Magnetofluidic sample handling for enhanced point-of-care diagnosis. This project aims to decipher the mechanism behind recent discovery on the enhancement of mixing and separation with magnetism and to apply it to the rapid and early detection of malaria and cancer. This mechanism provides novel and unique fluid handling capabilities, which allow the development of revolutionary point-of-care diagnostic approaches that integrate magnetic mixing, separation and detection on a single device. The ....Magnetofluidic sample handling for enhanced point-of-care diagnosis. This project aims to decipher the mechanism behind recent discovery on the enhancement of mixing and separation with magnetism and to apply it to the rapid and early detection of malaria and cancer. This mechanism provides novel and unique fluid handling capabilities, which allow the development of revolutionary point-of-care diagnostic approaches that integrate magnetic mixing, separation and detection on a single device. The outcomes of this project are instrumental for the reduction of healthcare cost, promoting good health for Australian and potentially creating new jobs in the niche biomedical industry.Read moreRead less
Nanoarchitectured multifunctional porous superparamagnetic nanoparticles. This project aims to develop a method for the direct detection of biomarkers based on a new class of highly porous superparamagnetic nanoparticles with peroxidase-like activity. The particles will be used as dispersible capture agents for isolating specific targets in biological samples, and electrocatalytic nanozymes for naked-eye evaluation and electrochemical detection. The project is expected to develop simple, low-cos ....Nanoarchitectured multifunctional porous superparamagnetic nanoparticles. This project aims to develop a method for the direct detection of biomarkers based on a new class of highly porous superparamagnetic nanoparticles with peroxidase-like activity. The particles will be used as dispersible capture agents for isolating specific targets in biological samples, and electrocatalytic nanozymes for naked-eye evaluation and electrochemical detection. The project is expected to develop simple, low-cost, portable devices for the analysis of exosomes and exosomal miRNA in biological samples. The future development of this technology into diagnostic devices will improve patient outcomes by enabling earlier disease diagnosis and improved monitoring of treatment.Read moreRead less
Individually addressable, active, multipoint electrodes for bio-potential recording and electrical impedance imaging. We will develop non-invasive devices based on biosignal and impedance monitoring. They will be highly portable and based on comfortable electrode patches that can be applied quickly in emergencies. The technology may be used to save lives and reduce disabilities by monitoring strokes and heart attacks and stimulate Australia's biomedical industry.
New entropy measures of short term signals for smart wearable devices. This project aims to improve reliability and accuracy of wearable devices by developing a new set of computationally efficient algorithms. Wearable devices can be very effective in remote and continuous monitoring to detect short or bursty anomalous events. Present devices are unable to detect such events effectively due to limited capability in processing short length signal. This project will provide computationally efficie ....New entropy measures of short term signals for smart wearable devices. This project aims to improve reliability and accuracy of wearable devices by developing a new set of computationally efficient algorithms. Wearable devices can be very effective in remote and continuous monitoring to detect short or bursty anomalous events. Present devices are unable to detect such events effectively due to limited capability in processing short length signal. This project will provide computationally efficient algorithms for signal quality analysis and enhanced feature extraction methods in resource constrained wearable devices. This will improve the reliability and performance of wearable devices for adoption in intelligent decision-making systems.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
Quantum enhancement of long baseline gravitational wave detectors. This project will design and construct a quantum optical system which when used in future long baseline gravitational wave detectors will enhance sensitivity across their detection frequency band, from 10 Hz to 10 kHz. This project will use this system on small scale optical sensors to prove the concept. In so doing, it will use squeezing to reduce quantum radiation pressure noise for the first time. This system will then be read ....Quantum enhancement of long baseline gravitational wave detectors. This project will design and construct a quantum optical system which when used in future long baseline gravitational wave detectors will enhance sensitivity across their detection frequency band, from 10 Hz to 10 kHz. This project will use this system on small scale optical sensors to prove the concept. In so doing, it will use squeezing to reduce quantum radiation pressure noise for the first time. This system will then be ready for deployment on an early upgrade of Advanced LIGO increasing the science output of this detector, turning gravitational wave detection into gravitational wave astronomy.Read moreRead less
Beyond the diffraction limit: sub-diffraction T-ray biochip sensing using planar metamaterials. T-rays are able to detect small changes in molecular structure and different isomeric and intermolecular configurations. With a comparatively long wavelength (0.3 mm at 1 THz), diffraction limits its use for imaging small biosamples. A method for achieving sub-diffraction sensing, required for biochips, is to adopt near-field techniques. However, due to the small biosample masses, there is a critical ....Beyond the diffraction limit: sub-diffraction T-ray biochip sensing using planar metamaterials. T-rays are able to detect small changes in molecular structure and different isomeric and intermolecular configurations. With a comparatively long wavelength (0.3 mm at 1 THz), diffraction limits its use for imaging small biosamples. A method for achieving sub-diffraction sensing, required for biochips, is to adopt near-field techniques. However, due to the small biosample masses, there is a critical need to enhance the response. This project will investigate a planar metamaterial thin-film T-ray sensor, for a new leap in non-invasive biochip sensing. This outcome will build downstream IP for rapid screening of DNA and proteins for healthcare. The project will also elucidate the science of T-ray interaction with biomaterials at small scales.Read moreRead less
Engineering the Next Generation of Terahertz Laser Imaging Systems. This project aims to develop terahertz imaging systems based on quantum cascade lasers suitable for characterisation of skin, with major implications for early skin cancer detection. Despite advances in treatment regimes, the most significant predictor of skin cancer survivability remains early detection. The project’s approach uses the semiconductor laser in the optical-feedback interferometer configuration, and is designed to ....Engineering the Next Generation of Terahertz Laser Imaging Systems. This project aims to develop terahertz imaging systems based on quantum cascade lasers suitable for characterisation of skin, with major implications for early skin cancer detection. Despite advances in treatment regimes, the most significant predictor of skin cancer survivability remains early detection. The project’s approach uses the semiconductor laser in the optical-feedback interferometer configuration, and is designed to afford significant advantages over conventional terahertz imaging platforms. The project plans to explore new semiconductor physics of a quantum cascade laser under optical feedback, engineer the semiconductor laser-based platform for medical diagnostic applications, and develop supporting numerical techniques.Read moreRead less
Electronic skin nanopatches for continuous blood pressure monitoring. Electronic skin nanopatches for continuous blood pressure monitoring. This project aims to develop soft, thin, wearable and non-invasive heart health monitors that continuously monitor blood pressures anytime anywhere, using an electronic skin technology platform with the world’s thinnest gold nanowires. Nanotechnologists, electrical engineers, clinicians, information technologists and industrial designers will collaborate to ....Electronic skin nanopatches for continuous blood pressure monitoring. Electronic skin nanopatches for continuous blood pressure monitoring. This project aims to develop soft, thin, wearable and non-invasive heart health monitors that continuously monitor blood pressures anytime anywhere, using an electronic skin technology platform with the world’s thinnest gold nanowires. Nanotechnologists, electrical engineers, clinicians, information technologists and industrial designers will collaborate to develop blood pressure correlation algorithms and evaluate sensing performances. New knowledge and commercial technologies will make Australian medical technology industries competitive global leaders in wearable technology industries.Read moreRead less
Imaging light elements, dopants and vacancies. This project will pioneer techniques for seeing light atoms, such as oxygen in superconductors and lithium in lithium battery materials. Coming to understand the function of light elements in advanced materials is vital as such materials play a pivotal role in meeting the pressing challenges that beset us in energy management.