Multimodal Electrically Conducting Bionic Implant For Long-distance Oriented Axonal Regeneration
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Neurotrauma, defined as an injury to the central nervous system, is a debilitating medical condition affecting over 3 million people annually worldwide. Loss of function following injury is largely due to the limited potential of nerve cells to regenerate. I will develop a bionic platform that conducts electrical signals and delivers growth promoting proteins thereby enhancing the directed regeneration of nerve cells necessary to bridge the gap caused by the injury and restore organ function.
Engineered Spiky Silica Nanoparticles As Effective Immune Adjuvants By Activating Inflammasome And Enhancing Cellular Uptake
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Vaccination is a triumph of preventative healthcare in Australia and worldwide. Despite substantial advances in vaccine development, some of the most lethal diseases still lack effective vaccines. This project aims to generate a novel immune adjuvant with excellent safety to promote antigen immunity by rationally designing surface structure of nanomaterials. Successful completing of this project has great potential to bring new, safe and potent vaccines for some infectious disease and cancer.
Titanium Implants With Dual Micro- And Nano-Scale Topography For Electrically Stimulated Osteogenic And Antibacterial Functions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
The long-term success of titanium implants in high-risk patients (especially diabetics) is compromised and the current project aims to address this by developing nano-engineered therapeutic titanium implants. With appropriate multi-scale roughness, enhanced bioactivity, local antibiotic release and electrical stimulation to further enhance these features, the project aims at patient outcomes, while allowing easy integration into the current implant market.
Functional Nano-cement Scaffolds For The Treatment Of Osteoporotic Bone Defects
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,768.00
Summary
Osteoporosis affects 1.2 million Australians and will cost $33.6 billion by 2022. This study aims to develop a novel nano-cement platform for custom-designed bone repair in osteoporosis, by using purpose-designed nanomaterials and advanced 3D printing technique. The research findings will lead to the development of a new bone repair strategy, expand knowledge on both biomaterials engineering and osteoporosis treatment, and improve the quality of life of Australians.
Photonic Crystals For Probing Enzyme Activity: Single Cells Vs Bulk Measurements
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$320,891.00
Summary
We are all unique and we are unique down to a single cell. Can we understand the behaviour of a single cell? A novel biosensing platform will be developed to detect biological activity of single cells by simple measurement of a colour change. Successful fabrication of this biosensor will aid in the development of diagnostic devices for predictive and preventive medicine.
Can Nanoparticles Give An Old Iron Chelator A New Life? — Development Of Targeted Polymeric Nanoparticles With Long Half-lives To Treat Iron Overload Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$314,644.00
Summary
Iron loading disorders (such as thalassaemia) represent an important class of human disease. As part of the treatment for these diseases, the iron needs to be removed and this is often done using iron-binding drugs known as iron chelators. Current chelators are not ideal due to side effects or onerous delivery methods. The goal of this project is to use nanotechnology to develop more effective ways of delivering chelators to improve their effectiveness and reduce toxicity.
Topical Drug Delivery Based On Porous Silicon Nanoneedles
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
There are currently a number of new drugs that can only be administered through the skin via hypodermic needles, which is costly, invasive and carries the risk of infection spread. This project proposes to develop an alternative strategy based on skin patches covered in millions of microscopic porous needles. These needles are able to puncture the skin painlessly to provide rapid and minimally-invasive administration of drugs for treatment of skin diseases, such as melanoma or psoriasis.
Rationally Designed Targeted Core Shell Nano-Construct For Improved Anticancer Effects And Enhanced Bone Fracture Healing In Breast Cancers Metastasised To Bone
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
The main objective of the project is to develop and evaluate a single therapeutic system comprising chemotherapeutic as well as bone fracture healing agent, which will overcome the drawbacks of the conventional treatment for skeletal bone metastasised breast cancers. This therapeutic system will specifically accumulates in the tumour sites and release the chemotherapeutic enabling anticancer effects, followed by the slow release of bone fracture healing agent results in healing of fractures.
Bioresponsive Porous Silicon For Site Specific Oral Delivery Of Antibodies For The Treatment Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
This proposal aims to develop an oral antibody delivery system for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that affects 75000 Australians. The system will be based on porous silicon nanoparticles acting as a container to protect the antibodies, and bioresponsive coatings acting as gates to enable site specific protein delivery at the inflamed site of GI tract. The project not only holds promise for protein delivery for the treatment of IBD but other diseases like diabetes.
Bioresponsive Nanocarriers For Controlled And Targeted Delivery To Efficiently Treat Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$316,449.00
Summary
Despite considerable progress in treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, current treatments suffer from many disadvantages such as side effects, lack of efficacy in many patients, and development of drug dependence. Using state of art nanotechnology, novel nanoparticles will be developed to enhance the delivery to the intestine and efficacy of Budesonide (an anti-inflammatory steroid). This research promises to find safer and more effective ways to treat these diseases.