Novel link between bacterial sugar metabolism and cell-to-cell signalling. This project aims to understand the role and function of the bacterial communication system that enables bacteria to form complex communities and alter phenotypic traits, essential for survival in their environment. Bacteria survive in their environmental niches by developing complex multicellular communities. Cell to cell communication, termed quorum sensing (QS), is critical for this process and is linked to their capac ....Novel link between bacterial sugar metabolism and cell-to-cell signalling. This project aims to understand the role and function of the bacterial communication system that enables bacteria to form complex communities and alter phenotypic traits, essential for survival in their environment. Bacteria survive in their environmental niches by developing complex multicellular communities. Cell to cell communication, termed quorum sensing (QS), is critical for this process and is linked to their capacity to detect and secrete small signalling molecules, autoinducers. This project will provide a new paradigm in bacterial adaptation through comprehensive characterisation of the Autoinducer-2 QS system. This knowledge will provide future opportunities for intervention in microbial infestation with broad potential benefits.Read moreRead less
Organic Bioelectronics: Solving Key Barriers to Precision Neuromodulation. This project aims to combine the principles of molecular electronics and neurobiology to create organic conductors with enhanced biocompatibility that enable optical neuromodulation. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding the properties of materials that promote connectivity with neurons and the ability of new microscopy tools to visualise this bio-interface. The expected outcome of this project includes ....Organic Bioelectronics: Solving Key Barriers to Precision Neuromodulation. This project aims to combine the principles of molecular electronics and neurobiology to create organic conductors with enhanced biocompatibility that enable optical neuromodulation. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding the properties of materials that promote connectivity with neurons and the ability of new microscopy tools to visualise this bio-interface. The expected outcome of this project includes new high performing materials, measurement tools and fabrication approaches to overcome the key challenges to precision neuromodulation. A significant benefit of the new materials is their printability, providing the opportunity to establish a sovereign capability to manufacture low-cost bioelectronic systems 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
Advancing the visualisation and quantification of nephrons with MRI. . This project aims to characterise key components of nephrons, the glomeruli and tubules, using magnetic resonance imaging without contrast agents, in combination with Deep Learning and super-resolution techniques. Nephrons, the basic functional unit of the kidney, are critical to the maintenance of the body’s homeostasis. Their number and architecture are critical determinants of kidney function. The expected outcomes are inn ....Advancing the visualisation and quantification of nephrons with MRI. . This project aims to characterise key components of nephrons, the glomeruli and tubules, using magnetic resonance imaging without contrast agents, in combination with Deep Learning and super-resolution techniques. Nephrons, the basic functional unit of the kidney, are critical to the maintenance of the body’s homeostasis. Their number and architecture are critical determinants of kidney function. The expected outcomes are innovative semi-automated nephron visualisation and quantitation tools that enable efficient renal phenotyping. Techniques tailored to widely accessible preclinical research scanners are expected to accelerate research into genetic and environmental factors affecting kidney microstructure in embryonic and post-natal life.Read moreRead less
On-Chip Detection and Molecular Fingerprinting of Emerging Toxicants. The project aims to address key questions about the development and integration of advanced materials and functional molecules into cutting-edge analytical tools for screening emerging environmental pollutants. This is expected to generate fundamental and applied knowledge in analytical chemistry, using an interdisciplinary approach to engineer materials with precisely tailored properties for ultra-sensitive and selective dete ....On-Chip Detection and Molecular Fingerprinting of Emerging Toxicants. The project aims to address key questions about the development and integration of advanced materials and functional molecules into cutting-edge analytical tools for screening emerging environmental pollutants. This is expected to generate fundamental and applied knowledge in analytical chemistry, using an interdisciplinary approach to engineer materials with precisely tailored properties for ultra-sensitive and selective detection of extremely persistent toxicants in water. Anticipated outcomes are optical materials and functional molecules, integrated into lab-on-a-chip platforms with advanced features for real-life environmental applications – with significant benefits for addressing major environmental and health treats to our society.Read moreRead less
Bioinspired photo–iontronic membranes for smart neuron-mimicking systems. The project aims to address key fundamental questions about the development of bioinspired artificial nanochannels that can precisely mimic current signals and functionalities in neurons. This is expected to generate fundamental and applied knowledge in bioengineered photo–iontronic systems, harnessing a multidisciplinary approach to engineer materials with precisely tailored properties at the nanoscale for unprecedented d ....Bioinspired photo–iontronic membranes for smart neuron-mimicking systems. The project aims to address key fundamental questions about the development of bioinspired artificial nanochannels that can precisely mimic current signals and functionalities in neurons. This is expected to generate fundamental and applied knowledge in bioengineered photo–iontronic systems, harnessing a multidisciplinary approach to engineer materials with precisely tailored properties at the nanoscale for unprecedented dynamic control over ionic current through responsive, adaptable neuron-mimicking nanopores. Anticipated outcomes are advanced materials, integrated into smart architectures to overcome the limitations of solid-state systems for the next generation of integrated circuits, bio-interfacial sensors, and energy generators.Read moreRead less
Nanoengineering of Biomaterial Surfaces to Tailor Innate Immune Responses. The overarching aim of this project is to provide a mechanistic understanding of how surface nanotopography affects inflammatory responses. Recently, we showed that surface nanotopography induced conformational changes in adsorbed proteins can activate or deactivate immune cells. These exciting findings are important because they show that it may be possible to engineer the nanotopography of a biomedical device surface in ....Nanoengineering of Biomaterial Surfaces to Tailor Innate Immune Responses. The overarching aim of this project is to provide a mechanistic understanding of how surface nanotopography affects inflammatory responses. Recently, we showed that surface nanotopography induced conformational changes in adsorbed proteins can activate or deactivate immune cells. These exciting findings are important because they show that it may be possible to engineer the nanotopography of a biomedical device surface in a manner which leads to a desired and predictable level of inflammation. The outcomes of the project will create new fundamental knowledge that in the future can instruct the development of the next generation of biomaterials capable of controlling and directing the body’s inflammatory responses.Read moreRead less
An account of wetting phenomena on nano-engineered surfaces. This project aims to provide researchers and industry with a toolbox to predict wetting behaviour on surfaces with nanoscale topography. A combined experimental and numerical study will lead to the discovery of the mechanisms by which topographical and chemical properties of the surface trigger the formation of nanostructure-induced air pockets and how these phenomena determine surface wettability. This will provide significant benefi ....An account of wetting phenomena on nano-engineered surfaces. This project aims to provide researchers and industry with a toolbox to predict wetting behaviour on surfaces with nanoscale topography. A combined experimental and numerical study will lead to the discovery of the mechanisms by which topographical and chemical properties of the surface trigger the formation of nanostructure-induced air pockets and how these phenomena determine surface wettability. This will provide significant benefits, as the predictive surface-wettability model will enhance controllability and productivity of diverse manufacturing processes and lead to new applications, high-value products and economic benefits in mining, energy, electronics, biomedicine and other fields.Read moreRead less
Closing the loop between salience and brain activity. This project aims to understand how animals exposed to an abundance of highly complex information decide what to attend to, that is, how they determine visual saliency. The project will approach this question by systematically tracking visual decision-making in the smallest animal brains, in closed-loop virtual reality environment. This approach will uncover basic working principles applicable to any system that needs to pay attention in a vi ....Closing the loop between salience and brain activity. This project aims to understand how animals exposed to an abundance of highly complex information decide what to attend to, that is, how they determine visual saliency. The project will approach this question by systematically tracking visual decision-making in the smallest animal brains, in closed-loop virtual reality environment. This approach will uncover basic working principles applicable to any system that needs to pay attention in a visually cluttered world, from insects to humans or autonomous vehicles.Read moreRead less
New bar-encoded polymer microbeads for multiplexed bioanalysis-a quick and high-throughput approach for complex disease diagnosis. Distinguishable new bar-encoded (element-encoded) polymer microbeads associated with a mass spectroscopy-flow cytometer detector provide a novel platform for highly multiplexed biological analysis. Such an approach can simultaneously identify many non-self-agents at low concentrations, which facilitates early-stage complex disease diagnosis.