Specific-ion effects in non-aqueous solvents. A test for Hofmeister. A colloidal solution is a liquid that contains a finely dispersed material. The properties of these solutions are critical in many industrially important practices and in the everyday processes of life. Though not understood, it is observed that the type of salt in solution controls how the colloid behaves. Through a series of very careful experiments we seek to learn precisely how different salts influence the properties of a ....Specific-ion effects in non-aqueous solvents. A test for Hofmeister. A colloidal solution is a liquid that contains a finely dispersed material. The properties of these solutions are critical in many industrially important practices and in the everyday processes of life. Though not understood, it is observed that the type of salt in solution controls how the colloid behaves. Through a series of very careful experiments we seek to learn precisely how different salts influence the properties of a colloidal solution. This world-leading research will enable us to improve our fundamental understanding of colloids and thereby facilitate advances in topics as diverse as enzymatic action and minerals purification, ensuring Australia remains at the forefront of science in this field.Read moreRead less
Room-temperature quantum microscopy for advanced nanoscale imaging. Original, inspired and most often cross-disciplinary efforts are the only way to solve some of nature's most obscure mysteries. Successful development of high-resolution quantum microscopy will lead to a range of benefits for the community and the nation; from graduate student training in cutting edge technology, building links between academic, industry and government groups to providing new insights and approaches into diseas ....Room-temperature quantum microscopy for advanced nanoscale imaging. Original, inspired and most often cross-disciplinary efforts are the only way to solve some of nature's most obscure mysteries. Successful development of high-resolution quantum microscopy will lead to a range of benefits for the community and the nation; from graduate student training in cutting edge technology, building links between academic, industry and government groups to providing new insights and approaches into disease identification and therapy. This project aims to demonstrate a world-first in imaging sensitivity, and success will directly enhance Australia's global reputation as a leader in innovation and collaboration. Read moreRead less
Venturing into the Cluster Desert. Fundamental questions that ask about the nature and the fate of the Universe are of interest not only to astronomers, but also to the general public. In particular, the realisation that the Universe is dominated by dark energy has sparked wide public interest. We still know very little about dark energy. Is it Einstein's famous cosmological constant or something more exotic, such as a new particle or even new physics? This proposal aims to build a sample of ver ....Venturing into the Cluster Desert. Fundamental questions that ask about the nature and the fate of the Universe are of interest not only to astronomers, but also to the general public. In particular, the realisation that the Universe is dominated by dark energy has sparked wide public interest. We still know very little about dark energy. Is it Einstein's famous cosmological constant or something more exotic, such as a new particle or even new physics? This proposal aims to build a sample of very distant galaxy clusters that can then be used to search for a very special type of supernova - the Type Ia Supernova, which can be used as a tool to learn about the properties of dark energy. Read moreRead less
Simulating the Magellanic system using new special-purpose computers for gravitational dynamics. Australia is renowned for its significant contribution to great progress in observational studies of the Large and the Small Magellanic Clouds. The proposed state-of-the-art computer simulations will provide new and better understanding of the Magellanic Clouds and thus stimulate public interest, in particular, the next generation of Australian scientists. The extensive comparison between results fro ....Simulating the Magellanic system using new special-purpose computers for gravitational dynamics. Australia is renowned for its significant contribution to great progress in observational studies of the Large and the Small Magellanic Clouds. The proposed state-of-the-art computer simulations will provide new and better understanding of the Magellanic Clouds and thus stimulate public interest, in particular, the next generation of Australian scientists. The extensive comparison between results from fastest computers and world-class telescopes will make important breakthroughs in the areas of computational astrophysics and extragalactic astronomy and thus inspire many scientists and engineers in other fields.Read moreRead less
The Quest for Ultimate Measurement Precision. Precision measurement is the foundation upon which modern technological society is built. The highest quality measurement devices rely on stable clocks for their operation. The group's existing research has been aimed at developing some of the world's most precise measurement tools based on clocks and lasers. In parallel with this, other scientists have developed the means for exquisite control of light on the microscopic scale. By combining these tw ....The Quest for Ultimate Measurement Precision. Precision measurement is the foundation upon which modern technological society is built. The highest quality measurement devices rely on stable clocks for their operation. The group's existing research has been aimed at developing some of the world's most precise measurement tools based on clocks and lasers. In parallel with this, other scientists have developed the means for exquisite control of light on the microscopic scale. By combining these two technologies, both of which lie at the extreme limit of precision, the group will develop a new generation of technology for fundamental science objectives as well as for industrial needs.Read moreRead less
Maximizing solid state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) with maximum entropy. Nuclear magnetic resonance is an essential technology for the characterisation of important industrial and biomedical molecules, molecular chains and complexes. This project aims to considerably expand the fundamental capability of experimental techniques for the study of materials in the solid state, in particular for a new class of biological nanoparticle. These advances will have important global implications for re ....Maximizing solid state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) with maximum entropy. Nuclear magnetic resonance is an essential technology for the characterisation of important industrial and biomedical molecules, molecular chains and complexes. This project aims to considerably expand the fundamental capability of experimental techniques for the study of materials in the solid state, in particular for a new class of biological nanoparticle. These advances will have important global implications for research into life-saving therapeutic strategies aimed at many pharmaceutical targets embedded in cell membranes, protein misfolding disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease, as well as development of the next generation of "green" plastics and other advanced polymers.Read moreRead less
Visualising chaperones disentangle and refold proteins - one molecule at a time. Chaperones are enzymes that maintain the proper function of proteins in the cell. This research aims to visualise, at the single molecule level, how chaperones facilitate the folding of individual proteins and how they can disentangle proteins that have aggregated as a result of cell stress.
Uncovering the First Stars and Galaxies with the James Webb Space Telescope. This project aims to find "First Light": the first stars and galaxies that formed after the Big Bang. Understanding the astrophysics of the first galaxies, their explosive growth, and how they set ablaze the remaining gas in the Universe have long been among the most important unsolved mysteries of astronomy. Decades in the making, the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope in December 2021 marks a watershed moment. T ....Uncovering the First Stars and Galaxies with the James Webb Space Telescope. This project aims to find "First Light": the first stars and galaxies that formed after the Big Bang. Understanding the astrophysics of the first galaxies, their explosive growth, and how they set ablaze the remaining gas in the Universe have long been among the most important unsolved mysteries of astronomy. Decades in the making, the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope in December 2021 marks a watershed moment. This project uses privileged access to the revolutionary space telescope to find "First Light" and contribute to rewriting the first chapter of our cosmic history. The project is expected to significantly enhance Australia's international standing through leadership in use of the world's flagship scientific facility.Read moreRead less
Unveiling the Galaxy: Dense Gas and Star Formation in the Milky Way. This project aims to address one of the most fundamental problems in astrophysics - understanding how high-mass stars form - by utilising a new, innovative, purpose-designed astronomical survey. This project will generate new knowledge about the star formation process by interfacing theoretical predictions with novel observations, aided by the most accurate distances yet derived. Expected outcomes include a comprehensive unders ....Unveiling the Galaxy: Dense Gas and Star Formation in the Milky Way. This project aims to address one of the most fundamental problems in astrophysics - understanding how high-mass stars form - by utilising a new, innovative, purpose-designed astronomical survey. This project will generate new knowledge about the star formation process by interfacing theoretical predictions with novel observations, aided by the most accurate distances yet derived. Expected outcomes include a comprehensive understanding of star formation, and an unparalleled map of the dense gas structure of our Galaxy. This should provide significant benefits, such as the crucial insight needed to interpret future sensitive, high-resolution surveys with next generation, globe-spanning telescopes in which Australia is a key partner.Read moreRead less
The mechanochemical basis of cell polarity. This project aims to study how epithelial cells initiate polarisation, a major question in biology that conventional biochemical, cell biological and genetic approaches have not answered. This project will investigate the mechanochemical basis of symmetry breaking in the cellular cortex, a thin layer of actomyosin filaments underneath the plasma membrane, and how this forms signalling zones. Understanding polarity is expected to improve epithelia manip ....The mechanochemical basis of cell polarity. This project aims to study how epithelial cells initiate polarisation, a major question in biology that conventional biochemical, cell biological and genetic approaches have not answered. This project will investigate the mechanochemical basis of symmetry breaking in the cellular cortex, a thin layer of actomyosin filaments underneath the plasma membrane, and how this forms signalling zones. Understanding polarity is expected to improve epithelia manipulation in disciplines from tissue engineering to regenerative biology and reveal how epithelial architecture and physiology are generated.Read moreRead less