Dynamics of Multiscale Complex Systems. Australia has built a strong position in the science and applications of multiscale phenomena, especially in interdisciplinary fields. The project will advance this position in plasma and biomedical physics by making new discoveries, developing new methods of analyzing such systems, and applying them to achieve practical outcomes. It will underpin Australia's participation in NASA's $600M STEREO mission, and will lead to improved methods and technologies ....Dynamics of Multiscale Complex Systems. Australia has built a strong position in the science and applications of multiscale phenomena, especially in interdisciplinary fields. The project will advance this position in plasma and biomedical physics by making new discoveries, developing new methods of analyzing such systems, and applying them to achieve practical outcomes. It will underpin Australia's participation in NASA's $600M STEREO mission, and will lead to improved methods and technologies for brain function analysis and imaging, which will be commercialized via industry partnerships. It will contribute to national research goals, especially in Breakthrough Science, Frontier Technologies, Smart Information Use, and Promoting Innovation.Read moreRead less
Quantitative Brain Dynamics. This proposal will benefit Australia through unique and fundamental contributions to understanding brain dynamics via the development of innovative approaches and technologies. It will contribute to the national priority goals of Breakthrough Science, Frontier Technologies, and Promoting an Innovation Culture and Economy. Science outcomes will include improved understanding and probing of brain self-organization, dynamics, and function, including unique contributio ....Quantitative Brain Dynamics. This proposal will benefit Australia through unique and fundamental contributions to understanding brain dynamics via the development of innovative approaches and technologies. It will contribute to the national priority goals of Breakthrough Science, Frontier Technologies, and Promoting an Innovation Culture and Economy. Science outcomes will include improved understanding and probing of brain self-organization, dynamics, and function, including unique contributions to understanding alertness and the foundations of vision. These outcomes will be applied to develop new technologies for brain imaging and monitoring.Read moreRead less
Superfluid helium nanodroplet spectroscopy. Molecules trapped in a helium nanodroplet find themselves in an ultracold liquid environment from which they cannot escape. As such, the molecules are forced to interact and this is studied at a resolution that is unrivaled in condensed phase spectroscopy. This technique will be used to create new materials and study the dynamics behind a large range of chemical processes. The results are expected to lead to a greater understanding of condensed phase c ....Superfluid helium nanodroplet spectroscopy. Molecules trapped in a helium nanodroplet find themselves in an ultracold liquid environment from which they cannot escape. As such, the molecules are forced to interact and this is studied at a resolution that is unrivaled in condensed phase spectroscopy. This technique will be used to create new materials and study the dynamics behind a large range of chemical processes. The results are expected to lead to a greater understanding of condensed phase chemistry and chemical reactions in general.Read moreRead less
Quantitative dynamics of functional magnetic resonance imaging. By modeling and verifying the dynamics of brain activity and blood flow that underlie functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), this project will yield improved scientific outcomes and imaging sensitivity. The new data analysis techniques and technologies that result will yield potentially patentable intellectual property, and will increase the standing of Australia in this rapidly developing field, including via links being bu ....Quantitative dynamics of functional magnetic resonance imaging. By modeling and verifying the dynamics of brain activity and blood flow that underlie functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), this project will yield improved scientific outcomes and imaging sensitivity. The new data analysis techniques and technologies that result will yield potentially patentable intellectual property, and will increase the standing of Australia in this rapidly developing field, including via links being built to leading international workers. The National Research Priority Goals of Frontier Technologies, Breakthrough Science, Smart Information Use, and Promoting an Innovation Economy will thus be advanced.Read moreRead less
Parametric Brain Imaging via Modeling and Analysis of Electroencephalographic Signals. Parameters of brain function and physiology will be spatially imaged with high time resolution via their effects on electroencephalographic (EEG) signals, a form of imaging that is impossible with existing methods. This will be achieved by improving existing physiologically-based models of the generation of EEGs and developing analysis tools based on fitting of model predictions to multielectrode EEG data. T ....Parametric Brain Imaging via Modeling and Analysis of Electroencephalographic Signals. Parameters of brain function and physiology will be spatially imaged with high time resolution via their effects on electroencephalographic (EEG) signals, a form of imaging that is impossible with existing methods. This will be achieved by improving existing physiologically-based models of the generation of EEGs and developing analysis tools based on fitting of model predictions to multielectrode EEG data. The results will be used to probe spatiotemporal features of EEGs in normal subjects to explore the underlying fundamental mechanisms and to infer novel parameter variations of practical relevance.Read moreRead less
Physics of Self-Organization: From Space Plasmas to Brain Dynamics. Nature displays intricate, self-organized structures and behaviors that often emerge from simple underlying rules. This project will explore and unify fundamental regimes of self-organization, and apply them to explain phenomena in space, plasma, and wave physics, including making key inputs to the international STEREO space mission. In a core initiative, sophisticated tools from these fields will be transfered and adapted to a ....Physics of Self-Organization: From Space Plasmas to Brain Dynamics. Nature displays intricate, self-organized structures and behaviors that often emerge from simple underlying rules. This project will explore and unify fundamental regimes of self-organization, and apply them to explain phenomena in space, plasma, and wave physics, including making key inputs to the international STEREO space mission. In a core initiative, sophisticated tools from these fields will be transfered and adapted to analyze self-organized brain dynamics, leading to the first self-consistent "working brain" model. The results of this innovation will be used to develop new imaging technologies, to probe brain function via the new windows they open, and to exploit them commercially.Read moreRead less
Realistic models of permeation in ion channels. Ion channels are formed by proteins in cell membranes and provide pathways for fast and controlled flow of selected ions. This activity generates action potentials in nerves and muscles that forms the basis of all movement, sensation and thought processes. Recent determination of the crystal structure of channel proteins has enabled construction of models that can relate channel function to its structure--necessary for understanding their operati ....Realistic models of permeation in ion channels. Ion channels are formed by proteins in cell membranes and provide pathways for fast and controlled flow of selected ions. This activity generates action potentials in nerves and muscles that forms the basis of all movement, sensation and thought processes. Recent determination of the crystal structure of channel proteins has enabled construction of models that can relate channel function to its structure--necessary for understanding their operation and seeking cures for diseases caused by their malfunction. This project aims to develop accurate ion-protein-water interactions for permeation models based on stochastic and molecular dynamics simulations using both classical and quantum mechanical methods.Read moreRead less
Quantum mechanical and dynamical investigation of ion channels. Many genetic diseases result from mutations in the genes that transcribe the channel proteins. Ion channels are also primary targets for development of therapeutic drugs for many ailments. Development of proper simulation tools is essential for a molecular-level understanding of their operation, which will be very helpful in finding treatments for genetic diseases as well as new drugs that target ion channels. Another aim of the p ....Quantum mechanical and dynamical investigation of ion channels. Many genetic diseases result from mutations in the genes that transcribe the channel proteins. Ion channels are also primary targets for development of therapeutic drugs for many ailments. Development of proper simulation tools is essential for a molecular-level understanding of their operation, which will be very helpful in finding treatments for genetic diseases as well as new drugs that target ion channels. Another aim of the project is to provide research training in computational biology. Research in this area is rapidly growing elsewhere but it has been rather neglected in Australia, and there is a shortage of researchers with such skills at present.Read moreRead less
SILICON BASED PHOTONIC CRYSTALS FOR MONITORING BIOMOLECULAR INTERACTIONS. Two great goals of biomolecular science are to monitor biomolecular interactions in real time and with sufficient sensitivity to allow small amounts of biological material to be investigated. The achievement of these goals is limited by the methods of transducing these reactions. The aim of this multidisciplinary proposal is to overcome this limitation by developing photonic devices that exploit the unique properties of na ....SILICON BASED PHOTONIC CRYSTALS FOR MONITORING BIOMOLECULAR INTERACTIONS. Two great goals of biomolecular science are to monitor biomolecular interactions in real time and with sufficient sensitivity to allow small amounts of biological material to be investigated. The achievement of these goals is limited by the methods of transducing these reactions. The aim of this multidisciplinary proposal is to overcome this limitation by developing photonic devices that exploit the unique properties of nanoporous silicon. The hybridisation of DNA will be used as a model biorecognition reaction. Potential applications of these photonic devices are as highly sensitive affinity sensors and as tools for investigating the kinetics of biomolecular interactions.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989390
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
Versatile Scanning X-ray Microscopy Facility at the Australian Synchrotron. The challenges of the modern world means that the Australian community must continue to have access to state of the art research tools. An important component of international synchrotron sources is the very high resolution x-ray microscope. These microscopes are used to image samples of biological, material or environmental significance with extraordinary precision. This project will establish such a microscope at the A ....Versatile Scanning X-ray Microscopy Facility at the Australian Synchrotron. The challenges of the modern world means that the Australian community must continue to have access to state of the art research tools. An important component of international synchrotron sources is the very high resolution x-ray microscope. These microscopes are used to image samples of biological, material or environmental significance with extraordinary precision. This project will establish such a microscope at the Australian Synchrotron in Clayton, and nucleates an extensive nationwide collaboration that is devoted to the development of this and related techniques and their application to problems of national scientific, environmental and technological importance.Read moreRead less