Soft carbon nanotube materials. There is no doubt that the realisation of new bionic materials will dramatically improve quality of life for many individuals. The new soft conducting materials proposed will impact on several areas of bionics, including the development of the next generation Bionic Ear, conduits for spinal cord regeneration as well as muscle regeneration and other applications. This project will further enhance the international profile of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electro ....Soft carbon nanotube materials. There is no doubt that the realisation of new bionic materials will dramatically improve quality of life for many individuals. The new soft conducting materials proposed will impact on several areas of bionics, including the development of the next generation Bionic Ear, conduits for spinal cord regeneration as well as muscle regeneration and other applications. This project will further enhance the international profile of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science in the field of Bionics. The end-user network already in place will ensure all opportunities are fully exploited.Read moreRead less
Nanobionics. There is no doubt that the realization of new bionic materials capable of functioning at the cellular through to the mechanical level will dramatically improve quality of life for many individuals. For example, the studies proposed here will impact directly on endothelial and muscle cell growth (important for implants such as stents) and nerve cell regeneration (important for peripheral nerve cell and spinal chord repair). The establishment of the research team proposed within the f ....Nanobionics. There is no doubt that the realization of new bionic materials capable of functioning at the cellular through to the mechanical level will dramatically improve quality of life for many individuals. For example, the studies proposed here will impact directly on endothelial and muscle cell growth (important for implants such as stents) and nerve cell regeneration (important for peripheral nerve cell and spinal chord repair). The establishment of the research team proposed within the framework of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Electromaterials Science builds on world class expertise and infrastructure. The end user network in place will ensure all opportunities are exploited to the full extent.Read moreRead less
Creation of functional surfaces for biodevices and aerospace applications. Polymers are poised to become the materials of choice for a host of applications because of their lightness, strength, ease of forming and biocompatibility. The major challenge lies in optimising their surfaces for each application. For biodevices in particular, the surfaces must support a range of complex and specific interactions. This project will create new polymer surface modifications through innovations in plasma s ....Creation of functional surfaces for biodevices and aerospace applications. Polymers are poised to become the materials of choice for a host of applications because of their lightness, strength, ease of forming and biocompatibility. The major challenge lies in optimising their surfaces for each application. For biodevices in particular, the surfaces must support a range of complex and specific interactions. This project will create new polymer surface modifications through innovations in plasma science and technology. The outcomes will be new surfaces for diagnostic arrays in medicine, biosensors and durable polymer surfaces for low earth orbit.Read moreRead less
Formation of bone-like materials for bone repair and regeneration. A successful outcome for this project would lead to the production and application of new bone-like calcium phosphate materials. Enhanced bioactivity of this material would lead to higher but controlled rates of calcium phosphate release. An understanding of the formation process of these materials and the controlled release of calcium phosphates has the potential to slow the development of metabolic diseases such as osteoporosis ....Formation of bone-like materials for bone repair and regeneration. A successful outcome for this project would lead to the production and application of new bone-like calcium phosphate materials. Enhanced bioactivity of this material would lead to higher but controlled rates of calcium phosphate release. An understanding of the formation process of these materials and the controlled release of calcium phosphates has the potential to slow the development of metabolic diseases such as osteoporosis. The WHO reports that osteoporosis is the second largest health care problem world-wide. In 2002, 44 million people in the USA were estimated to be at risk. This and similar figures in Australia and around the world emphasize the urgency of understanding and appropriately combating weak bone degenerative diseases.Read moreRead less
New Surfaces for the Control of Endothelial Cell Function: Application in the Design of Biocompatible Stents. Using dewetting of thin polymer films, the present proposal will develop new structured biocompatible surfaces with controlled chemistry and topography, which will allow the growth of a normal (non-activated) monolayer of endothelial cells. Sophisticated molecular parameters will be used to assess that endothelial cells maintain their normal quiescent phenotype. The project sets the grou ....New Surfaces for the Control of Endothelial Cell Function: Application in the Design of Biocompatible Stents. Using dewetting of thin polymer films, the present proposal will develop new structured biocompatible surfaces with controlled chemistry and topography, which will allow the growth of a normal (non-activated) monolayer of endothelial cells. Sophisticated molecular parameters will be used to assess that endothelial cells maintain their normal quiescent phenotype. The project sets the ground work for the design of improved, more biocompatible structured stents to minimise the abnormal growth of cells on and around the stent, thereby reducing the occurrence of vascular complications. Thus this research could improve the success rate of stents implanted into patients with cardiovascular disease and reduce health costs.Read moreRead less
Silk Fibroin Optofluidic Chips. Unlike any other material, even any other biologically occurring material, silk is unique in being very transparent, able to be shaped on a very small scale and can keep natural chemicals like proteins and enzymes active. This project will use silk to make optical devices and sensors. Optics made from silk will have all these properties, which means that they can be used as sensors and devices in biochemistry applications that have never been possible before. Thes ....Silk Fibroin Optofluidic Chips. Unlike any other material, even any other biologically occurring material, silk is unique in being very transparent, able to be shaped on a very small scale and can keep natural chemicals like proteins and enzymes active. This project will use silk to make optical devices and sensors. Optics made from silk will have all these properties, which means that they can be used as sensors and devices in biochemistry applications that have never been possible before. These cost-effective devices will have the potential to enhance healthcare, emergency medicine and assist early medical diagnosis.Read moreRead less
Functional drug-releasing polymer nano-composites for preventing medical device infection and encrustation. By developing new methodologies for producing functional biomaterials, this research will benefit Australia by continuing our high profile in this research field and by producing economic benefits arising from development and export of materials technologies to the major user groups in USA and Europe. With our demonstrated linkages with Australian based biomaterials developers at CSIRO an ....Functional drug-releasing polymer nano-composites for preventing medical device infection and encrustation. By developing new methodologies for producing functional biomaterials, this research will benefit Australia by continuing our high profile in this research field and by producing economic benefits arising from development and export of materials technologies to the major user groups in USA and Europe. With our demonstrated linkages with Australian based biomaterials developers at CSIRO and University of Queensland, as well as with companies involved in the commercialisation of polyurethane based medical devices (Aortech P/L), this group is well placed to continue the research at a more applied level once the early basic stage is complete.Read moreRead less
Effects of prosthesis design on bone remodelling and longevity of dental restorations. The project targets both the 'Promoting and Maintaining Good Health' and 'Advanced Materials' designated research priority areas. The research will underpin Australia's leading role on some emerging interdisciplinary frontiers of biomechanics, biomaterials, health sciences and biomedical software. The development of computer aided clinical plan will help optimise dental restorations for 'long-term success'. Th ....Effects of prosthesis design on bone remodelling and longevity of dental restorations. The project targets both the 'Promoting and Maintaining Good Health' and 'Advanced Materials' designated research priority areas. The research will underpin Australia's leading role on some emerging interdisciplinary frontiers of biomechanics, biomaterials, health sciences and biomedical software. The development of computer aided clinical plan will help optimise dental restorations for 'long-term success'. The benefit will be to improve the ongoing performance and longevity of dental restoration, which complies with the highly demanding national goal of 'ageing well'. The study will also provide a new means to improve the therapy effect for many young Australians' effort towards a 'healthy start to their life'.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354583
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
Biodevice fabrication through intelligent surface modification. Achieving the reliable control of the attachment of proteins and other macromolecules to surfaces needed for sophisticated biosensors and medical diagnostics requires expertise and infrastructure from a diverse range of disciplines from the physical, chemical and biological sciences and engineering. This network will bring together researchers from a multidisciplinary pool working on problems relevant to the creation of functional s ....Biodevice fabrication through intelligent surface modification. Achieving the reliable control of the attachment of proteins and other macromolecules to surfaces needed for sophisticated biosensors and medical diagnostics requires expertise and infrastructure from a diverse range of disciplines from the physical, chemical and biological sciences and engineering. This network will bring together researchers from a multidisciplinary pool working on problems relevant to the creation of functional surfaces for applications in biodevices. The program we envisage will break down the barriers imposed by disciplinary boundaries and technical terminology to bring together the skills and infrastructure required to make rapid advances in this field.Read moreRead less
Biomolecular films on silicon substrates. Construction of hybrid carbon-silicon devices in which molecular organic molecular films are covalently linked to silicon wafers. Biomolecular nanostructures on silicon wafers can be studied using unique impedance spectroscopy instrumentation that we have developed as well as X-ray and neutron reflectometry. The system will be used to study a variety of molecular films as well as molecularly tethered lipid bilayer membranes that mimic aspects of cell mem ....Biomolecular films on silicon substrates. Construction of hybrid carbon-silicon devices in which molecular organic molecular films are covalently linked to silicon wafers. Biomolecular nanostructures on silicon wafers can be studied using unique impedance spectroscopy instrumentation that we have developed as well as X-ray and neutron reflectometry. The system will be used to study a variety of molecular films as well as molecularly tethered lipid bilayer membranes that mimic aspects of cell membranes and these will be used to investigate the effect of sterols on such membranes.Read moreRead less