Micro/nano smart surfaces to unlock the potential of multipotent stem cells. This project aims to determine the interplay of micro/nanostructures on stem cell mechanotransduction and to control the cellular environment. It is expected that this will expand our knowledge on how to control stem cell fate. Expected outcomes are novel scalable technologies for micro/nanostructures and smart surfaces, controlled stem-cell expansion and differentiation, and the creation of a library of protein express ....Micro/nano smart surfaces to unlock the potential of multipotent stem cells. This project aims to determine the interplay of micro/nanostructures on stem cell mechanotransduction and to control the cellular environment. It is expected that this will expand our knowledge on how to control stem cell fate. Expected outcomes are novel scalable technologies for micro/nanostructures and smart surfaces, controlled stem-cell expansion and differentiation, and the creation of a library of protein expression based on the cell interactions. These outcomes will provide critical information required for the future development of instructive biomaterials to drive stem cell expansion and tissue-regeneration. Those materials should benefit the future development of efficient and cost-effective regenerative medicine solutions.Read moreRead less
Dissecting the physiology of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells to develop vaccine candidates for respiratory disease. The project aims to gain an understanding of how a type of adult stem cell inhibits immune responses that cause asthma. The project will produce new stem cell products and facilitate the design of a vaccine for asthma and other respiratory diseases, which would greatly reduce the burden of such conditions.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101755
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Regulation of cell reprogramming to pluripotency by complex topographies. This project aims to use nanotopography approaches to improve the efficiency of generating induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) by changing cell behaviour at biomaterial surfaces. The significance is that iPSCs have enormous potential in stem cell therapy, regenerative medicine, and disease-specific treatment, with the potential to replace other stem cell types. The expected outcomes are that cellular reprogramming proce ....Regulation of cell reprogramming to pluripotency by complex topographies. This project aims to use nanotopography approaches to improve the efficiency of generating induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) by changing cell behaviour at biomaterial surfaces. The significance is that iPSCs have enormous potential in stem cell therapy, regenerative medicine, and disease-specific treatment, with the potential to replace other stem cell types. The expected outcomes are that cellular reprogramming process for iPSCs generation will be improved and the canonical reprogramming factors might be reduced using surface nanotopographies of self-assembled colloidal crystals. The benefits are the promotion of productivity, the reduction of costs, and the application of iPSC derivatives, aimed at future clinical applications.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100775
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$368,446.00
Summary
Using nanostructured scaffolds to understand and engineer neuronal circuits. This project aims to understand the formation of neuronal circuits in the brain. While the role of biochemical features in the brain is well understood, it is not clear how the biophysical properties of the brain affect circuit formation. The outcomes of this project will improve our understanding of neuronal circuit formation as well as provide design rules for creating scaffolds to repair neuronal circuits after brain ....Using nanostructured scaffolds to understand and engineer neuronal circuits. This project aims to understand the formation of neuronal circuits in the brain. While the role of biochemical features in the brain is well understood, it is not clear how the biophysical properties of the brain affect circuit formation. The outcomes of this project will improve our understanding of neuronal circuit formation as well as provide design rules for creating scaffolds to repair neuronal circuits after brain damage. This project will integrate Australia’s strengths in nanotechnology and neurosciences, bringing Australian research at the forefront of neural engineering.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130100986
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
An innovative platform using non-coding ribonucleic acids (RNAs) to control stem cell differentiation outcomes. It is difficult to control the tissue type that stem cells will form when combined with biomaterials, as the outcome is influenced by the 'stiffness' of the surface to which the stem cells attach. This project will determine how non-coding ribonucleic acids (RNAs) control stem cell behaviours and use this information to direct stem cell differentiation outcomes.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210101129
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$425,948.00
Summary
Two-Dimensional Material Tandem Detectors for Polarimetry and Spectroscopy. The aim of this project is to leverage the fundamental advantages that two-dimensional (2D) materials could provide to vertically-stacked (tandem) photodetectors. The strong absorption, tunable bandgap and polarisation dependence that many 2D materials exhibit, provides a means by which to detect properties of light. This topic is significant because it could overcome current cost/performance issues of tandem detectors, .... Two-Dimensional Material Tandem Detectors for Polarimetry and Spectroscopy. The aim of this project is to leverage the fundamental advantages that two-dimensional (2D) materials could provide to vertically-stacked (tandem) photodetectors. The strong absorption, tunable bandgap and polarisation dependence that many 2D materials exhibit, provides a means by which to detect properties of light. This topic is significant because it could overcome current cost/performance issues of tandem detectors, enabling widespread usage. The expected project outcome is the development of a novel tandem 2D detector, which as a single detector/pixel, can extract the intensity, polarisation and wavelength region of incoming light. This would provide benefits for many future applications, including machine vision and aerial surveying.Read moreRead less
Photonic crystals at visible wavelengths. Three dimensional sculptured nano-structures made at a very high spatial resolution will open way to control light emission, propagation, and transmission at the visible wavelengths. Optically thin and transparent solar cells will be able to harvest light using structures.
High-performance smart solar powered on-chip capacitive energy storage. High performance and environmentally friendly on-chip power system is the key bottleneck issue limiting the further performance improvement and miniaturisation of ever-increasing portable optoelectronic devices. Building on previous work, including recent breakthroughs of on-chip photonic devices in patterned graphene oxide thin film and the record-breaking nanophotonics solar cells, the project aims to investigate a new con ....High-performance smart solar powered on-chip capacitive energy storage. High performance and environmentally friendly on-chip power system is the key bottleneck issue limiting the further performance improvement and miniaturisation of ever-increasing portable optoelectronic devices. Building on previous work, including recent breakthroughs of on-chip photonic devices in patterned graphene oxide thin film and the record-breaking nanophotonics solar cells, the project aims to investigate a new concept of super-resolution direct laser printing and simultaneous dopant activation of graphene oxide thin films. It is expected that the conceptually new development of the functional graphene oxide film patterning will allow for smart solar-powered on-chip power systems that outperform the state-of-the-art pollution generating batteries.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100427
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$330,000.00
Summary
All-in-one Functional Nanocrystal Inks for Printed Inorganic Solar Cells. At present, manufacturing solar panels involves expensive high temperature and high vacuum processes. The bottleneck to cheaper solar power is the ability to design new methods of manufacturing. The ability to print the active components of a solar cell is an excellent way to mitigate these costs. This project aims to focus on developing the knowledge to print the most crucial component of a solar cell - the light absorbin ....All-in-one Functional Nanocrystal Inks for Printed Inorganic Solar Cells. At present, manufacturing solar panels involves expensive high temperature and high vacuum processes. The bottleneck to cheaper solar power is the ability to design new methods of manufacturing. The ability to print the active components of a solar cell is an excellent way to mitigate these costs. This project aims to focus on developing the knowledge to print the most crucial component of a solar cell - the light absorbing layer. Innovative nanoscience will be used to develop novel solar inks composed of tiny semiconductor crystals. The formulation and transformation of these inks into efficient semiconductor light absorbing layers, with a clear view to cheaper printed solar cells, will be the key objective of this project.Read moreRead less
Investigation into a graphene ultra-flat lens array for silicon solar cells breaking the Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit. Based on a recent discovery of the giant refractive index modulation associated with graphene oxide to graphene transition upon laser exposure and the breakthrough of graphene silicon solar cells. This project aims to investigate a new concept of an integratible, broadband, dispersionless, ultraflat lens array from nanostructured graphene oxide/graphene. This conceptually ....Investigation into a graphene ultra-flat lens array for silicon solar cells breaking the Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit. Based on a recent discovery of the giant refractive index modulation associated with graphene oxide to graphene transition upon laser exposure and the breakthrough of graphene silicon solar cells. This project aims to investigate a new concept of an integratible, broadband, dispersionless, ultraflat lens array from nanostructured graphene oxide/graphene. This conceptually new development of functional graphene oxide/graphene lens array in combination with a lumpy nanoparticle enabled back light trapping layer will allow for the non-reciprocal coupling of the broadband solar light into the photovoltaic devices with minimised entropy losses. Thus ultrahigh efficiency solar cells exceeding the conventional theoretical limit can be developed.Read moreRead less