Endothelial Development From Pluripotent Stem Cells As A Means To Study Pathology In Pulmonary Artery Hypertension
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$613,311.00
Summary
Pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) is a fatal disease primarily affecting young adults. It is caused by a defect in cells that form the vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lungs. We will use stem cells made from the skin of PAH patients to examine why the blood vessel cells from these patients fail to function normally.
Suppression Of NADPH Oxidase-derived Oxidative Stress By Anti-sense Probes And HDL In Human Vascular Endothelium
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$455,250.00
Summary
In Australia, coronary heart disease (CHD) causing heart attacks remains the largest cause of death, claiming a staggering 28,000 lives a year. Oxidative stress, resulting from increased production of oxygen free radicals in arteries, is an important cause of CHD, heart attacks and strokes. We seek to understand how such oxyradicals are produced in the key cells that form the lining of all arteries, known as the vascular endothelium. By using novel DNA-type molecules (known as anti-sense) develo ....In Australia, coronary heart disease (CHD) causing heart attacks remains the largest cause of death, claiming a staggering 28,000 lives a year. Oxidative stress, resulting from increased production of oxygen free radicals in arteries, is an important cause of CHD, heart attacks and strokes. We seek to understand how such oxyradicals are produced in the key cells that form the lining of all arteries, known as the vascular endothelium. By using novel DNA-type molecules (known as anti-sense) developed in our laboratory, which block a particular gene causing oxidative stress, we will determine whether this gene is responsible for the formation of oxyradicals in human and mouse cells grown in culture. In addition, we will explore whether this gene is turned on by factors known to be involved in CHD. Finally, we will also investigate whether the good cholesterol known as HDL can act to prevent oxidative stress in human cells, as we discovered it appears to do in living arteries in vivo. If we find it has the same protective effect in endothelium, we will determine how it does this, and which component proteins of the HDL particle are important. This might suggest new treatments to prevent acute events leading to heart attack and stroke, and possibly new applications where damage appears to result from acute oxidative stress, such as in the brain soon after a stroke has occurred. We also have a plan to develop antisense drugs that will target the important gene specifically in the affected endothelium. In addition, we have other specific new drugs that will block this system in arteries. Simultaneously we will be testing the role of this gene in mouse and rabbit models of artery disease, for both our types of drugs might provide valuable new therapeutic agents to target the underlying cause of CHD and not just its symptoms as current drugs do.Read moreRead less
Development of novel cathodes for next generation solid oxide fuel cells. This project will provide novel cathodes to reduce the operating temperature of the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) as low as 500 degrees celsius. The technology may lead to widespread utilization of SOFCs, thus providing great assistance to Australia's industries in term of reducing carbon dioxide emission and easing pressure from carbon tax.
Thermal management of methane fuelled planar solid oxide fuel cells. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are novel devices for generating energy with extremely low emissions. This project will conduct novel experiments and numerical simulations to improve the efficiency of SOFCs. This will then allow wider adoption of this technology, thus reducing CO2 and other environmental emissions from our power generation systems.
Hybrid cathode for low temperature solid oxide fuel cells. This project aims to develop molten carbonate-perovskite hybrid cathode materials for low temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT-SOFCs) possessing both high catalytic activity towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and high tolerance to carbon dioxide poisoning. Carbon dioxide in air can poison nearly all the perovskite cathode materials developed for LT-SOFCs (below 600 degrees C) so far. These materials will not be practically useful ....Hybrid cathode for low temperature solid oxide fuel cells. This project aims to develop molten carbonate-perovskite hybrid cathode materials for low temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT-SOFCs) possessing both high catalytic activity towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and high tolerance to carbon dioxide poisoning. Carbon dioxide in air can poison nearly all the perovskite cathode materials developed for LT-SOFCs (below 600 degrees C) so far. These materials will not be practically useful until carbon dioxide poisoning can be prevented. This project expects to make these LT-SOFC cathode materials commercially viable, solving a problem for the widespread use of low temperature solid oxide fuel cells.Read moreRead less
Degradation of atomically dispersed M-N-C carbon catalysts in acidic media. This project aims to provide a clear understanding of the degradation mechanisms of transition metal (M) and nitrogen (N) co-doped carbon (M-N-C) catalysts in acidic media by utilising new model catalysts, standardised degradation tests, comprehensive catalyst characterisation, and machine learning tools to interrogate mechanistic hypotheses and link degradation mechanisms to specific catalyst characteristics. This proje ....Degradation of atomically dispersed M-N-C carbon catalysts in acidic media. This project aims to provide a clear understanding of the degradation mechanisms of transition metal (M) and nitrogen (N) co-doped carbon (M-N-C) catalysts in acidic media by utilising new model catalysts, standardised degradation tests, comprehensive catalyst characterisation, and machine learning tools to interrogate mechanistic hypotheses and link degradation mechanisms to specific catalyst characteristics. This project expects to generate new knowledge on rationally designing robust hydrogen fuel cell catalysts. This will provide significant benefits, such as new knowledge on catalyst degradation, new catalysts for energy conversion applications, and collaborations with the industry to accelerate Australia’s shift to renewable energy.Read moreRead less
Engineering the Microstructure of Electrodes for Advanced Fuel Cells. A polymer solution-based integration technique is proposed to be developed to fabricate polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, allowing for effective engineering of the porous networks and interfaces within electrodes and cells. This novel systems materials engineering approach is expected to overcome the drawbacks of the conventional hot pressing method, enabling precise integration of nanostructured electrodes and membrane ....Engineering the Microstructure of Electrodes for Advanced Fuel Cells. A polymer solution-based integration technique is proposed to be developed to fabricate polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, allowing for effective engineering of the porous networks and interfaces within electrodes and cells. This novel systems materials engineering approach is expected to overcome the drawbacks of the conventional hot pressing method, enabling precise integration of nanostructured electrodes and membrane into high-performance, flexible fuel cells. The outcomes of this research aim to provide a unique opportunity for Australia to become a world leader in the rapidly-emerging clean energy technology, and critical manufacturing of new energy generation systems for domestic uses and exports, thereby producing important economic benefits.Read moreRead less
High Performance Anode for Direct Ammonia Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. Solid oxygen fuel cells are a clean energy generation device with very high energy efficiency and if with hydrogen as fuel, the emission is zero. However, the utilisation of hydrogen is limited by on-board storage. Ammonia is a promising hydrogen carrier and can be directly fed to solid oxide fuel cells without fuel storage problem, and the products are just hydrogen and nitrogen. For direct ammonia solid oxide fuel cells, the key ....High Performance Anode for Direct Ammonia Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. Solid oxygen fuel cells are a clean energy generation device with very high energy efficiency and if with hydrogen as fuel, the emission is zero. However, the utilisation of hydrogen is limited by on-board storage. Ammonia is a promising hydrogen carrier and can be directly fed to solid oxide fuel cells without fuel storage problem, and the products are just hydrogen and nitrogen. For direct ammonia solid oxide fuel cells, the key challenge is the anode. This project aims to develop a high performance anode for direct ammonia solid oxide fuel cells with both high activity and high stability at low temperature (below 600 degree C), thus addressing a key issue to make the direct ammonia solid oxide fuel cells commercially viable.Read moreRead less