Development of microwave tomography techniques and inverse methods for biomedical imaging applications. Microwave tomography is a rapidly emerging imaging technology with highly significant applications in industry and medicine. In particular, given its sensitivity to differences between normal and malignant breast tissue, non-invasive microwave imaging has been the subject of intense research interest in the last ten years. In collaboration with workers at Chalmers University in Sweden, we wi ....Development of microwave tomography techniques and inverse methods for biomedical imaging applications. Microwave tomography is a rapidly emerging imaging technology with highly significant applications in industry and medicine. In particular, given its sensitivity to differences between normal and malignant breast tissue, non-invasive microwave imaging has been the subject of intense research interest in the last ten years. In collaboration with workers at Chalmers University in Sweden, we will develop and evaluate a scanning microwave imaging tomographic system with a number of potential industrial and biomedical applications. This appears to be a new Australian initiative.Read moreRead less
Novel Motion Correction Technologies for Simultaneous Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The recent development of the world's first prototype combined MR-PET scanner for human use has prompted immense interest. MR-PET is likely to revolutionize clinical diagnosis and basic research, by providing exquisite structural images co-registered with simultaneous functional PET images. We will exploit the as yet unexplored potential for motion information derived from the MR sy ....Novel Motion Correction Technologies for Simultaneous Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The recent development of the world's first prototype combined MR-PET scanner for human use has prompted immense interest. MR-PET is likely to revolutionize clinical diagnosis and basic research, by providing exquisite structural images co-registered with simultaneous functional PET images. We will exploit the as yet unexplored potential for motion information derived from the MR system to be used to correct the simultaneously acquired PET data for patient motion. This research is an excellent opportunity for Australian researchers to make important contributions to an emerging technology with high economic potential, and will strengthen Australia's international position in engineering and biomedical systems development.Read moreRead less
Development of an implantable device to monitor lactate levels in blood: Monitoring the Performance of Australian athletes using Biosensor Technology. Sport is a critical area for social and economic investments. Novel medical monitoring systems using implantable biosensors will ensure optimal training programs for Australian athletes and maintain international competitiveness. Here we are developing a biosensor for real-time monitoring of lactate levels in athletes using frontier porous semicon ....Development of an implantable device to monitor lactate levels in blood: Monitoring the Performance of Australian athletes using Biosensor Technology. Sport is a critical area for social and economic investments. Novel medical monitoring systems using implantable biosensors will ensure optimal training programs for Australian athletes and maintain international competitiveness. Here we are developing a biosensor for real-time monitoring of lactate levels in athletes using frontier porous semiconductor technology and smart telemetry protocols to transfer the readings to a remote base unit. These highly innovative devices and the materials that they are made from have enormous commercial potential in biomedical engineering. There is a strong potential for Australia to have an important stake in this area by combining expertise in engineering, chemistry and nanostructured materials.Read moreRead less
Hybrid Imaging System for Breast Cancer Detection. Due to the ever increasing number of breast cancer mortalities in Australia, there is an urgent need for an efficient and reliable diagnostic imaging system. This research utilises a novel method to build an imaging system, which is accurate and reliable in the early detection of tumours. The work of this fellowship will improve quality of life of Australian women and put us at the international forefront of research in medical imaging, enhancin ....Hybrid Imaging System for Breast Cancer Detection. Due to the ever increasing number of breast cancer mortalities in Australia, there is an urgent need for an efficient and reliable diagnostic imaging system. This research utilises a novel method to build an imaging system, which is accurate and reliable in the early detection of tumours. The work of this fellowship will improve quality of life of Australian women and put us at the international forefront of research in medical imaging, enhancing our already significant international presence in the area. The project will potentially lead to valuable intellectual property for commercialisation opportunities besides strengthening key international collaborations.Read moreRead less
Biomedical imaging with spins in nanoparticles: from single cell to whole-body scanning. The engineering of new biomedical technology is critical in underpinning our understanding of physiology and in the early detection of disease. This project will construct novel instrumentation for investigating normal and diseased physiology using bioagents based on diamond and ruby nanoparticles. The imaging and tracking techniques proposed are non-invasive, nontoxic, and provide high-resolution access to ....Biomedical imaging with spins in nanoparticles: from single cell to whole-body scanning. The engineering of new biomedical technology is critical in underpinning our understanding of physiology and in the early detection of disease. This project will construct novel instrumentation for investigating normal and diseased physiology using bioagents based on diamond and ruby nanoparticles. The imaging and tracking techniques proposed are non-invasive, nontoxic, and provide high-resolution access to specific physiological interactions of paramount importance in, for instance, understanding cancer pathways and developing strategies for targeted drug delivery.Read moreRead less
Peripheral aberrations of the human eye. This project will benefit Australia from several perspectives. It will make an important contribution to understanding limitations to peripheral vision of the eye, particularly as a result of refractive surgical intervention. This is important because many Australians will require such surgery. Being able to better measure and correct peripheral aberrations will lead to improved imaging of the eye and thus contribute to improved detection and diagnosis of ....Peripheral aberrations of the human eye. This project will benefit Australia from several perspectives. It will make an important contribution to understanding limitations to peripheral vision of the eye, particularly as a result of refractive surgical intervention. This is important because many Australians will require such surgery. Being able to better measure and correct peripheral aberrations will lead to improved imaging of the eye and thus contribute to improved detection and diagnosis of ophthalmic disease. The study will benefit ophthalmologists, optometrists, and engineers involved in designing visual instruments. This project will provide training in adaptive optics for graduate students not available in any other Australian institution.Read moreRead less
A Generic Solution for Interfacing Electrodes with Biological Media. Electrodes are the critical element of stimulating implantable devices such as cardiac pacemakers, bionic eyes and cochlear implants, the most commercially successful biosensors, and are emerging as key to new technologies for testing new drug leads using cells. In all these applications of electrodes in biology there has never been a solution to stopping unwanted adsorption of biological material onto the electrode that does ....A Generic Solution for Interfacing Electrodes with Biological Media. Electrodes are the critical element of stimulating implantable devices such as cardiac pacemakers, bionic eyes and cochlear implants, the most commercially successful biosensors, and are emerging as key to new technologies for testing new drug leads using cells. In all these applications of electrodes in biology there has never been a solution to stopping unwanted adsorption of biological material onto the electrode that does not dramatically decrease electrode performance. The proposed research finally provides a solution via surface modification. This strategy will enhance the performance of all the devices above and will open doors to new applications of electrochemistry within biology.Read moreRead less
Peptide Nucleic Acid Based Sensors and Devices - An Investigation into PNA Versatility for Emerging Gene Technologies. Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are analogues of DNA that may have important implications as therapeutic agents for the cure of diseases based on genetic defects. The attributes of PNAs that make them potentially viable as a drug are also well suited to their development as sensors and molecular devices. In this proposal, we wish to develop a series of PNAs containing photoactive ....Peptide Nucleic Acid Based Sensors and Devices - An Investigation into PNA Versatility for Emerging Gene Technologies. Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are analogues of DNA that may have important implications as therapeutic agents for the cure of diseases based on genetic defects. The attributes of PNAs that make them potentially viable as a drug are also well suited to their development as sensors and molecular devices. In this proposal, we wish to develop a series of PNAs containing photoactive elements (a) as alternatives to commercially-available fluorophores, (b) for the early detection of neurodegenerative diseases and (c) to contribute to one of Science's most debated issues i.e. "does DNA mediate electron transport?"Read moreRead less
The kinematics of the anterior eye deformation. This project has a potential to benefit Australia from a number of perspectives. The outcomes will provide ophthalmologists and optometrists with currently unavailable knowledge on dynamic behaviour of eye. In particular the research will identify aspects of corneal deformation that in turn will help improve the accuracy of refractive surgeries and aid in the management of glaucoma. Also, the knowledge generated through this project will be of valu ....The kinematics of the anterior eye deformation. This project has a potential to benefit Australia from a number of perspectives. The outcomes will provide ophthalmologists and optometrists with currently unavailable knowledge on dynamic behaviour of eye. In particular the research will identify aspects of corneal deformation that in turn will help improve the accuracy of refractive surgeries and aid in the management of glaucoma. Also, the knowledge generated through this project will be of value to engineers designing advanced clinical instrument for measuring eye parameters. Read moreRead less
Discovery of Novel Respiratory Viruses Causing Influenza-Like Illness in Healthy Australian Adults Aged 18 to 64 Years. This work will inform our understanding of the causes of acute respiratory illnesses in Australia at the present time by looking for both known and previously undiscovered respiratory viruses. Increasing the knowledge base regarding causes of disease will have downstream relevance for health policy planners seeking to assess the burden of disease due to different causes. Early ....Discovery of Novel Respiratory Viruses Causing Influenza-Like Illness in Healthy Australian Adults Aged 18 to 64 Years. This work will inform our understanding of the causes of acute respiratory illnesses in Australia at the present time by looking for both known and previously undiscovered respiratory viruses. Increasing the knowledge base regarding causes of disease will have downstream relevance for health policy planners seeking to assess the burden of disease due to different causes. Early identification and description of new diseases will allow pre-emptive evaluation of new public health threats. This information will help to ensure availability and marketability of vaccines to prevent infection.Read moreRead less