Development and Testing of Novel Contrast Agents for Diagnostic Imaging. Demand for diagnostic imaging in the Australian healthcare system is growing at over 5% per annum. To facilitate imaging, Australia imports radiographic contrast media costing in excess of $50 million every year. Existing iodine-based agents are not ideal for X-ray absorption in current CT scanners and also cause moderate to severe allergic reaction in around 5% of all patients, sometimes with fatal results. New radiograph ....Development and Testing of Novel Contrast Agents for Diagnostic Imaging. Demand for diagnostic imaging in the Australian healthcare system is growing at over 5% per annum. To facilitate imaging, Australia imports radiographic contrast media costing in excess of $50 million every year. Existing iodine-based agents are not ideal for X-ray absorption in current CT scanners and also cause moderate to severe allergic reaction in around 5% of all patients, sometimes with fatal results. New radiographic media, which give enhanced contrast and provide greater patient comfort and safety are essential. Even a small fraction of the international market would generate millions of dollars in income, support growth and expertise in Imaging Technologies, and provide new markets for Australian mining of rare earth and bismuth metals.Read moreRead less
Solving the problem of detecting small molecules in complex samples: A Label-Free Electrochemical Immuno-biosensor for drugs and pesticides. Biosensors are portable analytical devices which can be used by the general public without specialist training. The proposed research will develop a biosensor for the detection of small molecules such as pesticides, poisons and drugs; a class of analytes where there is currently no viable biosensor technology. The simple to use device will benefit the Aus ....Solving the problem of detecting small molecules in complex samples: A Label-Free Electrochemical Immuno-biosensor for drugs and pesticides. Biosensors are portable analytical devices which can be used by the general public without specialist training. The proposed research will develop a biosensor for the detection of small molecules such as pesticides, poisons and drugs; a class of analytes where there is currently no viable biosensor technology. The simple to use device will benefit the Australian community by providing technology which will allow rapid and inexpensive monitoring of water as well as biomedical diagnosis. The research will also benefit Australia via providing the training of scientists to establish the new generation of Australia's bionanotechnology industry. Read moreRead less
Novel Hydrogels for Bioseparations in Clinical Applications. The project aims to design and synthesise new highly swollen hydrophilic membranes for use in biological separation processes and purifications such as the removal of viruses from blood. Typical membrane problems like membrane fouling or low flux should be minimized by a narrow pore size distribution. The regular nano-patterning should be obtained by molecular impriniting technique. Novel thermoresponsive polymers, which will be polyme ....Novel Hydrogels for Bioseparations in Clinical Applications. The project aims to design and synthesise new highly swollen hydrophilic membranes for use in biological separation processes and purifications such as the removal of viruses from blood. Typical membrane problems like membrane fouling or low flux should be minimized by a narrow pore size distribution. The regular nano-patterning should be obtained by molecular impriniting technique. Novel thermoresponsive polymers, which will be polymerized via controlled free radical polymerization techniques, will be used as biocompatible membrane material.Read moreRead less
The development of a rapid diagnostic test for heparanase activity. Heparanase is an enzyme that has been implicated in a number of disease states such as cancer, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other inflammatory diseases. Characterisation of this enzyme has been slow, due in part to the lack of a reliable direct activity assay. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, this project seeks to establish a rapid assay that will provide easy determination of heparanase activity. Furthermore, this a ....The development of a rapid diagnostic test for heparanase activity. Heparanase is an enzyme that has been implicated in a number of disease states such as cancer, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other inflammatory diseases. Characterisation of this enzyme has been slow, due in part to the lack of a reliable direct activity assay. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, this project seeks to establish a rapid assay that will provide easy determination of heparanase activity. Furthermore, this assay could provide a useful diagnostic tool in a clinical environment that would allow for the rapid assessment of these diseases, their progression and indeed response to therapy.Read moreRead less
Development of an ultrasensitive assay for human prion proteins. The aim of this work is to enable the detection of prion proteins in human blood and other tissues. The assay system to be developed will detect much lower levels of these disease-causing proteins than is possible at present; it will be more rapid and will measure prion protein levels more accurately than existing assays. The outcome of the work is expected to facilitate the production and certification of prion-free blood and bl ....Development of an ultrasensitive assay for human prion proteins. The aim of this work is to enable the detection of prion proteins in human blood and other tissues. The assay system to be developed will detect much lower levels of these disease-causing proteins than is possible at present; it will be more rapid and will measure prion protein levels more accurately than existing assays. The outcome of the work is expected to facilitate the production and certification of prion-free blood and blood products. Prions cause Bovine Spongiform Encaphalopathy and Creutzfeld Jacob Disease and attempts to control of these diseases would be greatly abetted by an optimal test for the disease-causing agent.Read moreRead less
Lipidomics Associated with Metabolic Syndrome, Aging and Metabolic Variation between Species. The aim is to apply state-of?the-art mass spectrometry to identify and quantify alterations in membrane lipidomes (i.e. lipid classes, molecular species, structure alterations and by-products) related to two major health problems facing Australia i.e. the Metabolic Syndrome and an Ageing population plus insight into the variation in metabolic rate between organisms. This research offers the opportunity ....Lipidomics Associated with Metabolic Syndrome, Aging and Metabolic Variation between Species. The aim is to apply state-of?the-art mass spectrometry to identify and quantify alterations in membrane lipidomes (i.e. lipid classes, molecular species, structure alterations and by-products) related to two major health problems facing Australia i.e. the Metabolic Syndrome and an Ageing population plus insight into the variation in metabolic rate between organisms. This research offers the opportunity for the development of mass spectrometry based technologies for the early clinical diagnosis of metabolic disorders plus provides a template of information for our Linkage partner (AstraZeneca) to develop pharmaceutical therapies targeting key molecular lipid species identified as critical to particular membrane functions.Read moreRead less