Nanoparticle radiosensitisation. This project aims to develop new knowledge through a better understanding of physics interactions of particles in compounds with sub-micron size. Research on radiosensitisation by sub-micrometre sized nanoparticles (NPs) is hot worldwide because it could treat cancer, but the physical/physico-chemical/biological mechanism of radiosensitisation is unclear because no physical models describe particle interactions at nanometre scale in solid state nanometre sized ob ....Nanoparticle radiosensitisation. This project aims to develop new knowledge through a better understanding of physics interactions of particles in compounds with sub-micron size. Research on radiosensitisation by sub-micrometre sized nanoparticles (NPs) is hot worldwide because it could treat cancer, but the physical/physico-chemical/biological mechanism of radiosensitisation is unclear because no physical models describe particle interactions at nanometre scale in solid state nanometre sized objects. This project will develop and evaluate specialised physics models to describe particle interactions in NPs and help optimise nanoparticle technology. It will develop expertise in Australia in physics modelling for nanomedicine and other applications of nanotechnology exposed to radiation (e.g. telecommunications, aviation and space).Read moreRead less
Radiation detectors to better understand ion interactions. This project aims to build a Heavy Ion Therapy Research and Treatment Centre in Australia. Understanding how ions interact with matter and their radiobiological effectiveness (RBE) is important. The project will introduce an Australian detector technology platform to research ion interaction physics and their RBE. It will develop radiation detectors for ion measurement with a wide energy range, including a practical RBE quality assurance ....Radiation detectors to better understand ion interactions. This project aims to build a Heavy Ion Therapy Research and Treatment Centre in Australia. Understanding how ions interact with matter and their radiobiological effectiveness (RBE) is important. The project will introduce an Australian detector technology platform to research ion interaction physics and their RBE. It will develop radiation detectors for ion measurement with a wide energy range, including a practical RBE quality assurance tool with submillimetre spatial resolution. The proposed Australian radiation detection technology is expected to improve understanding of the scientific mechanisms underpinning the radiobiological effectiveness of heavy ion radiation.Read moreRead less
Calibrating astronomical spectrographs to discover Earth-like planets. This project aims to develop a robust, ultra-precise calibration system that improves the precision of Doppler spectrographs by a factor of ten –sufficient to discover rocky planets. The holy grail of exoplanet research is the discovery of an Earth-like planet in the habitable zone of a Sun-like star. The planet’s tug on its host star causes a periodic Doppler shift of the star’s spectrum which precision astronomical spectrog ....Calibrating astronomical spectrographs to discover Earth-like planets. This project aims to develop a robust, ultra-precise calibration system that improves the precision of Doppler spectrographs by a factor of ten –sufficient to discover rocky planets. The holy grail of exoplanet research is the discovery of an Earth-like planet in the habitable zone of a Sun-like star. The planet’s tug on its host star causes a periodic Doppler shift of the star’s spectrum which precision astronomical spectrographs record. Detecting minute shifts from rocky planets needs better precision than the best spectrographs provide. This project expects to help to discover Earth twins, habitable worlds outside the Solar system.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102352
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Three-dimensional structural imaging in optical microscopy and tomography. This project will develop fundamentally new strategies for looking inside live cells to determine their internal structures. Such capability will permit a better understanding of diseases, the link between diabetes and heart failure for example, opening the door for new diagnostic techniques and treatments.
The photons take charge: Elucidating the structure and stability of distonic radical anions by mass spectrometry and photoelectron spectroscopy. Recent work has discovered that certain radical anions have electronic configurations that defy chemical convention and exhibit exceptional radical stability. Exploitation of this breakthrough first requires experimental elucidation of the intrinsic electronic structure of these compounds and how it relates to their remarkable properties. This project w ....The photons take charge: Elucidating the structure and stability of distonic radical anions by mass spectrometry and photoelectron spectroscopy. Recent work has discovered that certain radical anions have electronic configurations that defy chemical convention and exhibit exceptional radical stability. Exploitation of this breakthrough first requires experimental elucidation of the intrinsic electronic structure of these compounds and how it relates to their remarkable properties. This project will probe the fundamental structure and energetics of radical anions by modifying instrumentation to enable multi-step gas-phase ion synthesis to be efficiently coupled with anion photoelectron spectroscopy. These investigations are essential to revealing the scope of this phenomenon in free radical chemistry and biology and could inform future development of new catalysts for polymerisation.Read moreRead less
Enhancing the science reach of second generation interferometric gravitational wave detectors through innovative mirror design and control. Predicted by Einstein, gravitational waves promise to unlock the secrets of the universe just as seismic measurements unlocked the secrets of the Earth's interior. Scientists are on the brink of detecting these waves. This research aids that effort by developing Australian technologies which allow specific gravitational wave sources to be targeted.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE200100008
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$700,000.00
Summary
Australian Seismic Imaging Array. The project aims to create a facility for developing techniques for imaging the deep earth and the surface motion in ambient seismic waves created by wind, waves and human activity. The techniques will enable sources of seismic vibrations to be identified and suppressed, and will allow mapping techniques to be developed for monitoring and discovery of resources such as ground water. Gravitational wave researchers will benefit from the ability to suppress seismic ....Australian Seismic Imaging Array. The project aims to create a facility for developing techniques for imaging the deep earth and the surface motion in ambient seismic waves created by wind, waves and human activity. The techniques will enable sources of seismic vibrations to be identified and suppressed, and will allow mapping techniques to be developed for monitoring and discovery of resources such as ground water. Gravitational wave researchers will benefit from the ability to suppress seismic vibrations, while geophysicists will benefit from new techniques and training. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100074
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$418,210.00
Summary
Nanoscale laser cooling in physiological environment. By developing fluorescence pattern-based 3D motion-detection technology in optical tweezers, this project aims to reveal how to achieve nanoscale laser cooling in physiological media. It plans to discover new mechanisms of cooling associated with surface phonons and energy looping in optically trapped lanthanide-doped nanoparticles. Key expected outcomes are technology and a toolset to create interaction between cooled nanoscale objects and b ....Nanoscale laser cooling in physiological environment. By developing fluorescence pattern-based 3D motion-detection technology in optical tweezers, this project aims to reveal how to achieve nanoscale laser cooling in physiological media. It plans to discover new mechanisms of cooling associated with surface phonons and energy looping in optically trapped lanthanide-doped nanoparticles. Key expected outcomes are technology and a toolset to create interaction between cooled nanoscale objects and biological samples. These are expected to create a research area of biological laser refrigeration, enabling intracellular organelles cooling, nanoscale membrane disruption and high sensitivity force-sensing for integrin study for use in single-molecule biophysics and multimodality subcellular sensing.Read moreRead less
Detecting the deaths of the first stars: Investigating the physical processes in the early Universe. This project will pursue the most distant supernova explosions in the Universe and investigate their host galaxies and environments. It will use a technique that has detected the most distant supernovae, probing 12 billion years into the past, and one that is able to discover, for the first time, the deaths of the first stars to have formed after the Big Bang. This project will use this technique ....Detecting the deaths of the first stars: Investigating the physical processes in the early Universe. This project will pursue the most distant supernova explosions in the Universe and investigate their host galaxies and environments. It will use a technique that has detected the most distant supernovae, probing 12 billion years into the past, and one that is able to discover, for the first time, the deaths of the first stars to have formed after the Big Bang. This project will use this technique to gather a statistical sample of supernovae to determine their occurrence rate and physical properties and to provide crucial data for a newly discovered, extremely powerful, third type of supernova. This data will test the laws in which early galaxies formed their stars and reveal the framework for the subsequent evolution of the Universe.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100888
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Illuminating drug activity in the brain with nanocrystalline beacons. The project focuses on developing technologies to understand the activity of drugs and precisely locate their target sites in the brain. Novel nanocrystalline beacons and ultrahigh-sensitivity optical imaging technology developed in the project have the aim to help visualise opioid and other related drug molecules over extended periods, which is impossible with current methods. Quantifying drug target distribution in the brain ....Illuminating drug activity in the brain with nanocrystalline beacons. The project focuses on developing technologies to understand the activity of drugs and precisely locate their target sites in the brain. Novel nanocrystalline beacons and ultrahigh-sensitivity optical imaging technology developed in the project have the aim to help visualise opioid and other related drug molecules over extended periods, which is impossible with current methods. Quantifying drug target distribution in the brain and imaging their dynamics on a single molecule level will shed light on drug-target interactions.Read moreRead less