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.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100200
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$270,427.00
Summary
AutoStem: a high performance, automated stem cell bioengineering facility. This project aims to establish an automated stem cell bioengineering ("AutoStem") facility that will enable critical insights into the molecular mechanisms that underly the loss in stem cell function and tissue homeostasis as we age. The AutoStem facility expects to lead to the discovery of the key drivers of stem cell ageing and the development of novel technological solutions to maintain tissue function with age. The o ....AutoStem: a high performance, automated stem cell bioengineering facility. This project aims to establish an automated stem cell bioengineering ("AutoStem") facility that will enable critical insights into the molecular mechanisms that underly the loss in stem cell function and tissue homeostasis as we age. The AutoStem facility expects to lead to the discovery of the key drivers of stem cell ageing and the development of novel technological solutions to maintain tissue function with age. The outcomes produced from the AutoStem facility will have significant economic and social benefits in enabling healthy ageing and increased productivity for an ageing Australia.Read moreRead less
Redefining tissue-specific endothelial cells through bioengineered matrices. This project aims to improve our understanding of the biological mechanisms that drive blood vessel formation and function. The endothelial cells that make up each blood vessel are inherently unique across different sites within the human body and this project expects to generate new knowledge regarding their organ specificity. Using advanced bioengineering approaches, this project will map human endothelial cell specif ....Redefining tissue-specific endothelial cells through bioengineered matrices. This project aims to improve our understanding of the biological mechanisms that drive blood vessel formation and function. The endothelial cells that make up each blood vessel are inherently unique across different sites within the human body and this project expects to generate new knowledge regarding their organ specificity. Using advanced bioengineering approaches, this project will map human endothelial cell specificity and develop state-of-the-art modelling technologies to improve knowledge of environmental influence on endothelial cell fate and function. This should provide a new framework to modulate the adaptive capacities of endothelial cells and can potentially enable more predictive and targeted drug efficacy and safety testing.Read moreRead less
Creating a non-invasive window into the mind. This project aims to create better tools to study the human mind. This project expects to generate new knowledge that can be used to non-invasively image neuronal activity. Expected outcomes include the development of unique new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) instruments to study neuronal activity in both highly controlled laboratory conditions and in humans, with the spatial and temporal resolution needed to study the neuronal circuitry that drive ....Creating a non-invasive window into the mind. This project aims to create better tools to study the human mind. This project expects to generate new knowledge that can be used to non-invasively image neuronal activity. Expected outcomes include the development of unique new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) instruments to study neuronal activity in both highly controlled laboratory conditions and in humans, with the spatial and temporal resolution needed to study the neuronal circuitry that drives low and high-level brain functions, i.e., creating a window into the mind. In the future, outcomes from this study could improve our understanding of mental disorders, advance computer brain interface technology, and inspire the next paradigm shift in artificial intelligence.Read moreRead less
Functional Contribution Of Fetal Microchimeric Cells In Transgenic Models Of Maternal Tissue Repair In And After Pregnancy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$542,462.00
Summary
Fetal stem cells cross into the mother during pregnancy and persist lifelong in her tissues. To determine whether helpful or harmful, we will study how these cells contribute to healing both after acute injury and in chronic genetic models like brittle-bone disease and muscular dystrophy. This research will inform long-term consequences of pregnancy, important for women's health and longevity, and help develop a promising form of stem cell therapy.
A Biologically Responsive and Anatomically Authentic Human Nasal Model. As respiratory conditions caused by pollutants and viruses become more prevalent, human nasal models to study infection/protection mechanisms and nasal drug/vaccine delivery are increasingly important. This project aims to develop a world-first human nasal model to mimic both anatomical and biological aspects of the nasal cavity and predict the distribution and deposition of fine particles and the resultant biological respon ....A Biologically Responsive and Anatomically Authentic Human Nasal Model. As respiratory conditions caused by pollutants and viruses become more prevalent, human nasal models to study infection/protection mechanisms and nasal drug/vaccine delivery are increasingly important. This project aims to develop a world-first human nasal model to mimic both anatomical and biological aspects of the nasal cavity and predict the distribution and deposition of fine particles and the resultant biological response from the nasal mucosa. The aim is to overcome a key fabrication challenge - to 3D print an anatomically accurate nasal construct with a porous wall on which to grow and mature functional nasal tissue that lines a nasal cavity wall. The benefit would be enabling faster development of more targeted drugs and vaccines.Read moreRead less
Learning for Teaching in Disadvantaged Schools. This project focuses on what and how primary school teachers learn about improving classroom practices from co-inquiry interventions. The effective diagnosis of student learning difficulties and the design of educational interventions based on such diagnosis is a core component of quality teaching. Yet many teachers have not acquired the knowledge and skills to undertake such learning diagnostic and design work. The project plans to engage practiti ....Learning for Teaching in Disadvantaged Schools. This project focuses on what and how primary school teachers learn about improving classroom practices from co-inquiry interventions. The effective diagnosis of student learning difficulties and the design of educational interventions based on such diagnosis is a core component of quality teaching. Yet many teachers have not acquired the knowledge and skills to undertake such learning diagnostic and design work. The project plans to engage practitioners in co-inquiry through collaborative analysis of professional learning conversations and classroom practices across disadvantaged public schools in urban and regional locations across Queensland. It aims to examine the sustainability of co-inquiry models to improve student learning.Read moreRead less
A Micro-Physiological System to Mimic Human Microbiome-Organ Interactions. This project aims to mimic gut microbiome-organ interactions by developing a microbial-gut coculture chip, which can reversibly interface with other organs-on-chips. This is achieved through the systematic integration of highly customisable biofabrication and microfluidic technologies. This project fills a critical technological gap in the availability of an animal-alternative system to investigate microbiome-host interac ....A Micro-Physiological System to Mimic Human Microbiome-Organ Interactions. This project aims to mimic gut microbiome-organ interactions by developing a microbial-gut coculture chip, which can reversibly interface with other organs-on-chips. This is achieved through the systematic integration of highly customisable biofabrication and microfluidic technologies. This project fills a critical technological gap in the availability of an animal-alternative system to investigate microbiome-host interactions, which will greatly complement existing meta-omics approaches. The deliverables include a proof-of-concept system validated for gut-liver axis as well as the creation of new knowledge and framework to assimilate design thinking and advanced manufacturing to elevate tissue engineering into physiology engineering. Read moreRead less
Understanding the differentiation of the endocardium. The project aims to understand the genetic regulation of endocardial development. The heart is essential for survival, its beat the indicator of life. The endocardium, the heart’s inner lining, is required for signalling during heart development and is a major component of the valves, septa and trabeculae. Despite its indispensable role, little is known about how it forms or develops. This project integrates two complementary approaches that ....Understanding the differentiation of the endocardium. The project aims to understand the genetic regulation of endocardial development. The heart is essential for survival, its beat the indicator of life. The endocardium, the heart’s inner lining, is required for signalling during heart development and is a major component of the valves, septa and trabeculae. Despite its indispensable role, little is known about how it forms or develops. This project integrates two complementary approaches that have identified the earliest marker of endocardial differentiation and devised the method to make endocardium from stem cells. Knowledge from this work will inform future research into growing and regenerating damaged tissue.Read moreRead less
Hedgehog Signalling In Limb And Craniofacial Development And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$494,544.00
Summary
Anomalies of the face and limbs are amongst the most common features of human birth defects, and their frequent association suggests that the same genes are involved in governing the development of the limbs and face during embryogenesis. We have used a genomics-based approach to identify genes involved in limb development based on their alteration in a mouse model which develops extra fingers and toes. Defects in this mouse result from changes in Gli3, a gene which is known to be important in b ....Anomalies of the face and limbs are amongst the most common features of human birth defects, and their frequent association suggests that the same genes are involved in governing the development of the limbs and face during embryogenesis. We have used a genomics-based approach to identify genes involved in limb development based on their alteration in a mouse model which develops extra fingers and toes. Defects in this mouse result from changes in Gli3, a gene which is known to be important in both limb and face development. Based on the organs in which our genes of interest are active, we believe that they will also play key roles in embryonic development of the limbs, face and other organs. We now plan to investigate the regulation of a subset of these genes based on analysis in mouse models of limb and face development. In addition, we have chosen to further analyse the function of a completely novel gene we have identified which our preliminary studies suggest may play a role in the normal development of the lip and palate. These studies have the potential to shed light on the processes governing how organs develop, as well as on the molecular basis of common birth defects such as polydactyly (extra fingers and toes) and cleft palate.Read moreRead less