Microstructural-Functional Effect of Silver Diammine Fluoride on Apatites. This project aims to develop a fundamental understanding at the nanostructural level of the factors that contribute to the enhanced mineralisation and mechanical properties of dentine and enamel following the treatment with silver diammine fluoride (SDF). A variety of advanced nanomechanical, tomographic and microscopic techniques will be used to characterise sound, carious and SDF treated tissue. The new biomechanical ev ....Microstructural-Functional Effect of Silver Diammine Fluoride on Apatites. This project aims to develop a fundamental understanding at the nanostructural level of the factors that contribute to the enhanced mineralisation and mechanical properties of dentine and enamel following the treatment with silver diammine fluoride (SDF). A variety of advanced nanomechanical, tomographic and microscopic techniques will be used to characterise sound, carious and SDF treated tissue. The new biomechanical evidence on the underlying mechanisms, alternative protocols, delivery systems enable to optimise the treatment. The scientific insights into arresting/repairing damage processes will provide critical data for developing minimal intervention protocols for pediatric and geriatric populations.Read moreRead less
Multiscale modelling and nondeterministic optimisation for reliable stents. This project aims to study modelling and optimisation for a more reliable design of intravascular stents. Intravascular stents are a class of lifelong micro-devices to support blood vessel for restoring circulation. Despite its remarkable initial outcome, the high rate of long-term mechanical failure remains a major concern. This project will tackle plasticity, fatigue damage and fracture across different length scales. ....Multiscale modelling and nondeterministic optimisation for reliable stents. This project aims to study modelling and optimisation for a more reliable design of intravascular stents. Intravascular stents are a class of lifelong micro-devices to support blood vessel for restoring circulation. Despite its remarkable initial outcome, the high rate of long-term mechanical failure remains a major concern. This project will tackle plasticity, fatigue damage and fracture across different length scales. The proposed optimisation is expected to minimise failure, thereby enhancing the longevity and reliability of stent therapy. This will have significant benefits, such as accommodating variations in stents and service conditions for achieving a long-lasting and reliable therapeutical outcome.Read moreRead less
Multiscale Study on Biomechanical Roles of Soft Tissue on Bone Remodelling. The project aims to increase our knowledge of the processes of bone remodelling and the role of soft tissue in this process. Mechanical force is a key stimulus for regulating bone remodelling. A significant question in biomechanics is why orthodontics only use very small forces (1 Newton) to generate significant oral bone remodelling, whereas prosthodontics that apply three orders of magnitude higher forces (~1000 Newton ....Multiscale Study on Biomechanical Roles of Soft Tissue on Bone Remodelling. The project aims to increase our knowledge of the processes of bone remodelling and the role of soft tissue in this process. Mechanical force is a key stimulus for regulating bone remodelling. A significant question in biomechanics is why orthodontics only use very small forces (1 Newton) to generate significant oral bone remodelling, whereas prosthodontics that apply three orders of magnitude higher forces (~1000 Newton) do not move dental implants. This project aims to develop new multiscale modelling and remodelling techniques in computational mechanics to explore the roles played by connective soft tissue in bone adaptation. Expected project outcomes would increase our understanding in biomechanics and affect health care disciplines such as orthodontics, prosthodontics and orthopaedics.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160101308
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
An in vitro model of biomaterial-induced thrombosis. This project intends to use bioengineering strategies to develop new methods to understand material interactions with proteins and cells. The project plans to develop microfluidic channels to contain test materials and immobilise a key enzyme associated with thrombosis by plasma immersion ion implantation. This knowledge may increase our understanding of material-biomolecule interactions and have implications for manipulating biological foulin ....An in vitro model of biomaterial-induced thrombosis. This project intends to use bioengineering strategies to develop new methods to understand material interactions with proteins and cells. The project plans to develop microfluidic channels to contain test materials and immobilise a key enzyme associated with thrombosis by plasma immersion ion implantation. This knowledge may increase our understanding of material-biomolecule interactions and have implications for manipulating biological fouling across multiple fields.Read moreRead less
Ultra-low fouling active surfaces. This project aims to develop chemistries and fabrication approaches through innovative materials evaluation to develop ultra-low fouling active electrode surfaces. Development of ultra-low fouling surfaces will have significant impact in a range of applications where system or device failure is attributed to fouling. The growing field of bionics, where implantable electronic devices interface directly with the nervous system, is one such device. The expected ou ....Ultra-low fouling active surfaces. This project aims to develop chemistries and fabrication approaches through innovative materials evaluation to develop ultra-low fouling active electrode surfaces. Development of ultra-low fouling surfaces will have significant impact in a range of applications where system or device failure is attributed to fouling. The growing field of bionics, where implantable electronic devices interface directly with the nervous system, is one such device. The expected outcomes will be an understanding of the material requirements that lead to the elimination of protein and cell accumulation at surfaces that degrades the performance and lifetime of these implants. The findings will benefit any application where fouling is a problem.Read moreRead less
Miniaturised biosensors with high selectivity . This project aims to develop a technological platform for the fabrication of miniaturised and flexible sensors that enable the quantitative detection of important bioactive compounds such as fatty acids and biogenic amines. By utilising multi-enzymatic reactions in solid phase and engineering task-specific inks, chemiresistive sensors will be printed seamlessly as a whole. The sensors will respond to complex target biomolecules via a series of enzy ....Miniaturised biosensors with high selectivity . This project aims to develop a technological platform for the fabrication of miniaturised and flexible sensors that enable the quantitative detection of important bioactive compounds such as fatty acids and biogenic amines. By utilising multi-enzymatic reactions in solid phase and engineering task-specific inks, chemiresistive sensors will be printed seamlessly as a whole. The sensors will respond to complex target biomolecules via a series of enzymatic reactions through which the analyte will convert to much simpler, reactive and hence measurable molecules. This project will enable to design miniaturised sensors for point-of-care detection of biomolecules that cannot be yet evaluated by the end users.Read moreRead less
Design of Tough, Durable and Corrosion-resistant Coatings. Coatings are frequently applied to components operating in harsh environments to enhance durability. Often such coatings exhibit low toughness and poor corrosion resistance that leads to premature failure. The aim of this project is to design, characterise and test innovative coatings that exhibit unique architectures based on natural materials such as teeth and nacre. It is envisaged that these coatings will be hard, tough and durable i ....Design of Tough, Durable and Corrosion-resistant Coatings. Coatings are frequently applied to components operating in harsh environments to enhance durability. Often such coatings exhibit low toughness and poor corrosion resistance that leads to premature failure. The aim of this project is to design, characterise and test innovative coatings that exhibit unique architectures based on natural materials such as teeth and nacre. It is envisaged that these coatings will be hard, tough and durable in hostile, corrosive environments, and will thus, transform industries such as manufacturing, mining and offshore oil exploration as well as enhance the lifetime of prosthetic devices.Read moreRead less
Micro-electrofluidic platforms for monitoring 3D human biological models. The ability to study living cells and human biological models (cell cultures) delivers greater understanding of basic biological function and response to applied (bio)chemical stimuli. Creating the physical environments to sustain biological models, and mimic natural conditions and fluidic pathways, is immensely challenging, yet essential to deliver meaningful observational data. This project will deliver this capability t ....Micro-electrofluidic platforms for monitoring 3D human biological models. The ability to study living cells and human biological models (cell cultures) delivers greater understanding of basic biological function and response to applied (bio)chemical stimuli. Creating the physical environments to sustain biological models, and mimic natural conditions and fluidic pathways, is immensely challenging, yet essential to deliver meaningful observational data. This project will deliver this capability through the convergence of expertise and innovation in analytical chemistry, materials science and cellular biology, ultilising the latest technology and understanding of 3D micro/electrofluidics, to enable the study and stimulation of advanced biological models, sustained within precisely controlled 3D micro-environments.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100662
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$453,000.00
Summary
Engineering interfaces to enable a new generation of hybrid materials. Hybrid combinations of hydrogel and solid materials allow a high level of functionality for devices such as tissue-engineering scaffolds and soft machines. However, the weak bonding between hydrogels and solids severely hampers their function. This project aims to develop versatile plasma processes that facilitate strong interfaces between hydrogels of choice and solid materials of all kinds. The expected outcome is a green p ....Engineering interfaces to enable a new generation of hybrid materials. Hybrid combinations of hydrogel and solid materials allow a high level of functionality for devices such as tissue-engineering scaffolds and soft machines. However, the weak bonding between hydrogels and solids severely hampers their function. This project aims to develop versatile plasma processes that facilitate strong interfaces between hydrogels of choice and solid materials of all kinds. The expected outcome is a green platform technology for the modular construction of advanced solid-hydrogel hybrids with tailor-made functions; enabling critical advances in the design and synthesis of structured soft matter devices. The project offers significant benefits for Australian high-tech manufacturing industries from health to electronics.Read moreRead less
Novel biomimetic vascular biomaterials using extracellular matrix molecules. There is currently a pressing, unmet need for biodegradable, functional biomaterials that support endothelial cell interactions and vascular regeneration. Lack of sufficient vascular regeneration is the biggest obstacle in translating advances in biomaterials development to clinical, diagnostic and research applications. This project aims to address this need by developing novel biomaterial platforms that mimic the extr ....Novel biomimetic vascular biomaterials using extracellular matrix molecules. There is currently a pressing, unmet need for biodegradable, functional biomaterials that support endothelial cell interactions and vascular regeneration. Lack of sufficient vascular regeneration is the biggest obstacle in translating advances in biomaterials development to clinical, diagnostic and research applications. This project aims to address this need by developing novel biomaterial platforms that mimic the extracellular matrix of the vascular niche. We plan to utilise unique extracellular matrix domains and bioprinting techniques to control and guide endothelial cell functions. We could thus contribute to the knowledge base in vascular biology and bioengineering, forming the basis for vascular materials of the future.Read moreRead less