'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
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
Bioinks that Advance 3D bioprinting of cells to the 4th dimension. The aim of this research is to provide a simple method for creating complex 3D cell cultures for in vitro cell based assays using 3D printing. A versatile polymer system as a bioink made from entirely commercially available components, will be advanced that gives a full range of soft tissue mimics and which can be dynamically change on-demand after printing of the 3D cell cultures. The latter will provide in vitro mimics of in vi ....Bioinks that Advance 3D bioprinting of cells to the 4th dimension. The aim of this research is to provide a simple method for creating complex 3D cell cultures for in vitro cell based assays using 3D printing. A versatile polymer system as a bioink made from entirely commercially available components, will be advanced that gives a full range of soft tissue mimics and which can be dynamically change on-demand after printing of the 3D cell cultures. The latter will provide in vitro mimics of in vivo events never previously possible with more realistic models of what is found in vivo. Applications are in fundamental cell biology, studying diseases and developing new drugs. The outcomes from this research will be new knowledge on designing cheap extracellular matrix mimics and high throughout 3D cell assays.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
Advanced framework materials for hydrogen storage applications. This project aims to develop new molecular materials capable of the highly efficient storage of hydrogen gas. Through an innovative interdisciplinary approach that targets the synthesis and detailed characterisation of two classes of molecular material this project expects to generate step-change advances in the understanding of how hydrogen gas uptake relates to the chemical and physical attributes of porous molecular systems. Sign ....Advanced framework materials for hydrogen storage applications. This project aims to develop new molecular materials capable of the highly efficient storage of hydrogen gas. Through an innovative interdisciplinary approach that targets the synthesis and detailed characterisation of two classes of molecular material this project expects to generate step-change advances in the understanding of how hydrogen gas uptake relates to the chemical and physical attributes of porous molecular systems. Significant anticipated outcomes and benefits include the development of new material design approaches that optimise performance across a diverse parameter space, and the generation of advanced new materials worthy of commercial development, spanning small scale mobile to large scale stationary storage applications.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100327
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$405,000.00
Summary
Linking supramolecular nanocages into multi-functional materials. This project aims to advance the complexity of metal-organic materials by ordering discrete nano-cage structures called "metal-organic polyhedra" in a multi-functional porous solid. The project expects to generate critical knowledge in the synthesis of high-performance materials by combining the advantages of metal-organic and dynamic covalent chemistry. The expected outcomes of the project include the development of materials tha ....Linking supramolecular nanocages into multi-functional materials. This project aims to advance the complexity of metal-organic materials by ordering discrete nano-cage structures called "metal-organic polyhedra" in a multi-functional porous solid. The project expects to generate critical knowledge in the synthesis of high-performance materials by combining the advantages of metal-organic and dynamic covalent chemistry. The expected outcomes of the project include the development of materials that are able to sequentially catalyse chemical reactions in a single-batch process. This project should deliver benefits for Australia’s emerging chemical manufacturing industry, such as a reduction in the cost, wastage and environmental impact of the chemical manufacturing industry.Read moreRead less
A structure-based design approach to maximising targeting interactions. This project aims to build on a highly successful collaboration between the Australian biotechnology company Starpharma and Monash University, to better understand the design of next generation nanomaterials that home to specific target cells. The project seeks to capitalize on recent advances in dendrimer chemistry and protein engineering to explore the design of nanomaterials linked to engineered antibody fragments. The an ....A structure-based design approach to maximising targeting interactions. This project aims to build on a highly successful collaboration between the Australian biotechnology company Starpharma and Monash University, to better understand the design of next generation nanomaterials that home to specific target cells. The project seeks to capitalize on recent advances in dendrimer chemistry and protein engineering to explore the design of nanomaterials linked to engineered antibody fragments. The anticipated goal is attainment of exquisite, cell specific targeting affinity. Targeted nanomaterials have the potential to transform the clarity of imaging technologies; to facilitate the design of sensors and diagnostics that detect biochemical change in highly select cell populations and to revolutionise drug delivery.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL200100124
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,372,617.00
Summary
Very small nanoparticles made to measure. The administration of therapeutic drugs is often unsuccessful as the drug is quickly cleared from the body. Nanoparticles have been shown to enhance the efficiency of the drug administration, as evidenced by the increasing number of nanoformulations on the market, although commercially available products have currently a range of shortcomings, some of them related to their size. This research program aims to develop a toolset that allows the design of ve ....Very small nanoparticles made to measure. The administration of therapeutic drugs is often unsuccessful as the drug is quickly cleared from the body. Nanoparticles have been shown to enhance the efficiency of the drug administration, as evidenced by the increasing number of nanoformulations on the market, although commercially available products have currently a range of shortcomings, some of them related to their size. This research program aims to develop a toolset that allows the design of very small nanoparticles that display enhanced biological activity. The outcome will be an in-depth understanding of the relationship between polymer structure and properties, which is not only important for nanomedicine, but other areas such as catalysis and sensors. Read moreRead less