Chip liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry: a new hyphenated microfluidic instrument for metallomics. An alliance of two Australian universities and a world-leading scientific instrument company will develop innovative technology that will enable new reliable, sensitive and patient-specific medical tests, as well as being used to probe causes of significant diseases that appear to involve trace levels of metals in the body.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100467
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Unravelling the intrinsic structure and stability of multiply charged anions in the gas-phase using photoelectron spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Molecules possessing multiple negative charges are common constituents in chemistry, influencing a range of processes ranging from photochemical smog formation to protein structure in vivo. This project will develop new technologies to probe their molecular structure in the gas-phase, leading to a more rigorous understanding of these species.
Probing antimicrobial drug resistance by multimodal molecular analysis. This project aims to investigate drug resistance in microbial agents. With the emergence of "super bugs" there is a need to understand the biochemistry of antimicrobial resistance. Combining vibrational spectroscopic approaches and metabolomic techniques, the project will investigate cell populations, single cells and subcellular structures in search of biomarkers for drug resistance. The discovery of such biomarkers could l ....Probing antimicrobial drug resistance by multimodal molecular analysis. This project aims to investigate drug resistance in microbial agents. With the emergence of "super bugs" there is a need to understand the biochemistry of antimicrobial resistance. Combining vibrational spectroscopic approaches and metabolomic techniques, the project will investigate cell populations, single cells and subcellular structures in search of biomarkers for drug resistance. The discovery of such biomarkers could lead to improved disease management and eradication programs through identification and treatment of drug resistant pathogens in individuals that have the potential to re-infect the community.Read moreRead less
Pulsed oscillating mass analyser. Mass spectrometers are ubiquitous components in chemical analysis, but are often large and expensive. We have developed a new method for mass analysis, which is smaller and cheaper than existing technology. However, the analyser needs further research to determine whether it has the performance specifications to match the other technologies. The objective of this research is to characterise, explore and extend the prototype and to develop the appropriate math ....Pulsed oscillating mass analyser. Mass spectrometers are ubiquitous components in chemical analysis, but are often large and expensive. We have developed a new method for mass analysis, which is smaller and cheaper than existing technology. However, the analyser needs further research to determine whether it has the performance specifications to match the other technologies. The objective of this research is to characterise, explore and extend the prototype and to develop the appropriate mathematical algorithm for mass analysis. Success in this project may lead to a new mass analyser that can be incorporated into analytical instruments, many of which are manufactured in Australia.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100213
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$150,000.00
Summary
Advanced fluorescence characterisation facility. Fluorescence is the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed light of a different wavelength. Fluorescence techniques and fluorescent molecules have enabled a great many of the most important advances in biology, chemistry and medicine in recent decades. This facility will support a wide range of research projects using or exploring fluorescence and luminescence. The research supported will underpin advances in diverse scientific fields.
The photons take charge: Elucidating the structure and stability of distonic radical anions by mass spectrometry and photoelectron spectroscopy. Recent work has discovered that certain radical anions have electronic configurations that defy chemical convention and exhibit exceptional radical stability. Exploitation of this breakthrough first requires experimental elucidation of the intrinsic electronic structure of these compounds and how it relates to their remarkable properties. This project w ....The photons take charge: Elucidating the structure and stability of distonic radical anions by mass spectrometry and photoelectron spectroscopy. Recent work has discovered that certain radical anions have electronic configurations that defy chemical convention and exhibit exceptional radical stability. Exploitation of this breakthrough first requires experimental elucidation of the intrinsic electronic structure of these compounds and how it relates to their remarkable properties. This project will probe the fundamental structure and energetics of radical anions by modifying instrumentation to enable multi-step gas-phase ion synthesis to be efficiently coupled with anion photoelectron spectroscopy. These investigations are essential to revealing the scope of this phenomenon in free radical chemistry and biology and could inform future development of new catalysts for polymerisation.Read moreRead less
Microfluidic Separation Science: Innovative Technology for Characterising Complex Chemical Systems. At present there is a need for fast and detailed chemical analysis of complex samples, such as those important to biomedical diagnostics and forensic science. Innovative technology will be developed here in order to reduce analysis time whilst maintaining the integrity of the chemical information contained within the sample. This step change in separation science will directly aid biomedical diagn ....Microfluidic Separation Science: Innovative Technology for Characterising Complex Chemical Systems. At present there is a need for fast and detailed chemical analysis of complex samples, such as those important to biomedical diagnostics and forensic science. Innovative technology will be developed here in order to reduce analysis time whilst maintaining the integrity of the chemical information contained within the sample. This step change in separation science will directly aid biomedical diagnostics, forensic sample determination and industrial process monitoring through decreased analysis time with an increase in the chemical information gained. By performing chemical separations on a microfluidic scale a reduction in both the cost of analysis and impact of solvent waste on the environment will be achieved.Read moreRead less
Enhanced sensitivity of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Enhanced sensitivity of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. This project aims to enhance the sensitivity of nano-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (nanoESI-MS) by an order of magnitude by simultaneously overcoming the two interdependent limitations in ion generation and transmission efficiency. This project will design glass capillaries and tubes with complex structures to enable both multiplexing ion generation fr ....Enhanced sensitivity of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Enhanced sensitivity of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. This project aims to enhance the sensitivity of nano-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (nanoESI-MS) by an order of magnitude by simultaneously overcoming the two interdependent limitations in ion generation and transmission efficiency. This project will design glass capillaries and tubes with complex structures to enable both multiplexing ion generation from a single capillary and geometrically matching the bore of the tube collecting the emitted ion plume. NanoESI-MS has become an indispensable analytical tool for proteomics and synthetic chemistry. The significant enhancement of nanoESI-MS sensitivity in this project is expected to accelerate progress in disease research, biomarker discovery and drug development.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.