Light on a nanoscale: channelling energy through space and time to control neuronal activity. Quantum-mechanical effects of energy transfer and resonance will be harnessed to yield ultrabright nanoscale light sources. Research will unveil the intricate interplay between energy harvesting, transferring and emitting centres designed so that the flow of energy exhibits a directed character. This focussed intense energy will produce abundant visible photons from infrared light. Genetically engineere ....Light on a nanoscale: channelling energy through space and time to control neuronal activity. Quantum-mechanical effects of energy transfer and resonance will be harnessed to yield ultrabright nanoscale light sources. Research will unveil the intricate interplay between energy harvesting, transferring and emitting centres designed so that the flow of energy exhibits a directed character. This focussed intense energy will produce abundant visible photons from infrared light. Genetically engineered cells able to be stimulated optically by using an optogenetics method will be illuminated by our nanoscale light causing modulation of cell activity. This new capability will enable remote control of neuronal activity in specific circuits within the nervous system without the limitation of surgically inserted optical fibres.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE200100051
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$755,000.00
Summary
Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy Facility. The Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy Facility will provide a comprehensive range of new spectroscopic techniques that cover all energies (from the ultraviolet to infrared regions of the spectrum) and timescales relevant to the absorption, emission and transformation of light in advanced photo-active materials. Expected outcomes and benefits are more efficient light harvesting, lighting and optical sensing processes; control over light-induced activity in new m ....Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy Facility. The Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy Facility will provide a comprehensive range of new spectroscopic techniques that cover all energies (from the ultraviolet to infrared regions of the spectrum) and timescales relevant to the absorption, emission and transformation of light in advanced photo-active materials. Expected outcomes and benefits are more efficient light harvesting, lighting and optical sensing processes; control over light-induced activity in new materials, and enhanced chemical reactivity. This will provide a platform to enhance capacity in materials characterisation, and will increase institutional and cross-disciplinary collaborations involving Universities, defence organisations and industry.Read moreRead less
The Development of Chemopropulsion-based Fluidic Transport Systems. The controlled transport of chemical species in fluidic systems is essential to the functioning of living systems. Emulating cellular transport processes in synthetic fluidic systems, so as to allow the controlled transport of reagents or products from one site to another, has the potential to add revolutionary capabilities to fluidic platforms. This project will explore the potential and limits of chemopropulsion and its use as ....The Development of Chemopropulsion-based Fluidic Transport Systems. The controlled transport of chemical species in fluidic systems is essential to the functioning of living systems. Emulating cellular transport processes in synthetic fluidic systems, so as to allow the controlled transport of reagents or products from one site to another, has the potential to add revolutionary capabilities to fluidic platforms. This project will explore the potential and limits of chemopropulsion and its use as a driving mechanism for cargo-carrying vehicles in fluids. The resulting fluidic transport systems could be used to transport medicine in the human body, act as chemical messengers for signal transduction in sensing or other systems or move cargo around microfluidic devices.Read moreRead less
Promoting transition metal complex catalysis with plasmonic antennae. This project aims to apply visible light photocatalysis to a wide range of chemical reactions by utilizing the intriguing effects of intense light absorption by plasmonic metal nanoparticles, such as generating energetic electrons, changing reactant adsorption and the chemical binding of reactant with the catalyst. These effects will promote catalysis at surface-bound metal complex reaction sites under mild reaction conditions ....Promoting transition metal complex catalysis with plasmonic antennae. This project aims to apply visible light photocatalysis to a wide range of chemical reactions by utilizing the intriguing effects of intense light absorption by plasmonic metal nanoparticles, such as generating energetic electrons, changing reactant adsorption and the chemical binding of reactant with the catalyst. These effects will promote catalysis at surface-bound metal complex reaction sites under mild reaction conditions. This is a part of our long-term effort to transform chemical production by heating into green photocatalytic process. This project expects to generate knowledge crucial for developing theories for catalysis, the design of efficient catalysts, green chemical synthesis methods, and enhance international collaboration.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100748
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$420,000.00
Summary
Mechanofluorescent Surfaces for Understanding Complex Cell Traction Forces. This project aims to develop pressure-sensing surfaces that directly quantify surface forces, focused towards measuring complex cell traction forces. Understanding cell traction forces is a crucial challenge towards developing new materials for regenerative medicine. The surfaces, consisting of fluorescent polymer brushes, are expected to provide direct information on singular and clustered cell forces, which can reveal ....Mechanofluorescent Surfaces for Understanding Complex Cell Traction Forces. This project aims to develop pressure-sensing surfaces that directly quantify surface forces, focused towards measuring complex cell traction forces. Understanding cell traction forces is a crucial challenge towards developing new materials for regenerative medicine. The surfaces, consisting of fluorescent polymer brushes, are expected to provide direct information on singular and clustered cell forces, which can reveal new insight into how cells interact together. This may provide currently missing information on how cell-surface interaction forces modulate cell growth, differentiation and tissue formation. This insight is crucial to providing the underpinning science that can position Australia at the forefront of regenerative medicine.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE140100193
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$700,000.00
Summary
Super High Resolution Correlative Microscopy: New Research Capability for Bioengineering, Clean Energy, Mineral Processing and Environmental Sciences. Super high resolution correlative microscopy: new research capability for bioengineering, clean energy, mineral processing and environmental sciences: This project will establish the first facility for super high resolution correlative microscopy in Australia. This facility will underpin breakthrough science by providing the capability to combine ....Super High Resolution Correlative Microscopy: New Research Capability for Bioengineering, Clean Energy, Mineral Processing and Environmental Sciences. Super high resolution correlative microscopy: new research capability for bioengineering, clean energy, mineral processing and environmental sciences: This project will establish the first facility for super high resolution correlative microscopy in Australia. This facility will underpin breakthrough science by providing the capability to combine and overlay conventional and super high resolution light microscopy information with electron microscopy information on identical sample locations. This new capability will foster advances in the fundamental understanding of multiscale hybrid organic and inorganic structures and spur the development of advanced (nano)materials and devices with broad applications in bioengineering and biofouling, advanced materials for life sciences, clean energy, water and the environment and mineral processing.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR120200004
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$30,000,000.00
Summary
Australian Synchrotron Access Program. The Australian Synchrotron epitomises scientific research excellence in Australian and New Zealand. Its impact spans nearly every research sector. This proposal brings together over 30 Australian universities working together to ensure that world-class peer-reviewed science continues to be performed at the Australian Synchrotron.
Using light to move molecules-a novel approach to exploring intermolecular forces. It is in the last few nanometres above a surface that many real-world effects originate. Using a fine stylus and the momentum from a laser beam, the project will nano-mechanically perturb molecules to reveal forces on a sub-molecular scale. Gaining control at this scale is central to developing an understanding of many natural and industrial processes.
Surface forces between novel surfaces. Friction, adhesion, the self assembly of molecules essential to life and the flow properties of slurries is explained via an understanding of surface forces. These very short-range forces are often studied using ideal surfaces of very low roughness. As only a few surfaces are available with these ideal characteristics this has greatly limited the choice of materials that could previously be employed in surface force investigations. This project will use ato ....Surface forces between novel surfaces. Friction, adhesion, the self assembly of molecules essential to life and the flow properties of slurries is explained via an understanding of surface forces. These very short-range forces are often studied using ideal surfaces of very low roughness. As only a few surfaces are available with these ideal characteristics this has greatly limited the choice of materials that could previously be employed in surface force investigations. This project will use atomic layer deposition to produce thin films of novel materials that are extremely smooth and highly suitable for such investigations. Thereby, the understanding of surface forces, adhesion and adsorption phenomenon will be expanded to a wide range of new materials. 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.