Nanostructured Carbon Electrodes. The development of higher capacity energy storage devices is critical to the efficient use of energy. The fundamental knowledge gained in this project will enable the production of the next generation advanced electrode materials for this purpose and hence provide many new commercial opportunities for Australian industry. The project brings together world leaders in their own fields to address a highly multidisciplinary area of research and will provide an excel ....Nanostructured Carbon Electrodes. The development of higher capacity energy storage devices is critical to the efficient use of energy. The fundamental knowledge gained in this project will enable the production of the next generation advanced electrode materials for this purpose and hence provide many new commercial opportunities for Australian industry. The project brings together world leaders in their own fields to address a highly multidisciplinary area of research and will provide an excellent training for PhD students and post doctoral Research Fellows, enabling them to work in and contribute to the development of new nanotechnology industries in Australia.Read moreRead less
Novel 3D Carbon Architectures for Fuel Cell Applications. The implementation of clean energy technologies has clear economic, environmental and social benefits for Australia, its industries and population. This project has the potential to make a significant impact on fuel cell research as an alternative means of energy production. We aim to remove some of the technical and economic barriers through product and process innovation at the nanoscale. Building on a strong track record in advanced ma ....Novel 3D Carbon Architectures for Fuel Cell Applications. The implementation of clean energy technologies has clear economic, environmental and social benefits for Australia, its industries and population. This project has the potential to make a significant impact on fuel cell research as an alternative means of energy production. We aim to remove some of the technical and economic barriers through product and process innovation at the nanoscale. Building on a strong track record in advanced materials research, this project investigates the integration of novel carbon nanostructures with extraordinary properties to produce high performance electrodes, that should lead to significant improvement in fuel cell performance.Read moreRead less
Development of Carbon Nanotube Nanothermometers and Their Application for Temperature Measurement in the Catalytic Layers of Fuel Cells. The project encompasses cutting-edge work in nanotechnology and advanced materials, covering aspects of carbon nanotubes and their applications, along with fuel cell technology. It will provide unique insights into the phenomena of the nanoworld, including manipulation of nanotubes, and nanoscale oxidation behaviour and temperature measurement. The scientific a ....Development of Carbon Nanotube Nanothermometers and Their Application for Temperature Measurement in the Catalytic Layers of Fuel Cells. The project encompasses cutting-edge work in nanotechnology and advanced materials, covering aspects of carbon nanotubes and their applications, along with fuel cell technology. It will provide unique insights into the phenomena of the nanoworld, including manipulation of nanotubes, and nanoscale oxidation behaviour and temperature measurement. The scientific and engineering understanding acquired through this project is vital for solving the problems that limit the wide application of fuel cells. Ultimately, full commercialisation of fuel cells will provide significant environmental benefits by increasing the use of renewable energy sources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.Read moreRead less
Improvement of critical current density in MgB2 wires and tapes and Y-Ba-Cu-O coated conductors. The technology of superconducting wires and tapes has emerged as one of the most important basic engineering technologies, which can create technical innovation and improvement in the quality of life in the fields of electric power, energy, machinery, transportation and the environment in the 21st century. The aim of the proposed program is to develop magnesium diboride superconductor and YBCO coated ....Improvement of critical current density in MgB2 wires and tapes and Y-Ba-Cu-O coated conductors. The technology of superconducting wires and tapes has emerged as one of the most important basic engineering technologies, which can create technical innovation and improvement in the quality of life in the fields of electric power, energy, machinery, transportation and the environment in the 21st century. The aim of the proposed program is to develop magnesium diboride superconductor and YBCO coated conductors by using novel nano-precursor powders. Superconducting tapes doped with nano-sized powders are expected to show enhancement in flux pinning properties. The expected outcome is the capability to produce a new generation of superconductors having high performance at low cost.Read moreRead less
Ultrahigh resolution crystallography and ultrafast laser spectroscopy to uncover the evolution and mechanisms of a unique algal light harvesting system. The results of our research will provide the first comprehensive understanding of a biological light harvesting system at high temporal, energetic and spatial resolution. This will allow us to understand how nature has evolved highly efficient strategies for trapping light. The benefits of this work include spawning ideas as to how to improve ....Ultrahigh resolution crystallography and ultrafast laser spectroscopy to uncover the evolution and mechanisms of a unique algal light harvesting system. The results of our research will provide the first comprehensive understanding of a biological light harvesting system at high temporal, energetic and spatial resolution. This will allow us to understand how nature has evolved highly efficient strategies for trapping light. The benefits of this work include spawning ideas as to how to improve current technologies for enhancing optoelectronic devices and solar collectors. Protein systems are by nature nanotechnology. The understanding gained through probing a natural nanosystem will enhance our understanding of how human designed nanophotonic systems will behave. Read moreRead less
Functional Dissection of the Bacterial Replisome. We now have the complete sequences of genes in humans and many other organisms, but we know much less about how the protein products of the genes communicate with each other to create and grow cells. Australia has recently invested heavily in state-of-the-art instruments that can be used to tackle these problems. This project will involve close interaction of four laboratories to use new instruments to determine how a large assembly of proteins i ....Functional Dissection of the Bacterial Replisome. We now have the complete sequences of genes in humans and many other organisms, but we know much less about how the protein products of the genes communicate with each other to create and grow cells. Australia has recently invested heavily in state-of-the-art instruments that can be used to tackle these problems. This project will involve close interaction of four laboratories to use new instruments to determine how a large assembly of proteins interact in a biological machine that makes DNA. This process occurs in similar ways in all organisms, and is essential for life. Understanding how DNA is made will help scientists to develop new antibacterial drugs, and learn how to make practical use of molecular machines that imitate biology.Read moreRead less
THE BIOLOGY OF COLD ADAPTED EXTREMOPHILES: AN INTEGRATED GENOMIC-PROTEIN ANALYSIS APPROACH. Extremophiles are microorganisms that can thrive in otherwise inhospitable environments. Most extremophiles are Archaea; an order of life separate from Bacteria and Eucaryotes. The project will generate the first genome sequence that was initiated in Australia, and the first genome sequence of any cold adapted organism. Associated functional studies include global analyses of protein expression (proteo ....THE BIOLOGY OF COLD ADAPTED EXTREMOPHILES: AN INTEGRATED GENOMIC-PROTEIN ANALYSIS APPROACH. Extremophiles are microorganisms that can thrive in otherwise inhospitable environments. Most extremophiles are Archaea; an order of life separate from Bacteria and Eucaryotes. The project will generate the first genome sequence that was initiated in Australia, and the first genome sequence of any cold adapted organism. Associated functional studies include global analyses of protein expression (proteomics) and mRNA expression using micro-arrays, and work targeted at RNA binding proteins and protein folding systems involved in the thermally sensitive process of protein synthesis. The nature and scope of the work will impact on fundamental cellular processes and provide enormous innovative biotechnological potential.Read moreRead less
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of complex cellular responses: isotopomer sub-spaces, 'lost' ATP and 'tunable' anisotropy. Red blood cells (RBCs) transport oxygen around the body but they have other roles that are mediated by complex interconnecting metabolic pathways that generate myriad metabolites including ATP. A longstanding conundrum is the inability to account for ~60% of ATP turnover in human RBCs. Processes that may consume this 'lost' ATP, include autonomous motion of the cel ....Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of complex cellular responses: isotopomer sub-spaces, 'lost' ATP and 'tunable' anisotropy. Red blood cells (RBCs) transport oxygen around the body but they have other roles that are mediated by complex interconnecting metabolic pathways that generate myriad metabolites including ATP. A longstanding conundrum is the inability to account for ~60% of ATP turnover in human RBCs. Processes that may consume this 'lost' ATP, include autonomous motion of the cell membrane called 'flickering', and maintenance of the biconcave-disc shape. NMR spectroscopy of quadrupolar nuclei in chiral aligned media, and isotopomer analysis will be used to define the kinetics of metabolism and membrane processes and thus help define the molecular basis of major blood disorders. Read moreRead less
NMR Spectroscopy of Complex Cellular Processes. The Theme is the cell viewed as a complex regulated molecular assembly. The Aim is to establish an integrated mathematical model of red cell metabolism, membrane transport, shape, and mechanical properties, principally by using NMR spectroscopy. The Significance will be discovery of new aspects of cellular structure and function, and new NMR theory for molecular bioscience. Outcomes will include new NMR measurements of kinetics of metabolic reactio ....NMR Spectroscopy of Complex Cellular Processes. The Theme is the cell viewed as a complex regulated molecular assembly. The Aim is to establish an integrated mathematical model of red cell metabolism, membrane transport, shape, and mechanical properties, principally by using NMR spectroscopy. The Significance will be discovery of new aspects of cellular structure and function, and new NMR theory for molecular bioscience. Outcomes will include new NMR measurements of kinetics of metabolic reactions, rates of membrane transport, solute diffusion, and functions of key membrane- and cytoskeletal proteins. Practical applications will include strategies for modelling complex biochemical systems, and circumventing metabolic defects arising from inheritance, the environment, and therapies.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100010
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$720,000.00
Summary
A 5-D Correlative Imaging Platform: Combining the strengths of light and electron microscopy. This will be Australia's first dedicated five-dimensional multiphoton-microscopy platform, allowing observation of dynamic structures across different length and time scales under controlled temperatures, followed by high-resolution electron microscopy studies on the same samples. This platform will provide a unique characterisation tool to Australia's top-flight investigators, and so contribute to the ....A 5-D Correlative Imaging Platform: Combining the strengths of light and electron microscopy. This will be Australia's first dedicated five-dimensional multiphoton-microscopy platform, allowing observation of dynamic structures across different length and time scales under controlled temperatures, followed by high-resolution electron microscopy studies on the same samples. This platform will provide a unique characterisation tool to Australia's top-flight investigators, and so contribute to the nation's research priorities. It will enable: fundamental studies of cancer, neural diseases and immune disorders; the development of frontier technologies, such as smart nanomaterials, biosensors and targeted drug delivery; and applied research to help plants and soils adapt to climate variability, and to increase sustainable use of water.Read moreRead less