Combining the soft with the hard: The assembly of artificial cell membranes on porous semiconductors. The platform technologies developed in this project will have a wide range of applications. They will reveal new insights into drug-membrane and drug-protein interactions underpinning development of a new generation of drugs acting on transmembrane proteins that are linked to a wide range of diseases. The development of membrane-based biosensing devices targeting ion channels, membrane active pe ....Combining the soft with the hard: The assembly of artificial cell membranes on porous semiconductors. The platform technologies developed in this project will have a wide range of applications. They will reveal new insights into drug-membrane and drug-protein interactions underpinning development of a new generation of drugs acting on transmembrane proteins that are linked to a wide range of diseases. The development of membrane-based biosensing devices targeting ion channels, membrane active peptides or toxins which can be applied to biomedical diagnostics, biotoxin detection, environmental and food control will be readily achievable. This international interdisciplinary nanobiotechnology programme and its outcomes will enhance Australia's abilities in frontier technologies and build research strength in nanobiotechnology.Read moreRead less
New directions to miniaturized power sources: Integrated all-solid-state rechargeable batteries. This project will lead to the development of safe integrated all-solid-state miniaturized lithium ion batteries for small autonomous devices, such as implantable medical devices, hearing aids, small autonomous devices with sensing and actuation, and for communications and rapid chemical/biological analysis. This will make a significant contribution to the nation in the areas of science, technology, h ....New directions to miniaturized power sources: Integrated all-solid-state rechargeable batteries. This project will lead to the development of safe integrated all-solid-state miniaturized lithium ion batteries for small autonomous devices, such as implantable medical devices, hearing aids, small autonomous devices with sensing and actuation, and for communications and rapid chemical/biological analysis. This will make a significant contribution to the nation in the areas of science, technology, health, and the economy. The development of new scientific knowledge related to this project will place Australia at the forefront of an emerging domain of research. The project will also provide excellent training for postgraduate students and young researchers to develop their skills in chemistry, materials science, and battery technology.Read moreRead less
Failure modes in ceramic-based layer structures: Relevance to failure of dental crowns. With the aging of our population, issues concerning the lifetime of biological system are paramount to the quality of life and economic well being of our society. This project is closely linked to the development of prosthetic materials and structures that will improve performance and life of biomechanical devices, by providing better understanding to the mechanics of failure and failure origins of ceramic-ba ....Failure modes in ceramic-based layer structures: Relevance to failure of dental crowns. With the aging of our population, issues concerning the lifetime of biological system are paramount to the quality of life and economic well being of our society. This project is closely linked to the development of prosthetic materials and structures that will improve performance and life of biomechanical devices, by providing better understanding to the mechanics of failure and failure origins of ceramic-based dental crowns and restorations, and to develop materials that will withstand exacting conditions - in body fluids - over extended lifetimes. Crown replacement is by far the most widespread of all prosthetic procedures. This project promises to help bridge the gap between physical and medical science in Australia. Read moreRead less
Surface engineering of biomaterials for optimal bone bonding characteristics. The ideal bone-implant material is hydroxyapatite. Chemically similar to bone mineral, hydroxyapatite is capable of inducing bone ongrowth. An ideal surface coating for metal hip implants, plasma spraying has been the preferred commercial hydroxyapatite coating technique. Until recently, it was always presumed that the bioactivity of hydroxyapatite resulted from its surface chemistry. However, a recent study has shown ....Surface engineering of biomaterials for optimal bone bonding characteristics. The ideal bone-implant material is hydroxyapatite. Chemically similar to bone mineral, hydroxyapatite is capable of inducing bone ongrowth. An ideal surface coating for metal hip implants, plasma spraying has been the preferred commercial hydroxyapatite coating technique. Until recently, it was always presumed that the bioactivity of hydroxyapatite resulted from its surface chemistry. However, a recent study has shown that the bioactivity of HAp coatings strongly correlates with surface roughness on the scale of bone cells. This project will explore cell-attachment behaviour for hydroxyapatite coatings prepared by plasma spraying compared with engineered surface morphology/chemistry by microlithography and vapour coating.Read moreRead less
Functionally graded fibre-polymer composites: a novel material for spinal disk prostheses. Chronic back pain affects a significant proportion of the population and is primarily caused by failure of the spinal disk. A strong social/economic imperative exists to develop engineering solutions to this problem. This project concerns the development of a novel fibre-polymer functionally graded composite material that mimics the structure of the spinal disk. The spinal disk comprises a soft core (nucle ....Functionally graded fibre-polymer composites: a novel material for spinal disk prostheses. Chronic back pain affects a significant proportion of the population and is primarily caused by failure of the spinal disk. A strong social/economic imperative exists to develop engineering solutions to this problem. This project concerns the development of a novel fibre-polymer functionally graded composite material that mimics the structure of the spinal disk. The spinal disk comprises a soft core (nucleus) and a tough fibrous periphery (annulus). The graded composite approach of this proposal represents a significant advance over spinal fusion, and over the alternative spinal disk protheses in clinical use or in the patent literature.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE140100012
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$890,000.00
Summary
Dual Column-Focused Ion Beam/Scanning Electron Microscope facility for Queensland. Dual column focused ion beam/scanning electron microscope facility: This facility will precisely cut specimens and surfaces that can be imaged in a variety of ways, including crystallographic and elemental space, of particular use for physical scientists, as well as biological specimens. This instrument will provide information at resolutions between optical and transmission electron microscopy, images that will ....Dual Column-Focused Ion Beam/Scanning Electron Microscope facility for Queensland. Dual column focused ion beam/scanning electron microscope facility: This facility will precisely cut specimens and surfaces that can be imaged in a variety of ways, including crystallographic and elemental space, of particular use for physical scientists, as well as biological specimens. This instrument will provide information at resolutions between optical and transmission electron microscopy, images that will effectively provide the biologist with the ability to develop the complete correlative picture of organelles and cells. The instrument will also provide a much needed resource for researchers across disciplines such as physics, chemistry, biology, geology and engineering.Read moreRead less
Nanoporous siloxane membranes for ultrasound mediated ophthalmic drug delivery. This project will develop tailored polymers for use in a novel non-invasive ocular drug delivery device which treats vision threatening conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The outcomes of this project will enable an entirely new ocular drug delivery technology, thereby delivering significant benefit to ophthalmic healthcare.
Fabrication of High Performance Nanocomposite Photoanodes with Built-in Electron Transport Superhighway for Photoelectrocatalysis Applications. Worldwide, huge fresh water shortage problems force us to recycle/reuse water. For Australia, this is an urgent issue due to our limited fresh water resources. In recent years, rapidly diminishing fossil fuel supplies and dramatically accelerated global warming gives society no alternative but adopt renewable, clean energies. Globally, there is a united ....Fabrication of High Performance Nanocomposite Photoanodes with Built-in Electron Transport Superhighway for Photoelectrocatalysis Applications. Worldwide, huge fresh water shortage problems force us to recycle/reuse water. For Australia, this is an urgent issue due to our limited fresh water resources. In recent years, rapidly diminishing fossil fuel supplies and dramatically accelerated global warming gives society no alternative but adopt renewable, clean energies. Globally, there is a united front calling for action to address these problems. However, a practical solution to the issues can only be found when economically viable alternative technologies are developed. This project aims to tackle the biggest obstacle - the low sunlight conversion efficiency. The success of the project will result in economically viable water treatment and solar energy conversion technologies. Read moreRead less
Development of a photoelectrochemical system based on Titanium dioxide nanotubes/boron doped diamond heterojunction for online water quality monitoring. The reuse of purified recycled wastewater (PRW) creates an additional water supply source and improves the sustainability of the overall water resources. This calls for online water quality monitoring systems to prevent potential water quality risk from organic contaminants in PRW and enable industries and government bodies to monitor and manage ....Development of a photoelectrochemical system based on Titanium dioxide nanotubes/boron doped diamond heterojunction for online water quality monitoring. The reuse of purified recycled wastewater (PRW) creates an additional water supply source and improves the sustainability of the overall water resources. This calls for online water quality monitoring systems to prevent potential water quality risk from organic contaminants in PRW and enable industries and government bodies to monitor and manage our water resources effectively. The success of the project would lead to a robust and reliable environmental monitoring system capable of online, real-time monitoring of organic pollutants and toxins, which will transform the existing water quality monitoring technology and directly benefit water resource management practice in Australia.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100311
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Multidirectional stretchable and wearable tactile sensors. This project aims to establish a new platform for multidirectional wearable tactile sensors with high sensitivity and stretchability based on rational material designs and structural engineering. Wearable tactile sensors with multidirectional force-sensing capabilities are of great importance in robotics, prosthetics, and rehabilitation devices. This novel form of tactile sensing will be developed through fundamental research into the wo ....Multidirectional stretchable and wearable tactile sensors. This project aims to establish a new platform for multidirectional wearable tactile sensors with high sensitivity and stretchability based on rational material designs and structural engineering. Wearable tactile sensors with multidirectional force-sensing capabilities are of great importance in robotics, prosthetics, and rehabilitation devices. This novel form of tactile sensing will be developed through fundamental research into the working mechanism of directional sensors to enable detection of different force intensities. Combined with new device fabrication techniques, and innovative material structural engineering, the expected outcome is a new multidirectional tactile sensor system with high sensitivity and stretchability.Read moreRead less