Ultrasensitive chemical analysis of single cells by mass spectrometry. This project aims to significantly improve the analysis of single cells by mass spectrometry with ultrahigh sensitivity. Molecular differences between cells in large populations can be important in many processes, including cell differentiation and signalling. However, most measurements result in the chemical heterogeneity between cells being masked by the bulk population. Recent discoveries now make it feasible to measure th ....Ultrasensitive chemical analysis of single cells by mass spectrometry. This project aims to significantly improve the analysis of single cells by mass spectrometry with ultrahigh sensitivity. Molecular differences between cells in large populations can be important in many processes, including cell differentiation and signalling. However, most measurements result in the chemical heterogeneity between cells being masked by the bulk population. Recent discoveries now make it feasible to measure thousands of proteins and small molecules from single cells. This project aims to leverage these breakthroughs to allow heterogeneity to be characterised in single cells with unprecedented molecular detail. This is expected to be important for future biological discovery, as well as disease prediction and drug discovery.Read moreRead less
Homogenous Antibody-Metal Conjugates For Immuno-Mass Spectrometry Imaging. This project aims to use bespoke metal labels and high-resolution mass spectrometry imaging to address current shortcomings in approaches that visualise and measure proteins in cells and tissue. It expects to substantially increase the utility of immuno-mass spectrometry imaging technology to analyses that are refractory to current techniques and workflows. Expected outcomes include metal probes that facilitate the spatia ....Homogenous Antibody-Metal Conjugates For Immuno-Mass Spectrometry Imaging. This project aims to use bespoke metal labels and high-resolution mass spectrometry imaging to address current shortcomings in approaches that visualise and measure proteins in cells and tissue. It expects to substantially increase the utility of immuno-mass spectrometry imaging technology to analyses that are refractory to current techniques and workflows. Expected outcomes include metal probes that facilitate the spatial quantification of multiple biomolecules on a single histological section, providing significant benefits to bioscience laboratories that require complex workflows to visualise and obtain quantitative data on the expression of biomolecules.Read moreRead less
Engineered interlayers of bio-retardant and nano-reinforcement on polymers. This project will address the important need for a highly effective lightweight coating. Different interlayers of bio-retardants derive from organic compounds and two-dimensional sheet-like nanomaterials are fabricated to enhance the charring, thermal barrier and flammability resistance. Molecular dynamics are adopted to deliver more targeted fabrication to achieve increased efficacy of the engineered interlayers and pro ....Engineered interlayers of bio-retardant and nano-reinforcement on polymers. This project will address the important need for a highly effective lightweight coating. Different interlayers of bio-retardants derive from organic compounds and two-dimensional sheet-like nanomaterials are fabricated to enhance the charring, thermal barrier and flammability resistance. Molecular dynamics are adopted to deliver more targeted fabrication to achieve increased efficacy of the engineered interlayers and provide important insights on the combustibility of polymers undergoing mass diffusivity, thermal diffusion and oxidation process at high temperatures. Expected outcomes of the project are lightweight coated polymers possessing elevated resistance to fire with a significant reduction of toxic gas emissions and smoke releases. Read moreRead less
Probing antimicrobial drug resistance by multimodal molecular analysis. This project aims to investigate drug resistance in microbial agents. With the emergence of "super bugs" there is a need to understand the biochemistry of antimicrobial resistance. Combining vibrational spectroscopic approaches and metabolomic techniques, the project will investigate cell populations, single cells and subcellular structures in search of biomarkers for drug resistance. The discovery of such biomarkers could l ....Probing antimicrobial drug resistance by multimodal molecular analysis. This project aims to investigate drug resistance in microbial agents. With the emergence of "super bugs" there is a need to understand the biochemistry of antimicrobial resistance. Combining vibrational spectroscopic approaches and metabolomic techniques, the project will investigate cell populations, single cells and subcellular structures in search of biomarkers for drug resistance. The discovery of such biomarkers could lead to improved disease management and eradication programs through identification and treatment of drug resistant pathogens in individuals that have the potential to re-infect the community.Read moreRead less
Correlative Imaging of Brain Lipids. This project aims to develop imaging tools and protocols for the detection of lipids in brain tissue and cells. This project expects to generate advanced methodologies to display specific lipid classes and their corresponding structures within tissues and cells, with the ability to be detected and correlated with multiple techniques, which represent a currently unavailable capacity. The expected outcomes of this project are improved opportunities to study lip ....Correlative Imaging of Brain Lipids. This project aims to develop imaging tools and protocols for the detection of lipids in brain tissue and cells. This project expects to generate advanced methodologies to display specific lipid classes and their corresponding structures within tissues and cells, with the ability to be detected and correlated with multiple techniques, which represent a currently unavailable capacity. The expected outcomes of this project are improved opportunities to study lipid biology at the cellular and sub-cellular level across a wide range of in vitro and in vivo models. The outcomes of this project should provide significant knowledge to tackle modern societal challenges in healthy ageing, brain pathologies and neurodegenerative diseases.Read moreRead less
Aptamer imaging mass spectrometry for biomarker quantification. This project aims to develop novel methods for quantifying bio-markers in histological specimens using aptamers, lanthanide visualising tags and laser ablation plasma mass spectrometry. Aptamers are short synthetic strands of nucleic acid with complex three dimensional structures that bind targets with exquisite specificity. This technology meets a major gap in current imaging modalities, has wide application to basic biology and di ....Aptamer imaging mass spectrometry for biomarker quantification. This project aims to develop novel methods for quantifying bio-markers in histological specimens using aptamers, lanthanide visualising tags and laser ablation plasma mass spectrometry. Aptamers are short synthetic strands of nucleic acid with complex three dimensional structures that bind targets with exquisite specificity. This technology meets a major gap in current imaging modalities, has wide application to basic biology and diagnostics, and will eliminate the subjective interpretation of immunohistochemical stains.Read moreRead less
3D Hypersonic Shock-Turbulent-Boundary-Layer Interactions. Shock-wave turbulent-boundary-layer interactions occur on hypersonic flight vehicles and can lead to high heating and increased drag. This is a paramount design issue that needs addressing. We aim to understand and quantify fundamental phenomena occurring in such interactions using state-of-the-art instrumentation and wind-tunnel facilities. Surfaces will be heated to realistic flight temperatures to simulate accurately the flight enviro ....3D Hypersonic Shock-Turbulent-Boundary-Layer Interactions. Shock-wave turbulent-boundary-layer interactions occur on hypersonic flight vehicles and can lead to high heating and increased drag. This is a paramount design issue that needs addressing. We aim to understand and quantify fundamental phenomena occurring in such interactions using state-of-the-art instrumentation and wind-tunnel facilities. Surfaces will be heated to realistic flight temperatures to simulate accurately the flight environment and include effects not reproduced with cold models. The effects of 3D features of the interactions will lead to new understanding of how the flow develops through a combination of experiments and numerical simulations. Future designs of hypersonic flight vehicles will benefit from knowledge gained.Read moreRead less
Photodissociation mass spectrometry for lipidome analysis. This project aims to develop and apply novel bioanalytical mass spectrometry-based methods and workflows to illuminate the otherwise hidden structural diversity and molecular complexity of the lipidome. The structure of individual lipids define their specific biological functions. A major requirement of analytical methods employed for lipid analysis on a lipidome-wide scale, therefore, is to enable the detailed structural characterisatio ....Photodissociation mass spectrometry for lipidome analysis. This project aims to develop and apply novel bioanalytical mass spectrometry-based methods and workflows to illuminate the otherwise hidden structural diversity and molecular complexity of the lipidome. The structure of individual lipids define their specific biological functions. A major requirement of analytical methods employed for lipid analysis on a lipidome-wide scale, therefore, is to enable the detailed structural characterisation of the, potentially, tens of thousands of individual molecular lipid species that may be present within a sample of interest. This project will develop and optimise novel, ultraviolet photodissociation-tandem mass spectrometry methods which will be integrated within an automated lipidome analysis workflow, to enable comprehensive global lipidome profiling and to reveal the structural diversity of lipids involved in fundamental cellular signalling processes.Read moreRead less
A global platform for identifying emerging chemical threats. This project aims to develop an automated early warning social network to systematically detect newly identified emerging chemical threats. Rapid identification of chemical exposures is key to managing chemical threats and associated risks. Global collaboration and sharing of archived, high-resolution mass spectrometry data through open/social platforms will revolutionise data processing and chemical threat identification. This project ....A global platform for identifying emerging chemical threats. This project aims to develop an automated early warning social network to systematically detect newly identified emerging chemical threats. Rapid identification of chemical exposures is key to managing chemical threats and associated risks. Global collaboration and sharing of archived, high-resolution mass spectrometry data through open/social platforms will revolutionise data processing and chemical threat identification. This project will result in a new and cost-effective approach for the identification, tracking and prioritisation of emerging chemical threats and address key national and global health risks. The outcomes include the first spatial and temporal distribution of new emerging chemical threats in Australia.Read moreRead less
Scaling laws for aerodynamics of moving wings in the Martian atmosphere. This project aims to increase understanding of the aerodynamics of bio-inspired flight in the low-density atmosphere of Mars. The significance of flight in planetary exploration is shown by the ongoing success of the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars, and the Dragonfly rotorcraft planned for use on Titan. Expected outcomes of this project will be innovative numerical modelling techniques validated using local specially designed ....Scaling laws for aerodynamics of moving wings in the Martian atmosphere. This project aims to increase understanding of the aerodynamics of bio-inspired flight in the low-density atmosphere of Mars. The significance of flight in planetary exploration is shown by the ongoing success of the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars, and the Dragonfly rotorcraft planned for use on Titan. Expected outcomes of this project will be innovative numerical modelling techniques validated using local specially designed low-pressure experimental facilities. Benefits will be more accurate design guidance for efficient and robust flapping and rotary wing robotic vehicles for Mars and other space exploration that take advantage of the unique atmospheric conditions, and in placing Australia at the forefront of such design technology.Read moreRead less