Encoding Interactions and Printability into Hairy Colloidal Biomaterials. Printing mixtures of live cells and biomaterials (or 'BioInks') to make bespoke engineered tissues has the potential to enable personalised platforms for therapeutic discovery and organ replacement. Using a novel high throughput approach to materials synthesis, BioInk design and process optimisation, this project aims to discover new biomaterials and printing nozzles to help realise this potential. It will produce new insi ....Encoding Interactions and Printability into Hairy Colloidal Biomaterials. Printing mixtures of live cells and biomaterials (or 'BioInks') to make bespoke engineered tissues has the potential to enable personalised platforms for therapeutic discovery and organ replacement. Using a novel high throughput approach to materials synthesis, BioInk design and process optimisation, this project aims to discover new biomaterials and printing nozzles to help realise this potential. It will produce new insights in colloid science, cell-laden biomaterials design, and BioInk processing. Structure-property-function guides for colloid-based BioInks and quality-assured bioprinting as outcomes represent significant benefits for researchers and industries alike engaged in biofabrication, cell therapy and biotherapeutics.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100119
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$424,607.00
Summary
Manipulation of non-wetting droplets for cell culture. We have recently discovered an innovative and interdisciplinary approach for manipulating non-wetting droplets called “liquid marbles” as a platform for three-dimensional cell culture. This project aims to elucidate the fundamental physics underpinning the electrostatic handling concept of this platform technology. The project is expected to deliver an inexpensive but sophisticated cell culture platform that is well-suited for high-throughpu ....Manipulation of non-wetting droplets for cell culture. We have recently discovered an innovative and interdisciplinary approach for manipulating non-wetting droplets called “liquid marbles” as a platform for three-dimensional cell culture. This project aims to elucidate the fundamental physics underpinning the electrostatic handling concept of this platform technology. The project is expected to deliver an inexpensive but sophisticated cell culture platform that is well-suited for high-throughput drug screening and preparing cells for implantation therapy. Significant benefits for end users in pharmaceutical industry, life sciences research and hospitals are expected from the project and the application of the developed technology.Read moreRead less
Understanding the properties of layered nanostructures using in-situ TEM. This project aims to support the practical applications of layered nanostructure-based devices and systems. The development of layered chalcogenide nanostructures is a global research focus due to their potential applications in the energy sector. However, their structure–property link is unclear due to the lack of direct correlation between their structure and properties. This project aims to establish the intrinsic struc ....Understanding the properties of layered nanostructures using in-situ TEM. This project aims to support the practical applications of layered nanostructure-based devices and systems. The development of layered chalcogenide nanostructures is a global research focus due to their potential applications in the energy sector. However, their structure–property link is unclear due to the lack of direct correlation between their structure and properties. This project aims to establish the intrinsic structure–property link by closely correlating the structure (and structural variations) and properties (and varied properties) simultaneously determined from individual nanostructures inside a transmission electron microscope. Expected project outcomes may advance the knowledge base, and provide guidelines for the development of nanostructure-based devices for their high-performance applications, especially in the energy sector.Read moreRead less
Promoting new reaction pathways with nonequilibrium flow. This project aims to develop a fundamental molecular level understanding of flow-induced physical and chemical reactions in liquids. Nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations will be used to gain insight into the mechanisms that promote reactions under shear, and how these are related to molecular structure and fluid composition. New relationships for determination of rate constants of reactions in nonequilibrium systems will also be ....Promoting new reaction pathways with nonequilibrium flow. This project aims to develop a fundamental molecular level understanding of flow-induced physical and chemical reactions in liquids. Nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations will be used to gain insight into the mechanisms that promote reactions under shear, and how these are related to molecular structure and fluid composition. New relationships for determination of rate constants of reactions in nonequilibrium systems will also be developed and tested. It is expected that this knowledge will enhance the capacity to control and promote reactions. This is significant for advancement of many technologies, from development of new synthetic pathways and products, to design of lubricants that can withstand extreme strain rates.Read moreRead less
Bioengineering self-assembly of innovative core-shell nanomaterials . This project aims to generate new knowledge in nanoscale bioengineering. It expects to develop a disruptive platform technology for design and manufacture of advanced nanomaterials to provide solutions for unmet needs in industry. It will explore an innovative bioengineering concept that merges biopolymer synthesis with virus-like particle self-assembly to produce innovative tunable core-shell nanomaterials. Expected outcomes ....Bioengineering self-assembly of innovative core-shell nanomaterials . This project aims to generate new knowledge in nanoscale bioengineering. It expects to develop a disruptive platform technology for design and manufacture of advanced nanomaterials to provide solutions for unmet needs in industry. It will explore an innovative bioengineering concept that merges biopolymer synthesis with virus-like particle self-assembly to produce innovative tunable core-shell nanomaterials. Expected outcomes are the development of advanced techniques for design and manufacture of innovate nanomaterials with enhanced stability and performance. This innovative platform technology for precision engineering of high-performance nanomaterials should provide significant benefits for biotechnological and agricultural industries.Read moreRead less
Capturing full-spectrum of solar energy using TiO2 ordered suprastructures. The project aims to develop a titanium dioxide (TiO2) semiconductor that can use full-spectrum solar energy. Solar-driven photocatalytic processes have important applications in water decontamination and energy production. Their effectiveness is dictated by the semiconductor’s absorbance and conversion of photoenergy to chemical energy. Being inexpensive, chemically and mechanically robust, TiO2 is the most promising mat ....Capturing full-spectrum of solar energy using TiO2 ordered suprastructures. The project aims to develop a titanium dioxide (TiO2) semiconductor that can use full-spectrum solar energy. Solar-driven photocatalytic processes have important applications in water decontamination and energy production. Their effectiveness is dictated by the semiconductor’s absorbance and conversion of photoenergy to chemical energy. Being inexpensive, chemically and mechanically robust, TiO2 is the most promising material for the semiconductor. However, unmodified TiO2 only absorbs ultraviolet light (5 per cent of solar energy). With current progress made in visible absorbance, this project aims to significantly improve TiO2’s absorbance in near infrared by doping with upconversion lanthanides and rendering colloidal crystal suprastructures that can trap light.Read moreRead less
Stretchable Organic Transistors for Wearable Electronics and Robotics. The project aims to address the challenges of fabricating stretchable organic transistors for applications in wearable electronics and robotics through the development of new semiconducting polymers with stretchability and integrating them into novel, stretchable organic transistor configurations. The project will take a molecular engineering approach to the complex needs of this challenge by combining appropriate chemical f ....Stretchable Organic Transistors for Wearable Electronics and Robotics. The project aims to address the challenges of fabricating stretchable organic transistors for applications in wearable electronics and robotics through the development of new semiconducting polymers with stretchability and integrating them into novel, stretchable organic transistor configurations. The project will take a molecular engineering approach to the complex needs of this challenge by combining appropriate chemical functionality which provides high charge carrier mobility with judiciously placed flexible spacers and side chains to provide mechanical dexterity. These novel polymers will be integrated into transistor structures and their fabricated arrays deposited on stretchable substrates will be used for a real world applications.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE210100156
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$289,500.00
Summary
3D Two-Photon Nanoprinter for Advanced Multi-Functional Materials & Devices. The Nanoscribe Photonic Professional GT2 Two-Photon 3D Printer enables tailoring materials’ architecture at nanoscale. This results in unique optical, mechanical, electrical, chemical, biochemical, and acoustic properties enabling a wealth of cutting-edge research activities in variety of fields including mechanical/optical/electrical metamaterials, bioinspired hard/soft materials, biomaterials (e.g., structured cell-ti ....3D Two-Photon Nanoprinter for Advanced Multi-Functional Materials & Devices. The Nanoscribe Photonic Professional GT2 Two-Photon 3D Printer enables tailoring materials’ architecture at nanoscale. This results in unique optical, mechanical, electrical, chemical, biochemical, and acoustic properties enabling a wealth of cutting-edge research activities in variety of fields including mechanical/optical/electrical metamaterials, bioinspired hard/soft materials, biomaterials (e.g., structured cell-tissue interfaces), biomedical devices (implantable devices and drug-delivery systems), nanofluidics, and photonic crystals. In each of these fields, we will use GT2 to print variety of polymers, hydrogels, metals and ceramics, for example by printing polymer-derived nanoceramics that will be simultaneously strong and tough.Read moreRead less
Platform technologies for multifunctional nanocarrier systems. Smart targeted nanocarriers offer new opportunities for drug delivery. This project aims to develop new platforms for reproducibly producing and screening targeted nanocarriers. The platform technologies developed in this project aim to revolutionise current strategies for designing and evaluating drug delivery systems, and will accelerate the clinical translation of targeted drug delivery. This will include a novel one-step microflu ....Platform technologies for multifunctional nanocarrier systems. Smart targeted nanocarriers offer new opportunities for drug delivery. This project aims to develop new platforms for reproducibly producing and screening targeted nanocarriers. The platform technologies developed in this project aim to revolutionise current strategies for designing and evaluating drug delivery systems, and will accelerate the clinical translation of targeted drug delivery. This will include a novel one-step microfluidic platform technology for reproducibly producing targeted polymer nanocarriers having systematically varied properties, a dual-templating method for making targeted silica nanocapsules and new design of in vivo-mimicking 'Tissue Chips' for screening and evaluating the nanocarriers.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE140100051
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$320,000.00
Summary
An advanced X-ray facility for surface and in-situ materials characterization. An advanced X-ray facility for surface and in-situ materials characterisation: Materials properties are crucial to the performance of devices and structures, and detailed characterisation at a molecular level is important for optimizing new materials. X-rays are a powerful means of achieving the required level of detail in structural characterisation. The aim of this project is to make available an extremely bright X- ....An advanced X-ray facility for surface and in-situ materials characterization. An advanced X-ray facility for surface and in-situ materials characterisation: Materials properties are crucial to the performance of devices and structures, and detailed characterisation at a molecular level is important for optimizing new materials. X-rays are a powerful means of achieving the required level of detail in structural characterisation. The aim of this project is to make available an extremely bright X-ray source with a suite of advanced analytical tools, including surface structural analysis by reflectometry and grazing incidence diffraction and materials structure determination using powder diffraction and microdiffraction at high and low temperatures. The functions of this facility are broad and its applications include materials science, organic electronics, biomaterials and engineering.Read moreRead less