Nanostructured Porous Silicon For Ophthalmic Implants
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$536,657.00
Summary
Blindness exerts major physical, emotional and economic constraints upon the sufferer. Our goal is to develop novel nanostructured porous silicon-based implants to improve outcomes for patients prone to recurrent episodes of inflammation in the eye, or with visual loss following ocular trauma or infection. Treatments are available, but are not always effective. Porous silicon is a non-toxic, non-inflammatory, biodegradable material that can be loaded with drugs or cells for transfer to the eye.
Mechanosensitive Channels: Antimicrobials, Channelopathies And Nanovalves For Drug Delivery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$673,953.00
Summary
Liposomal drug delivery systems (LDDS) are one of the most advanced particulate drug carriers in modern medicine. The ultimate goal of this project is to optimize a nanotechnology approach for improved control of therapeutic drug delivery for chemotherapy. The approach is using bacterial mechanosensitive channel MscL designed to act as a molecular nanovalve for localised drug release.
Chemokine Gradients For Directed Migration Of Captured Cells The And Guidance Of Tissue Engineering
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$711,643.00
Summary
Many diseases feature migration of cells along tissue gradients of molecules. We propose to create and characterise an artificial system in which we will design flat surfaces coated with varying densities of different molecules. We will study attachment and movement of cells along fixed gradients established by these surface coatings. These cells include lymphocytes that respond to infections and vaccines, cancer cells that invade and spread, and endothelial cells that form blood vessels.