The development of novel and tunable metamaterials. Metamaterials are designed materials with properties that cannot be found in nature. This project uses a new disruptive design that allows broadband metamaterials to be made using mass production techniques. The design opens up a range of new applications in environmental and medical sensing, improved security screening and active devices.
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
Understanding the composite structures and properties of wild silk cocoons. This project will reveal the secret of wild silk cocoon structures, which are very thin and light in weight, yet they can protect wild silkworms in very harsh environments. This new knowledge will lead to the development of nature inspired materials and structures for personal protection.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE170100174
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$193,000.00
Summary
Acoustic levitation facility for high pressure multiphase systems research. This project aims to create a specialised acoustic levitation facility that delivers precise control of a suspended particle/droplet/bubble within a high pressure continuous phase, and simultaneous measurement of multiple bulk and interfacial properties. Acoustic levitation enables container-less experiments, offering opportunities for applied engineering and fundamental science. This acoustic levitation system will be i ....Acoustic levitation facility for high pressure multiphase systems research. This project aims to create a specialised acoustic levitation facility that delivers precise control of a suspended particle/droplet/bubble within a high pressure continuous phase, and simultaneous measurement of multiple bulk and interfacial properties. Acoustic levitation enables container-less experiments, offering opportunities for applied engineering and fundamental science. This acoustic levitation system will be integrated with a specialised Raman imaging microscope to study crystallisation, mass transfer and molecular exchange, in application areas including energy transport, carbon capture and storage, and protein nucleation. This project is expected to open new avenues in engineering, chemistry and physics.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100986
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$401,000.00
Summary
High-performance, portable ion-mobility surface-acoustic wave spectrometry. This project aims to develop a high-performance, cost-effective, palm-portable differential ion mobility spectrometer for universal chemical analysis that operates at atmospheric pressure and consumes minimal power. A significant problem in current analytical chemistry is the lack of rapid and cost-effective methods that can be used in the field for analysis of many different chemical species of environmental and biologi ....High-performance, portable ion-mobility surface-acoustic wave spectrometry. This project aims to develop a high-performance, cost-effective, palm-portable differential ion mobility spectrometer for universal chemical analysis that operates at atmospheric pressure and consumes minimal power. A significant problem in current analytical chemistry is the lack of rapid and cost-effective methods that can be used in the field for analysis of many different chemical species of environmental and biological importance. The project expects to enable the rapid and simultaneous separation and detection of many different ions from complex mixtures with high selectivity and sensitivity. The spectrometer can be implemented in the field for various applications such as atmospheric monitoring, disease diagnosis and chemical weapons detection.Read moreRead less
A southern hemisphere ground station for the Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space mission. Australia is aiming for membership in the high-profile space mission involving atomic clocks on-board the International Space Station. The mission will test aspects of special and general relativity, searching for tell-tale signs of new physics. This project will construct an atomic fountain clock and install a microwave-satellite link to meet the goal.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100796
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Superior Adsorption Capability of Nanosheets for Surface Enhanced Raman. This project aims to create nanotechnologies to sense traces of chemical and biological molecules. Surface adsorption is vital to many scientific and industrial fields, but the intrinsic adsorption property of two-dimensional nanomaterials is largely unknown. This project aims to examine the adsorption capability of nanosheets, such as boron nitride, and understand the thickness effect on their adsorption at the molecular s ....Superior Adsorption Capability of Nanosheets for Surface Enhanced Raman. This project aims to create nanotechnologies to sense traces of chemical and biological molecules. Surface adsorption is vital to many scientific and industrial fields, but the intrinsic adsorption property of two-dimensional nanomaterials is largely unknown. This project aims to examine the adsorption capability of nanosheets, such as boron nitride, and understand the thickness effect on their adsorption at the molecular scale. It also aims to demonstrate the use of these nanosheets as substrates in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Their adsorption capability and other unique properties could improve the sensitivity, efficiency and affordability of this technique in chemical and biological sensing for applications such as air, water and food safety; and pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.Read moreRead less
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
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE110100054
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,230,000.00
Summary
Ground station facility for membership of the atomic clock ensemble in space mission. This is a unique opportunity for Australian membership of a high profile space mission involving atomic clocks on board the International Space Station and in the world's best frequency and time laboratories. The results obtained will lead to a better understanding of the unification of quantum mechanics and relativity as well as aspects of fundamental Earth metrology.
Integrating biologically-inspired auditory models into deep learning. This project aims to discover how a biologically inspired auditory model can be tightly integrated into a state-of-the-art deep learning speech processing framework, to model, design and verify a deep learning based auditory model. Voice-based technologies, ranging from cochlear implants to smart homes, are growing at a rapid pace and speech interfaces are being integrated with all aspects of our lives. However, there is a gro ....Integrating biologically-inspired auditory models into deep learning. This project aims to discover how a biologically inspired auditory model can be tightly integrated into a state-of-the-art deep learning speech processing framework, to model, design and verify a deep learning based auditory model. Voice-based technologies, ranging from cochlear implants to smart homes, are growing at a rapid pace and speech interfaces are being integrated with all aspects of our lives. However, there is a growing demand to improve these voice-enabled services, making them more secure and less open to cyber-crime attack by unauthorised users. The project is expected to improve techniques for modelling and automatic processing of speech and audio signals, which should provide significant benefits, including improved voice biometrics and cochlear implants.Read moreRead less