Attachment of Growth Factors to Pure, Plasma Modified and Coated Titanium Substrates. Titanium and its alloys are routinely used as medical and dental implants. Despite coating with hydroxyapatite, a material well known to improve implant fixation, many such implants fail because of lack of strong integration with bone. This proposal aims at achieving long-term stability of titanium implants through their surface modification and subsequent attachment of growth factors. The use of latter has alr ....Attachment of Growth Factors to Pure, Plasma Modified and Coated Titanium Substrates. Titanium and its alloys are routinely used as medical and dental implants. Despite coating with hydroxyapatite, a material well known to improve implant fixation, many such implants fail because of lack of strong integration with bone. This proposal aims at achieving long-term stability of titanium implants through their surface modification and subsequent attachment of growth factors. The use of latter has already been shown to help bone-implant integration. Successful project implementation will provide titanium implant surfaces that will help achieve speedier and improved implant fixation with long-term stability. Knowledge, expertise and techniques developed will help the industry partner expanding its research base and business and generating wealth in Australia. Training of world-class research students in the emerging field of biotechnology will be another major outcome.Read moreRead less
Development of a novel biodegradable ophthalmic biomaterial based on porous silicon. Within this interdisciplinary project, we will combine our diverse expertise towards the development of frontier technologies for control of stem cell behaviour on biodegradable scaffold materials. We will develop a novel ophthalmic bioimplant from porous silicon using topographical and chemical aspects of surface modification as well as immobilisation and/or incorporation of bioactive species such as growth fac ....Development of a novel biodegradable ophthalmic biomaterial based on porous silicon. Within this interdisciplinary project, we will combine our diverse expertise towards the development of frontier technologies for control of stem cell behaviour on biodegradable scaffold materials. We will develop a novel ophthalmic bioimplant from porous silicon using topographical and chemical aspects of surface modification as well as immobilisation and/or incorporation of bioactive species such as growth factors, to permit the growth and differentiation of mammalian stem cells. This project will result in biomaterials for the treatment of blinding diseases of the eye. Implanted into the limbus, bioimplants may ameliorate some common corneal diseases.Read moreRead less
Covalent Immobilisation of Growth Factors on Plasma Modified Titanium for Achieving Enhanced Bone Growth and Bonding in Implant Prosthetics. This project is aimed at improving the fixation of titanium implants by combining the surface technologies expertise of University of South Australia and Flinders University with TGR BioSciences's growth factors expertise. Plasma modified and hydroxyapatite-coated implant surfaces will be used for covalent immobilisation of growth factors via tethers with ....Covalent Immobilisation of Growth Factors on Plasma Modified Titanium for Achieving Enhanced Bone Growth and Bonding in Implant Prosthetics. This project is aimed at improving the fixation of titanium implants by combining the surface technologies expertise of University of South Australia and Flinders University with TGR BioSciences's growth factors expertise. Plasma modified and hydroxyapatite-coated implant surfaces will be used for covalent immobilisation of growth factors via tethers with tailored wettability and flexibility. This innovative strategy is expected to yield high retention of growth factor bioactivity and increased bone-implant integration for long-term implant stability. Knowledge, expertise and techniques developed will help TGR BioSciences expanding its research base and business. Training of students in the emerging field of nano-biotechnology will be another major outcome.Read moreRead less
Microchip Impedance Biosensor for Biomedical Diagnostics. This research proposal uses an innovative engineering approach based on novel nanomaterials with the aim of developing a new and generic biosensing technology with the potential to be widely applied in many areas including medical diagnostics, environmental control, industry and biosecurity. The outcomes from this project will benefit Australia by contributing through the development of novel materials, new technologies and new devices. ....Microchip Impedance Biosensor for Biomedical Diagnostics. This research proposal uses an innovative engineering approach based on novel nanomaterials with the aim of developing a new and generic biosensing technology with the potential to be widely applied in many areas including medical diagnostics, environmental control, industry and biosecurity. The outcomes from this project will benefit Australia by contributing through the development of novel materials, new technologies and new devices. The development of technological innovations based on fabricated nanomaterials, will also enhance capacity in frontier technology such as nanotechnology, and build Australia’s strength in using new biosensing technologies.Read moreRead less
Policing the Neighbourhood: Australian Police Peace-keeping, Capacity-building, and Development in Timor-Leste, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Australia's involvement in policing offshore is growing rapidly. Timor-Leste and the Solomon Islands, and shortly, Papua New Guinea, feature in these developments. The Australian Federal Police is now a key player in regional security and development. This study takes stock of this trend. Through three case studies, the project examines the grou ....Policing the Neighbourhood: Australian Police Peace-keeping, Capacity-building, and Development in Timor-Leste, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Australia's involvement in policing offshore is growing rapidly. Timor-Leste and the Solomon Islands, and shortly, Papua New Guinea, feature in these developments. The Australian Federal Police is now a key player in regional security and development. This study takes stock of this trend. Through three case studies, the project examines the grounds for providing assistance, the different cultural and political contexts in which assistance is taking place, the forms of that assistance, and the achievements and shortcomings of previous and current police assistance missions. It will also provide an analytical framework for future engagements of this nature.Read moreRead less
Private Security and Public Interest: Exploring Private Security Trends and Directions for Reform in the New Era of Plural Policing. This study will provide the first ever comprehensive assessment of private security and what it can and cannot offer society in terms of fair and effective order maintenance, crime prevention and law enforcement in Australia. Stemming from problems incurred by the sector, the research will address how governments should regulate the growing range of policing functi ....Private Security and Public Interest: Exploring Private Security Trends and Directions for Reform in the New Era of Plural Policing. This study will provide the first ever comprehensive assessment of private security and what it can and cannot offer society in terms of fair and effective order maintenance, crime prevention and law enforcement in Australia. Stemming from problems incurred by the sector, the research will address how governments should regulate the growing range of policing functions undertaken by private providers. It will also address the issue of how private police can best satisfy legal and justice criteria, meet the demands of accountability and develop mutually beneficial models of cooperation with the public sector. The research will recommend to policy-makers preferred 'plural' policing models for the 21st century.Read moreRead less
Optimal Resourcing: A longitudinal study of work demands, resourcing, and psychological well-being in Australian frontline police officers. Expanding the Job Demands-Resources model of job stress to include upstream pressures on the organisational system, this research will provide important insights into the relationships between psychosocial risks (current resources and demands) and police wellbeing. Using 3 wave longitudinal designs, and 'objective' measures of demands and resources, the rese ....Optimal Resourcing: A longitudinal study of work demands, resourcing, and psychological well-being in Australian frontline police officers. Expanding the Job Demands-Resources model of job stress to include upstream pressures on the organisational system, this research will provide important insights into the relationships between psychosocial risks (current resources and demands) and police wellbeing. Using 3 wave longitudinal designs, and 'objective' measures of demands and resources, the research will extend the stress development literature by exploring exposure (cross-sectional, 1 year) and time lag (2 year) causal pathways. The findings will make a significant contribution to contemporary job demand/resource theories of occupational stress and assist in the development of policies to enhance the occupational health and safety of frontline police officers.Read moreRead less
Electrochemical biosensors for detection of cardiac disease markers in blood. Cardiovascular diseases leading to heart failure have a prevalence of over 16 per cent in Australia. The social, economic and health burden is higher than for any other disease group. Hence, it is critically important to develop fit-for-purpose sensors of known cardiac biomarkers, which alert patients and clinicians of the risk of imminent heart failure.
The role of online social networks in successful ageing: benefitting from 'who you know' at older ages. The project will increase understanding of how online social networking contributes to successful ageing through partnering, economic and voluntary activity, family and social connectedness. The findings will inform policy recommendations, social interventions and education programs designed to enhance 'ageing well, ageing productively'. These are expected to benefit the health and well-being ....The role of online social networks in successful ageing: benefitting from 'who you know' at older ages. The project will increase understanding of how online social networking contributes to successful ageing through partnering, economic and voluntary activity, family and social connectedness. The findings will inform policy recommendations, social interventions and education programs designed to enhance 'ageing well, ageing productively'. These are expected to benefit the health and well-being of older Australians, with economic benefits of increased contributions to society and fewer demands on services. Social and economic benefits are also expected from insights into reducing the technological and psychological barriers that prevent older people from benefiting from the Internet and online social networking.Read moreRead less
New uses for milk-derived products for eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection and gastro-intestinal site-specific delivery of active agents. Helicobacter pylori is the most significant bacterial pathogen in the world, infecting 50% globally. Current treatments are inducing rapid antibiotic resistance and are thus becoming increasingly less effective. The infection is acquired in childhood and new methods to prevent and/or treat the infection, minimising acquisition of antibiotic resistance ....New uses for milk-derived products for eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection and gastro-intestinal site-specific delivery of active agents. Helicobacter pylori is the most significant bacterial pathogen in the world, infecting 50% globally. Current treatments are inducing rapid antibiotic resistance and are thus becoming increasingly less effective. The infection is acquired in childhood and new methods to prevent and/or treat the infection, minimising acquisition of antibiotic resistance are urgently required. This project seeks to develop new ways of doing this that combine novel antibacterials with techniques to deliver them (and monitor this delivery) as well as modify the complex protective habitat in the stomach.Read moreRead less