Skin penetration of nanoparticles promoted by particle design, formulation and application method. This project seeks to better define the determinants of nanoparticle skin penetration and subsequent disposition in the body. The data would be used to guide minimal skin penetration of 'undesirable' nanoparticles and the properties required of 'safe' nanoparticles to enable effective human skin delivery in cosmetic and dermatological products.
How do protein quality control mechanisms maintain neuronal ageing? This project aims to interrogate how mechanisms of protein quality control act in the brain - an organ that is particularly vulnerable to a high load of misfolded protein - to maintain normal physiology during ageing. This project expects to make advances in cellular biochemistry and neuroscience, using an innovative proximity labelling approach to identify quality control regulators in neurons that specifically engage with misf ....How do protein quality control mechanisms maintain neuronal ageing? This project aims to interrogate how mechanisms of protein quality control act in the brain - an organ that is particularly vulnerable to a high load of misfolded protein - to maintain normal physiology during ageing. This project expects to make advances in cellular biochemistry and neuroscience, using an innovative proximity labelling approach to identify quality control regulators in neurons that specifically engage with misfolded proteins during ageing, within the nervous system of a living animal. Expected outcomes of this project will generate new knowledge of brain physiology and ageing relevant to all animals. This should provide significant benefits, such as a greater understanding of long-term brain functions including memory.Read moreRead less
Nanoscale silicon field-effect transistor diagnostic technology. This project aims to overcome barriers to the implementation of silicon field-effect transistor biosensors. It will investigate the biosensors’ physical and structural properties. This knowledge, combined with technological and conceptual advances, could foster the development of an advanced and translational point-of-care diagnostic technology to rapidly and sensitively detect malignant tissues. Such technology would have commerci ....Nanoscale silicon field-effect transistor diagnostic technology. This project aims to overcome barriers to the implementation of silicon field-effect transistor biosensors. It will investigate the biosensors’ physical and structural properties. This knowledge, combined with technological and conceptual advances, could foster the development of an advanced and translational point-of-care diagnostic technology to rapidly and sensitively detect malignant tissues. Such technology would have commercial potential and important societal benefits.Read moreRead less
The basis of recognition and disposal of dysfunctional proteins by clusterin. When proteins become damaged they can precipitate. A blood protein called clusterin prevents precipitation of damaged proteins. Clusterin does this by forming complexes with the damaged proteins. Clusterin is the first blood protein known to do this. We will discover which parts of clusterin are responsible for this activity. We will also discover whether cells can take up and dispose of the complexes of clusterin and ....The basis of recognition and disposal of dysfunctional proteins by clusterin. When proteins become damaged they can precipitate. A blood protein called clusterin prevents precipitation of damaged proteins. Clusterin does this by forming complexes with the damaged proteins. Clusterin is the first blood protein known to do this. We will discover which parts of clusterin are responsible for this activity. We will also discover whether cells can take up and dispose of the complexes of clusterin and damaged proteins. This work is important because some diseases (eg, Alzheimers disease) involve the toxic effects of abnormal protein precipitation. Understanding how clusterin works may help in developing better treatments for these diseases.Read moreRead less
Modelling applications of nanomaterials in biology and medicine. This proposal will address fundamental issues related to nanomaterials and their applications in biology and medicine. Accurate mathematical models will be formulated, leading to new practical techniques in nanobiotechnology, safe and effective methods to diagnose and cure diseases including cancer via targeted drug and gene delivery, and detection methods for biological hazards, such as those arising from biological terrorism. The ....Modelling applications of nanomaterials in biology and medicine. This proposal will address fundamental issues related to nanomaterials and their applications in biology and medicine. Accurate mathematical models will be formulated, leading to new practical techniques in nanobiotechnology, safe and effective methods to diagnose and cure diseases including cancer via targeted drug and gene delivery, and detection methods for biological hazards, such as those arising from biological terrorism. The research facility proposed involves significant training of applied mathematicians at honours, PhD and postdoctoral levels and multidisciplinary collaboration, ensuring that Australia maintains and develops an expertise in nanobiotechnology well into the future.Read moreRead less
Investigating differences in decision-making ability in older adults. This project aims to investigate how healthy ageing impacts decision making and its associated neural circuits using computation modelling and neurogenetic methods. Decision-making is a fundamental cognitive ability, allowing us to choose the best course of action. This project will investigate the relationship between genes and decision-making performance across the adult lifespan. Expected outcomes include a deeper understan ....Investigating differences in decision-making ability in older adults. This project aims to investigate how healthy ageing impacts decision making and its associated neural circuits using computation modelling and neurogenetic methods. Decision-making is a fundamental cognitive ability, allowing us to choose the best course of action. This project will investigate the relationship between genes and decision-making performance across the adult lifespan. Expected outcomes include a deeper understanding of how decision-making evolves in healthy ageing, and a tool based on genetic scores and computational modelling to predict an individual's trajectory of cognitive function. This could help identify individuals who are at risk for cognitive decline, which could then inform better interventions.Read moreRead less
Phonological effects on the development of inflectional morphology. This project investigates the mechanisms underlying typically developing children's variable omission of inflectional morphemes (for example, plural, past tense). The results will have significant implications for the evaluation and design of interventions for language-delayed populations where serious problems of communication persist.