Enabling Technologies for Motion Corrected Positron Emission Tomography (PET) of Unanaesthetized Laboratory Animals. Small animal molecular imaging is a powerful tool in biological research and drug discovery. Anaesthesia is routinely used to avoid motion distortion, but can profoundly alter the biological process studied. This research will enable quantitative imaging of neurobiological phenomena in awake laboratory animals. It will create new opportunities for Australian basic researchers to ....Enabling Technologies for Motion Corrected Positron Emission Tomography (PET) of Unanaesthetized Laboratory Animals. Small animal molecular imaging is a powerful tool in biological research and drug discovery. Anaesthesia is routinely used to avoid motion distortion, but can profoundly alter the biological process studied. This research will enable quantitative imaging of neurobiological phenomena in awake laboratory animals. It will create new opportunities for Australian basic researchers to use innovative technology with expected high economic potential, and benefit small biotech companies by facilitating pre-clinical and clinical development of new pharmaceuticals. The new motion tracking and image reconstruction technologies developed will strengthen Australia's leading position in engineering and biomedical systems development.Read moreRead less
Novel Motion Correction Technologies for Simultaneous Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The recent development of the world's first prototype combined MR-PET scanner for human use has prompted immense interest. MR-PET is likely to revolutionize clinical diagnosis and basic research, by providing exquisite structural images co-registered with simultaneous functional PET images. We will exploit the as yet unexplored potential for motion information derived from the MR sy ....Novel Motion Correction Technologies for Simultaneous Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The recent development of the world's first prototype combined MR-PET scanner for human use has prompted immense interest. MR-PET is likely to revolutionize clinical diagnosis and basic research, by providing exquisite structural images co-registered with simultaneous functional PET images. We will exploit the as yet unexplored potential for motion information derived from the MR system to be used to correct the simultaneously acquired PET data for patient motion. This research is an excellent opportunity for Australian researchers to make important contributions to an emerging technology with high economic potential, and will strengthen Australia's international position in engineering and biomedical systems development.Read moreRead less
Massive black holes in the hearts of galaxies. This research will create new insights into the extreme physics of supermassive black holes at the centres of galaxies. Using new instrumentation and analysis techniques to measure the polarisation and variability of their radiation, we will develop models for the infall of gas, the structures surrounding black holes and the merger of massive black holes over cosmic time. The new observing modes that we will develop will provide stepping stones to ....Massive black holes in the hearts of galaxies. This research will create new insights into the extreme physics of supermassive black holes at the centres of galaxies. Using new instrumentation and analysis techniques to measure the polarisation and variability of their radiation, we will develop models for the infall of gas, the structures surrounding black holes and the merger of massive black holes over cosmic time. The new observing modes that we will develop will provide stepping stones toward the Square Kilometre Array, a multi-billion dollar project from which Australia stands to reap enormous scientific and economic benefit. The major advances that we will deliver will boost Australia's already outstanding track record as a world leader in astronomical discovery.
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Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0347466
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$262,000.00
Summary
Australian e-Astronomy. An explosion in the rate of data acquisition in disciplines such as astronomy will require new database structures and management systems. Scientists require fast access and analysis of data from many different telescopes, instruments and theoretical modelling packages. The new directions being explored internationally are based on datagrids, where individual nodes house the physical data archives and expertise, but are networked into a unified system, providing open a ....Australian e-Astronomy. An explosion in the rate of data acquisition in disciplines such as astronomy will require new database structures and management systems. Scientists require fast access and analysis of data from many different telescopes, instruments and theoretical modelling packages. The new directions being explored internationally are based on datagrids, where individual nodes house the physical data archives and expertise, but are networked into a unified system, providing open access to all astronomers. Australian e-Astronomy will provide Phase 1 of a project to develop an astronomy datagrid in Australia, linking to the powerful programs which have just commenced in Europe, UK and the USA.Read moreRead less
The Origin and Evolution of Cosmic Magnetism. This research will significantly advance our understanding of structure and evolution in the Universe, in keeping with Australia's outstanding track record of astronomical discovery. This program will also train students and build research capacity in the frontier area of X-ray astronomy, in which Australia currently has limited expertise. The instrumentation and techniques to be developed will lead to innovative transfers of technology to fields su ....The Origin and Evolution of Cosmic Magnetism. This research will significantly advance our understanding of structure and evolution in the Universe, in keeping with Australia's outstanding track record of astronomical discovery. This program will also train students and build research capacity in the frontier area of X-ray astronomy, in which Australia currently has limited expertise. The instrumentation and techniques to be developed will lead to innovative transfers of technology to fields such as telecommunications and medical imaging. These new facilities will also serve as vital stepping stones to the Square Kilometre Array, a billion-dollar international project which promises enormous economic, engineering and scientific opportunities for Australia.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0567334
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$125,748.00
Summary
A Grid-Enabled National Archive of Nanostructural Imagery (GRANI). The Nanostructural Analysis Network Organization (NANO) is an Australian Major National Research Facility that provides access to a grid of advanced microscopic instruments for the nanostructural analysis of both physical materials and biological systems. The aim of this initiative is to provide the NANO community with a set of common, interoperable tools and services to enable more efficient, cost-effective storage, management, ....A Grid-Enabled National Archive of Nanostructural Imagery (GRANI). The Nanostructural Analysis Network Organization (NANO) is an Australian Major National Research Facility that provides access to a grid of advanced microscopic instruments for the nanostructural analysis of both physical materials and biological systems. The aim of this initiative is to provide the NANO community with a set of common, interoperable tools and services to enable more efficient, cost-effective storage, management, analysis and sharing of generated microscopic images, video and analytical data. The significance of the proposed middleware is that it will improve collaboration and reduce duplication across many disciplines, through a shareable, distributed national scientific image/video database.Read moreRead less
Synchrotrons, wavelet analysis and novel imaging techniques - applying physics tools to the war against breast cancer. Breast cancer leads to the second highest number of person-years of life lost due to cancer in Australia, with little known about its transport around the body. Current screening methods for breast cancer are neither 100% sensitive or specific and are heavily dependent upon expert training. This project will contribute by yielding valuable information on the transport of breast ....Synchrotrons, wavelet analysis and novel imaging techniques - applying physics tools to the war against breast cancer. Breast cancer leads to the second highest number of person-years of life lost due to cancer in Australia, with little known about its transport around the body. Current screening methods for breast cancer are neither 100% sensitive or specific and are heavily dependent upon expert training. This project will contribute by yielding valuable information on the transport of breast cancer and contribute to the development of an automated diagnostic method, with the possibility of its application to other diseases. The project will also involve members of the regional community, train regional scientists and provide synchrotron experience for Australian scientists in time for Australia's first synchrotron.Read moreRead less
Nonlinear Dynamics of Pulse Coupled Oscillators. A mathematical model of the heart pacemaker system will be created, based on simple interacting units. These units have been shown to be good models of physiological information e.g. the discrimination of different influences on heart rate. We will firstly look at the interaction of the units in simple combinations and then tune the model to mimic the behaviour of the cardiac pacemaker.
Potential benefits may arise from elucidating the mechanis ....Nonlinear Dynamics of Pulse Coupled Oscillators. A mathematical model of the heart pacemaker system will be created, based on simple interacting units. These units have been shown to be good models of physiological information e.g. the discrimination of different influences on heart rate. We will firstly look at the interaction of the units in simple combinations and then tune the model to mimic the behaviour of the cardiac pacemaker.
Potential benefits may arise from elucidating the mechanisms underlying arrhythmias which contribute to ?sudden cardiac death? in young men, and suggesting strategies for artificial pacemakers to effectively arrest abnormal rhythms before they convert to potentially fatal fibrillation.Read moreRead less
Improving optical data storage and micromachining technology through better modelling and characterisation of their laser beams. The laser sources generally do not have simple (Gaussian) distributions. The applicant has recently developed a model, describing free propagation of complex (non-Gaussian) laser beams. This project seeks to develop a comprehending model for laser beams propagation through complex optical systems. The effects of various optical elements will be defined employing a no ....Improving optical data storage and micromachining technology through better modelling and characterisation of their laser beams. The laser sources generally do not have simple (Gaussian) distributions. The applicant has recently developed a model, describing free propagation of complex (non-Gaussian) laser beams. This project seeks to develop a comprehending model for laser beams propagation through complex optical systems. The effects of various optical elements will be defined employing a novel method known as SAFE (Stable Aggregate of Flexible Elements) which is a compromise between geometrical and physical optics. Applying this model to micromachining and optical data storage (ODS), which need high beam quality (low divergence and good focussibility), enable accurate predictive capability critical to the optimisation of micromachining and ODS designs.Read moreRead less
Snap, Crackle, Pop: Opening the Window on the Variable Radio Universe. Time variability is a frontier of discovery in astronomy. We will conduct a comprehensive set of surveys with new radio telescopes and instruments in order to build a full census of bursts, pulses, and flickers in the radio sky. Coupled with rapid follow up observations in the optical, X-ray and gamma-ray bands, these surveys will allow us to probe fundamental physics behind violent and unpredictable behaviour in the Universe ....Snap, Crackle, Pop: Opening the Window on the Variable Radio Universe. Time variability is a frontier of discovery in astronomy. We will conduct a comprehensive set of surveys with new radio telescopes and instruments in order to build a full census of bursts, pulses, and flickers in the radio sky. Coupled with rapid follow up observations in the optical, X-ray and gamma-ray bands, these surveys will allow us to probe fundamental physics behind violent and unpredictable behaviour in the Universe. Our techniques, pipelines, and algorithms will serve as stepping stones for future experiments, and will also have wide applicability to searches for weak signals in noisy data in areas including physics, ecology, medical science, and economics.Read moreRead less