Novel Biomimetic Nanosprings:Protein-based Elastomer for Engineering Applications. The ability to produce biomimetic elastomeric components with approximately infinite fatigue life offers significant impact on energy consumption and materials usage. In this project, we seek this goal by bio-macromolecular modification and understanding of the unique proteins from a number of different insects that provide the structural basis of novel bioelastomers with outstanding in-vitro fatigue properties. T ....Novel Biomimetic Nanosprings:Protein-based Elastomer for Engineering Applications. The ability to produce biomimetic elastomeric components with approximately infinite fatigue life offers significant impact on energy consumption and materials usage. In this project, we seek this goal by bio-macromolecular modification and understanding of the unique proteins from a number of different insects that provide the structural basis of novel bioelastomers with outstanding in-vitro fatigue properties. The project will translate the superior in-vivo properties of these proteins to real-world novel bioelastomers for engineering applications. Such functional materials will find potential use in areas such as microelectromechanical devices (MEMS), actuators, artificial muscles, drug delivery vehicles, etc.Read moreRead less
New Biomimetic Nanostructured Coatings for Hip Implants. Over 30,000 hip implants operations take place in Australia each year, due largely to a significant and growing proportion of the population suffering from conditions such as osteoporosis. The coating on the implants, required to cause good bone ingrowth and adhesion between bone and implant, is far from perfect. We propose to spray coatings which mimic the structure of bone, and thus offer improved mechanical properties such as appropriat ....New Biomimetic Nanostructured Coatings for Hip Implants. Over 30,000 hip implants operations take place in Australia each year, due largely to a significant and growing proportion of the population suffering from conditions such as osteoporosis. The coating on the implants, required to cause good bone ingrowth and adhesion between bone and implant, is far from perfect. We propose to spray coatings which mimic the structure of bone, and thus offer improved mechanical properties such as appropriate rigidity and toughness, and stimulate better bone growth at the interface. In this way the implant should be much longer lasting and the need for undesirable revision surgery reduced. The processing technique proposed could also be a useful platform coating technology in a number of other industries.Read moreRead less
Bacterial cell behaviour in micro/nano-confined environments. The project aims to progress the understanding of the mechanisms of marine bacteria biofilm formation and surface-modulated metabolic response. We will adjust the surface characteristics of photopolymers (as ?model? surfaces) and probe the bacterial response to surfaces, passively with micro/nano-fabricated structures and Atomic Force Microscopy; and actively with optical manipulation of single cells. The results will contribute to th ....Bacterial cell behaviour in micro/nano-confined environments. The project aims to progress the understanding of the mechanisms of marine bacteria biofilm formation and surface-modulated metabolic response. We will adjust the surface characteristics of photopolymers (as ?model? surfaces) and probe the bacterial response to surfaces, passively with micro/nano-fabricated structures and Atomic Force Microscopy; and actively with optical manipulation of single cells. The results will contribute to the fundamental knowledge regarding central biological phenomena -down to single-cell processes- as well as on applied knowledge regarding the manufacturing of antimicrobial surfaces that mimic natural bactericide processes, with larger implications on biomedical practice, and environmental, civil, mining and manufacturing industrial applications.Read moreRead less
Hermetic bonding of biomedical polymers for cardiac-assist devices. The use of a polymeric ventricular assist device will bring a much better quality of life to patients with end-stage heart failure. The project will address the remaining challenge, the creation of a hermetic polymer seal, enabling the development of a small, light and highly efficient heart pump. The project has the potential to improve the lives of many Australians as our demographic profile shifts towards older people. Patie ....Hermetic bonding of biomedical polymers for cardiac-assist devices. The use of a polymeric ventricular assist device will bring a much better quality of life to patients with end-stage heart failure. The project will address the remaining challenge, the creation of a hermetic polymer seal, enabling the development of a small, light and highly efficient heart pump. The project has the potential to improve the lives of many Australians as our demographic profile shifts towards older people. Patients with advanced heart failure will live longer, with a higher quality of life. It will assist heart failure sufferers to remain productive members of our community, because many people who use the device will be fit to return to work.Read moreRead less
Biodegradable Porous HEMA-Based Polymers: Innovative Strategies for the Design and Tuneable Single-Step Production of a Novel Class of Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering. This project will lead to the development of new biocompatible, biodegradable, porous materials ideally suited to many applications in tissue engineering. These new biomaterials will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, via simple processes using non-toxic reagents. The key properties of the biomaterials will be controllable ....Biodegradable Porous HEMA-Based Polymers: Innovative Strategies for the Design and Tuneable Single-Step Production of a Novel Class of Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering. This project will lead to the development of new biocompatible, biodegradable, porous materials ideally suited to many applications in tissue engineering. These new biomaterials will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, via simple processes using non-toxic reagents. The key properties of the biomaterials will be controllable by appropriate choice of starting materials. The availability of these new biomaterials will facilitate future developments in tissue engineering, which will ultimately lead to improved medical outcomes in areas as diverse as joint and bone repair and organ regeneration. Local manufacture of these biomaterials would also contribute to the development of the Australian biotechnology industry.Read moreRead less
Injectable scaffolds for treatments of neurological disorders. Cell replacement therapies offer potentially effective treatments for a host of neurological disorders but a major obstacle confronting their development is to ensure appropriate connections are formed within the brain. This proposal aims to utilize injectable biodegradable polymers, to demonstrate the feasibility of assisting neural cells and stem cells to bridge glial scars or significant distances in the brain and repair damaged n ....Injectable scaffolds for treatments of neurological disorders. Cell replacement therapies offer potentially effective treatments for a host of neurological disorders but a major obstacle confronting their development is to ensure appropriate connections are formed within the brain. This proposal aims to utilize injectable biodegradable polymers, to demonstrate the feasibility of assisting neural cells and stem cells to bridge glial scars or significant distances in the brain and repair damaged neural pathways. This proposal will focus on naturally occurring polysaccharides, which will act as "scaffolds" for the growing neurones. The role the scaffolds play in regulating neurite extension will be investigated in vitro and in vivo.Read moreRead less
Manipulating nano-fibres to control nerve regeneration. Diseases of the brain and mind are the most common diseases in the western world; being even more prevalent than cardiac or malignant disease. With Australia's aging demographic, diseases of the brain and mind will continue to impact on our productivity in the workplace, our quality of life, and the ability of the medicare and private health care systems to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for older Australians.
The research prop ....Manipulating nano-fibres to control nerve regeneration. Diseases of the brain and mind are the most common diseases in the western world; being even more prevalent than cardiac or malignant disease. With Australia's aging demographic, diseases of the brain and mind will continue to impact on our productivity in the workplace, our quality of life, and the ability of the medicare and private health care systems to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for older Australians.
The research proposed here will enable us to find solutions to this serious problem by building on Australia's strong track record in nanotechnology and biotechnology research, and help towards new and effective treatments.
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Synthesis of Novel Biomaterials for Drug delivery. A new UV radiation polymerisation technique utilising charge-transfer complexes is adopted for synthesising novel hydrogels, a group of biomaterials for drug delivery. This work is significant as charge-transfer complexes, pertinent to the formation of hydrogels, form copolymers within the hydrogel matrices. This eliminates using costly, yet undesirable photo-initiators (PI), thus rendering the hydrogels as cleaner (PI-free) and more economical ....Synthesis of Novel Biomaterials for Drug delivery. A new UV radiation polymerisation technique utilising charge-transfer complexes is adopted for synthesising novel hydrogels, a group of biomaterials for drug delivery. This work is significant as charge-transfer complexes, pertinent to the formation of hydrogels, form copolymers within the hydrogel matrices. This eliminates using costly, yet undesirable photo-initiators (PI), thus rendering the hydrogels as cleaner (PI-free) and more economical in production; the products present themselves as ideal treatment methods in the controlled-release of drugs, specifically targeting localised pathological sites of interest. The research findings will be invaluable to medical practices, leading to the creation of new industries in Australia.
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Development and characterisation of novel hydrogel systems for drug delivery. The aims of this project are to develop and characterise hydrogel formulations for delivery of active agents, such as protein drugs, and to examine the biological responses to drug loaded hydrogels. In many medical and industrial fields, it is advantageous to control the release of active agents. Controlled release can decrease the dose of active that must be administered, sustain a more constant level of the agent ....Development and characterisation of novel hydrogel systems for drug delivery. The aims of this project are to develop and characterise hydrogel formulations for delivery of active agents, such as protein drugs, and to examine the biological responses to drug loaded hydrogels. In many medical and industrial fields, it is advantageous to control the release of active agents. Controlled release can decrease the dose of active that must be administered, sustain a more constant level of the agent in the environment and can localise the agent at the site where it is needed. This project will advance the theoretical knowledge of polymer degradation combined with protein release, will develop controlled release hydrogel technology that can be applied to medical devices and will train a postgraduate student in biomaterials and drug delivery.Read moreRead less
Computational Scaffold Optimisation for Tissue Engineering. Due to exceptional potential, tissue engineering has attracted over US$4.5 billion research and development investment and another US$2.6 billion market capital since 1990. It is important to cement Australia's position in such a highly competitive field. This project aims to develop a novel technology for scaffold-based tissue engineering, which would help Australia lead in the relevant area and increase its competitiveness in the futu ....Computational Scaffold Optimisation for Tissue Engineering. Due to exceptional potential, tissue engineering has attracted over US$4.5 billion research and development investment and another US$2.6 billion market capital since 1990. It is important to cement Australia's position in such a highly competitive field. This project aims to develop a novel technology for scaffold-based tissue engineering, which would help Australia lead in the relevant area and increase its competitiveness in the future global market of biomaterials, tissue products, biomedical software and instruments. An enormous socio-economic benefit to Australia would be a significant improvement in the clinical success rate for our ageing population. Read moreRead less