Engineering improved technology for nanoparticle-based adjuvant manufacture. Over the next decade nanotechnology will redefine vaccines for animal and human health. Nanoparticle adjuvants will boost engineered vaccines that use minimal antigens such as recombinant proteins and synthetic peptides. This project aims to develop a platform technology for making and controlling the properties of inulin nanoparticles by optimising the engineering and manufacturing aspects of inulin nanoparticles to fu ....Engineering improved technology for nanoparticle-based adjuvant manufacture. Over the next decade nanotechnology will redefine vaccines for animal and human health. Nanoparticle adjuvants will boost engineered vaccines that use minimal antigens such as recombinant proteins and synthetic peptides. This project aims to develop a platform technology for making and controlling the properties of inulin nanoparticles by optimising the engineering and manufacturing aspects of inulin nanoparticles to fundamentally understand the relationship between physical-chemical properties and efficacy. Completion of this project aims to produce potent nanoparticle-based adjuvants underpinned by novel manufacturing technology, to ultimately facilitate the development of more effective and protective vaccines for animals and humans.Read moreRead less
Novel concepts for bioelectrochemical generation of renewable fuels and chemicals from wastewater. Global warming and the diminishing fossil fuel resources are posing an ever increasing threat to our societies and economies. This project aims to develop novel and highly innovative bioelectrochemical processes for the production of valuable fuels and chemicals from wastewater, which is a largely untapped renewable resource.
Engineering floating liquid marbles for three-dimensional cell cultures. This project aims to understand the physics of three-dimensional cell cultures in a liquid marble floating on a liquid free surface. New methodology developed can produce these cell cultures without using matrices or scaffolds and with run-times well beyond existing technologies. This methodology closely mimics a normal in-vivo environment and produces spheroids needed in cell transplantation therapies. This project will re ....Engineering floating liquid marbles for three-dimensional cell cultures. This project aims to understand the physics of three-dimensional cell cultures in a liquid marble floating on a liquid free surface. New methodology developed can produce these cell cultures without using matrices or scaffolds and with run-times well beyond existing technologies. This methodology closely mimics a normal in-vivo environment and produces spheroids needed in cell transplantation therapies. This project will resolve uncertainties in the underlying phenomena. The expected outcome should support future high quality cell cultures suitable for transplantation therapies.Read moreRead less
Mudstones as methane sources: gas production from coal seam interburden. Carbonaceous mudstones associated with coal measures already exploited for gas present an attractive reservoir of methane. This project seeks to provide methods for accessing this gas. Mudstone associated with coal seam gas developments are very extensive and gas quantities may exceed even that in the coal itself. Further infrastructure and access permits are already in place for coal seam gas recovery. Unlike shale, which ....Mudstones as methane sources: gas production from coal seam interburden. Carbonaceous mudstones associated with coal measures already exploited for gas present an attractive reservoir of methane. This project seeks to provide methods for accessing this gas. Mudstone associated with coal seam gas developments are very extensive and gas quantities may exceed even that in the coal itself. Further infrastructure and access permits are already in place for coal seam gas recovery. Unlike shale, which is fissile, mudstone is much softer, more malleable and plastic, and consequently will respond abnormally to hydraulic fracturing and propping, so new methods proposed to be developed in this project are needed for stimulation.Read moreRead less
A defect mechanism for oxygen reduction reaction. This project aims to use defective carbon to replace expensive platinum as a catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cells. Defective carbons incorporating non-precious metals are better than platinum in terms of over-potential, current density and number of electron transfer. They reduce the overall fuel cell cost but their better stability and higher open voltage and power density promise huge commercial benefit. This project is ex ....A defect mechanism for oxygen reduction reaction. This project aims to use defective carbon to replace expensive platinum as a catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cells. Defective carbons incorporating non-precious metals are better than platinum in terms of over-potential, current density and number of electron transfer. They reduce the overall fuel cell cost but their better stability and higher open voltage and power density promise huge commercial benefit. This project is expected to be important for large-scale implementation of fuel cells.Read moreRead less
Precision-engineered hybrid core-shell materials . This project aims to develop new platform technologies for making nanostructured hybrid core-shell materials with exceptionally high drug loading and programmed release. Building on this research team's recent breakthrough in the precision engineering of core-shell materials, this research will revolutionise current approaches for making drug-loaded polymer and inorganic particles. Significant outcomes will include a novel sequential nanoprecipi ....Precision-engineered hybrid core-shell materials . This project aims to develop new platform technologies for making nanostructured hybrid core-shell materials with exceptionally high drug loading and programmed release. Building on this research team's recent breakthrough in the precision engineering of core-shell materials, this research will revolutionise current approaches for making drug-loaded polymer and inorganic particles. Significant outcomes will include a novel sequential nanoprecipitation platform technology for making drug-core polymer-shell nanoparticles, and a new bio-inspired approach for making hybrid drug-core silica-shell nanocomposites, and new materials for applications in programmed release and delivery systems.Read moreRead less
Friction-based modelling of the dynamics of nanoconfined fluid mixtures. This project will transform the molecular science of fluid transport in nanoconfined spaces by delivering a tool that will be critical to the development of emerging nanotechnologies. The tool will embed a novel theory in a framework for modelling transport over all scales from nano- to macroscopic. The project will have strong benefits for the advancement of leading-edge fundamental research and in its relevance to a numbe ....Friction-based modelling of the dynamics of nanoconfined fluid mixtures. This project will transform the molecular science of fluid transport in nanoconfined spaces by delivering a tool that will be critical to the development of emerging nanotechnologies. The tool will embed a novel theory in a framework for modelling transport over all scales from nano- to macroscopic. The project will have strong benefits for the advancement of leading-edge fundamental research and in its relevance to a number of novel nanotechnologies. It will be particularly relevant to scientific and industrial developments exploiting new nanomaterials such as AlPO4-25, carbon molecular sieves and carbon nanotubes, as well as in nanofluidics.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100119
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$424,607.00
Summary
Manipulation of non-wetting droplets for cell culture. We have recently discovered an innovative and interdisciplinary approach for manipulating non-wetting droplets called “liquid marbles” as a platform for three-dimensional cell culture. This project aims to elucidate the fundamental physics underpinning the electrostatic handling concept of this platform technology. The project is expected to deliver an inexpensive but sophisticated cell culture platform that is well-suited for high-throughpu ....Manipulation of non-wetting droplets for cell culture. We have recently discovered an innovative and interdisciplinary approach for manipulating non-wetting droplets called “liquid marbles” as a platform for three-dimensional cell culture. This project aims to elucidate the fundamental physics underpinning the electrostatic handling concept of this platform technology. The project is expected to deliver an inexpensive but sophisticated cell culture platform that is well-suited for high-throughput drug screening and preparing cells for implantation therapy. Significant benefits for end users in pharmaceutical industry, life sciences research and hospitals are expected from the project and the application of the developed technology.Read moreRead less
Next generation core-shell materials based on biomolecular dual-templating. This project aims to discover and develop new methods and knowledge for the precision engineering of next-generation core-shell materials using sustainable biomolecular dual-templating processes. This research builds on a recent breakthrough - emulsion and biomimetic dual-templating technology for facile preparation of silica capsules, and is expected to revolutionise current approaches for making core-shell materials. S ....Next generation core-shell materials based on biomolecular dual-templating. This project aims to discover and develop new methods and knowledge for the precision engineering of next-generation core-shell materials using sustainable biomolecular dual-templating processes. This research builds on a recent breakthrough - emulsion and biomimetic dual-templating technology for facile preparation of silica capsules, and is expected to revolutionise current approaches for making core-shell materials. Significant outcomes are expected to be achieved through building fundamental understanding around this breakthrough, including new concepts for hierarchical nanomaterials based on biomolecular design, new molecular and engineering design rules for core-shell materials, and novel materials for applications in sustained release and delivery systems.Read moreRead less
Flue Gas and CO2 Geosequestration in Surat and Bowen Basin Coals. Climate change considerations require that CO2 emissions to atmosphere be severely reduced. This is best done in the short term by permanently storing the CO2 underground. Amongst the cheapest and safest options are to use coal seams, which then release valuable methane. The market value of this extra methane is ~$9billion and this reduces the cost of sequestration from ~$56 to $25/t CO2. Coal has a very strong affinity for CO2, ....Flue Gas and CO2 Geosequestration in Surat and Bowen Basin Coals. Climate change considerations require that CO2 emissions to atmosphere be severely reduced. This is best done in the short term by permanently storing the CO2 underground. Amongst the cheapest and safest options are to use coal seams, which then release valuable methane. The market value of this extra methane is ~$9billion and this reduces the cost of sequestration from ~$56 to $25/t CO2. Coal has a very strong affinity for CO2, so flue gas stream from power stations can be injected directly, eliminating the need for equipment to capture the CO2, providing savings of ~$500million for each large power station.Read moreRead less