A new nano-sensor technology for the detection and identification of residual vapours of explosives, drugs and chemicals in the air. Fighting terrorism and crime is one of the most important and difficult tasks that requires substantial human and technological resources. This project will help to address this enormous problem by developing a new optical sensor technology for the detection and identification of traces of chemicals, explosives, drugs and biological agents. It will develop a labora ....A new nano-sensor technology for the detection and identification of residual vapours of explosives, drugs and chemicals in the air. Fighting terrorism and crime is one of the most important and difficult tasks that requires substantial human and technological resources. This project will help to address this enormous problem by developing a new optical sensor technology for the detection and identification of traces of chemicals, explosives, drugs and biological agents. It will develop a laboratory prototype of this sensor that is expected to have superior sensitivity and operational capabilities. Thus it will noticeably contribute to practical law enforcement, air quality and environmental monitoring, counter-terrorism, air safety, border security and customs service. It will also lead to further development of nano-optics and nanotechnology in Australia. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989127
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,000.00
Summary
A High-Throughput Neutron Spectrometer for The Study of Atomic and Molecular Motion at ANSTO. Neutron scattering enables new science across a broad range of disciplines, and for this reason it is undergoing major expansion in the USA, Europe, Japan and Australia. Various diffactometers and spectrometers have recently been built at ANSTO, but an instrumental option for a high-throughput cross-discipline spectroscopy is urgently needed. Fortunately, it is fairly straightforward to add this type of ....A High-Throughput Neutron Spectrometer for The Study of Atomic and Molecular Motion at ANSTO. Neutron scattering enables new science across a broad range of disciplines, and for this reason it is undergoing major expansion in the USA, Europe, Japan and Australia. Various diffactometers and spectrometers have recently been built at ANSTO, but an instrumental option for a high-throughput cross-discipline spectroscopy is urgently needed. Fortunately, it is fairly straightforward to add this type of option to an existing spectrometer that will broaden its user-base from specialised applications in physics to more general applications in physics, chemistry, materials-science and biology. This additional option provides a totally new way for Australian scientists to study atomic and molecular motions. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100009
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$455,000.00
Summary
Ultra-precision cutting and polishing machines for fabricating high-Q crystalline resonators. The proposed facility will equip Australian researchers with the capability to machine and polish optical crystalline materials down to atomic-level smoothness. The availability of this technology will enable the fabrication of ultra-sensitive metrological sensors, state-of-the-art photonic components, and quantum devices. Precision metrology is an integral component of many industries and it underpins ....Ultra-precision cutting and polishing machines for fabricating high-Q crystalline resonators. The proposed facility will equip Australian researchers with the capability to machine and polish optical crystalline materials down to atomic-level smoothness. The availability of this technology will enable the fabrication of ultra-sensitive metrological sensors, state-of-the-art photonic components, and quantum devices. Precision metrology is an integral component of many industries and it underpins a modern, technically advanced society. With this facility Australian researchers will lead the world in the fabrication of optical crystalline devices for a broad range of industrial and research applications.Read moreRead less
Methods for Protein Structure Analysis by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance. This highly interdisciplinary project aims to establish new tools to analyse the structure and motions of proteins that are otherwise difficult to study. A combination of advanced biochemistry, modern magnetic spectroscopy methods, and high-performance computing techniques will be applied to study proteins at physiological concentrations and in complex environments. New techniques will be developed and tested on proteins ....Methods for Protein Structure Analysis by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance. This highly interdisciplinary project aims to establish new tools to analyse the structure and motions of proteins that are otherwise difficult to study. A combination of advanced biochemistry, modern magnetic spectroscopy methods, and high-performance computing techniques will be applied to study proteins at physiological concentrations and in complex environments. New techniques will be developed and tested on proteins of high biochemical or biomedical importance, and the approach will be applied to established drug targets.Read moreRead less
Voltage-dependent structural changes in voltage-gated sodium channels. This project aims to provide insights into the structural rearrangements experienced by Nav channels, which are key components of animal nervous systems. Voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels initiate action potentials in excitable cells. They open in response to membrane depolarisation then rapidly inactivate. Eukaryotic Nav channels contain four unique voltage-sensor domains (VSDs) that control how the channel responds to mem ....Voltage-dependent structural changes in voltage-gated sodium channels. This project aims to provide insights into the structural rearrangements experienced by Nav channels, which are key components of animal nervous systems. Voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels initiate action potentials in excitable cells. They open in response to membrane depolarisation then rapidly inactivate. Eukaryotic Nav channels contain four unique voltage-sensor domains (VSDs) that control how the channel responds to membrane potential changes. Recently reported crystal structures of bacterial Nav channels have greatly advanced the field, but these channels contain four identical VSDs and have different inactivation properties. Thus, much remains to be learnt about the conformational plasticity of eukaryotic Nav channel VSDs. The project plans to use animal toxins to capture eukaryotic VSDs in defined states of the gating cycle for detailed structural analysis using nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray crystallography.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE170100023
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$650,000.00
Summary
Australian high field electron paramagnetic resonance facility. This project aims to establish Australia’s first a high-field (3 T, 94 GHz) high-field pulse electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) facility. EPR is a powerful technique to study chemical, biological and materials systems. It represents a sensitive, non-invasive, site-selective spectroscopy for the analysis of both molecular and macroscopic properties. This facility will allow the further development and implementation of new multidi ....Australian high field electron paramagnetic resonance facility. This project aims to establish Australia’s first a high-field (3 T, 94 GHz) high-field pulse electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) facility. EPR is a powerful technique to study chemical, biological and materials systems. It represents a sensitive, non-invasive, site-selective spectroscopy for the analysis of both molecular and macroscopic properties. This facility will allow the further development and implementation of new multidimensional pulse EPR techniques, enabling domestic and international collaborations with diverse applications in structural biology, solvation science and catalysis.Read moreRead less
Selectively targeting cancer and infectious disease with fragment-based drug discovery. Finding better compounds as starting points is one of the major challenges for drug discovery research. Fragments are small, weak binding molecules that can be upsized into drug leads with better properties when compared to starting with larger molecules. This project addresses two weaknesses of current fragment based drug discovery (FBDD) methods: first, the limitations associated with screening fragments; a ....Selectively targeting cancer and infectious disease with fragment-based drug discovery. Finding better compounds as starting points is one of the major challenges for drug discovery research. Fragments are small, weak binding molecules that can be upsized into drug leads with better properties when compared to starting with larger molecules. This project addresses two weaknesses of current fragment based drug discovery (FBDD) methods: first, the limitations associated with screening fragments; and second, the quality of commercial fragment libraries. This project anticipates that the findings will establish a commanding role for both mass spectrometry and three-dimensional fragments in advancing FBDD approaches. It also expects to identify fragments with favourable development prospects towards the next generation of therapeutics.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology. This Centre aims to implement quantum processors able to run error corrected algorithms and transfer information across networks with absolute security. Australian researchers have established global leadership in quantum information, an innovative technology which could transform all industries dependent on computational power. This Centre has developed technologies for manipulating matter and light at the level of i ....ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology. This Centre aims to implement quantum processors able to run error corrected algorithms and transfer information across networks with absolute security. Australian researchers have established global leadership in quantum information, an innovative technology which could transform all industries dependent on computational power. This Centre has developed technologies for manipulating matter and light at the level of individual atoms and photons, with the highest fidelity, longest coherence time qubits in the solid state, the world’s longest-lived quantum memory, and the ability to run small-scale algorithms on photonic qubits. The new technology is expected to provide a strategic advantage in a world where information and information security are of paramount importance.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology. The Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology will coordinate a large team of Australian researchers in an intensive mission. Our aim is to integrate a radical and uniquely powerful Australian computing technology with an ultra-secure Australian communications technology. Our success will drive global productivity gains in information processing and ensure that Australians own the pivotal underpinnin ....ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology. The Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology will coordinate a large team of Australian researchers in an intensive mission. Our aim is to integrate a radical and uniquely powerful Australian computing technology with an ultra-secure Australian communications technology. Our success will drive global productivity gains in information processing and ensure that Australians own the pivotal underpinning intellectual property. Our technologies will provide Australia and its allies with the world's most secure information networks. Our discoveries will place Australia unequivocally at the very forefront of global research in quantum physicsRead moreRead less