Synthetic molecular transporters. This work involves the synthesis of artificial motors that transport cargo down linear tracks in a manner that is reminiscent of the function of biological motor proteins such as kinesin and myosin. Attachment of these molecular machines to solid surfaces will also be explored.
'Multi-Coloured' Tracers for Magnetic Particle Imaging . Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is predicted to be the future of imaging and will outperform all current imaging techniques by having 'colours', improved resolution and 3D precision. This project aims to create 'multi-coloured' high-performance MPI tracers by synthesising a range of the most effective magnetic nanoparticle structures. The expected outcome is the fundamental understanding of the relationships between nanoparticle structures ....'Multi-Coloured' Tracers for Magnetic Particle Imaging . Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is predicted to be the future of imaging and will outperform all current imaging techniques by having 'colours', improved resolution and 3D precision. This project aims to create 'multi-coloured' high-performance MPI tracers by synthesising a range of the most effective magnetic nanoparticle structures. The expected outcome is the fundamental understanding of the relationships between nanoparticle structures and their magnetic properties for the formation of MPI signals with distinct ‘colours’. The benefits will be a library of MPI tracers that are able to provide ‘coloured’, high intensity, precise signals beyond what can be achieved with other imaging technologies.Read moreRead less
Design and synthesis of operating molecular machines and solution and solid-state devices. This project involves the construction of machines and other devices engineered at the molecular level, which therefore offer a greater degree of miniaturisation and sophistication than their macro-engineered counterparts. The work is expected to provide fundamental advances in nanotechnology and underpin new industries based on advanced materials.
Go with the flow! Using diffusion to direct the transport of molecules. This project aims to understand the mechanisms behind the directed bulk transport of molecules by controlled diffusion and flow linked by chemical reactions and chemical concentration gradients. The significance of this project is it will provide the first detailed experimental data to test proposed theories and produce a fundamental understanding of how molecules can undergo controlled transport in dilute solutions. Expecte ....Go with the flow! Using diffusion to direct the transport of molecules. This project aims to understand the mechanisms behind the directed bulk transport of molecules by controlled diffusion and flow linked by chemical reactions and chemical concentration gradients. The significance of this project is it will provide the first detailed experimental data to test proposed theories and produce a fundamental understanding of how molecules can undergo controlled transport in dilute solutions. Expected outcomes include a new understanding of how molecules can be guided toward their desired targets, which could have applications in waste collection or sensing by concentrating analytes, and for understanding biological processes.Read moreRead less
Responsive ‘OFF-ON’ switchable anion receptors for transmembrane transport. The project aims to develop switchable anion transporters and new assays to monitor the switchability of these compounds. Anion transport into cells has been shown to trigger cell death and so could be used as a method of killing cancer cells. However in order to do this the transporter compounds must target cancer cells specifically and not affect normal cells. Should this project be funded it will provide new fundam ....Responsive ‘OFF-ON’ switchable anion receptors for transmembrane transport. The project aims to develop switchable anion transporters and new assays to monitor the switchability of these compounds. Anion transport into cells has been shown to trigger cell death and so could be used as a method of killing cancer cells. However in order to do this the transporter compounds must target cancer cells specifically and not affect normal cells. Should this project be funded it will provide new fundamental knowledge on transporter design (switching transport on in cancer cells) which will be applicable to the future development of transporter-based therapeutics. It will also also provide interdisciplinary training opportunities for a PDRA, PhD and Honours students in a successful Australia-Spain collaboration.Read moreRead less
Enzyme-inspired polymer nanomaterials. This project aims to develop new chemical methods and polymers inspired by nature. Enzymes are nature’s catalysts: they recognise a substrate and bind with it to provide the optimal environment for a reaction. However, they are easily degraded, limiting their industrial use. This project aims to develop new, highly stable polymer designs that can perform similar functions. This will be achieved by using polymer and supramolecular chemistry to control the re ....Enzyme-inspired polymer nanomaterials. This project aims to develop new chemical methods and polymers inspired by nature. Enzymes are nature’s catalysts: they recognise a substrate and bind with it to provide the optimal environment for a reaction. However, they are easily degraded, limiting their industrial use. This project aims to develop new, highly stable polymer designs that can perform similar functions. This will be achieved by using polymer and supramolecular chemistry to control the reaction environment, in combination with computational techniques to explore observed reactivity and guide nanoenvironment design. Expected outcomes include new polymers and materials capable of controlling a range of reactions and expanding the scope of bioinspired polymer design.Read moreRead less
New synthetic receptors for selective recognition and sensing of biologically important anions. Anions play roles in almost every biochemical process, so the ability to selectively detect specific anions has numerous applications. This project will design and synthesise molecules capable of detecting target anions under physiological conditions. This will provide innovative small molecule receptors for use in biomedicine.
Light driven supramolecular reactors. A major problem facing synthetic chemistry is how to control chemical reactivity using benign techniques. The aim of this project is to form supramolecular capsules that can bind guest molecules and use visible light to drive chemical reactions inside these cages. This project aims to develop the first examples of molecular cages that are able to catalyse photoredox processes. These enantiopure, self-assembled cages will be based on ruthenium(II) complexes w ....Light driven supramolecular reactors. A major problem facing synthetic chemistry is how to control chemical reactivity using benign techniques. The aim of this project is to form supramolecular capsules that can bind guest molecules and use visible light to drive chemical reactions inside these cages. This project aims to develop the first examples of molecular cages that are able to catalyse photoredox processes. These enantiopure, self-assembled cages will be based on ruthenium(II) complexes with established photophysical properties. The expected outcomes will include the first proof-of-principle examples of controlled photoredox reactions, opening the door for the development of enantioselective molecular photoreactors.Read moreRead less
Performing work through actively-driven self-assembled systems. This project aims to develop methods to create actively-driven self-assembled systems that do work on the environment in the way many natural functional assemblies operate. This project will combine the latest advances in supramolecular chemistry and non-equilibrium systems to discover how chemical energy drives the formation of transient self-assembled structures. An expected outcome from this project includes a new understanding o ....Performing work through actively-driven self-assembled systems. This project aims to develop methods to create actively-driven self-assembled systems that do work on the environment in the way many natural functional assemblies operate. This project will combine the latest advances in supramolecular chemistry and non-equilibrium systems to discover how chemical energy drives the formation of transient self-assembled structures. An expected outcome from this project includes a new understanding of the relationship between the chemical fuel flows versus the spatial organisation of self-assembled systems, including living systems. The knowledge gained in this project will benefit the design of nanoscale self-assembled structures that can carry out work and complex mechanical tasks at much larger length scales.Read moreRead less
Metal complexes for sustainable light-driven synthesis. The aim of this project is to use cheap, abundant transition metal ions and visible light to enable challenging synthetic chemical reactions. The significant problems addressed are that most synthetic reactions using visible light currently require expensive precious metals, and fundamental reaction pathways used by Nature remain inaccessible. Both of these problems limit the scope of synthetic applications. The outcomes will be new knowled ....Metal complexes for sustainable light-driven synthesis. The aim of this project is to use cheap, abundant transition metal ions and visible light to enable challenging synthetic chemical reactions. The significant problems addressed are that most synthetic reactions using visible light currently require expensive precious metals, and fundamental reaction pathways used by Nature remain inaccessible. Both of these problems limit the scope of synthetic applications. The outcomes will be new knowledge and sustainable technologies that can better harness visible light for useful synthetic chemistry applications. The benefits will be more efficient and cost-effective routes to valuable molecules ubiquitous in everyday life.Read moreRead less