Nanoengineering materials to combat antimicrobial resistance. This project aims to understand how nanoengineered materials can be designed to kill bacteria and fungi without causing antimicrobial resistance. Resistance to antimicrobial drugs already leads to many thousands of deaths annually and costs society billions of dollars. Nanomaterials have unique abilities to attack microbes in multiple ways that could limit resistance. This project will engineer new antimicrobial nanomaterials tailored ....Nanoengineering materials to combat antimicrobial resistance. This project aims to understand how nanoengineered materials can be designed to kill bacteria and fungi without causing antimicrobial resistance. Resistance to antimicrobial drugs already leads to many thousands of deaths annually and costs society billions of dollars. Nanomaterials have unique abilities to attack microbes in multiple ways that could limit resistance. This project will engineer new antimicrobial nanomaterials tailored to selectively kill microbes with reduced likelihood of developing resistance by using synergies between inorganic nanoparticles and antimicrobial peptides. This technology could be used to prevent infections and biofilms on surfaces in a wide range of future applications, such as medical / veterinary devicesRead moreRead less
Bioactive Polymers for Wound Healing Applications. VitroGroR is a growth factor complex which enhances cell growth and migration, and hence has great potential for treating wounds. Tissue Therapies, which holds the rights to commercialization of VitroGroR, is seeking to develop methods of delivering VitroGroR in its active form to the wound environment. Two solutions to this problem will be developed in this project; a bioactive bandage containing a novel combination of microspheres and a hydrog ....Bioactive Polymers for Wound Healing Applications. VitroGroR is a growth factor complex which enhances cell growth and migration, and hence has great potential for treating wounds. Tissue Therapies, which holds the rights to commercialization of VitroGroR, is seeking to develop methods of delivering VitroGroR in its active form to the wound environment. Two solutions to this problem will be developed in this project; a bioactive bandage containing a novel combination of microspheres and a hydrogel matrix, and secondly an in-situ polymerisable matrix for treatment of deep wounds. The growth factor complex will be protected from aggressive proteases through encapsulation within microspheres, and the use of MMP-inhibiting comonomers.Read moreRead less
Application of Silver Coatings to medical Devices for Antimicrobial Properties using Electroless Deposition. Silver compounds, eg. in topical creams, can be used to treat chronic infections. The results are mediocre, and there may be significant side effects. Metallic silver when coated on bandages or medical devices is gaining wider acceptance, but the dissolution rate muct be improved to minimise infection. In this project an electroless silver coating process will be developed, with bath ch ....Application of Silver Coatings to medical Devices for Antimicrobial Properties using Electroless Deposition. Silver compounds, eg. in topical creams, can be used to treat chronic infections. The results are mediocre, and there may be significant side effects. Metallic silver when coated on bandages or medical devices is gaining wider acceptance, but the dissolution rate muct be improved to minimise infection. In this project an electroless silver coating process will be developed, with bath chemistry and coating conditions optimised for an ideal dissolution rate. This project will lead to the development of improved medical devices that will have significant social and economic benefits for Australia.Read moreRead less
Development of a Light-Activated Bioadhesive for Low Temperature Tissue Repair. While sutures currently represent the gold standard for wound closure, their fundamental technology has changed little in thousands of years. Surgical sealants and energy based closure devices are expected to increasingly replace or complement sutures, improving tissue closure and wound healing. The innovative research in this proposal will develop the next generation of surgical bioadhesive technology and claim a s ....Development of a Light-Activated Bioadhesive for Low Temperature Tissue Repair. While sutures currently represent the gold standard for wound closure, their fundamental technology has changed little in thousands of years. Surgical sealants and energy based closure devices are expected to increasingly replace or complement sutures, improving tissue closure and wound healing. The innovative research in this proposal will develop the next generation of surgical bioadhesive technology and claim a stake in the estimated US$ 4 billion market. The project outcomes will enhance Australia's reputation in the biomedical field and will have world-wide social and health care benefits by ultimately allowing better functional healing through bioadhesives that can be effectively applied rapidly and consistently.Read moreRead less
Synthesis of Novel Biomaterials for Drug delivery. A new UV radiation polymerisation technique utilising charge-transfer complexes is adopted for synthesising novel hydrogels, a group of biomaterials for drug delivery. This work is significant as charge-transfer complexes, pertinent to the formation of hydrogels, form copolymers within the hydrogel matrices. This eliminates using costly, yet undesirable photo-initiators (PI), thus rendering the hydrogels as cleaner (PI-free) and more economical ....Synthesis of Novel Biomaterials for Drug delivery. A new UV radiation polymerisation technique utilising charge-transfer complexes is adopted for synthesising novel hydrogels, a group of biomaterials for drug delivery. This work is significant as charge-transfer complexes, pertinent to the formation of hydrogels, form copolymers within the hydrogel matrices. This eliminates using costly, yet undesirable photo-initiators (PI), thus rendering the hydrogels as cleaner (PI-free) and more economical in production; the products present themselves as ideal treatment methods in the controlled-release of drugs, specifically targeting localised pathological sites of interest. The research findings will be invaluable to medical practices, leading to the creation of new industries in Australia.
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Nanoparticle formulations for DNA-targeted radiotherapy and imaging: combinations with chromatin-modifying compounds. This project will develop a new approach for treating and imaging cancer using nanoparticles which target specific cells for cancer therapy and diagnostic imaging. The nanoparticles will be combined with compounds that alter the architecture of DNA to make therapy more effective and to improve the safety of imaging.
Development of a Novel Process for the Formation of Polymer Vesicles. The project would provide an increased understanding of polymer structures, polymer-drug interactions and dense gas processing of polymers. The novel process developed would be beneficial on a manufacturing level since it dramatically reduces processing time and minimises energy requirements. The research to be conducted is leading-edge technology that will attract business from international polymer, drug and biotechnology co ....Development of a Novel Process for the Formation of Polymer Vesicles. The project would provide an increased understanding of polymer structures, polymer-drug interactions and dense gas processing of polymers. The novel process developed would be beneficial on a manufacturing level since it dramatically reduces processing time and minimises energy requirements. The research to be conducted is leading-edge technology that will attract business from international polymer, drug and biotechnology companies. The development of world-class research provides Australia with recognition as a world leader in the field and strengthens and broadens the knowledge base of Australian scientists and engineers.Read moreRead less
Innovative green technology for bio-particle engineering. Approximately 40% of new pharmaceuticals are poorly soluble in bodily fluids. In many cases this leads to poor bioavailability, and consequent undesirable side effects as a result of high compensating dosages and generally poor patient compliance. These issues will be addressed by developing a green technology for the re-engineering of pharmaceuticals with the objective of increasing bioavilability. The research programme falls within th ....Innovative green technology for bio-particle engineering. Approximately 40% of new pharmaceuticals are poorly soluble in bodily fluids. In many cases this leads to poor bioavailability, and consequent undesirable side effects as a result of high compensating dosages and generally poor patient compliance. These issues will be addressed by developing a green technology for the re-engineering of pharmaceuticals with the objective of increasing bioavilability. The research programme falls within the Designated Research Priority of Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries. Read moreRead less
Feasibility Studies of Using AC Electrospraying for Biomaterials Synthesis. The proposed interdisciplinary research is anticipated to benefit workers in academia and industry as well as clinicians and patients. Given the demand for point-of-care drug delivery, micro/nano-encapsulation and biomaterials synthesis, the research will be beneficial to the pharmaceutical industry and spin-off/start-up microfluidic businesses interested in commercially developing these devices. It is intended that the ....Feasibility Studies of Using AC Electrospraying for Biomaterials Synthesis. The proposed interdisciplinary research is anticipated to benefit workers in academia and industry as well as clinicians and patients. Given the demand for point-of-care drug delivery, micro/nano-encapsulation and biomaterials synthesis, the research will be beneficial to the pharmaceutical industry and spin-off/start-up microfluidic businesses interested in commercially developing these devices. It is intended that the work will improve quality of life by advancing biomaterials technology and by making medical treatment more readily accessable, portable and more efficient. For patients, the proposed drug delivery device can help prevent sudden initial bursts of dose during administration, which could potentially have fatal consequences.Read moreRead less
Targeted growth factor delivery using natural polysaccharide materials for bone regeneration. This proposal addresses the core issue of nano-biomaterials capable of encouraging bone growth and providing better and more complete healing of bone fractures. Australia will benefit firstly through improved health outcomes by providing material-based solutions to address slow or non-healing fractures, which are increasingly prevalent in the aging population in Australia. This will have a further benef ....Targeted growth factor delivery using natural polysaccharide materials for bone regeneration. This proposal addresses the core issue of nano-biomaterials capable of encouraging bone growth and providing better and more complete healing of bone fractures. Australia will benefit firstly through improved health outcomes by providing material-based solutions to address slow or non-healing fractures, which are increasingly prevalent in the aging population in Australia. This will have a further benefit to the Australian economy improving the quality of life enabling people to work longer and reducing the need for further surgical intervention. This proposal will also have benefits to Australia through training future researchers in this field which will in turn provide economic growth through the development of Australian industries.Read moreRead less