ORCID Profile
0000-0001-5452-3083
Current Organisation
University of Canterbury
Does something not look right? The information on this page has been harvested from data sources that may not be up to date. We continue to work with information providers to improve coverage and quality. To report an issue, use the Feedback Form.
Publisher: Inderscience Publishers
Date: 2018
Publisher: Inderscience Publishers
Date: 2010
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 06-06-2019
Publisher: CRC Press
Date: 19-12-2017
DOI: 10.1201/B14875
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Date: 23-04-2019
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 08-10-2019
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-019-50983-7
Abstract: Artificial surfaces are commonly used in place of leaves in phyllosphere microbiology to study microbial behaviour on plant leaf surfaces. These surfaces enable a reductionist approach to be undertaken, to enable in idual environmental factors influencing microorganisms to be studied. Commonly used artificial surfaces include nutrient agar, isolated leaf cuticles, and reconstituted leaf waxes. Recently, replica surfaces mimicking the complex topography of leaf surfaces for phyllosphere microbiology studies are appearing in literature. Replica leaf surfaces have been produced in agar, epoxy, polystyrene, and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). However, none of these protocols are suitable for replicating fragile leaves such as of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana . This is of importance, as A . thaliana is a model system for molecular plant genetics, molecular plant biology, and microbial ecology. To overcome this limitation, we introduce a versatile replication protocol for replicating fragile leaf surfaces into PDMS. Here we demonstrate the capacity of our replication process using optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and contact angle measurements to compare living and PDMS replica A . thaliana leaf surfaces. To highlight the use of our replica leaf surfaces for phyllosphere microbiology, we visualise bacteria on the replica leaf surfaces in comparison to living leaf surfaces.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 16-03-2010
DOI: 10.1021/AM100020A
Abstract: A highly versatile method utilizing diazonium salt chemistry has been developed for the fabrication of protein arrays. Conventional ultraviolet mask lithography was used to pattern micrometer sized regions into a commercial photoresist on a highly doped p-type silicon (100) substrate. These patterned regions were used as a template for the electrochemical grafting of the in situ generated p-aminobenzenediazonium cation to form patterns of aminophenyl film on silicon. Immobilization of biomolecules was demonstrated by coupling biotin to the aminophenyl regions followed by reaction with fluorescently labeled avidin and visualization with fluorescence microscopy. This simple patterning strategy is promising for future application in biosensor devices.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2018
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-12-2022
DOI: 10.1111/MPP.13286
Abstract: Rust fungi (Pucciniales) are a erse group of plant pathogens in natural and agricultural systems. They pose ongoing threats to the ersity of native flora and cause annual crop yield losses. Agricultural rusts are predominantly managed with fungicides and breeding for resistance, but new control strategies are needed on non‐agricultural plants and in fragile ecosystems. RNA interference (RNAi) induced by exogenous double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) has promise as a sustainable approach for managing plant‐pathogenic fungi, including rust fungi. We investigated the mechanisms and impact of exogenous dsRNA on rust fungi through in vitro and whole‐plant assays using two species as models, Austropuccinia psidii (the cause of myrtle rust) and Coleosporium plumeriae (the cause of frangipani rust) . In vitro, dsRNA either associates externally or is internalized by urediniospores during the early stages of germination. The impact of dsRNA on rust infection architecture was examined on artificial leaf surfaces. dsRNA targeting predicted essential genes significantly reduced germination and inhibited development of infection structures, namely appressoria and penetration pegs. Exogenous dsRNA sprayed onto 1‐year‐old trees significantly reduced myrtle rust symptoms . Furthermore, we used comparative genomics to assess the wide‐scale amenability of dsRNA to control rust fungi. We sequenced genomes of six species of rust fungi, including three new families (Araucariomyceaceae, Phragmidiaceae, and Skierkaceae) and identified key genes of the RNAi pathway across 15 species in eight families of Pucciniales. Together, these findings indicate that dsRNA targeting essential genes has potential for broad‐use management of rust fungi across natural and agricultural systems.
Publisher: AIP Publishing
Date: 11-2017
DOI: 10.1063/1.4991783
Abstract: This work introduces casein microstructures with surface features as a biodegradable biomedical platform technology for enhancing tissue-engineering applications. An optimized fabrication process is presented to reduce the hydrophobicity of intermediate polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) molds and to transfer high-resolution regular and biomimetic features onto the surface of casein devices. Four different cross-linking reagents, glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, citric acid and transglutaminase (TG) were investigated to increase the degradation time of casein and their influence on swelling and biocompatibility of the films was studied. TG was found to be the only cross-linker to effectively increase the degradation time and show reduced film swelling after immersion into media, while remaining compatible with cell-culture. The maximum expansion of the films cross-linked via TG was 33% after 24 hours of immersion in cell-culture media. C2C12 cells were successfully cultured on the patterned films for up to 72 hours. The patterned biodegradable casein substrates presented here have promising applications in stem-cell engineering, regenerative medicine, and implantable devices.
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1039/C7LC00725F
Abstract: We introduce a platform capable of quantifying magnitude and direction of protrusive forces exerted by in idual tips of hyphal microorganisms using elastomeric micropillars.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 10-12-2018
DOI: 10.1021/ACSSENSORS.8B01253
Abstract: Good glucose management through an insulin dose regime based on the metabolism of glucose helps millions of people worldwide manage their diabetes. Since Banting and Best extracted insulin, glucose management has improved due to the introduction of insulin analogues that act from 30 minutes to 28 days, improved insulin dose regimes, and portable glucose meters, with a current focus on alternative s ling sites that are less invasive. However, a piece of the puzzle is still missing-the ability to measure insulin directly in a Point-of-Care device. The ability to measure both glucose and insulin concurrently will enable better glucose control by providing an improved estimate for insulin sensitivity, minimizing variability in control, and maximizing safety from hypoglycaemia. However, direct detection of free insulin has provided a challenge due to the size of the molecule, the low concentration of insulin in blood, and the selectivity against interferants in blood. This review summarizes current insulin detection methods from immunoassays to analytical chemistry, and sensors. We also discuss the challenges and potential of each of the methods towards Point-of-Care insulin detection.
Publisher: Open Engineering Inc
Date: 16-11-2018
Abstract: Artificial surfaces are routinely used instead of leaves to enable a reductionist approach in phyllosphere microbiology, the study of microorganisms residing on plant leaf surfaces. For instance, flat surfaces such as nutrient agar, enable the influence of nutrient supply on microorganisms to be investigated. In contrast microstructured surfaces, such as isolated leaf cuticles or reconstituted leaf waxes enable the influence of physicochemical properties to be investigated. However, interest in replica leaf surfaces as an artificial surface is growing. As replica surfaces offer an improved representation of the complex topography of leaf surfaces. The use of replica leaf surfaces has to date primarily been focused on replicating the superhydrophobic surfaces of leaves. Whereas in this paper, we investigate potential replica surface materials for phyllosphere microbiology studies. Using a test pattern, we investigated the resolution, the degradation characteristics in environmental conditions, surface energy, and bacterial survival characteristics for each potential replica material. Our results indicate that PDMS is the most suitable material for producing replica leaf surfaces. Due to the high resolution achieved through replica molding, extended stability, hydrophobic properties, and bacterial survival characteristics comparable to isolated leaf cuticles. Our experiments highlight the importance of considering the inherent material properties, when selecting a replica leaf surface for phyllosphere microbiology studies. A replica leaf produced in PDMS offers a control surface that can be used for investigating microbe-microbe and microbe-plant interactions in the phyllosphere. Thus, in turn enabling mitigation strategies against pathogens to either the plant host or humans to be developed.
Publisher: IEEE
Date: 12-2008
Publisher: IEEE
Date: 08-2010
Publisher: IEEE
Date: 25-07-2022
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-07-2020
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 18-01-2019
DOI: 10.1101/523985
Abstract: Artificial surfaces are commonly used in place of leaves in phyllosphere microbiology to study microbial behaviour on plant leaf surfaces. Studies looking into in idual environmental factors influencing microorganisms are routinely carried out using artificial surfaces. Commonly used artificial surfaces include nutrient agar, isolated leaf cuticles, and reconstituted leaf waxes. However, interest is growing in using microstructured surfaces mimicking the complex topography of leaf surfaces for phyllosphere microbiology. As such replica leaf surfaces, produced by microfabrication, are appearing in literature. Replica leaf surfaces have been produced in agar, epoxy, polystyrene, and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). However, these protocols are not suitable for replicating fragile leaves such as of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana . This is of importance as A. thaliana is a model system for molecular plant genetics, molecular plant biology, and microbial ecology. Here we present a versatile replication protocol for replicating fragile leaf surfaces into PDMS. We display the capacity of our replication process using optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and contact angle measurements to compare living and PDMS replica A. thaliana leaf surfaces. To highlight the use of our replica leaf surfaces for phyllosphere microbiology, we visualised bacteria on the replica leaf surfaces in comparison to living leaf surfaces.
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Date: 26-07-2012
Start Date: 2023
End Date: 2026
Funder: Marsden Fund
View Funded Activity