Impact of Biological Coatings on Nanoparticle–Immune Cell Interactions. Nanomaterials exposed to biological environments such as blood or lymph fluids rapidly adsorb a layer of biomolecules on their surface, forming a biomolecular corona, and profoundly altering their properties. This project aims to resolve the influence of biomolecular coronas on nanoparticle–immune cell interactions by combining particle engineering, immunology, proteomics and bioinformatic analysis. The project expected outc ....Impact of Biological Coatings on Nanoparticle–Immune Cell Interactions. Nanomaterials exposed to biological environments such as blood or lymph fluids rapidly adsorb a layer of biomolecules on their surface, forming a biomolecular corona, and profoundly altering their properties. This project aims to resolve the influence of biomolecular coronas on nanoparticle–immune cell interactions by combining particle engineering, immunology, proteomics and bioinformatic analysis. The project expected outcomes are to generate new knowledge in nanomaterial–immune cell behaviour and design principles for nanoparticles with prospective applications in the agricultural, veterinary and biomedical sectors.Read moreRead less
Synthetic leukocytes: bio-inspired DNA nanorobots powered by flow. Inspired by the way white blood cells roll along blood vessel walls, our goal is to build DNA nanorobots that roll along surfaces in flow. We take a synthetic biology approach to using biomolecules, such as DNA and proteins, to build functional particles and surfaces. To achieve this, we will combine our teams’ technological advances in DNA nanotechnology, plasma-activation for biomolecule immobilisation, and microfluidic devices ....Synthetic leukocytes: bio-inspired DNA nanorobots powered by flow. Inspired by the way white blood cells roll along blood vessel walls, our goal is to build DNA nanorobots that roll along surfaces in flow. We take a synthetic biology approach to using biomolecules, such as DNA and proteins, to build functional particles and surfaces. To achieve this, we will combine our teams’ technological advances in DNA nanotechnology, plasma-activation for biomolecule immobilisation, and microfluidic devices. This project will contribute new methods for synthetic particle motion in flow and provide new insights into biomolecule interactions and motion. Ultimately, this will allow us to harness rolling for the delivery of synthetic nanorobots for detection and remediation in flow systems, such as the body.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science. The ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES) will create next generation electrochemical devices via the precision assembly of nano/micro dimensional components into macroscopic structures. Through the discovery of new materials and structures, and understanding how spatial arrangement in 3D influences chemical, physical and biological properties, ACES will define the cutting edge of Electromaterials Science. The resultin ....ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science. The ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES) will create next generation electrochemical devices via the precision assembly of nano/micro dimensional components into macroscopic structures. Through the discovery of new materials and structures, and understanding how spatial arrangement in 3D influences chemical, physical and biological properties, ACES will define the cutting edge of Electromaterials Science. The resulting technology breakthroughs will have a direct impact on some of today's most challenging global problems in clean energy, synthetic biosystems, diagnostics and soft robotics. National benefit to Australia will be realised through the creation of new manufacturing industries.Read moreRead less
Engineering biomaterials that actively promote blood vessel growth. This project aims to improve understanding of the effect of biomaterials on vascular growth & to develop new biomimetic materials using natural polymers silk & gelatin. It expects to generate new knowledge in biomaterials, matrix biology & advanced material processing. Expected outcomes include new knowledge & technological advances in biomaterial-driven vascular growth, porous material manufacture, & proteoglycan-mediated grow ....Engineering biomaterials that actively promote blood vessel growth. This project aims to improve understanding of the effect of biomaterials on vascular growth & to develop new biomimetic materials using natural polymers silk & gelatin. It expects to generate new knowledge in biomaterials, matrix biology & advanced material processing. Expected outcomes include new knowledge & technological advances in biomaterial-driven vascular growth, porous material manufacture, & proteoglycan-mediated growth factor signalling, as well as cross-disciplinary, international collaboration & research training. This should provide significant benefit to Australia’s scholarly output & reputation & long term benefits to biomedical, veterinary, cosmetic, & food industries through new materials & processing technologies. Read moreRead less
Electro-mechanics of natural load-bearing materials: understanding mechanisms of toughening, remodelling, and self-healing. Nature provides some of the most advanced functional structural materials, with the capability to remodel and strengthen under changing loads. The origins of the functional properties which allow them to do this will be explored, providing the possibility of developing materials which mimic this behaviour.
Engineering a physiologically-relevant blood vessel in vitro . The project will develop an in vitro blood vessel model which will mimic arterial conditions by incorporating vascular cells and silk conduits as scaffolds, for the first time. This approach will overcome the limitations of simplistic 2D cell cultures, the long maturation times of fully tissue-engineered vessels, and resource intensive animal models. The innovative bioengineered construct proposed builds on the CI’s significant advan ....Engineering a physiologically-relevant blood vessel in vitro . The project will develop an in vitro blood vessel model which will mimic arterial conditions by incorporating vascular cells and silk conduits as scaffolds, for the first time. This approach will overcome the limitations of simplistic 2D cell cultures, the long maturation times of fully tissue-engineered vessels, and resource intensive animal models. The innovative bioengineered construct proposed builds on the CI’s significant advances in materials and surface engineering and the Partner Organisation’s (Codex Research) new bioreactor platform. It will offer a solution for modelling of native vessel processes in vitro that would be more appropriate for pre-clinical drug and device development, and in the long-term, tissue replacement.Read moreRead less
In-situ biofunctionalisation for additive manufacturing. Additive manufacturing that incorporates printing of live cells can create hierarchical, multi-component structures that mimic biology. However, an ability to include spatially segregated biological cues is currently lacking. This project will develop plasma pen modules to selectively functionalise surfaces and interfaces, as they are being printed, with robustly immobilised hydrogels and biological signalling molecules to direct cell beha ....In-situ biofunctionalisation for additive manufacturing. Additive manufacturing that incorporates printing of live cells can create hierarchical, multi-component structures that mimic biology. However, an ability to include spatially segregated biological cues is currently lacking. This project will develop plasma pen modules to selectively functionalise surfaces and interfaces, as they are being printed, with robustly immobilised hydrogels and biological signalling molecules to direct cell behaviour. The expected outcome is a green technology enabling the fabrication of structures that replicate the native environments of cells in the body to provide optimal efficacy in drug discovery and regenerative medicine, and significant benefits for the Australian biomedical sector.Read moreRead less
A new dimension of functionality for high surface-area-to volume materials. This project aims to develop processes that can successfully functionalise the inner surfaces of high surface area to volume structures with interconnected porosity. These structures underpin many processes in modern manufacturing. Examples include columns and fluidised beds for purification, materials for energy storage and conversion, biomedical scaffolds and structures for high sensitivity sensing. The efficacy of the ....A new dimension of functionality for high surface-area-to volume materials. This project aims to develop processes that can successfully functionalise the inner surfaces of high surface area to volume structures with interconnected porosity. These structures underpin many processes in modern manufacturing. Examples include columns and fluidised beds for purification, materials for energy storage and conversion, biomedical scaffolds and structures for high sensitivity sensing. The efficacy of these materials is strongly affected by the condition of the surfaces, but modifying the surfaces of internal pores deep within such structures presents major challenges. This project will provide environmental friendly, dry plasma processes to tailor surface functionality, improving the efficacy of existing processes and opening up new far reaching applications for such materials.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE150100001
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$410,000.00
Summary
Collaborative advanced spectroscopy facility for materials and devices. Collaborative advanced spectroscopy facility for materials and devices: This project aims to enable advancements in electronics, photonics, biomedicine, and sensing through a collaborative, open access facility for advanced optical and chemical spectroscopy of thin films, materials, and devices. The intended capabilities include high-speed, precise and state-of-the-art spectroscopy tools which enable in situ characterisation ....Collaborative advanced spectroscopy facility for materials and devices. Collaborative advanced spectroscopy facility for materials and devices: This project aims to enable advancements in electronics, photonics, biomedicine, and sensing through a collaborative, open access facility for advanced optical and chemical spectroscopy of thin films, materials, and devices. The intended capabilities include high-speed, precise and state-of-the-art spectroscopy tools which enable in situ characterisation at sub-micron scales and cryogenic temperatures, under bio-simulated environments, down to single pixel resolution, with parallel imaging and spectroscopy, and of fluids and biomaterials. The instrumentation will include cryogenic sub-micron photoluminescence and micro-Raman spectroscopy, single pixel optical and dark field spectroscopy, continuous wave terahertz time-domain spectroscopy, wide wavelength microscopic spectroscopy, and temperature-jump kinetics spectroscopy. It is expected that these complementary instruments will accelerate research in materials and devices for plasmonics, nanoelectronics, biomedicine, biochemistry, security, and forensic science.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE110100170
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$200,000.00
Summary
A tuneable femtosecond light source for materials and biological sciences. Researchers at The Australian National University, Monash University and The University of Technology, Sydney are involved in a range of projects where new molecules are synthesised or discovered in nature. Molecules like these have applications in new photonics or energy technologies. This integrated facility will afford intense light of varying pulse durations to investigate the behaviour and performance of such molecul ....A tuneable femtosecond light source for materials and biological sciences. Researchers at The Australian National University, Monash University and The University of Technology, Sydney are involved in a range of projects where new molecules are synthesised or discovered in nature. Molecules like these have applications in new photonics or energy technologies. This integrated facility will afford intense light of varying pulse durations to investigate the behaviour and performance of such molecules.Read moreRead less