Liquid light: aqueous bio-sensing in microstructured polymer optical fibres. This project builds on Australia's world-leading position in the development of microstructured polymer optical fibres, and applies the unique benefits they provide to for ultra- sensitive bio-sensing. By using the microstructure to simultaneously confine light and liquid, microstructured optical fibres provide a unique platform for ultra-sensitive spectroscopy and structural studies of biomolecules in solution. The wor ....Liquid light: aqueous bio-sensing in microstructured polymer optical fibres. This project builds on Australia's world-leading position in the development of microstructured polymer optical fibres, and applies the unique benefits they provide to for ultra- sensitive bio-sensing. By using the microstructure to simultaneously confine light and liquid, microstructured optical fibres provide a unique platform for ultra-sensitive spectroscopy and structural studies of biomolecules in solution. The work has profound implications both for fundamental science and applications, particularly in medical diagnostics.Read moreRead less
Quantification of the Remineralisation of Enamel. This project has three specific aims:
1. To quantify the ultrastructure and mechanisms of remineralisation of enamel using scanning and transmission electron microscopy.
2. To determine the mechanical properties of remineralised tissue and compare with those of sound enamel.
3. To develop an in-vivo optical fibre probe for monitoring and quantifying the changes of mineralised carious tissue during remineralisation.
This project will enable ....Quantification of the Remineralisation of Enamel. This project has three specific aims:
1. To quantify the ultrastructure and mechanisms of remineralisation of enamel using scanning and transmission electron microscopy.
2. To determine the mechanical properties of remineralised tissue and compare with those of sound enamel.
3. To develop an in-vivo optical fibre probe for monitoring and quantifying the changes of mineralised carious tissue during remineralisation.
This project will enable patients prone to orthodontic induced root resorption to be identified and also to assist with validating repair of enamel tooth structure in a non-surgical manner. It is anticipated to result in the development of a novel fibre optic instrument with applications beyond dentistry.
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Efficient and tailored supercontinuum generation using dispersion management. Imagine a laser beam, but not with just one colour, but containing all colours. The light beam thus looks white, somewhat like a search light, except that it is much brighter. We now know how to generate such bright white beams of light, but it is expensive, requiring a small specialized laboratory full of equipment. Through a better understanding, we will make it easier and cheaper to generate these light beams. All k ....Efficient and tailored supercontinuum generation using dispersion management. Imagine a laser beam, but not with just one colour, but containing all colours. The light beam thus looks white, somewhat like a search light, except that it is much brighter. We now know how to generate such bright white beams of light, but it is expensive, requiring a small specialized laboratory full of equipment. Through a better understanding, we will make it easier and cheaper to generate these light beams. All kinds of applications that have been known for years, such as medical imaging and chemical analysis, then suddenly become practical. We anticipate that in the future these bright white light beams will be used on a routine basis in Australian hospitals and industry. Read moreRead less
The photonic immunochip: retrieving individual Enzyme-linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA) array-units using optical waveguide multicolour fluorescence. Improving the sensitivity and availability of in-vitro immuno-diagnostic tests is a critical goal towards developing real time efficient tools for the detection of infectious diseases, cancers, allergies and auto-immune diseases. The goal is to increase the sensitivity of these tests by reducing background noise that has been a feature of the com ....The photonic immunochip: retrieving individual Enzyme-linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA) array-units using optical waveguide multicolour fluorescence. Improving the sensitivity and availability of in-vitro immuno-diagnostic tests is a critical goal towards developing real time efficient tools for the detection of infectious diseases, cancers, allergies and auto-immune diseases. The goal is to increase the sensitivity of these tests by reducing background noise that has been a feature of the commonly used ELISA technology. This will be achieved by developing a novel optical integrated waveguide array supporting a large range of distributed tests, including several based on a novel multi-colour detection scheme. This massively parallel approach will underpin a new generation of low-cost, efficient diagnostic tests.Read moreRead less
Tailoring the functionality of microstructured polymer optical fibres. Australia leads the world in microstructured polymer optical fibre (mPOF) research that has attracted serious commercial interest from multinational companies. A series of ATSE funded workshops in Europe during 2004 strongly indicated that the incorporation of a range of additional functionalities within novel fibres is the right path to follow to maintain research momentum and leadership. This interdisciplinary project offer ....Tailoring the functionality of microstructured polymer optical fibres. Australia leads the world in microstructured polymer optical fibre (mPOF) research that has attracted serious commercial interest from multinational companies. A series of ATSE funded workshops in Europe during 2004 strongly indicated that the incorporation of a range of additional functionalities within novel fibres is the right path to follow to maintain research momentum and leadership. This interdisciplinary project offers a clear route to expanded collaboration in both Australia and overseas thus ensuring that the OFTC retains its research and technological edge into the future whilst helping to satisfy the demand for students trained in leading-edge photonics.Read moreRead less
Creation of functional surfaces for biodevices and aerospace applications. Polymers are poised to become the materials of choice for a host of applications because of their lightness, strength, ease of forming and biocompatibility. The major challenge lies in optimising their surfaces for each application. For biodevices in particular, the surfaces must support a range of complex and specific interactions. This project will create new polymer surface modifications through innovations in plasma s ....Creation of functional surfaces for biodevices and aerospace applications. Polymers are poised to become the materials of choice for a host of applications because of their lightness, strength, ease of forming and biocompatibility. The major challenge lies in optimising their surfaces for each application. For biodevices in particular, the surfaces must support a range of complex and specific interactions. This project will create new polymer surface modifications through innovations in plasma science and technology. The outcomes will be new surfaces for diagnostic arrays in medicine, biosensors and durable polymer surfaces for low earth orbit.Read moreRead less
Coproantigen detection tests for diagnosis of intestinal parasitic nematode infection. The aim of this project is to develop new tests for detection of hookworm and Strongyloides, two common intestinal worm infections of humans. These tests offer the potential to replace current tests, namely stool microscopy and serodiagnosis, both of whose performance is unsatisfactory due to deficiencies in sensitivity, specificity and operator convenience. The tests will rely on monoclonal antibodies to dete ....Coproantigen detection tests for diagnosis of intestinal parasitic nematode infection. The aim of this project is to develop new tests for detection of hookworm and Strongyloides, two common intestinal worm infections of humans. These tests offer the potential to replace current tests, namely stool microscopy and serodiagnosis, both of whose performance is unsatisfactory due to deficiencies in sensitivity, specificity and operator convenience. The tests will rely on monoclonal antibodies to detect parasite products in stool. Such testing technology is amenable to configuration in a robust format, suitable for large-scale manufacture. Given the worldwide prevalence of these parasites, the tests will have a market potential of international significance.Read moreRead less
Devices that use Ion Channels. The proposed device would supply the community of researchers in Australia and internationally with new techniques to enable them to quickly and conveniently investigate properties of ion channels and to speed the screening of potential ion channel targets for pharmaceutical hits and leads. In addition, the tethered membrane technology will be developed to fill an unmet need for a quick and biologically relevant test of EMC hazards. This will enhance the science an ....Devices that use Ion Channels. The proposed device would supply the community of researchers in Australia and internationally with new techniques to enable them to quickly and conveniently investigate properties of ion channels and to speed the screening of potential ion channel targets for pharmaceutical hits and leads. In addition, the tethered membrane technology will be developed to fill an unmet need for a quick and biologically relevant test of EMC hazards. This will enhance the science and technology infrastructure within Australia, taking it into original and exciting directions, contribute to training young Australian scientists and students, as well as enhance Australia's competitive position in the field of nanobiotechnology.Read moreRead less
Development of new methods to measure in vivo properties of human body tissues. This project will develop new methods of noninvasively measuring the viscoelastic properties of soft tissues in live humans, using a novel magnetic resonance elastography technique. These methods will be applied to study the operation of the human muscle-tendon system, differences in neck muscle properties with age and gender and to measure the properties of the human brain, kidney and liver in vivo. These techniques ....Development of new methods to measure in vivo properties of human body tissues. This project will develop new methods of noninvasively measuring the viscoelastic properties of soft tissues in live humans, using a novel magnetic resonance elastography technique. These methods will be applied to study the operation of the human muscle-tendon system, differences in neck muscle properties with age and gender and to measure the properties of the human brain, kidney and liver in vivo. These techniques may be useful in diagnosing soft tissue disease or injury which are currently difficult to detect using standard imaging techniques. It will also explain how the muscle-tendon unit moves during normal motion in live humans.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354583
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
Biodevice fabrication through intelligent surface modification. Achieving the reliable control of the attachment of proteins and other macromolecules to surfaces needed for sophisticated biosensors and medical diagnostics requires expertise and infrastructure from a diverse range of disciplines from the physical, chemical and biological sciences and engineering. This network will bring together researchers from a multidisciplinary pool working on problems relevant to the creation of functional s ....Biodevice fabrication through intelligent surface modification. Achieving the reliable control of the attachment of proteins and other macromolecules to surfaces needed for sophisticated biosensors and medical diagnostics requires expertise and infrastructure from a diverse range of disciplines from the physical, chemical and biological sciences and engineering. This network will bring together researchers from a multidisciplinary pool working on problems relevant to the creation of functional surfaces for applications in biodevices. The program we envisage will break down the barriers imposed by disciplinary boundaries and technical terminology to bring together the skills and infrastructure required to make rapid advances in this field.Read moreRead less