Harnessing sperm dynamics in microfluidic sorting technologies. Mammalian reproductive tract is a complex microenvironment that has evolved to select the best sperm for fertilisation using a range of rheological, biochemical and geometrical cues. The project aims to engineer the first multiplexed platform, informed by the natural process, for fully automated and rapid selection of sperm based on all key selection criteria: morphology, swimming behaviour, and DNA integrity. The expected outcome i ....Harnessing sperm dynamics in microfluidic sorting technologies. Mammalian reproductive tract is a complex microenvironment that has evolved to select the best sperm for fertilisation using a range of rheological, biochemical and geometrical cues. The project aims to engineer the first multiplexed platform, informed by the natural process, for fully automated and rapid selection of sperm based on all key selection criteria: morphology, swimming behaviour, and DNA integrity. The expected outcome is the next generation technology for sperm sorting and analysis. This should provide significant benefits, such as new biophysical insights into mammalian reproduction, with potential for future improvement of assisted reproduction technologies – a field in which Australia has a world leading history.Read moreRead less
Acoustic single cell traps: Understanding the woods by examining the trees. This project aims to define the underlying physics behind the manipulation of individual cells in a microfluidic chip using acoustic forces. The technology investigated would offer biomedical researchers a unique capability: that of tracking individual cell responses. It is known for example that drug resistance and latency emerge from small sub-populations of cells, so crucial information is lost when cells are studied ....Acoustic single cell traps: Understanding the woods by examining the trees. This project aims to define the underlying physics behind the manipulation of individual cells in a microfluidic chip using acoustic forces. The technology investigated would offer biomedical researchers a unique capability: that of tracking individual cell responses. It is known for example that drug resistance and latency emerge from small sub-populations of cells, so crucial information is lost when cells are studied at a population level. To trap single cells, the acoustic wavelength excited must be reduced to the order of a cell diameter. By enabling the analysis of different responses due to subtle cell difference, information pertinent to infection pathways and drug response could be gathered.Read moreRead less
A multiplex microscope platform to define molecular events in fluid systems. This project aims to develop a novel microscopy platform that will enable the visualisation and quantification of molecular events occurring under fluid shear stress. The project will generate new knowledge in platelet biology that will allow characterisation and prediction of key molecular and morphological changes occurring across a blood thrombus under flowing conditions as found in the blood vessels. These new tools ....A multiplex microscope platform to define molecular events in fluid systems. This project aims to develop a novel microscopy platform that will enable the visualisation and quantification of molecular events occurring under fluid shear stress. The project will generate new knowledge in platelet biology that will allow characterisation and prediction of key molecular and morphological changes occurring across a blood thrombus under flowing conditions as found in the blood vessels. These new tools and the imaging platform will have applications for researchers wishing to visualise small and rapid molecular events in four dimensions (length, width, height and across time) under fluid shear stress, which is applicable across a range of industries. The project expects to deliver the next generation of intravital microscopes that can visualise and quantify events in a challenging flow environment.Read moreRead less
5D Imaging Flow Cytometry for in vivo Quantification of Biological Fluids. Rapid and accurate quantification of live biological fluid properties at sub-cellular and molecular levels forms the bedrock of biofluidic sciences. Majority of the biofluidic devices rely on quantifying biological fluids after its removal from the body in an in vitro Flow Cytometer (FC). FC faces many caveats i.e. biological degradation and small volume etc. In this project, we shall engineer the first in vivo 5D imaging ....5D Imaging Flow Cytometry for in vivo Quantification of Biological Fluids. Rapid and accurate quantification of live biological fluid properties at sub-cellular and molecular levels forms the bedrock of biofluidic sciences. Majority of the biofluidic devices rely on quantifying biological fluids after its removal from the body in an in vitro Flow Cytometer (FC). FC faces many caveats i.e. biological degradation and small volume etc. In this project, we shall engineer the first in vivo 5D imaging flow cytometer (5D IFC) capable of continuous assessment of potentially entire blood volume in a living mice without removing fluid out of the body. The project represents a major advancement beyond any existing flow cytometer and overcome the engineering limits of state-of-art laser scanning imaging devices.Read moreRead less
Putting an end to hospital-borne infection with micronebulisation of lung-safe disinfectants. Dangerous infections are unfortunately common in hospitals, established and retransmitted via surfaces and handheld items, representing a leading contributor to death worldwide, and potentially a far more serious problem to come as antimicrobial resistance worsens. The project aims to exploit a newly discovered and unique low power nebulisation technology to nebulise a strongly antiviral, antibacterial ....Putting an end to hospital-borne infection with micronebulisation of lung-safe disinfectants. Dangerous infections are unfortunately common in hospitals, established and retransmitted via surfaces and handheld items, representing a leading contributor to death worldwide, and potentially a far more serious problem to come as antimicrobial resistance worsens. The project aims to exploit a newly discovered and unique low power nebulisation technology to nebulise a strongly antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal agent, triethylene glycol that is too viscous to do so by any other known method. Through refinement and engineering of the technology via this project, handheld and room-based continuously operating nebulisers will produce continuous microdroplet mists of these pathogen-killing agents that deposit on surfaces throughout a hospital.Read moreRead less
Bridging the gap between global mechanics and regional imaging in the lungs. The detailed mechanics of breathing are not well understood, due to a lack of regional lung measurement techniques. This project aims to develop a powerful analysis tool to image in vivo mechanical properties of the lungs. The expected outcome of this project is a novel platform for investigation and understanding of lung function, enabling information previously only available for the whole lung to be calculated for lo ....Bridging the gap between global mechanics and regional imaging in the lungs. The detailed mechanics of breathing are not well understood, due to a lack of regional lung measurement techniques. This project aims to develop a powerful analysis tool to image in vivo mechanical properties of the lungs. The expected outcome of this project is a novel platform for investigation and understanding of lung function, enabling information previously only available for the whole lung to be calculated for local lung regions within the body. The image analysis methods developed are intended to enable respiratory researchers to investigate lung function in unprecedented detail, leading to new insights into the workings of this complicated and vital organ. Read moreRead less
Hybrid imaging/modelling: A new paradigm for understanding the lung. Our lungs are essential to sustain our lives, yet the details of lung biomechanics are barely understood because the available tools, imaging, modelling and simulation have significant limitations. Imaging is largely limited to providing structural information; simulation is severely restricted by a lack of validation; and inverse modelling is critically hampered by a lack of spatially resolved inputs. The project’s multidiscip ....Hybrid imaging/modelling: A new paradigm for understanding the lung. Our lungs are essential to sustain our lives, yet the details of lung biomechanics are barely understood because the available tools, imaging, modelling and simulation have significant limitations. Imaging is largely limited to providing structural information; simulation is severely restricted by a lack of validation; and inverse modelling is critically hampered by a lack of spatially resolved inputs. The project’s multidisciplinary team is uniquely positioned to explore these problems through the hybridisation of world-leading functional lung imaging technology with state-of-the-art modelling. This project aims to provide, perhaps for the first time, the capacity to see details with the resolution of imaging, richness of modelling and reliability of the finest measurements.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180101133
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$358,551.00
Summary
Linking structure and function: a new approach for understanding the lung. This project aims to develop a powerful analysis tool to measure gas transport and mixing within lungs. This project will study the mechanical workings of the lungs, using an innovative approach for analysis of lung images. The expected outcome of this project is a novel platform for investigation and understanding of lung function. It is anticipated that application of the project outcomes to medical challenges in the lo ....Linking structure and function: a new approach for understanding the lung. This project aims to develop a powerful analysis tool to measure gas transport and mixing within lungs. This project will study the mechanical workings of the lungs, using an innovative approach for analysis of lung images. The expected outcome of this project is a novel platform for investigation and understanding of lung function. It is anticipated that application of the project outcomes to medical challenges in the long-term will lead to improved diagnostics and treatments for lung diseases.Read moreRead less