Microwave System for Early Breast Cancer Detection Employing Ultra Wideband Conformal Array Antenna. Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in various parts of the world. Currently the primary method for breast screening is X-ray mammography and in rare cases Magnetic Resonance Imaging. X-ray mammography has saved many lives, but the technology still produces a relativity high number of false negative and false positive diagnoses. In the last decade, active microwave techniqu ....Microwave System for Early Breast Cancer Detection Employing Ultra Wideband Conformal Array Antenna. Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in various parts of the world. Currently the primary method for breast screening is X-ray mammography and in rare cases Magnetic Resonance Imaging. X-ray mammography has saved many lives, but the technology still produces a relativity high number of false negative and false positive diagnoses. In the last decade, active microwave techniques have attracted considerable interest as viable alternatives to X-ray mammography. This project aims at the design and development of a low-cost microwave system, which will complement all the currently available breast cancer diagnosis tools. Read moreRead less
Microwave System for Breast Cancer Detection. Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in various parts of the world. Currently the primary method for breast screening is X-ray mammography and in rare cases Magnetic Resonance Imaging. X-ray mammography has saved many lives, but the technology still produces a relativity high number of false negative and false positive diagnoses. In the last decade, active microwave techniques have attracted considerable interest as viable alter ....Microwave System for Breast Cancer Detection. Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in various parts of the world. Currently the primary method for breast screening is X-ray mammography and in rare cases Magnetic Resonance Imaging. X-ray mammography has saved many lives, but the technology still produces a relativity high number of false negative and false positive diagnoses. In the last decade, active microwave techniques have attracted considerable interest as viable alternatives to X-ray mammography. This project aims at the design and development of a low-cost microwave system, which will complement X-ray mammography as a breast cancer diagnosis tool. Read moreRead less
Development of modal control systems for adaptive optics. This project will develop a simple, robust and low-cost modal servo system for dynamic control and correction of the propagation and focussing properties of light beams. This new system will incorporate a novel optical sensor, which will be developed in this project, and a new optical corrector being developed at the University of Durham. Currently available astronomical adaptive-optics systems have produced excellent results but are expe ....Development of modal control systems for adaptive optics. This project will develop a simple, robust and low-cost modal servo system for dynamic control and correction of the propagation and focussing properties of light beams. This new system will incorporate a novel optical sensor, which will be developed in this project, and a new optical corrector being developed at the University of Durham. Currently available astronomical adaptive-optics systems have produced excellent results but are expensive and complicated. A low-cost alternative will dramatically increase the use of adaptive optics in industrial, environmental and medical applications. The compensation of distortions in low-cost optical atmospheric sensors will be demonstrated.Read moreRead less
Microwave Differential Imaging of Myocardium for Assessment and Therapeutic Monitoring of Transcatheter Cardiac Ablation. We propose to develop Microwave Imaging techniques for cardiovascular disease diagnosis at 2.45 GHz. Firstly, we aim to image the contrast in the complex dielectric constants of healthy and ischaemic heart tissue. The second aim is to image the extent and efficacy of therapeutic lesion formation due to cardiac ablation modalities. We propose to develop a cylindrical antenna ....Microwave Differential Imaging of Myocardium for Assessment and Therapeutic Monitoring of Transcatheter Cardiac Ablation. We propose to develop Microwave Imaging techniques for cardiovascular disease diagnosis at 2.45 GHz. Firstly, we aim to image the contrast in the complex dielectric constants of healthy and ischaemic heart tissue. The second aim is to image the extent and efficacy of therapeutic lesion formation due to cardiac ablation modalities. We propose to develop a cylindrical antenna array for near field microwave imaging using novel wire antenna elements. Fast and iterative reconstruction algorithms based on electromagnetic scattering and computational techniques will also be developed.Read moreRead less
Topography Optimisation of Implants for Enhancing Osseointegration. With recent increased life expectancy, the ratio of implant recipients to total population has dramatically increased. The project will address a critical issue in ensuring long-term success of prosthetic treatment. The proposed computational multiscale modelling will provide a sound scientific alternative means to optimisation of overall implant design including surface topography. The anticipated outcomes of this research will ....Topography Optimisation of Implants for Enhancing Osseointegration. With recent increased life expectancy, the ratio of implant recipients to total population has dramatically increased. The project will address a critical issue in ensuring long-term success of prosthetic treatment. The proposed computational multiscale modelling will provide a sound scientific alternative means to optimisation of overall implant design including surface topography. The anticipated outcomes of this research will help improve the quality of prosthetic therapy, and benefit our prosthodontic and orthopaedic professionals and their patients. The study clearly aligns with the national research goals of frontier technologies and maintaining good health.Read moreRead less
Probing the function of protein molecular motors on nano-fabricated structures. The function of protein linear molecular motors, which are natural dynamic bio-nano-devices with a ubiquitous importance in multicellular organisms, will be 'probed' with purposefully designed nano-structures fabricated via photo- or Scanning Probe Microscopy Lithography, that is, flat polymeric surfaces with combinatorial combinations of physico-chemistries; and micro/nano-channels and nano-wells with critical dimen ....Probing the function of protein molecular motors on nano-fabricated structures. The function of protein linear molecular motors, which are natural dynamic bio-nano-devices with a ubiquitous importance in multicellular organisms, will be 'probed' with purposefully designed nano-structures fabricated via photo- or Scanning Probe Microscopy Lithography, that is, flat polymeric surfaces with combinatorial combinations of physico-chemistries; and micro/nano-channels and nano-wells with critical dimensions similar to the scale of the probed biomolecules. The project turns 'up-side down' the challenge of invasive nano-probing of biomolecules using it in an engineered manner. The fundamental understanding of linear molecular motors will impact on biomedical science and on the assessment of hybrid natural-artificial dynamic nano-devices.Read moreRead less
Novel biodiagnostic platforms for human metabolites. The innovative biosensor technologies developed in this project will be utilised at first by Australian athletes, enabling them to better monitor physiological conditions during training and thereby help maintain international competitiveness. Real-time sensing of lactate and other metabolites in athletes using advanced biomaterials coupled to frontier telemetry protocols for remote sensing will be extendable to bio-diagnostic needs in human h ....Novel biodiagnostic platforms for human metabolites. The innovative biosensor technologies developed in this project will be utilised at first by Australian athletes, enabling them to better monitor physiological conditions during training and thereby help maintain international competitiveness. Real-time sensing of lactate and other metabolites in athletes using advanced biomaterials coupled to frontier telemetry protocols for remote sensing will be extendable to bio-diagnostic needs in human health care and have significant social and economic benefits. Australia's international position in the application of interfacial science and nanomaterials for outcomes in biomedical engineering will be strengthened. Read moreRead less
Development of an implantable device to monitor lactate levels in blood: Monitoring the Performance of Australian athletes using Biosensor Technology. Sport is a critical area for social and economic investments. Novel medical monitoring systems using implantable biosensors will ensure optimal training programs for Australian athletes and maintain international competitiveness. Here we are developing a biosensor for real-time monitoring of lactate levels in athletes using frontier porous semicon ....Development of an implantable device to monitor lactate levels in blood: Monitoring the Performance of Australian athletes using Biosensor Technology. Sport is a critical area for social and economic investments. Novel medical monitoring systems using implantable biosensors will ensure optimal training programs for Australian athletes and maintain international competitiveness. Here we are developing a biosensor for real-time monitoring of lactate levels in athletes using frontier porous semiconductor technology and smart telemetry protocols to transfer the readings to a remote base unit. These highly innovative devices and the materials that they are made from have enormous commercial potential in biomedical engineering. There is a strong potential for Australia to have an important stake in this area by combining expertise in engineering, chemistry and nanostructured materials.Read moreRead less
Active polymer surfaces for control of fluid movement. The realisation of a diverse array of remote or portable chemical/biological monitoring systems depends on the development of low power fluid management protocols. The use of appropriate conducting polymer surfaces should enable this to occur. We envisage the integration of these fluid management platforms into portable, remote autonomous monitoring systems for environmental industrial and biomedical applications.
Microfibre photonics: function densification on a wavelength scale. The project will contribute to Australia's nanoscale device research and nanomanufacturing development. The project will create microfibre fabrication technologies for the creation of new optical systems of miniature proportions that will be used for cell illumination, for the creation of sensors for detection in small environments and as light tools for fundamental experiments in physics. Specialist fabrication methods will be ....Microfibre photonics: function densification on a wavelength scale. The project will contribute to Australia's nanoscale device research and nanomanufacturing development. The project will create microfibre fabrication technologies for the creation of new optical systems of miniature proportions that will be used for cell illumination, for the creation of sensors for detection in small environments and as light tools for fundamental experiments in physics. Specialist fabrication methods will be developed that will add to the nation's skill base. The outcomes of the project will enhance Australia's knowledge capacity, research capability and will contribute significantly to each of the National Research Priorities.Read moreRead less