The role of low-energy excited states in solar-energy capture. This project aims to determine the nature and role of the lowest-energy excited states in most natural photosynthetic reaction centres and light-harvesting complexes. The lowest-energy states of bacterial reaction centres are critical to function and are used as a paradigm in artificial organic solar-energy capture, but for most photosystems their nature remains unknown. The project aims to answer the critical question of why they do ....The role of low-energy excited states in solar-energy capture. This project aims to determine the nature and role of the lowest-energy excited states in most natural photosynthetic reaction centres and light-harvesting complexes. The lowest-energy states of bacterial reaction centres are critical to function and are used as a paradigm in artificial organic solar-energy capture, but for most photosystems their nature remains unknown. The project aims to answer the critical question of why they do not actually prevent function. It is expected that both the outcomes obtained and techniques developed will be directly relevant to solar-energy device design. The project will apply five existing, complimentary and purposely built spectrometers as well as quantum electronic and nuclear simulation techniques to identify and characterise three key systems.Read moreRead less
Molecules as probes of the interstellar medium. It is one of the greatest challenges in Nature is to remotely identify what is in space. Interstellar molecules are identified by their spectra, but many features in these spectra are unknown, implying that there are many more molecules in space than we know about. With a stronger understanding of space chemistry, we could predict what should be there and verify it in the lab. Conversely, identification of these features will provide the tools to u ....Molecules as probes of the interstellar medium. It is one of the greatest challenges in Nature is to remotely identify what is in space. Interstellar molecules are identified by their spectra, but many features in these spectra are unknown, implying that there are many more molecules in space than we know about. With a stronger understanding of space chemistry, we could predict what should be there and verify it in the lab. Conversely, identification of these features will provide the tools to understand interstellar chemistry. In this project we combine skills in spectroscopy and astronomy to make these molecules in the laboratory, measure their spectra and thereby identify unknown molecules in space.Read moreRead less
Expanding the molecular tool set for structural studies of proteins and their complexes. Many applications in medical science and drug development depend on our ability to determine the 3D structures of proteins, protein assemblies and protein-ligand complexes. This project will develop novel lanthanide-binding tags and crosslinking agents that can be coupled to unnatural amino acids introduced into proteins with advanced protein chemistry techniques. These new tools will facilitate the collecti ....Expanding the molecular tool set for structural studies of proteins and their complexes. Many applications in medical science and drug development depend on our ability to determine the 3D structures of proteins, protein assemblies and protein-ligand complexes. This project will develop novel lanthanide-binding tags and crosslinking agents that can be coupled to unnatural amino acids introduced into proteins with advanced protein chemistry techniques. These new tools will facilitate the collection of structure restraints by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and mass spectrometry, which are needed to generate accurate models of proteins and their complexes with other molecules. Major beneficial outcome will include an increase in the number of protein targets amenable to rational drug design and improved methods for generating new drug leads.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100236
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$180,000.00
Summary
Facilities for spectroscopy and diffraction at high pressures. The provision of infrastructure for the study of novel materials under high pressures will enhance Australia's capability in creating new materials and in creating new devices that meet needs in communication, environment and medicine applications. The new facility will enable researchers to understand the response of structures to extreme pressures and will exploit the unique capabilities of the synchrotron light.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100026
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$178,839.00
Summary
Ultrafast magic angle spinning solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance capability. This project aims to extend an existing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer for structural investigations of proteins in the solid state. Many proteins, such as amyloids and flexible proteins, cannot be studied by X-ray crystallography, solution NMR spectroscopy or cryoelectron microscopy, because they cannot be crystallised or are not sufficiently soluble, or are structurally too heterogeneous. This proj ....Ultrafast magic angle spinning solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance capability. This project aims to extend an existing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer for structural investigations of proteins in the solid state. Many proteins, such as amyloids and flexible proteins, cannot be studied by X-ray crystallography, solution NMR spectroscopy or cryoelectron microscopy, because they cannot be crystallised or are not sufficiently soluble, or are structurally too heterogeneous. This project will extend the capability of an existing 800 MHz NMR spectrometer to solid-state NMR. By offering ultrafast magic angle spinning speeds, the system aims to afford greatly enhanced sensitivity and multidimensional NMR spectra of protein systems not previously amenable to structural analysis by NMR spectroscopy or other techniques. This will have important applications in biotechnology and biomedicine.Read moreRead less
Molecular Fingerprinting: Forensic Spectroscopy of Trace Gases. Safeguarding Australia from terrorism, crime and invasive diseases is essential to securing our national infrastructure. This project will develop national capabilities in anticipating and responding to critical threats to society. The scientific instrumentation developed from this effort will enhance Australia's potential aid for early detection of explosive and chemical weaponry and also in the analysis of crime scenes. This rese ....Molecular Fingerprinting: Forensic Spectroscopy of Trace Gases. Safeguarding Australia from terrorism, crime and invasive diseases is essential to securing our national infrastructure. This project will develop national capabilities in anticipating and responding to critical threats to society. The scientific instrumentation developed from this effort will enhance Australia's potential aid for early detection of explosive and chemical weaponry and also in the analysis of crime scenes. This research will significantly improve our abilities to maintain the operational advantage of Australia's security agencies through superior capabilities in threat detection.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100076
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$155,000.00
Summary
The first Australian high pressure Synchrotron facility for geoscience research. In high-pressure mineral physics and chemistry, mineral properties, stress-strain relationships and processes like partial melting are applied to geophysical research about the deep Earth. This project will provide a large volume, high pressure capability at the Australian Synchrotron which will allow these mineral properties to be measured under conditions which simulate the deep earth.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE170100023
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$650,000.00
Summary
Australian high field electron paramagnetic resonance facility. This project aims to establish Australia’s first a high-field (3 T, 94 GHz) high-field pulse electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) facility. EPR is a powerful technique to study chemical, biological and materials systems. It represents a sensitive, non-invasive, site-selective spectroscopy for the analysis of both molecular and macroscopic properties. This facility will allow the further development and implementation of new multidi ....Australian high field electron paramagnetic resonance facility. This project aims to establish Australia’s first a high-field (3 T, 94 GHz) high-field pulse electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) facility. EPR is a powerful technique to study chemical, biological and materials systems. It represents a sensitive, non-invasive, site-selective spectroscopy for the analysis of both molecular and macroscopic properties. This facility will allow the further development and implementation of new multidimensional pulse EPR techniques, enabling domestic and international collaborations with diverse applications in structural biology, solvation science and catalysis.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989747
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,000.00
Summary
Ultrafast Dynamics Measurement Facility for the Physical, Biochemical, and Materials Sciences. The term "ultrafast revolution" describes the transformations in science due to ultrafast laser technology. Today, ultrafast lasers are used in surgery, nanomaterial fabrication, biomedical imaging, spectroscopic investigations, and new applications are still emerging. This facility will draw together leading chemists, physicists, and engineers to investigate key ultrafast processes and phenomena in th ....Ultrafast Dynamics Measurement Facility for the Physical, Biochemical, and Materials Sciences. The term "ultrafast revolution" describes the transformations in science due to ultrafast laser technology. Today, ultrafast lasers are used in surgery, nanomaterial fabrication, biomedical imaging, spectroscopic investigations, and new applications are still emerging. This facility will draw together leading chemists, physicists, and engineers to investigate key ultrafast processes and phenomena in the physical, biochemical and material sciences. This is of strategic importance to keep Australia at the global forefront for scientific endeavours, supporting new research and commercial opportunities. This facility will also produce highly trained graduates, who will find employment in industry throughout Australia and globally.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0346515
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$507,000.00
Summary
Fluorescence Detector for the Australian National Beamline Facility. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is an extremely important synchrotron radiation tool for determining the local structure around an X-ray absorbing atom. This has many applications in the study of materials, minerals, metal complexes, and metalloproteins and can often be used to obtain information that is not available by other techniques, because structural information can be obtained in the solid or solution state and in ....Fluorescence Detector for the Australian National Beamline Facility. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is an extremely important synchrotron radiation tool for determining the local structure around an X-ray absorbing atom. This has many applications in the study of materials, minerals, metal complexes, and metalloproteins and can often be used to obtain information that is not available by other techniques, because structural information can be obtained in the solid or solution state and in mixtures. The current proposal is aimed at introducing new technology into the Australian National Beamline Facility that will greatly improve the quality and quantity of experiments that can be performed and extend studies into dilute solutions and protein samples.Read moreRead less