof of concept in three areas. Benefits are anticipated in commercialisation, improved photonics devices and usage in biophysics.Read moreRead less
Microfluidic Separation Science: Innovative Technology for Characterising Complex Chemical Systems. At present there is a need for fast and detailed chemical analysis of complex samples, such as those important to biomedical diagnostics and forensic science. Innovative technology will be developed here in order to reduce analysis time whilst maintaining the integrity of the chemical information contained within the sample. This step change in separation science will directly aid biomedical diagn ....Microfluidic Separation Science: Innovative Technology for Characterising Complex Chemical Systems. At present there is a need for fast and detailed chemical analysis of complex samples, such as those important to biomedical diagnostics and forensic science. Innovative technology will be developed here in order to reduce analysis time whilst maintaining the integrity of the chemical information contained within the sample. This step change in separation science will directly aid biomedical diagnostics, forensic sample determination and industrial process monitoring through decreased analysis time with an increase in the chemical information gained. By performing chemical separations on a microfluidic scale a reduction in both the cost of analysis and impact of solvent waste on the environment will be achieved.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100030
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$541,705.00
Summary
National facility for nanoscale characterisation of luminescent materials. The project aims to establish a national facility for nanoscale characterisation of advanced optoelectronic materials, including atomically-thin materials, luminescent nanocrystals, metamaterials, and plasmonic nanostructures. The combination of a highly focused electron beam, and novel light detection optics, will enable temperature-dependent, angle, polarisation and time-resolved luminescence analysis with unprecedented ....National facility for nanoscale characterisation of luminescent materials. The project aims to establish a national facility for nanoscale characterisation of advanced optoelectronic materials, including atomically-thin materials, luminescent nanocrystals, metamaterials, and plasmonic nanostructures. The combination of a highly focused electron beam, and novel light detection optics, will enable temperature-dependent, angle, polarisation and time-resolved luminescence analysis with unprecedented resolution. It is expected this will yield discoveries in nanoscale physics and materials science. It will create interdisciplinary collaborations by linking Australian scientists who use high-resolution multimodal characterisation methods to innovate and develop materials and device technologies.Read moreRead less
Non-classical motion of a macroscopic mechanical resonator. This project will create the experimental tools to fully control the motion of a mechanical oscillator at the single-quanta level, opening a rich avenue for fundamental research and the development of quantum physics enhanced applications. This project will prepare a quantum state of a macroscopic mechanical resonator exhibiting quantum interference fringes at at an unprecedented mass scale. The observation of these fringes will enable ....Non-classical motion of a macroscopic mechanical resonator. This project will create the experimental tools to fully control the motion of a mechanical oscillator at the single-quanta level, opening a rich avenue for fundamental research and the development of quantum physics enhanced applications. This project will prepare a quantum state of a macroscopic mechanical resonator exhibiting quantum interference fringes at at an unprecedented mass scale. The observation of these fringes will enable the study of the intricacies of quantum decoherence and ultimately even probe quantum gravitational phenomena. To achieve these goals it will employ micro-scale optical resonators fabricated by established techniques, that also provide the ideal platform for scalable mechanical-oscillator-based quantum information applications.Read moreRead less
Integrin Activation by Fluid Flow Disturbance: Mechanobiology Approaches. Understanding how cells can sense and respond to mechanical environment such as dynamic blood flow represents a fundamental question in the emerging field of mechanobiology. This project develops new biomechanical engineering approaches to determine the critical interrelationships among fluid flow disturbance, platelet clotting and the mechano-sensitive signal transduction mechanisms of integrin receptor – the most importa ....Integrin Activation by Fluid Flow Disturbance: Mechanobiology Approaches. Understanding how cells can sense and respond to mechanical environment such as dynamic blood flow represents a fundamental question in the emerging field of mechanobiology. This project develops new biomechanical engineering approaches to determine the critical interrelationships among fluid flow disturbance, platelet clotting and the mechano-sensitive signal transduction mechanisms of integrin receptor – the most important mechano-sensor implicated in cell adhesion, migration, growth and survival. Specifically, it integrates nationally unique cutting-edge techniques including single-molecule force probe, microparticle image velocimetry, microfluidics and molecular dynamics simulation, super resolution and 3D volumetric imaging modalities.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100487
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$450,000.00
Summary
Thermal hotspots detection in nanoscale two-dimensional electronics. The emergence of flexible nanoelectronics holds the promise to impact the way we live—from smart wearables to foldable smartphones. However, heat dissipation in the atomically-thin materials used for their conception has remained poorly understood due to their planar structures. This project aims at the detection and mapping of nanoscale thermal hotspots in flexible nanoelectronics devices using a two-dimensional-based optical ....Thermal hotspots detection in nanoscale two-dimensional electronics. The emergence of flexible nanoelectronics holds the promise to impact the way we live—from smart wearables to foldable smartphones. However, heat dissipation in the atomically-thin materials used for their conception has remained poorly understood due to their planar structures. This project aims at the detection and mapping of nanoscale thermal hotspots in flexible nanoelectronics devices using a two-dimensional-based optical thermometer. The expected outcome of this project is the development of a non-invasive thermometric technology that enables locating these critical nanoscale hotspots with nanoscale precision. This will lead to better design and manufacturing strategies for heat dissipation in these devices.Read moreRead less
Nanoparticle-enabled photorefractive digital holography: toward the next generation ultrafast and multi-colour three dimensional display technology. The cutting-edge knowledge in nanoparticle-enabled photorefractive polymers will provide an innovative material for green-photonics industry. The new generation ultrafast and multi-colour digital holographic three dimensional display technology will be potentially beneficial to entertainment sectors, remote education and medical diagnosis and photov ....Nanoparticle-enabled photorefractive digital holography: toward the next generation ultrafast and multi-colour three dimensional display technology. The cutting-edge knowledge in nanoparticle-enabled photorefractive polymers will provide an innovative material for green-photonics industry. The new generation ultrafast and multi-colour digital holographic three dimensional display technology will be potentially beneficial to entertainment sectors, remote education and medical diagnosis and photovoltaics.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100821
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$381,000.00
Summary
Hyper-domain luminescence lifetime imaging for mapping molecular dynamics. This project aims to enable lifetime-multiplexed optical imaging of molecular dynamics of biological systems in real time. The grand challenge of modern life sciences is to understand the molecular origins of complex processes. Using lifetime measurement, this project will realise highly-multiplexed real-time luminescence imaging with simultaneous ultrahigh detection sensitivity and spatial resolution. By generating fresh ....Hyper-domain luminescence lifetime imaging for mapping molecular dynamics. This project aims to enable lifetime-multiplexed optical imaging of molecular dynamics of biological systems in real time. The grand challenge of modern life sciences is to understand the molecular origins of complex processes. Using lifetime measurement, this project will realise highly-multiplexed real-time luminescence imaging with simultaneous ultrahigh detection sensitivity and spatial resolution. By generating fresh insights into molecular fingerprints of relevance for future disease diagnostics and treatment, the project outcomes are expected to consolidate Australia’s leading position in the health sciences. Upon commercialisation, the intellectual property is expected to generate considerable economic returns.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100241
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,000.00
Summary
Seeing deeply inside the body with the world's smallest microscope. This project aims to develop the world's smallest in vivo microscope that can image the interior of living organisms at a subcellular resolution in a minimally invasive way. The project will shrink an entire microscope to the size of an optical fibre – as thin as a single strand of hair – and image deep regions of the central nervous system. This is expected to improve diagnostic tools and the knowledge of degenerative brain dis ....Seeing deeply inside the body with the world's smallest microscope. This project aims to develop the world's smallest in vivo microscope that can image the interior of living organisms at a subcellular resolution in a minimally invasive way. The project will shrink an entire microscope to the size of an optical fibre – as thin as a single strand of hair – and image deep regions of the central nervous system. This is expected to improve diagnostic tools and the knowledge of degenerative brain diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This project aims to completely transform the landscape of biomedical research and industry, with expected discoveries revolutionising the diagnosis and treatment of brain conditions.Read moreRead less