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
Nanoarchitectured multifunctional porous superparamagnetic nanoparticles. This project aims to develop a method for the direct detection of biomarkers based on a new class of highly porous superparamagnetic nanoparticles with peroxidase-like activity. The particles will be used as dispersible capture agents for isolating specific targets in biological samples, and electrocatalytic nanozymes for naked-eye evaluation and electrochemical detection. The project is expected to develop simple, low-cos ....Nanoarchitectured multifunctional porous superparamagnetic nanoparticles. This project aims to develop a method for the direct detection of biomarkers based on a new class of highly porous superparamagnetic nanoparticles with peroxidase-like activity. The particles will be used as dispersible capture agents for isolating specific targets in biological samples, and electrocatalytic nanozymes for naked-eye evaluation and electrochemical detection. The project is expected to develop simple, low-cost, portable devices for the analysis of exosomes and exosomal miRNA in biological samples. The future development of this technology into diagnostic devices will improve patient outcomes by enabling earlier disease diagnosis and improved monitoring of treatment.Read moreRead less
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
Cell Membrane Coated Photonic Crystal to study Receptor-Ligand Interactions. The current gold-standard assays for examining receptor-ligand interactions require expensive and costly fluorescent or radioactive labels or proteomics processes. This project aims to develop Artificial Photonic Cells by directly coating photonic crystals with cell membranes. The Artificial Photonic Cells retain the protein receptors in their native cell membrane environment and allow for label-free monitoring of the r ....Cell Membrane Coated Photonic Crystal to study Receptor-Ligand Interactions. The current gold-standard assays for examining receptor-ligand interactions require expensive and costly fluorescent or radioactive labels or proteomics processes. This project aims to develop Artificial Photonic Cells by directly coating photonic crystals with cell membranes. The Artificial Photonic Cells retain the protein receptors in their native cell membrane environment and allow for label-free monitoring of the receptor-ligand interactions using inexpensive miniature spectrometers - radically transforming these assays. This would generate fundamental and applied knowledge of materials sciences, photonic, and biointerfaces for label-free, ultra-sensitive, and selective assays to enable future drug and diagnostics target discovery. Read moreRead less
Coordinating Innovation in Knowledge-Based Multinational Organisations. Integration into global supply chains is one of the fundamental challenges for manufacturing companies in Australia. This project seeks to identify the optimal design for coordinating innovation in globally-dispersed organisations. It will analyse three mechanisms for transferring knowledge within organisations: hierarchies, communities of practice, and social networks. Outcomes will include a new multilevel statistical netw ....Coordinating Innovation in Knowledge-Based Multinational Organisations. Integration into global supply chains is one of the fundamental challenges for manufacturing companies in Australia. This project seeks to identify the optimal design for coordinating innovation in globally-dispersed organisations. It will analyse three mechanisms for transferring knowledge within organisations: hierarchies, communities of practice, and social networks. Outcomes will include a new multilevel statistical network modelling framework and organisational designs to overcome barriers to knowledge-transfer, such as language, culture and distance. The project will collect and apply data from Boeing Global Technology, the international research arm of The Boeing Company, a world leading business with major subsidiaries in Australia.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
Nano optoelectronic coupling: towards an ultrasensitive sensing technology. This project aims to elucidate ultrasensitive mechanical and thermal sensing effects that are tens of thousands of times better than conventional sensing technologies. This is achieved through controlling interactions between photons and electrons at the interface of two semiconductors. Outcomes of this project include scientific breakthroughs that are expected to revolutionise and disrupt the established sensing technol ....Nano optoelectronic coupling: towards an ultrasensitive sensing technology. This project aims to elucidate ultrasensitive mechanical and thermal sensing effects that are tens of thousands of times better than conventional sensing technologies. This is achieved through controlling interactions between photons and electrons at the interface of two semiconductors. Outcomes of this project include scientific breakthroughs that are expected to revolutionise and disrupt the established sensing technologies. Microscopic low power mechanical and thermal sensors with ultra-high sensitivity have great value to enhance safety, security, and productivity of industry and society. The project is expected to generate new knowledge and place Australia as the world leader in physical sensing and create a new industry.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100600
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
A microfluidic platform for optimised detection of protein complexes. This project aims to develop an integrated lab-on-a-chip platform interfacing droplet-based microfluidics with conventional mass spectrometry. The platform detects suitable protein complexes using a fraction of the samples used in conventional tools. The system creates droplets on demand, injects and mixes a controlled volume of reagents into a single droplet using an array of embedded electrodes. This technology will screen d ....A microfluidic platform for optimised detection of protein complexes. This project aims to develop an integrated lab-on-a-chip platform interfacing droplet-based microfluidics with conventional mass spectrometry. The platform detects suitable protein complexes using a fraction of the samples used in conventional tools. The system creates droplets on demand, injects and mixes a controlled volume of reagents into a single droplet using an array of embedded electrodes. This technology will screen drug-like samples. This technology is expected to replace traditional time-consuming drug screening techniques, and reduce time and cost of drug discovery. Its commercialisation would complement the existing tools in the pharmaceutical industry.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100692
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$420,000.00
Summary
Multiphysics inertial microfluidics: from fundamentals to applications. Separation of particles and particularly cells is an indispensable process in disease diagnostics, chemical/biological assays and food/chemical industries. This project aims to study the interplay between inertial fluid flow, electricity, and magnetism in microscale for particle separation. The project is expected to establish the fundamental theory underpinning the development of the proposed advanced separation technology. ....Multiphysics inertial microfluidics: from fundamentals to applications. Separation of particles and particularly cells is an indispensable process in disease diagnostics, chemical/biological assays and food/chemical industries. This project aims to study the interplay between inertial fluid flow, electricity, and magnetism in microscale for particle separation. The project is expected to establish the fundamental theory underpinning the development of the proposed advanced separation technology. This disruptive technology is expected to enable the unique, high-performance and high-throughput separation of particles such as cells. The technology will potentially benefit the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries, providing economic opportunities and maintaining high-quality healthcare for Australia.Read moreRead less
Magnetofluidic sample handling for enhanced point-of-care diagnosis. This project aims to decipher the mechanism behind recent discovery on the enhancement of mixing and separation with magnetism and to apply it to the rapid and early detection of malaria and cancer. This mechanism provides novel and unique fluid handling capabilities, which allow the development of revolutionary point-of-care diagnostic approaches that integrate magnetic mixing, separation and detection on a single device. The ....Magnetofluidic sample handling for enhanced point-of-care diagnosis. This project aims to decipher the mechanism behind recent discovery on the enhancement of mixing and separation with magnetism and to apply it to the rapid and early detection of malaria and cancer. This mechanism provides novel and unique fluid handling capabilities, which allow the development of revolutionary point-of-care diagnostic approaches that integrate magnetic mixing, separation and detection on a single device. The outcomes of this project are instrumental for the reduction of healthcare cost, promoting good health for Australian and potentially creating new jobs in the niche biomedical industry.Read moreRead less