Novel coding and decoding in suspension arrays for accelerated biomolecular discovery and personalised medicine. This project will establish an advanced multiplexing technique to rapidly analyse complex biological mixtures, such as cell lysates, food samples or body fluids. It will enable the analysis of not tens, but thousands or more distinctive molecular targets in a single test. This will build the foundations for future generation bioassays, paving the way to emerging personalised medicine. ....Novel coding and decoding in suspension arrays for accelerated biomolecular discovery and personalised medicine. This project will establish an advanced multiplexing technique to rapidly analyse complex biological mixtures, such as cell lysates, food samples or body fluids. It will enable the analysis of not tens, but thousands or more distinctive molecular targets in a single test. This will build the foundations for future generation bioassays, paving the way to emerging personalised medicine. This will lead to new personal diagnostics tools for rapid genotype profiling, to better tailor therapy to the individual patient's specific characteristics. As well as the potential to improve health outcomes, the project will generate significant intellectual property and the opportunity for development of new diagnostic instrumentation in Australia.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0453524
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$321,456.00
Summary
The Centre for Advanced Light Microscopy: Equipment for in-vivo multiphoton microscopy and high-throughput confocal microscopy. The Centre for Advanced Light Microscopy was established with ARC RIEF funding and is currently experiencing overwhelming demand as the sole confocal provider for 260 researchers at multiple institutions in south-east Queensland. The present joint application of the Universities of Queensland and Southern Queensland seeks to build on the resounding success of the origi ....The Centre for Advanced Light Microscopy: Equipment for in-vivo multiphoton microscopy and high-throughput confocal microscopy. The Centre for Advanced Light Microscopy was established with ARC RIEF funding and is currently experiencing overwhelming demand as the sole confocal provider for 260 researchers at multiple institutions in south-east Queensland. The present joint application of the Universities of Queensland and Southern Queensland seeks to build on the resounding success of the original initiative by introducing state-of-the-art confocal and multiphoton applications. This powerful platform technology will allow structural and functional information to be obtained from sensitive live samples with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution, augmenting and accelerating vital research in the biosciences.
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Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100015
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$200,000.00
Summary
Purchase of an ultra-performance liquid chromatograph - triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The diverse research supported by the proposed instrument group addresses several national research priorities. It will lead to a better fundamental understanding of the hormonal control of plant growth, improved catalysts for organic synthesis including pharmaceuticals and improved food safety. In forestry it will help to increase forest productivity through mitigating losses from insect and mamm ....Purchase of an ultra-performance liquid chromatograph - triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The diverse research supported by the proposed instrument group addresses several national research priorities. It will lead to a better fundamental understanding of the hormonal control of plant growth, improved catalysts for organic synthesis including pharmaceuticals and improved food safety. In forestry it will help to increase forest productivity through mitigating losses from insect and mammalian pests and enhancing wood quality. In pharmaceutics, improved treatments for asthma are expected. This facility will provide the infrastructure essential for many researchers to maintain internationally competitive profiles in their areas and continue to offer postgraduate training and postdoctoral opportunities.Read moreRead less
Gating, specificity and regulation of the YggB channel protein from Corynebacterium glutamicum. The proposed research will greatly contribute to our understanding of the functioning of a bacterial membrane channel/transporter, which has played a significant role in biotechnology of commercially important amino acids. A direct national benefit will result from establishing collaboration with a leading German laboratory providing expertise in protein biochemistry and molecular microbiology not ava ....Gating, specificity and regulation of the YggB channel protein from Corynebacterium glutamicum. The proposed research will greatly contribute to our understanding of the functioning of a bacterial membrane channel/transporter, which has played a significant role in biotechnology of commercially important amino acids. A direct national benefit will result from establishing collaboration with a leading German laboratory providing expertise in protein biochemistry and molecular microbiology not available in Australia. The acquired knowledge will present an original contribution which will have a strong impact on a very competitive field of molecular microbiology and biotechnology.Read moreRead less
Three-dimensional structures, substrate specificities and catalytic mechanisms of polysaccharide synthases. Plant wall polysaccharides are extensively used for food and fibre, and are important dietary components in human nutrition. A precise knowledge of mechanisms used by plants to synthesize these polysaccharides is unavailable, but would reveal potential routes to manipulate their biosynthesis in important crop species. For example, the levels or structures of polysaccharides might be modif ....Three-dimensional structures, substrate specificities and catalytic mechanisms of polysaccharide synthases. Plant wall polysaccharides are extensively used for food and fibre, and are important dietary components in human nutrition. A precise knowledge of mechanisms used by plants to synthesize these polysaccharides is unavailable, but would reveal potential routes to manipulate their biosynthesis in important crop species. For example, the levels or structures of polysaccharides might be modified to improve their efficacy as anti-cancer agents in human diets, to enhance digestibility of animal stock feeds, or to synthesise pharmologically valuable compounds. Thus, economic, social and environmental benefits will flow to both producers and consumers. Read moreRead less
Exploring and harnessing mobile DNA: Integrons and gene cassettes in natural populations of Bacteria. Bacteria respond rapidly to environmental change by acquiring new genes via lateral gene transfer. The integron/gene cassette system is important in this process as it is found in an increasingly broad range of bacteria. As well as being common, we have shown that the system is associated with an unprecedented amount of genetic novelty. Here we explore the limits of this novelty and its con ....Exploring and harnessing mobile DNA: Integrons and gene cassettes in natural populations of Bacteria. Bacteria respond rapidly to environmental change by acquiring new genes via lateral gene transfer. The integron/gene cassette system is important in this process as it is found in an increasingly broad range of bacteria. As well as being common, we have shown that the system is associated with an unprecedented amount of genetic novelty. Here we explore the limits of this novelty and its contribution to bacterial evolution. In so doing we have the potential to identify new commercially important genes and develop enabling technologies. These discoveries could produce beneficial outcomes for exploitation by a wide range of Australian industries.Read moreRead less
Wireless microvalve for biomedical applications. This program will investigate and perform an in-laboratory proof-of-concept demonstration of a polymer microvalve that can operate by a remote control radio signal. This will be a wireless microvalve that does not require a battery power source. This advance in the technology and scientific knowledge will have important applications for humankind ranging from drug delivery devices to through to valves in chips that can perform microfluidic chemica ....Wireless microvalve for biomedical applications. This program will investigate and perform an in-laboratory proof-of-concept demonstration of a polymer microvalve that can operate by a remote control radio signal. This will be a wireless microvalve that does not require a battery power source. This advance in the technology and scientific knowledge will have important applications for humankind ranging from drug delivery devices to through to valves in chips that can perform microfluidic chemical analysis. A far reaching long-range vision is its use in electronically reversible male fertility control. The community benefit in terms of novel biomedical devices and the resulting large international commercial market is significant.Read moreRead less
Novel RF Controlled Electromechanical Microvalve. The significance of the proposed microvalve is its potential use in exciting biomedical applications such as in drug delivery and fertility control. For human body implantation, it must be batteryless, wireless and be made of a biofriendly-polymer. We propose to meet all three criteria, based on novel use of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) as the actuation mechanism in a polymer material. Energy for actuation will be supplied by a radio frequency ( ....Novel RF Controlled Electromechanical Microvalve. The significance of the proposed microvalve is its potential use in exciting biomedical applications such as in drug delivery and fertility control. For human body implantation, it must be batteryless, wireless and be made of a biofriendly-polymer. We propose to meet all three criteria, based on novel use of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) as the actuation mechanism in a polymer material. Energy for actuation will be supplied by a radio frequency (RF) signal. We propose to model, design and demonstrate the device in laboratory conditions. This will enable development of application specific designs in future programs, such as ARC linkage.Read moreRead less
Breaking The Wavelength Barrier: Near-Field T-ray Imaging. Australia will benefit from the interaction between engineering, physics, and biology to develop a new T-ray imaging system that will ultimately be able to probe microstructures, biological single cells or even neurons. The project will exploit a powerful new electrooptical technique for obtaining chemical 'fingerprints' at the cellular level. This breakthrough will be a fundamental step towards a system for probing disease states of sin ....Breaking The Wavelength Barrier: Near-Field T-ray Imaging. Australia will benefit from the interaction between engineering, physics, and biology to develop a new T-ray imaging system that will ultimately be able to probe microstructures, biological single cells or even neurons. The project will exploit a powerful new electrooptical technique for obtaining chemical 'fingerprints' at the cellular level. This breakthrough will be a fundamental step towards a system for probing disease states of single cells and will open up new lines of scientific enquiry. Ultimately, Australia will benefit from a new technology and new diagnostic biomedical techniques. This is potentially an enabling technology for future customised medicine, where rapid biochip sensing becomes foreseeable.Read moreRead less
Computer simulation techniques to reduce the incidence of femoral fracture after hip replacement surgery. Australia's ageing population is driving an increase of 5% to 10% a year in the number of primary total hip replacements. We will move beyond conventional surgical techniques, to deliver the science for an accurate, reliable computer-based system that is significantly more accurate and reliable. Optimising implant selection criteria to better match patients' activity levels and bone physiolo ....Computer simulation techniques to reduce the incidence of femoral fracture after hip replacement surgery. Australia's ageing population is driving an increase of 5% to 10% a year in the number of primary total hip replacements. We will move beyond conventional surgical techniques, to deliver the science for an accurate, reliable computer-based system that is significantly more accurate and reliable. Optimising implant selection criteria to better match patients' activity levels and bone physiology and minimise revision rates; this has major implications for the national health budget and patients' quality of life. Our advances will allow the implementation of improved surgical techniques that minimise the risk of implant related bone failure.Read moreRead less