Cell Membrane Coated Photonic Crystal to study Receptor-Ligand Interactions. The current gold-standard assays for examining receptor-ligand interactions require expensive and costly fluorescent or radioactive labels or proteomics processes. This project aims to develop Artificial Photonic Cells by directly coating photonic crystals with cell membranes. The Artificial Photonic Cells retain the protein receptors in their native cell membrane environment and allow for label-free monitoring of the r ....Cell Membrane Coated Photonic Crystal to study Receptor-Ligand Interactions. The current gold-standard assays for examining receptor-ligand interactions require expensive and costly fluorescent or radioactive labels or proteomics processes. This project aims to develop Artificial Photonic Cells by directly coating photonic crystals with cell membranes. The Artificial Photonic Cells retain the protein receptors in their native cell membrane environment and allow for label-free monitoring of the receptor-ligand interactions using inexpensive miniature spectrometers - radically transforming these assays. This would generate fundamental and applied knowledge of materials sciences, photonic, and biointerfaces for label-free, ultra-sensitive, and selective assays to enable future drug and diagnostics target discovery. Read moreRead less
Background-free imaging of single membrane-receptors with nanophosphors. This project aims to develop nanophosphor beacons and real-time, ultrahigh-sensitivity functional imaging to provide a picture of the brain. Time-gated detection microscopy will give these nanophosphors a superior optical contrast. The nanophosphors’ antibody-targeting will image single AMPA membrane receptors in their full biological context, crucial to understanding neuronal signalling. Simultaneous imaging of receptor tr ....Background-free imaging of single membrane-receptors with nanophosphors. This project aims to develop nanophosphor beacons and real-time, ultrahigh-sensitivity functional imaging to provide a picture of the brain. Time-gated detection microscopy will give these nanophosphors a superior optical contrast. The nanophosphors’ antibody-targeting will image single AMPA membrane receptors in their full biological context, crucial to understanding neuronal signalling. Simultaneous imaging of receptor trafficking and activity in neurons will help to uncover details of the dynamic activity in the brain. This technology is expected to help understand the inner workings of the brain and provide insights into its functioning.Read moreRead less
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
Optically resonant dielectric structures for nanophotonics. This project aims to develop a novel research program underpinning the rapid development of a new generation of low-loss nanophotonics based on the physics of optically resonant dielectric nanoparticles. Such nanoparticles are the best candidates for the emerging field of metadevices with unique functionalities well beyond the capabilities of currently existing devices. The project aims to explore the confluence of subwavelength photoni ....Optically resonant dielectric structures for nanophotonics. This project aims to develop a novel research program underpinning the rapid development of a new generation of low-loss nanophotonics based on the physics of optically resonant dielectric nanoparticles. Such nanoparticles are the best candidates for the emerging field of metadevices with unique functionalities well beyond the capabilities of currently existing devices. The project aims to explore the confluence of subwavelength photonics, metamaterial concepts, graphene physics, and nonlinear optics. The expected outcomes of this research will enable the design and world-first experimental demonstration of ultra-thin, tunable, and low-loss metadevices for novel optical technologies with unique energy harvesting, switching, and sensing functionalities.Read moreRead less
Super-resolution imaging techniques based on van der Waals materials. This project aims to address the most pressing challenges in the field of super-resolution fluorescence nanoscopies, which underpin a vast range of biomedical imaging and sensing applications. The project will develop fluorescent probes and new imaging schemes that are simultaneously ultra-bright, photostable, biocompatible and do not require the use of high-power lasers that damage samples during image acquisition. This will ....Super-resolution imaging techniques based on van der Waals materials. This project aims to address the most pressing challenges in the field of super-resolution fluorescence nanoscopies, which underpin a vast range of biomedical imaging and sensing applications. The project will develop fluorescent probes and new imaging schemes that are simultaneously ultra-bright, photostable, biocompatible and do not require the use of high-power lasers that damage samples during image acquisition. This will be achieved by exploiting unique properties of recently-discovered quantum emitters in van der Waals nanomaterials. The project outcomes will yield a new approach to super-resolution imaging, advance understanding of quantum emitters, and develop new techniques for the processing of van der Waals materials. This is expected to have applications in a diverse range of sectors, and enable new markets in nanotechnology and manufacturing of high-performance Australian-made products.Read moreRead less
Optical frequency conversion in nonlinear dielectric metasurfaces. This project aims to investigate the mixing of light colours in semiconductor nanocrystals arranged in an ultra-thin transparent film, called a nonlinear metasurface. Understanding of the resonant nonlinear interactions in such metasurfaces will allow for the up and down frequency conversion of light beams and images with efficiencies well beyond current capabilities. The outcomes of the project will form the basis for novel cost ....Optical frequency conversion in nonlinear dielectric metasurfaces. This project aims to investigate the mixing of light colours in semiconductor nanocrystals arranged in an ultra-thin transparent film, called a nonlinear metasurface. Understanding of the resonant nonlinear interactions in such metasurfaces will allow for the up and down frequency conversion of light beams and images with efficiencies well beyond current capabilities. The outcomes of the project will form the basis for novel cost-effective and compact devices for infrared imaging, and will also enable ultra-fast sources of quantum light with tailored spatial and spectral correlations. These will benefit important applications in defence and security, including night vision, security holograms, quantum cryptography and communications.Read moreRead less
Dual nanoparticles to distinguish between right and left biomolecules. This project aims to enhance the sensitivity of optical activity to ultralow molecular concentration samples. Optical activity is a commercially available technique used to distinguish chemically identical and morphologically different biomolecules (enantiomers). Unlike other scattering techniques, near-field enhancing of optical activity has not been achieved, thus limiting these measurements to high molecular concentrations ....Dual nanoparticles to distinguish between right and left biomolecules. This project aims to enhance the sensitivity of optical activity to ultralow molecular concentration samples. Optical activity is a commercially available technique used to distinguish chemically identical and morphologically different biomolecules (enantiomers). Unlike other scattering techniques, near-field enhancing of optical activity has not been achieved, thus limiting these measurements to high molecular concentrations. There is evidence indicating that optical activity can be enhanced using dual nanoparticles (ie small particles with the same response to electric and magnetic fields). This project aims to advance our understanding of these dual nanoparticles and experimentally implement their use to enhance optical activity.Read moreRead less
Metaphotonics and metasurfaces for disruptive sensing technologies. This project aims to address a big challenge in nanophotonics by developing revolutionary methods for efficient chiral sensing of molecules without the need for spectrometry, frequency scanning, or moving mechanical parts, and to enhance chiroptical signals a hundredfold with the help of metasurface structures. Resonant metasurfaces are arrays of engineered dielectric nanoparticles with extraordinary characteristics, and they wo ....Metaphotonics and metasurfaces for disruptive sensing technologies. This project aims to address a big challenge in nanophotonics by developing revolutionary methods for efficient chiral sensing of molecules without the need for spectrometry, frequency scanning, or moving mechanical parts, and to enhance chiroptical signals a hundredfold with the help of metasurface structures. Resonant metasurfaces are arrays of engineered dielectric nanoparticles with extraordinary characteristics, and they would allow to overcome current limitations of chiral sensing analytical tools. Detecting chiral molecules in low concentrations is crucially important to many fields of biology, chemistry, and pharmacy, as well as to the food and cosmetics industries, constituting a market of tens of billions of dollars.Read moreRead less
Synthetic multi-dimensional integrated photonics. This project aims to develop and realise experimentally integrated circuits where light propagation mimics dynamics in arbitrarily complex imaginary photonic lattices. The project puts forward a universal and mass-fabrication compatible design concept of planar optical structures featuring unconventional synthetic multi-dimensional properties, which can also be reconfigured in real time. This underpins expected outcomes in optical detection with ....Synthetic multi-dimensional integrated photonics. This project aims to develop and realise experimentally integrated circuits where light propagation mimics dynamics in arbitrarily complex imaginary photonic lattices. The project puts forward a universal and mass-fabrication compatible design concept of planar optical structures featuring unconventional synthetic multi-dimensional properties, which can also be reconfigured in real time. This underpins expected outcomes in optical detection with fundamentally enhanced sensitivity and optical signal switching with ultra-low threshold. The benefits of such breakthrough improvements can have broad applications spanning from future optical communication networks to optical sensors for monitoring and health applications.Read moreRead less