Beyond the diffraction limit: sub-diffraction T-ray biochip sensing using planar metamaterials. T-rays are able to detect small changes in molecular structure and different isomeric and intermolecular configurations. With a comparatively long wavelength (0.3 mm at 1 THz), diffraction limits its use for imaging small biosamples. A method for achieving sub-diffraction sensing, required for biochips, is to adopt near-field techniques. However, due to the small biosample masses, there is a critical ....Beyond the diffraction limit: sub-diffraction T-ray biochip sensing using planar metamaterials. T-rays are able to detect small changes in molecular structure and different isomeric and intermolecular configurations. With a comparatively long wavelength (0.3 mm at 1 THz), diffraction limits its use for imaging small biosamples. A method for achieving sub-diffraction sensing, required for biochips, is to adopt near-field techniques. However, due to the small biosample masses, there is a critical need to enhance the response. This project will investigate a planar metamaterial thin-film T-ray sensor, for a new leap in non-invasive biochip sensing. This outcome will build downstream IP for rapid screening of DNA and proteins for healthcare. The project will also elucidate the science of T-ray interaction with biomaterials at small scales.Read moreRead less
Harnessing sperm dynamics in microfluidic sorting technologies. Mammalian reproductive tract is a complex microenvironment that has evolved to select the best sperm for fertilisation using a range of rheological, biochemical and geometrical cues. The project aims to engineer the first multiplexed platform, informed by the natural process, for fully automated and rapid selection of sperm based on all key selection criteria: morphology, swimming behaviour, and DNA integrity. The expected outcome i ....Harnessing sperm dynamics in microfluidic sorting technologies. Mammalian reproductive tract is a complex microenvironment that has evolved to select the best sperm for fertilisation using a range of rheological, biochemical and geometrical cues. The project aims to engineer the first multiplexed platform, informed by the natural process, for fully automated and rapid selection of sperm based on all key selection criteria: morphology, swimming behaviour, and DNA integrity. The expected outcome is the next generation technology for sperm sorting and analysis. This should provide significant benefits, such as new biophysical insights into mammalian reproduction, with potential for future improvement of assisted reproduction technologies – a field in which Australia has a world leading history.Read moreRead less
Acoustic single cell traps: Understanding the woods by examining the trees. This project aims to define the underlying physics behind the manipulation of individual cells in a microfluidic chip using acoustic forces. The technology investigated would offer biomedical researchers a unique capability: that of tracking individual cell responses. It is known for example that drug resistance and latency emerge from small sub-populations of cells, so crucial information is lost when cells are studied ....Acoustic single cell traps: Understanding the woods by examining the trees. This project aims to define the underlying physics behind the manipulation of individual cells in a microfluidic chip using acoustic forces. The technology investigated would offer biomedical researchers a unique capability: that of tracking individual cell responses. It is known for example that drug resistance and latency emerge from small sub-populations of cells, so crucial information is lost when cells are studied at a population level. To trap single cells, the acoustic wavelength excited must be reduced to the order of a cell diameter. By enabling the analysis of different responses due to subtle cell difference, information pertinent to infection pathways and drug response could be gathered.Read moreRead less
A multiplex microscope platform to define molecular events in fluid systems. This project aims to develop a novel microscopy platform that will enable the visualisation and quantification of molecular events occurring under fluid shear stress. The project will generate new knowledge in platelet biology that will allow characterisation and prediction of key molecular and morphological changes occurring across a blood thrombus under flowing conditions as found in the blood vessels. These new tools ....A multiplex microscope platform to define molecular events in fluid systems. This project aims to develop a novel microscopy platform that will enable the visualisation and quantification of molecular events occurring under fluid shear stress. The project will generate new knowledge in platelet biology that will allow characterisation and prediction of key molecular and morphological changes occurring across a blood thrombus under flowing conditions as found in the blood vessels. These new tools and the imaging platform will have applications for researchers wishing to visualise small and rapid molecular events in four dimensions (length, width, height and across time) under fluid shear stress, which is applicable across a range of industries. The project expects to deliver the next generation of intravital microscopes that can visualise and quantify events in a challenging flow environment.Read moreRead less
5D Imaging Flow Cytometry for in vivo Quantification of Biological Fluids. Rapid and accurate quantification of live biological fluid properties at sub-cellular and molecular levels forms the bedrock of biofluidic sciences. Majority of the biofluidic devices rely on quantifying biological fluids after its removal from the body in an in vitro Flow Cytometer (FC). FC faces many caveats i.e. biological degradation and small volume etc. In this project, we shall engineer the first in vivo 5D imaging ....5D Imaging Flow Cytometry for in vivo Quantification of Biological Fluids. Rapid and accurate quantification of live biological fluid properties at sub-cellular and molecular levels forms the bedrock of biofluidic sciences. Majority of the biofluidic devices rely on quantifying biological fluids after its removal from the body in an in vitro Flow Cytometer (FC). FC faces many caveats i.e. biological degradation and small volume etc. In this project, we shall engineer the first in vivo 5D imaging flow cytometer (5D IFC) capable of continuous assessment of potentially entire blood volume in a living mice without removing fluid out of the body. The project represents a major advancement beyond any existing flow cytometer and overcome the engineering limits of state-of-art laser scanning imaging devices.Read moreRead less
Technology platform for noninvasive measurement of intracranial pressure. The project aims to investigate a technology platform for noninvasive measurement of fluid pressure in the brain to improve assessment of brain function. Engineering approaches will aim to characterise the relationships between arterial and intracranial pressure from experimental data, computational models and signal processing of noninvasive blood pressure in the aorta, pressure in the eye and blood flow in brain and reti ....Technology platform for noninvasive measurement of intracranial pressure. The project aims to investigate a technology platform for noninvasive measurement of fluid pressure in the brain to improve assessment of brain function. Engineering approaches will aim to characterise the relationships between arterial and intracranial pressure from experimental data, computational models and signal processing of noninvasive blood pressure in the aorta, pressure in the eye and blood flow in brain and retinal vessels. Findings are expected to produce novel engineering advances in development of techniques and devices for intracranial pressure measurement, a procedure currently limited to high-risk invasive methods.Read moreRead less
Biological applications of terahertz technology. This project aims to develop new knowledge for exploring the interaction of terahertz (THz) radiation with different materials. THz technology is in use in diverse applications from security screening to biomedical imaging. A hurdle to the widespread adoption of the technology is the poor understanding of the basic interaction between THz radiation and molecules, proteins, cells and tissues. This project will enable development of advanced THz tec ....Biological applications of terahertz technology. This project aims to develop new knowledge for exploring the interaction of terahertz (THz) radiation with different materials. THz technology is in use in diverse applications from security screening to biomedical imaging. A hurdle to the widespread adoption of the technology is the poor understanding of the basic interaction between THz radiation and molecules, proteins, cells and tissues. This project will enable development of advanced THz technology and applications and will lead to accelerated implementation for use in chemistry, biology and, ultimately, medicalapplications such as cancer detection.Read moreRead less
Theoretical modelling of the interaction of THz with hydrated materials. Terahertz (THz) technology is in use in diverse applications from security screening to biomedical imaging. A critical hurdle to the widespread adoption of the technology is the poor understanding of the basic interaction between THz radiation and hydrated materials. The aim of this project is to develop new mathematical and computer models for exploring the interaction of THz radiation with different materials. These model ....Theoretical modelling of the interaction of THz with hydrated materials. Terahertz (THz) technology is in use in diverse applications from security screening to biomedical imaging. A critical hurdle to the widespread adoption of the technology is the poor understanding of the basic interaction between THz radiation and hydrated materials. The aim of this project is to develop new mathematical and computer models for exploring the interaction of THz radiation with different materials. These models aim to create a platform for the future development of THz technology and applications, and are expected to lead to accelerated implementation for use in biology and protein analysis; pharmaceutical sciences, formulations and medicine; and burn assessment and cancer detection.Read moreRead less
Interrogating protein hydration by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. Interrogating protein hydration by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. This project aims to develop advanced terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) techniques to understand how a protein’s interaction with excipients in solution can alter the hydration layers around them and how this affects properties such as viscosity and stability. THz-TDS can detect overlapping extended hydration layers around proteins, revealing ne ....Interrogating protein hydration by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. Interrogating protein hydration by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. This project aims to develop advanced terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) techniques to understand how a protein’s interaction with excipients in solution can alter the hydration layers around them and how this affects properties such as viscosity and stability. THz-TDS can detect overlapping extended hydration layers around proteins, revealing new knowledge in protein-protein interactions and protein behaviour in an aqueous environment. The intended outcome is to use THz-TDS to better understand how proteins such as monoclonal antibodies interact in high concentration solutions, and in doing so make better medicines.Read moreRead less