Controlling the adhesome to regulate cell fate on biomaterials. Mesenchymal stem cell-based tissue engineering practices are hampered worldwide by the lack of appreciation and understanding of the matrix-mediated cues that must be provided during adhesion and spreading to drive cells to definitive tissue end points. This project will address these knowledge deficiencies by combining high throughput array technologies, a set of tailorable self-assembling biomaterials and real-time biosensors to r ....Controlling the adhesome to regulate cell fate on biomaterials. Mesenchymal stem cell-based tissue engineering practices are hampered worldwide by the lack of appreciation and understanding of the matrix-mediated cues that must be provided during adhesion and spreading to drive cells to definitive tissue end points. This project will address these knowledge deficiencies by combining high throughput array technologies, a set of tailorable self-assembling biomaterials and real-time biosensors to rapidly, at high resolution, elucidate how mechanotransductive cues determine the fate choice of mesenchymal stem cells, and furthermore, how to manipulate them with smart biomaterial design to achieve desired outcomes for tissue engineering. Read moreRead less
Hypoxia-mimicking bio-scaffold for skeleton regeneration. The project is to develop bioactive bone grafts to improve bone repair and shorten the recovery time of patients with fractures, degenerative joint diseases, and bone cancer and bone deformities.
Smart Matrix™ approaches towards neo vascularisation in bone repair. Bone injuries cost Australia more than $1 billion annually. The development of a medical device combining novel pro-angiogenic technology, Smart Matrix™, with polymer scaffolds for treatment of bone defects by this project, will facilitate rapid development of a blood supply within the defect, aiding bone growth and reducing overall costs compared to current treatments.
Elucidating surface-mediated permissive cues for cellular differentiation. This project will develop a novel biomaterial platform technology that will enable firstly the probing and thereafter the control of the cellular pathways of adult mesenchymal stem cells. These fundamental insights will be translated into novel stem cell culture ware products that will enable clinically relevant, functional tissue repair and regeneration.
Bone tissue engineering using innovative tubular dual-layered nanofiber meshes. Lifetime risks for long-bone fractures in Caucasians over the age of 50 are 17 per cent for women and 6 per cent for men. A clear therapeutic need exists to address the ever-increasing problems of diminished productivity and reduced quality of life associated with bone disorders as the population ages. To address this challenge, the project’s multidisciplinary, international team will develop technologies to heal tib ....Bone tissue engineering using innovative tubular dual-layered nanofiber meshes. Lifetime risks for long-bone fractures in Caucasians over the age of 50 are 17 per cent for women and 6 per cent for men. A clear therapeutic need exists to address the ever-increasing problems of diminished productivity and reduced quality of life associated with bone disorders as the population ages. To address this challenge, the project’s multidisciplinary, international team will develop technologies to heal tibial defects. Furthermore, it will establish Australia's prominence in the tissue engineering field, training the next generation of young scientists and engineers. This technology will be of interest to numerous research groups and companies worldwide and will foster international collaboration, placing Australia at the forefront of this emerging field.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
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130100986
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
An innovative platform using non-coding ribonucleic acids (RNAs) to control stem cell differentiation outcomes. It is difficult to control the tissue type that stem cells will form when combined with biomaterials, as the outcome is influenced by the 'stiffness' of the surface to which the stem cells attach. This project will determine how non-coding ribonucleic acids (RNAs) control stem cell behaviours and use this information to direct stem cell differentiation outcomes.
Inhomogeneous tissue conductivity influence on the forward and inverse electroencephalogram problems in realistic head models. The brain dysfunction indicators have been extremely difficult to obtain, largely because many disorders of higher brain function reflect abnormalities of brain function rather than apparent brain structure. The neuronal generator localization and identification in this project will provide complementary information about source and timing of neural activities sub-servin ....Inhomogeneous tissue conductivity influence on the forward and inverse electroencephalogram problems in realistic head models. The brain dysfunction indicators have been extremely difficult to obtain, largely because many disorders of higher brain function reflect abnormalities of brain function rather than apparent brain structure. The neuronal generator localization and identification in this project will provide complementary information about source and timing of neural activities sub-serving higher brain function and form sequences of spatial-temporal brain activity image. That will enable the information from MRI, which has a good spatial but poor temporal resolution, and the information from EEG, which has a high temporal resolution on the scalp, to be combined to provide clinical psychologists and brain researchers a more efficient diagnostic tool.Read moreRead less
New open MRI Technology for Kinematic Orthopaedic Imaging. This application intends to significantly enhance Open MRI as applied to dynamic joint imaging by technological and methodological innovation. Expected outcomes include better technology for the imaging of joints under loaded movement and consequently, improved understanding of joint function and disease. This technology will provide unique ability in Australia and brings together highly skilled groups in Biomedical Engineering, medical ....New open MRI Technology for Kinematic Orthopaedic Imaging. This application intends to significantly enhance Open MRI as applied to dynamic joint imaging by technological and methodological innovation. Expected outcomes include better technology for the imaging of joints under loaded movement and consequently, improved understanding of joint function and disease. This technology will provide unique ability in Australia and brings together highly skilled groups in Biomedical Engineering, medical equipment manufacturing and design and musculo-skeletal imaging.Read moreRead less
Cardiac electrographic modelling and analysis. The outcomes of this project will improve the accuracy with which abnormal conduction pathways in the heart are found and will also use chaotic modelling tools to better predict the need and outcomes of patients with life threatening arrhythmias.