Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100888
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Illuminating drug activity in the brain with nanocrystalline beacons. The project focuses on developing technologies to understand the activity of drugs and precisely locate their target sites in the brain. Novel nanocrystalline beacons and ultrahigh-sensitivity optical imaging technology developed in the project have the aim to help visualise opioid and other related drug molecules over extended periods, which is impossible with current methods. Quantifying drug target distribution in the brain ....Illuminating drug activity in the brain with nanocrystalline beacons. The project focuses on developing technologies to understand the activity of drugs and precisely locate their target sites in the brain. Novel nanocrystalline beacons and ultrahigh-sensitivity optical imaging technology developed in the project have the aim to help visualise opioid and other related drug molecules over extended periods, which is impossible with current methods. Quantifying drug target distribution in the brain and imaging their dynamics on a single molecule level will shed light on drug-target interactions.Read moreRead less
Cell–fluid interaction: inside and outside cells. The project aims to measure mechanics at the cellular level using a combination of optical tweezers for measurement of nano-scale environment around/inside cells and light-sheet microscopy for imaging. The project expects to generate new knowledge about movement of cells through their environment, relating to collective behaviour which is of importance in understanding infections and formation of biofilms. Expected outcomes include deepened under ....Cell–fluid interaction: inside and outside cells. The project aims to measure mechanics at the cellular level using a combination of optical tweezers for measurement of nano-scale environment around/inside cells and light-sheet microscopy for imaging. The project expects to generate new knowledge about movement of cells through their environment, relating to collective behaviour which is of importance in understanding infections and formation of biofilms. Expected outcomes include deepened understanding of an enigmatic process conserved from amoebae to humans, by which cells ‘drink and eat’ by ‘gulping’ fluid and supplement their nutrient intake by degrading proteins and cell debris. It will generate new knowledge of these processes to better understand how mechanics affects cellular life.Read moreRead less
Atomic forces for sorting ultrabright nanodiamonds. This project aims to sort fluorescent nanodiamonds according to their brightness using atomic radiation pressure. Fluorescent nanodiamonds can overcome all limitations associated with conventional fluorescent bio-labels. While readily available, their brightness varies greatly, so a method for yielding high-quality material with consistent brightness is needed. This project combines techniques from laser manipulation of cold atoms and microflui ....Atomic forces for sorting ultrabright nanodiamonds. This project aims to sort fluorescent nanodiamonds according to their brightness using atomic radiation pressure. Fluorescent nanodiamonds can overcome all limitations associated with conventional fluorescent bio-labels. While readily available, their brightness varies greatly, so a method for yielding high-quality material with consistent brightness is needed. This project combines techniques from laser manipulation of cold atoms and microfluidics to create an optofluidic method of particle separation. The proposed device could sort nanodiamonds more than a billion times faster than active sorting techniques. This is expected to lead to better tools for bio-imaging and bio-manipulation.Read moreRead less
Analysis of asteroid samples returned by Hayabusa 2 and Osiris-REx . This year sees the highly anticipated return of the Hayabusa2 spacecraft to Woomera carrying samples of the asteroid Ryugu. This is only the fifth extraterrestrial sample return mission in history. The research team has been invited to participate in the preliminary examination which will take place in Japan in early 2021. The investigators have developed unique analytical skills that allow measurement of small amounts of rock ....Analysis of asteroid samples returned by Hayabusa 2 and Osiris-REx . This year sees the highly anticipated return of the Hayabusa2 spacecraft to Woomera carrying samples of the asteroid Ryugu. This is only the fifth extraterrestrial sample return mission in history. The research team has been invited to participate in the preliminary examination which will take place in Japan in early 2021. The investigators have developed unique analytical skills that allow measurement of small amounts of rock for oxygen isotope compositions at unprecedented precision. This project aims to characterise a suite of carbonaceous chondrites, which appear to be the best match to Ryugu, and therefore will provide the exemplar data to understand the provenance of Ryugu, and place it in the context of solar system materials.
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ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics. The CNBP brings together physicists, chemists and biologists focused on a grand challenge controlling nanoscale interactions between light and matter to probe the complex and dynamic nanoenvironments within living organisms. The emerging convergence of nanoscience and photonics offers the opportunity of using light to interrogate nanoscale domains, providing unprecedentedly localised measurements. This will allow biological scientists to unde ....ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics. The CNBP brings together physicists, chemists and biologists focused on a grand challenge controlling nanoscale interactions between light and matter to probe the complex and dynamic nanoenvironments within living organisms. The emerging convergence of nanoscience and photonics offers the opportunity of using light to interrogate nanoscale domains, providing unprecedentedly localised measurements. This will allow biological scientists to understand how single cells react to and communicate with their surroundings. This science will underpin a new generation of devices capable of probing the response of cells within individuals to environmental conditions or treatment, creating innovative and powerful new sensing platforms.Read moreRead less
Development of ozone-induced dissociation for lipidomics workflows. An Australian invention (ozone induced dissociation) will be developed in collaboration with a major instrument manufacturer. This project will provide Australian researchers with unique capabilities to investigate the role of lipids (fats) in human disease and will place them at the forefront of lipid research internationally.
New laser and mass spectrometry-based tools for comprehensive structural elucidation of lipids and their biomolecular interactions. Lipid-related disorders such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease are reaching epidemic proportions. We propose the development of specialised instrumentation to identify and quantify lipids (fats) in tissue and culture samples thus providing Australian scientists with unique capabilities to investigate the mechanisms of disease.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100059
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$220,000.00
Summary
Multiplexed capabilities for surface analysis and imaging by mass spectrometry. This facility will support research aimed at developing rapid and reliable analytical methods for the detection of chemicals directly from biological and man-made materials. The mass spectroscopy methods used at the facility will reveal molecular-level changes in systems ranging from the lens of the human eye to Colorbond steel® and have applications in the detection of chemical and biological hazards.
ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging. The Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging will innovatively integrate physics, chemistry and biology to unravel the complex molecular interactions that define immunity. The Centre will develop new imaging methods to visualize atomic, molecular and cellular details of how immune proteins interact and
effect immune responses. Outcomes: (i) new technological innovations leading to new imaging methods and products; and (ii) fundame ....ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging. The Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging will innovatively integrate physics, chemistry and biology to unravel the complex molecular interactions that define immunity. The Centre will develop new imaging methods to visualize atomic, molecular and cellular details of how immune proteins interact and
effect immune responses. Outcomes: (i) new technological innovations leading to new imaging methods and products; and (ii) fundamental advances in understanding details of immune responses in health and disease. The Centre will enable Australia to be an international leader in biological imaging, to train next
generation interdisciplinary scientists, and to provide new insights for combating common diseases that afflict society.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology. ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology. The ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology aims to develop paradigm-shifting quantum technologies to observe biological processes and transform our understanding of life. It seeks to create technologies that go far beyond what is possible today, from portable brain imagers to super-fast single protein sensors, and to use them to unravel key problems including how enzymes catalyse reac ....ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology. ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology. The ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology aims to develop paradigm-shifting quantum technologies to observe biological processes and transform our understanding of life. It seeks to create technologies that go far beyond what is possible today, from portable brain imagers to super-fast single protein sensors, and to use them to unravel key problems including how enzymes catalyse reactions and how higher brain function emerges from networks of neurons. By building a diverse, multidisciplinary, and industry-engaged ecosystem, the Centre means to develop our future leaders at the interface of quantum science and biology and drive Australian innovation across manufacturing, energy, agriculture, health, and national security.Read moreRead less