Computational MultiPhysics Analysis of 3D Structural Damage and Failure. This project aims to develop advanced modelling techniques to assess quantitatively, the impacts of environmental changes caused by climate on structures. New and existing structures need to be climate-resilient to sustain more frequent and hazardous climatic actions. Attention will focus on modelling structural damage caused by extreme loads and MultiPhysics mechanisms caused by climate change. The expected outcome is a ne ....Computational MultiPhysics Analysis of 3D Structural Damage and Failure. This project aims to develop advanced modelling techniques to assess quantitatively, the impacts of environmental changes caused by climate on structures. New and existing structures need to be climate-resilient to sustain more frequent and hazardous climatic actions. Attention will focus on modelling structural damage caused by extreme loads and MultiPhysics mechanisms caused by climate change. The expected outcome is a new computational tool that will benefit Australian society by facilitating more reliable assessments of risks associated with structural damage and failure. This is significant in the design of structures where effective measures to improve functionality can be implemented to add value to an asset's life-cycle management.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL230100100
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,300,000.00
Summary
Forces in Nature: Tissue mechanics and cell sociology. Epithelial cells cover surfaces in the body, forming a shield to protect us from the environment. Despite their importance, we understand poorly how the cells communicate. This project aims to test the novel concept that epithelial cells communicate via transmission and detection of mechanical forces, using an innovative combination of cellular and biophysical experiments and physical theory. The expected outcomes are new knowledge, interdis ....Forces in Nature: Tissue mechanics and cell sociology. Epithelial cells cover surfaces in the body, forming a shield to protect us from the environment. Despite their importance, we understand poorly how the cells communicate. This project aims to test the novel concept that epithelial cells communicate via transmission and detection of mechanical forces, using an innovative combination of cellular and biophysical experiments and physical theory. The expected outcomes are new knowledge, interdisciplinary training for young scientists, new national research capacity and growing international collaborations. Benefits include enhancing Australia’s scientific linkages and research capacity and providing fundamental knowledge that could lead to future advances in bioengineering and drug discovery. Read moreRead less
Identifying how cortical bone microstructure deteriorates with age. This project aims to define the disruptions responsible for the gradual weakening of the skeleton in ageing by integrating a range of high-resolution imaging, biomechanical, and computational methods. The expected significance of this project includes a full definition and comparison of the cellular and subcellular organisation of bone from young and elderly individuals. Expected outcomes of this international project include th ....Identifying how cortical bone microstructure deteriorates with age. This project aims to define the disruptions responsible for the gradual weakening of the skeleton in ageing by integrating a range of high-resolution imaging, biomechanical, and computational methods. The expected significance of this project includes a full definition and comparison of the cellular and subcellular organisation of bone from young and elderly individuals. Expected outcomes of this international project include the establishment of a new multidisciplinary research team, and the development of a new data-driven theoretical framework for understanding the nature and the causes of age-related bone fragility. Potential long-term benefits include new ways to treat age-related osteoporosis.Read moreRead less
Engineering nanomaterial interactions with the cell surface. This Fellowship aims to advance understanding of the endothelial cell surface, a key tissue barrier, and its interactions with nanomaterials. Enabled by cross-disciplinary collaboration, it expects to develop knowledge in matrix biology of the cell surface and materials as well as new methods to analyse their interactions. This is expected to unravel causal relationships between nanomaterial features and interactions at the cell surfac ....Engineering nanomaterial interactions with the cell surface. This Fellowship aims to advance understanding of the endothelial cell surface, a key tissue barrier, and its interactions with nanomaterials. Enabled by cross-disciplinary collaboration, it expects to develop knowledge in matrix biology of the cell surface and materials as well as new methods to analyse their interactions. This is expected to unravel causal relationships between nanomaterial features and interactions at the cell surface which will be integrated to engineer optimised materials. This will address the current and critical challenges of nanomaterial technologies in the efficient and targeted interactions with cells with long-term benefits for the consumer, biotechnology and healthcare sectors.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100837
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$441,454.00
Summary
Modulating protein phase behavior: cell functions vs material development. It has been recognized recently that cellular proteins can undergo liquid-liquid phase separation, however, a further liquid-to-solid transition can lead to aberrant biological processes. This project aims to investigate and control this behaviour to gain insights into cell dysfunction and new routes for biomaterials development. An integrated approach combining microfluidic platforms, optical techniques, and vibrational ....Modulating protein phase behavior: cell functions vs material development. It has been recognized recently that cellular proteins can undergo liquid-liquid phase separation, however, a further liquid-to-solid transition can lead to aberrant biological processes. This project aims to investigate and control this behaviour to gain insights into cell dysfunction and new routes for biomaterials development. An integrated approach combining microfluidic platforms, optical techniques, and vibrational spectroscopy will be exploited. Expected outcomes of this project include the mechanistic understanding of protein phase behaviour and protein-based biomaterial engineering. This should provide significant benefits in the prevention of aberrant protein aggregation and the generation of materials as plastic substitutes.Read moreRead less
Programming physical and biological cues to promote vessel growth . This project aims to engineer new hydrogel-based biomaterials that allow spatio-temporal modulation of physical and biological cues to direct blood vessels growth, as well as compatible with advanced bioprinting platforms. It will generate new knowledge in biomaterials, biofabrication and advanced material processing. Expected outcomes include new knowledge in biomaterial-vascular interaction, novel vascular bioinks, cross-disci ....Programming physical and biological cues to promote vessel growth . This project aims to engineer new hydrogel-based biomaterials that allow spatio-temporal modulation of physical and biological cues to direct blood vessels growth, as well as compatible with advanced bioprinting platforms. It will generate new knowledge in biomaterials, biofabrication and advanced material processing. Expected outcomes include new knowledge in biomaterial-vascular interaction, novel vascular bioinks, cross-disciplinary, international collaboration and research training. This project will provide significant benefit to Australia's scholarly output and reputation, as well as long term benefits to biomedical, veterinary and cosmetic through new materials and cutting-edge manufacturing platforms. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230101542
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$450,154.00
Summary
Impact of humoral immunity on nanoparticle–biological interactions. This project aims to improve the biological applications of nanomaterials by understanding their fundamental interactions with proteins and cells in relevant biological environments. This will create new knowledge on how humoral (antibody-mediated) immunity affects nanomaterials using cutting-edge immunoassays, bio–nano characterisation techniques, and bioinformatics. Expected outcomes of the project include an understanding of ....Impact of humoral immunity on nanoparticle–biological interactions. This project aims to improve the biological applications of nanomaterials by understanding their fundamental interactions with proteins and cells in relevant biological environments. This will create new knowledge on how humoral (antibody-mediated) immunity affects nanomaterials using cutting-edge immunoassays, bio–nano characterisation techniques, and bioinformatics. Expected outcomes of the project include an understanding of how specific antibodies modulate the protein coatings on nanomaterials, which will shed light on how immune cells interact with nanomaterials. This will lead to design principles for nanomaterial properties to improve their effectiveness in delivering drugs and gene therapies.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100128
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$450,000.00
Summary
Engineering microenvironments to regulate osteocyte 3D networks in vitro. Most knowledge of bone is based on only a fraction of cells found in bone because the majority of cells in our bones (called osteocyte cell networks) cannot easily be grown or studied outside the body. This results in the inability to understand how the bone organ functions. Using bioinspired engineering, this project will use advanced biomaterials to biofabricate, for the first time, osteocyte cell networks in vitro. By u ....Engineering microenvironments to regulate osteocyte 3D networks in vitro. Most knowledge of bone is based on only a fraction of cells found in bone because the majority of cells in our bones (called osteocyte cell networks) cannot easily be grown or studied outside the body. This results in the inability to understand how the bone organ functions. Using bioinspired engineering, this project will use advanced biomaterials to biofabricate, for the first time, osteocyte cell networks in vitro. By unravelling how they are formed and controlled by manipulating their microenvironment, we will discover how different types of bones are formed. The benefits will be a valuable tool for the bone research community, allowing unresolved questions to be addressed in the future, such as how bone forms, repairs, and remodels.Read moreRead less
Organic Bionics: Soft Materials to Solve Hard Problems in Neuroengineering. This project aims to combine innovations in organic conductors, nanotechnology, 3D biofabrication and neuroengineering to develop a bioelectronic system capable of wireless neuromodulation with unprecedented stability and precision. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding the properties of materials that promote optical neuromodulation and new strategies to obtain long-term material stability in biologic ....Organic Bionics: Soft Materials to Solve Hard Problems in Neuroengineering. This project aims to combine innovations in organic conductors, nanotechnology, 3D biofabrication and neuroengineering to develop a bioelectronic system capable of wireless neuromodulation with unprecedented stability and precision. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding the properties of materials that promote optical neuromodulation and new strategies to obtain long-term material stability in biological environments. The expected outcome is to generate new material design rules to facilitate wireless neuromodulation technologies in biomedical engineering. The project will position Australia as a leader in bionic devices by creating a new 3D bioprinting hub for low-cost fabrication of bioelectronic systems.Read moreRead less
3D Bipolar Electroactive Architectures for Wireless BioStimulation. Traditional Electrostimulation requires hard-wired metal electrodes and electronic wires connected to a power supply. These tethered systems face numerous challenges in establishing long-lasting effective electronic interfaces with targeted cells and tissues. This project aims to combine technologies in conductive polymers, bipolar electrochemistry, 3D fabrication and cell engineering to develop a 3D bioelectronic system that e ....3D Bipolar Electroactive Architectures for Wireless BioStimulation. Traditional Electrostimulation requires hard-wired metal electrodes and electronic wires connected to a power supply. These tethered systems face numerous challenges in establishing long-lasting effective electronic interfaces with targeted cells and tissues. This project aims to combine technologies in conductive polymers, bipolar electrochemistry, 3D fabrication and cell engineering to develop a 3D bioelectronic system that enables wireless cell stimulation. The major benefit is to generate advanced knowledge of wireless powered electromaterials and novel wireless biotechnology in medical engineering, which could help well-position the Australian in smart bionic devices for human well-being with a bright future.Read moreRead less