Nanoengineering materials to combat antimicrobial resistance. This project aims to understand how nanoengineered materials can be designed to kill bacteria and fungi without causing antimicrobial resistance. Resistance to antimicrobial drugs already leads to many thousands of deaths annually and costs society billions of dollars. Nanomaterials have unique abilities to attack microbes in multiple ways that could limit resistance. This project will engineer new antimicrobial nanomaterials tailored ....Nanoengineering materials to combat antimicrobial resistance. This project aims to understand how nanoengineered materials can be designed to kill bacteria and fungi without causing antimicrobial resistance. Resistance to antimicrobial drugs already leads to many thousands of deaths annually and costs society billions of dollars. Nanomaterials have unique abilities to attack microbes in multiple ways that could limit resistance. This project will engineer new antimicrobial nanomaterials tailored to selectively kill microbes with reduced likelihood of developing resistance by using synergies between inorganic nanoparticles and antimicrobial peptides. This technology could be used to prevent infections and biofilms on surfaces in a wide range of future applications, such as medical / veterinary devicesRead moreRead less
Ink jet microfluidic spray drier for making high quality microencapsulated bioactive particles and nanosized particles. The proposal addresses National Research Priority area 3 (Frontier Technology). This work will develop a new, simple and effective method for producing designer smart particles that have better functional properties as well as improved uniformity for application in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The project will train graduates who will be able to make a high-level con ....Ink jet microfluidic spray drier for making high quality microencapsulated bioactive particles and nanosized particles. The proposal addresses National Research Priority area 3 (Frontier Technology). This work will develop a new, simple and effective method for producing designer smart particles that have better functional properties as well as improved uniformity for application in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The project will train graduates who will be able to make a high-level contribution to these Australian industries. This will also mark a development in Australia¡¯s nanotechnology capability in the bio-area.Read moreRead less
Enhanced drug delivery using nanoparticulate dendrimer vectors. Many drug candidates fail during development because of low and variable absorption after oral administration. This project seeks to investigate the utility of specialised nanometer-sized macromolecules (dendrimers), to facilitate the improved delivery of drug molecules where low aqueous solubility is the principle limitation to drug absorption and will also be explored as vectors to specifically target drugs to intestinal lymphoid ....Enhanced drug delivery using nanoparticulate dendrimer vectors. Many drug candidates fail during development because of low and variable absorption after oral administration. This project seeks to investigate the utility of specialised nanometer-sized macromolecules (dendrimers), to facilitate the improved delivery of drug molecules where low aqueous solubility is the principle limitation to drug absorption and will also be explored as vectors to specifically target drugs to intestinal lymphoid (immune) tissue. This project will link the drug delivery expertise of Monash University with the experience in dendrimer design of the Australian biotechnology company Starpharma to provide concrete delivery solutions for the rapidly expanding biotechnology industry in Australia.Read moreRead less
Rational Design of Pegylated Dendrimer Nanostructures for Site Specific Drug Delivery. This project will provide technological advances with significant benefits in terms of improved drug treatment, and therefore health outcomes for Australia. The project builds on areas of research strength in Australia (nanotechnology and biotechnology/biomaterials) and will add considerably to the expanding Australian expertise-base in dendrimer technology (in which it is a world leader). The interdisciplinar ....Rational Design of Pegylated Dendrimer Nanostructures for Site Specific Drug Delivery. This project will provide technological advances with significant benefits in terms of improved drug treatment, and therefore health outcomes for Australia. The project builds on areas of research strength in Australia (nanotechnology and biotechnology/biomaterials) and will add considerably to the expanding Australian expertise-base in dendrimer technology (in which it is a world leader). The interdisciplinary nature of this project will also result in a unique training program for the researchers included in this grant. Such experience is in great demand, particularly in Australia where the burgeoning start-up discovery industry is critically short of personnel with skills in drug delivery.Read moreRead less
Fundamentals and applications of continuous-flow microprocessing systems based on supercritical fluids and gas expanded liquids. Microchemical systems have considerable potential in the area of chemical discovery and development. Practical application of these systems requires fundamental understanding and strategies for conversion to appropriate scale. The aim of this project is to overcome such challenges in the development of microstructured continuous-flow technology.
Targeted process development for drug delivery. Matrix assisted ball milling and continuous flow process intensification on rotating surfaces in the form of spinning discs and rotating tubes, and combinations of these, allow the fabrication of nanoparticles for the pharmaceutical industry, with the ability to fine tune the properties of the particles to improve their uptake profiles, while minimising side effects. The research will be conducted through the Centre for Strategic Nano-Fabrication w ....Targeted process development for drug delivery. Matrix assisted ball milling and continuous flow process intensification on rotating surfaces in the form of spinning discs and rotating tubes, and combinations of these, allow the fabrication of nanoparticles for the pharmaceutical industry, with the ability to fine tune the properties of the particles to improve their uptake profiles, while minimising side effects. The research will be conducted through the Centre for Strategic Nano-Fabrication with its science based attention to quality by design for product development at the inception of the science. This, coupled with the involvement of iCeutica which has a strong commercially focused R and D profile, provides a more innovative research culture, and excellent research training. Read moreRead less
Nanoparticles to combat cellular dysfunction. This project aims to design, synthesise and characterise nanoparticles that can mediate the adverse effects of reactive oxygen species. The project expects to develop nanoparticles with tailored chemical functionality to modulate the concentration of reactive oxygen species and develop a platform technology for addressing conditions where reactive species are overproduced. The project will research how nanoparticles’ physicochemical properties affect ....Nanoparticles to combat cellular dysfunction. This project aims to design, synthesise and characterise nanoparticles that can mediate the adverse effects of reactive oxygen species. The project expects to develop nanoparticles with tailored chemical functionality to modulate the concentration of reactive oxygen species and develop a platform technology for addressing conditions where reactive species are overproduced. The project will research how nanoparticles’ physicochemical properties affect their activity, and how they affect cellular function, tissue morphology and particle transport in a biological milieu. The project is expected to benefit the advanced manufacturing, veterinary and medical sectors and could lead to new chemotherapeutics.Read moreRead less
Microfluidic photonic systems. Australia is set to reap commercial benefits nationally and internationally from new developments in the highly competitive domain of microtechnology. In this project, a group of Australia's leading researchers propose an innovative combination of two exciting fields of scientific research. Microfluidics is the manipulation of minute quantities of liquids in microscopic channels, while photonics is the generation, transmission, detection and analysis of light as a ....Microfluidic photonic systems. Australia is set to reap commercial benefits nationally and internationally from new developments in the highly competitive domain of microtechnology. In this project, a group of Australia's leading researchers propose an innovative combination of two exciting fields of scientific research. Microfluidics is the manipulation of minute quantities of liquids in microscopic channels, while photonics is the generation, transmission, detection and analysis of light as a means to convey, collect and process information. The marriage of these two fields promises the development of novel, high performance tunable devices for sensing, biotechnology and telecommunications.Read moreRead less
Development of the methods to tailor photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles. This project aims at the development of the methods to tailor the photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles. Methods to both enhance and reduce the photocatalytic activity for specific applications will be investigated, and the physical and chemical mechanism of photocatalysis-control will be studied. The method developed will be applied for a commercial scale production of ZnO nanoparticles. The effects of ....Development of the methods to tailor photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles. This project aims at the development of the methods to tailor the photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles. Methods to both enhance and reduce the photocatalytic activity for specific applications will be investigated, and the physical and chemical mechanism of photocatalysis-control will be studied. The method developed will be applied for a commercial scale production of ZnO nanoparticles. The effects of (a) impurity doping inside of the particles, (b) particle coating, (c) size and morphologies of the particles, and (d) ion-adsorption of the particle surface, to the photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles will be investigated. The methods developed will be applied for a commercial scale production of ZnO nanoparticles by ANT.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology. The CoE in Convergent Bio-Nano Science &Technology comprises a multi-disciplinary team focused on research aiming to understand and control the interface of materials with biological systems. The Centre will exploit knowledge of the bio-nano interface to design materials that transport and deliver vaccines, drugs and gene therapy agents, and to design new diagnostic agents and devices. Nanomedicines are on the cusp of revol ....ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology. The CoE in Convergent Bio-Nano Science &Technology comprises a multi-disciplinary team focused on research aiming to understand and control the interface of materials with biological systems. The Centre will exploit knowledge of the bio-nano interface to design materials that transport and deliver vaccines, drugs and gene therapy agents, and to design new diagnostic agents and devices. Nanomedicines are on the cusp of revolutionizing diagnosis and therapy in many diseases. The CoE will be the focus of bio-nano research activity in Australia, uniting universities, research agencies, institutes and companies. The expected outcomes are better diagnostic and therapeutic tools designed via an enhanced understanding of the bio-nano-interface.Read moreRead less