Fighting slime with free radicals - new surface coatings for biofilm remediation. Bacterial biofilms are a major problem in a number of environmental, industrial and medical applications. They cause significant risks to human health and present an enormous economic burden to society. This project aims to develop smart polymeric coatings that will discourage bacterial attachment and ensure greater long term control over biofilm growth. These coatings represent a breakthrough in the field and will ....Fighting slime with free radicals - new surface coatings for biofilm remediation. Bacterial biofilms are a major problem in a number of environmental, industrial and medical applications. They cause significant risks to human health and present an enormous economic burden to society. This project aims to develop smart polymeric coatings that will discourage bacterial attachment and ensure greater long term control over biofilm growth. These coatings represent a breakthrough in the field and will have a profound impact in many areas, including reducing infections related to medical implants and improving the efficiency of marine engineering systems.Read moreRead less
Environmentally sustainable asymmetric synthesis: design and development of chiral hydrogen bonding organocatalysts. There is a pressing need for more environmentally sustainable and economically viable methods for asymmetric synthesis. This project aims to design, synthesise and evaluate new organocatalysts based on the principle of hydrogen bonding activation, a common feature of Nature's catalysts, enzymes. These inexpensive, non-toxic, air- and moisture-stable catalysts may prove to be more ....Environmentally sustainable asymmetric synthesis: design and development of chiral hydrogen bonding organocatalysts. There is a pressing need for more environmentally sustainable and economically viable methods for asymmetric synthesis. This project aims to design, synthesise and evaluate new organocatalysts based on the principle of hydrogen bonding activation, a common feature of Nature's catalysts, enzymes. These inexpensive, non-toxic, air- and moisture-stable catalysts may prove to be more efficient, selective and have broader applicability than catalysts based on transition metals. The growing Australian pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries will benefit from the development of these new Advanced Materials and the training provided to young scientists in the sought-after fields of asymmetric synthesis and catalysis.Read moreRead less
Dendritic Organic Semiconductors. This Federation Fellowship, along with the creation of a Centre for Organic Semiconductor Research at The University of Queensland will enable Australian science to have a high profile in organic semiconductors. This is an important scientific and technological goal and the research programme will provide expertise for industry in Australia as well as potentially creating technologies for new industry. It will also provide a focus for other academic institutions ....Dendritic Organic Semiconductors. This Federation Fellowship, along with the creation of a Centre for Organic Semiconductor Research at The University of Queensland will enable Australian science to have a high profile in organic semiconductors. This is an important scientific and technological goal and the research programme will provide expertise for industry in Australia as well as potentially creating technologies for new industry. It will also provide a focus for other academic institutions in Australia by bringing together people with the requisite expertise in materials preparation, characterisation, modelling, photophysics, and device physics and engineering. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0233459
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$136,000.00
Summary
High Pressure Chemistry Facility. High pressure is a mild, clean and high yielding method of promoting a variety of important chemical reactions. This proposal seeks equipment to conduct such reactions on a pilot and large scale or in large numbers (high-pressure combinatorial chemistry). This equipment would be unique in the Southern Hemsiphere and, together with existing infrastructure, creates an Australian centre in high pressure, liquid - phase chemistry. It would support research programm ....High Pressure Chemistry Facility. High pressure is a mild, clean and high yielding method of promoting a variety of important chemical reactions. This proposal seeks equipment to conduct such reactions on a pilot and large scale or in large numbers (high-pressure combinatorial chemistry). This equipment would be unique in the Southern Hemsiphere and, together with existing infrastructure, creates an Australian centre in high pressure, liquid - phase chemistry. It would support research programmes aimed at developing new materials for microelectronic components and new compounds for high through-put drug discovery and insecticide discovery programmes.Read moreRead less
Linking chemical synthesis with protein discovery to reveal key biological pathways. The project aims to pioneer a chemical biology technology to deliver a much better understanding of key molecules that regulate diseases such as cancer. For decades phorbol esters have been prominent molecules for controlling cell switches in complex diseases but our knowledge is incomplete because of the limited natural abundance of these molecules.
Neurotrophic Active Natural Products: Total Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Neovibsanins A and B, and Analogues. New chemical entities (drug candidates) that promote neurite outgrowth have significant ramifications to mankind as they have real potential to repair damaged, or grow replacement, nerve cells affected by neuro and central nervous system (CNS) degenerative disease (e.g. Alzhiemer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's etc). This scientific endeavour will reveal new drug like molecules fo ....Neurotrophic Active Natural Products: Total Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Neovibsanins A and B, and Analogues. New chemical entities (drug candidates) that promote neurite outgrowth have significant ramifications to mankind as they have real potential to repair damaged, or grow replacement, nerve cells affected by neuro and central nervous system (CNS) degenerative disease (e.g. Alzhiemer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's etc). This scientific endeavour will reveal new drug like molecules for potential biological and clinical application, thereby assisting a substantial proportion of Australians suffering from these debilitating diseases. Read moreRead less
Molecular probes for pancreatic cancer. Cancer has overtaken heart disease as the main cause of premature death in Australia. Currently one in two men and one in three women are diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in Australia, and the current lack of effective therapies results in a 1 year survival of just over 10%, and a 5 year survival of less than 5%. This project aims to identify and produce new compounds with novel mech ....Molecular probes for pancreatic cancer. Cancer has overtaken heart disease as the main cause of premature death in Australia. Currently one in two men and one in three women are diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in Australia, and the current lack of effective therapies results in a 1 year survival of just over 10%, and a 5 year survival of less than 5%. This project aims to identify and produce new compounds with novel mechanisms of action that will facilitate our understanding of pancreatic carcinogenesis and provide the basis for the development of new therapeutic strategies. Australians diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the future may directly benefit from the results of this work.Read moreRead less
Supramolecular assembly in photovoltaic electrode design: Studies of ordered porphyrin/acceptor complexes on polythiophene electrodes. This research outlines an improved way to develop dye-sensitised photovoltaic solar cells for the conversion of sunlight into electricity, by increasing the molecular order of the cell components using host, guest interrelationships. As such, it addresses a problem of international concern 'How to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stop global warming?' since s ....Supramolecular assembly in photovoltaic electrode design: Studies of ordered porphyrin/acceptor complexes on polythiophene electrodes. This research outlines an improved way to develop dye-sensitised photovoltaic solar cells for the conversion of sunlight into electricity, by increasing the molecular order of the cell components using host, guest interrelationships. As such, it addresses a problem of international concern 'How to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stop global warming?' since solar cells do not produce carbon dioxide. To achieve our goals we draw on the skills of a team of experts from Australia (synthetic organic chemists), New Zealand (polymer and surface chemists) and Italy (photochemist and photophysicist). Such research is very appropriate for regional Australia, especially Central Queensland.Read moreRead less
The development of copper-free click chemistry to label biomolecules within living cells. Understanding how cells work is central to modern advances in biomedical science, however many cellular processes are invisible to the researcher because of a lack of appropriate tools. This proposal will apply modern chemistry approaches to the design of new chemical tools for visualising biomolecules within living cells and for investigating cell function. This project brings together experts in chemistry ....The development of copper-free click chemistry to label biomolecules within living cells. Understanding how cells work is central to modern advances in biomedical science, however many cellular processes are invisible to the researcher because of a lack of appropriate tools. This proposal will apply modern chemistry approaches to the design of new chemical tools for visualising biomolecules within living cells and for investigating cell function. This project brings together experts in chemistry, stem cells and malaria and has applications for development of much needed new therapeutics. This research will advance biomedical research and generate new discoveries for a competitive advantage for Australian science, with potential economic return for the nation.Read moreRead less
New vistas in porphyrin chemistry via metal-catalyzed couplings with hydrazine derivatives. This project will address basic scientific questions and develop new substances for use in molecular electronics and cancer therapy. We will make and study entirely new molecules derived from porphyrins, which in Nature have vital roles in photosynthesis, oxygen transport and enzyme catalysis. This breakthrough research will reveal knowledge vital to the advancement of fundamental chemical science and als ....New vistas in porphyrin chemistry via metal-catalyzed couplings with hydrazine derivatives. This project will address basic scientific questions and develop new substances for use in molecular electronics and cancer therapy. We will make and study entirely new molecules derived from porphyrins, which in Nature have vital roles in photosynthesis, oxygen transport and enzyme catalysis. This breakthrough research will reveal knowledge vital to the advancement of fundamental chemical science and also offer excellent training in cutting edge research for young Australian scientists. In addition, porphyrin-like substances are used in cancer diagnosis and treatment and have properties essential for the next generation of nanoelectronic devices, and this project is aimed at these eventual outcomes.Read moreRead less