Expanding the molecular tool set for structural studies of proteins and their complexes. Many applications in medical science and drug development depend on our ability to determine the 3D structures of proteins, protein assemblies and protein-ligand complexes. This project will develop novel lanthanide-binding tags and crosslinking agents that can be coupled to unnatural amino acids introduced into proteins with advanced protein chemistry techniques. These new tools will facilitate the collecti ....Expanding the molecular tool set for structural studies of proteins and their complexes. Many applications in medical science and drug development depend on our ability to determine the 3D structures of proteins, protein assemblies and protein-ligand complexes. This project will develop novel lanthanide-binding tags and crosslinking agents that can be coupled to unnatural amino acids introduced into proteins with advanced protein chemistry techniques. These new tools will facilitate the collection of structure restraints by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and mass spectrometry, which are needed to generate accurate models of proteins and their complexes with other molecules. Major beneficial outcome will include an increase in the number of protein targets amenable to rational drug design and improved methods for generating new drug leads.Read moreRead less
Specific-ion effects in non-aqueous solvents. A test for Hofmeister. A colloidal solution is a liquid that contains a finely dispersed material. The properties of these solutions are critical in many industrially important practices and in the everyday processes of life. Though not understood, it is observed that the type of salt in solution controls how the colloid behaves. Through a series of very careful experiments we seek to learn precisely how different salts influence the properties of a ....Specific-ion effects in non-aqueous solvents. A test for Hofmeister. A colloidal solution is a liquid that contains a finely dispersed material. The properties of these solutions are critical in many industrially important practices and in the everyday processes of life. Though not understood, it is observed that the type of salt in solution controls how the colloid behaves. Through a series of very careful experiments we seek to learn precisely how different salts influence the properties of a colloidal solution. This world-leading research will enable us to improve our fundamental understanding of colloids and thereby facilitate advances in topics as diverse as enzymatic action and minerals purification, ensuring Australia remains at the forefront of science in this field.Read moreRead less
Foundations of Vision Based Control of Robotic Vehicles. Automated and partially automated robotic vehicles are an emerging technology in society. The safety and performance of such systems depends crucially on their sensing and control algorithms. Vision sensing is one of the few sensor modalities that has the potential to adequately represent the complexity of a real world environment. By providing simple and effective vision based control algorithms this project develops Frontier Technologi ....Foundations of Vision Based Control of Robotic Vehicles. Automated and partially automated robotic vehicles are an emerging technology in society. The safety and performance of such systems depends crucially on their sensing and control algorithms. Vision sensing is one of the few sensor modalities that has the potential to adequately represent the complexity of a real world environment. By providing simple and effective vision based control algorithms this project develops Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries by enabling a wide range of robotic vehicle applications, including aerial, submersible, and wheeled vehicles.Read moreRead less
Investigating the behaviour of semiconductor materials under extreme pressures. The study of materials at extreme pressures is important and interesting from both a technological and a fundamental perspective. This project will significantly advance the understanding of how semiconductors react to high-pressure environments by exploiting new and innovative approaches to both the application of the extreme pressure and the in-situ measurement of the resultant structures. It will establish a compr ....Investigating the behaviour of semiconductor materials under extreme pressures. The study of materials at extreme pressures is important and interesting from both a technological and a fundamental perspective. This project will significantly advance the understanding of how semiconductors react to high-pressure environments by exploiting new and innovative approaches to both the application of the extreme pressure and the in-situ measurement of the resultant structures. It will establish a comprehensive understanding of the deformation behaviour of semiconductors that will be essential in the search for advanced materials with entirely new properties that may be useful in semiconducting device applications.Read moreRead less
Testing theories of two-phase fluid flow in porous media through experiment, imaging and modelling. The process underlying oil extraction, groundwater flow and the sequestration of carbon dioxide is that of one fluid pushing another out of the microscopic spaces in porous rocks and soils. Using the latest three-dimensional X-ray microscopes and computing technology, the project will image and model these fluid flows, allowing theories to be tested for the first time.
Control and learning for enhancing capabilities of quantum sensors. This project aims to develop new theories and algorithms to enhance capabilities in engineering quantum sensors from the perspective of systems and control. The project is significant because it is anticipated to advance key knowledge and provide systematic methods to enable achievement of high-precision sensing for wide applications, e.g., early disease detection, medical research, discovery of ore deposits and groundwater moni ....Control and learning for enhancing capabilities of quantum sensors. This project aims to develop new theories and algorithms to enhance capabilities in engineering quantum sensors from the perspective of systems and control. The project is significant because it is anticipated to advance key knowledge and provide systematic methods to enable achievement of high-precision sensing for wide applications, e.g., early disease detection, medical research, discovery of ore deposits and groundwater monitoring. The intended outcomes are fundamental theories, effective control and learning algorithms for achieving highly-sensitive sensors. These outcomes should make important contributions to and deliver new knowledge and skills for Australia's sensing industries, which could benefit Australia's economic growth.Read moreRead less
Thermal transport by design for fast and efficient solar thermochemical fuel production. This project aims to demonstrate the utility of the thermal transport by design approach to develop functionally graded reactive materials that allow for fast and efficient solar thermo-chemical fuel production. Prediction capabilities will be developed to optimise multi-scale radiative and gas transport coupled with non-stoichiometric redox reactions. Synthesis gas production will be demonstrated using the ....Thermal transport by design for fast and efficient solar thermochemical fuel production. This project aims to demonstrate the utility of the thermal transport by design approach to develop functionally graded reactive materials that allow for fast and efficient solar thermo-chemical fuel production. Prediction capabilities will be developed to optimise multi-scale radiative and gas transport coupled with non-stoichiometric redox reactions. Synthesis gas production will be demonstrated using the new structures in a prototype solar thermochemical reactor under high-flux irradiation. This project aims to advance the fields of thermal sciences and high-temperature solar thermochemical processing and expand the engineering knowledge base to pave the way to sustainable transportation with the existing infrastructure.Read moreRead less
Plasma touches life: advancing plasma technologies for the life sciences. The aim of this project is to develop a mechanistic understanding of how electrically excited gas (plasma) jets deliver reactive oxygen and nitrogen species into tissue, ensuring safety and precision in their use to combat disease. Overcoming barriers in delivery is intended to help realise the full potential of plasma in the life sciences. The project is expected to generate new knowledge across physics, chemistry and bio ....Plasma touches life: advancing plasma technologies for the life sciences. The aim of this project is to develop a mechanistic understanding of how electrically excited gas (plasma) jets deliver reactive oxygen and nitrogen species into tissue, ensuring safety and precision in their use to combat disease. Overcoming barriers in delivery is intended to help realise the full potential of plasma in the life sciences. The project is expected to generate new knowledge across physics, chemistry and biology, leading to new approaches for the future development of plasma technologies. This should provide significant benefits by expanding the human capacity of research in plasma, and in growing the advanced manufacturing of plasma devices for future applications in engineering, biology and health.Read moreRead less
Nanophotonic tandem designs for high efficiency solar cells. This project will develop high-efficiency tandem solar cells that combine established silicon cell technology with novel low-cost thin-film solar cells. It will incorporate nanostructured layers between the cells that selectively trap different wavelengths of light, maximising light absorption in the top cell. This will make it possible to use a very thin top cell, reducing the requirements on electronic quality of the material. This p ....Nanophotonic tandem designs for high efficiency solar cells. This project will develop high-efficiency tandem solar cells that combine established silicon cell technology with novel low-cost thin-film solar cells. It will incorporate nanostructured layers between the cells that selectively trap different wavelengths of light, maximising light absorption in the top cell. This will make it possible to use a very thin top cell, reducing the requirements on electronic quality of the material. This project will also develop self-assembly techniques to enable the new nanostructures to be fabricated quickly and cheaply but with a high degree of control. Such cells will allow open the door to higher efficiencies, and lower costs, than is achievable with conventional solar cells.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms of nucleation with special emphasis on gas hydrates. Successful recovery of natural gas from hydrate reservoirs, flow assurance in natural gas pipelines, prevention of undesirable dissociation of methane hydrates in deep ocean sediments, sequestration of carbon dioxide and high density gas storage, all depend on timely formation and dissociation of gas hydrates. Controlled extraction of methane hydrates from, and simultaneous sequestration of carbon dioxide to, deep ocean sediments ha ....Mechanisms of nucleation with special emphasis on gas hydrates. Successful recovery of natural gas from hydrate reservoirs, flow assurance in natural gas pipelines, prevention of undesirable dissociation of methane hydrates in deep ocean sediments, sequestration of carbon dioxide and high density gas storage, all depend on timely formation and dissociation of gas hydrates. Controlled extraction of methane hydrates from, and simultaneous sequestration of carbon dioxide to, deep ocean sediments have been considered to be the 'next big thing' in energy and environment sectors. Sequestration of carbon dioxide is necessary not only for reducing the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere but also to stabilise the sediments once methane is extracted.Read moreRead less