Unravelling Efficient Nucleic Acid Delivery Using Multilayer Nanoparticles. Developing smarter nanoparticles is critical for maximising the potential of biological therapeutics such as nucleic acids. Currently, the efficiency of nanoparticle delivery remains low due to the inability of carriers to migrate different biological regions. The aim of this project is to develop responsive polymer nanoparticles that can more effectively migrate cell barriers by a two-staged release based on the combina ....Unravelling Efficient Nucleic Acid Delivery Using Multilayer Nanoparticles. Developing smarter nanoparticles is critical for maximising the potential of biological therapeutics such as nucleic acids. Currently, the efficiency of nanoparticle delivery remains low due to the inability of carriers to migrate different biological regions. The aim of this project is to develop responsive polymer nanoparticles that can more effectively migrate cell barriers by a two-staged release based on the combination of different self-immolative polymers. This project will allow the development of design rules for understanding how nanoparticle structure can be optimised to improve nucleic acid delivery. This work will have important benefits such as developing new nanotechnology industry and skilled graduates for Australia.
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Developing vitrimers: next generation reusable plastics. This project aims to develop a new class of advanced multifunctional polymer materials with the potential to underpin significant breakthrough capabilities for soft materials in general. The proposed work will relocate biological catalysts from their native, wet environment to solid organic engineering bio-sourced resins. Suitably selected enzymes will allow creation of polymer-based products that can be fully recyclable, with built-in pro ....Developing vitrimers: next generation reusable plastics. This project aims to develop a new class of advanced multifunctional polymer materials with the potential to underpin significant breakthrough capabilities for soft materials in general. The proposed work will relocate biological catalysts from their native, wet environment to solid organic engineering bio-sourced resins. Suitably selected enzymes will allow creation of polymer-based products that can be fully recyclable, with built-in properties such as self-healing, shape morphing, which are mechanically tunable, and have the ability to be reprocessed/recycled multiple times. This research will initiate a disruptive change in the application of biocatalysts for bio-based polymers.Read moreRead less
Mid-Career Industry Fellowships - Grant ID: IM230100090
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,053,046.00
Summary
Multi material 3D Printing. This project aims to further develop a new 3D printing technique commercialised by an Australian start-up company. Current electronics manufacturing is extremely capital intensive, slow and restrictive in 3D design. The 3D printing method proposed in this application will disrupt the current advanced manufacturing eco system; creating unique methods to unlock advances in diverse markets for example, photovoltaics, printed circuit boards and sensors. The expected outco ....Multi material 3D Printing. This project aims to further develop a new 3D printing technique commercialised by an Australian start-up company. Current electronics manufacturing is extremely capital intensive, slow and restrictive in 3D design. The 3D printing method proposed in this application will disrupt the current advanced manufacturing eco system; creating unique methods to unlock advances in diverse markets for example, photovoltaics, printed circuit boards and sensors. The expected outcomes of this project are to create new commercial opportunities for the next generation of 3D printed electronics. This will provide significant benefits, creating unique capability to manufacture devices in 3D - faster, cheaper and with reduced reliance on global supply chains.Read moreRead less
Novel Coatings For Steel. The aim of this project is to design coatings for steel that have high flexibility and high resistance to scatching and hardness. This will be achieved by the introduction of liquid crystalline phases in the coatings. The outcome will be a new generation of steel coatings with novel properties
The development of unique cyclic polymers. The project will yield cyclic polymers with a large range of commercial and industrial applications (e.g. drug delivery, contamination clean-up, nano-wires, sensors) that will result in positive economic and social benefits for Australia. The research will lead to increased employment opportunities within the manufacturing industry and R&D, and also underpin and extend Australia's leading position in the development of innovative polymeric and advanced ....The development of unique cyclic polymers. The project will yield cyclic polymers with a large range of commercial and industrial applications (e.g. drug delivery, contamination clean-up, nano-wires, sensors) that will result in positive economic and social benefits for Australia. The research will lead to increased employment opportunities within the manufacturing industry and R&D, and also underpin and extend Australia's leading position in the development of innovative polymeric and advanced materials. The resulting materials will provide new and improved technological innovations for commercial products, delivering benefits direct to the public. Furthermore, there is potential development of spin-off companies - leading to further investment in Australian science and industry.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0346891
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$200,000.00
Summary
Characterization facilities for new macromolecular architectures. The proposed facility is essential for characterization of the new polymeric architectures such as copolymers for tissue engineering, nanogels for automotive paints and biodegradable polymeric packaging. The facilities include characterizations of (1) molar mass and molecular sizes of novel polymer architectures (MU); (2) viscoelastic mechanical properties of tensile, bending, bulk and flow (RMIT); and (3) thermal properties of c ....Characterization facilities for new macromolecular architectures. The proposed facility is essential for characterization of the new polymeric architectures such as copolymers for tissue engineering, nanogels for automotive paints and biodegradable polymeric packaging. The facilities include characterizations of (1) molar mass and molecular sizes of novel polymer architectures (MU); (2) viscoelastic mechanical properties of tensile, bending, bulk and flow (RMIT); and (3) thermal properties of compositions (CSIRO). These new polymeric architectures cannot be sufficiently characterized by existing facilities. The success of the project will significantly enhance the new macromolecular research and facilitate collaborations. This project also falls within the nano and biomaterials of the Designated Priority area of Research.Read moreRead less
Building advanced polymeric nanotubes for targeted drug delivery. Advanced drug delivery devices have major commercial applications in fighting diseases like cancer and infectious viruses. The success of this project will provide fundamental knowledge for the design of new drug delivery devices based on polymeric nanotubes. The project will also further advance Australia's nano- and bio-technological research and industries. This project will also provide additional benefit for developing contro ....Building advanced polymeric nanotubes for targeted drug delivery. Advanced drug delivery devices have major commercial applications in fighting diseases like cancer and infectious viruses. The success of this project will provide fundamental knowledge for the design of new drug delivery devices based on polymeric nanotubes. The project will also further advance Australia's nano- and bio-technological research and industries. This project will also provide additional benefit for developing controlled release systems in drug delivery and artificial vessels, and improve sensitivity in molecular sensors. The pioneering work proposed will ensure that Australia remains at the forefront of innovative scientific research within the rapidly advancing disciplines of nanotechnology and novel macromolecular design.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100207
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
A biomolecular small angle X-ray scattering facility. The biomolecular small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) facility will support a broad range of research activities that will significantly benefit basic and applied biological and biomedical research as well as the field of biomolecular engineering. Specific areas of investigation will include enzyme action, viral protein assembly, gene regulation, immunity and fertility. The instrumentation will complement the current research tools of Australi ....A biomolecular small angle X-ray scattering facility. The biomolecular small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) facility will support a broad range of research activities that will significantly benefit basic and applied biological and biomedical research as well as the field of biomolecular engineering. Specific areas of investigation will include enzyme action, viral protein assembly, gene regulation, immunity and fertility. The instrumentation will complement the current research tools of Australian biomedical scientists, as well as stimulate new collaborative partnerships and opportunities for researchers studying biological macromolecules. In this way Australia will benefit though direct research outcomes and through training of future scientists in state-of-the-art technologies.Read moreRead less
Complex nano-systems for highly selective imaging and targeting of cells. The aim of the project is to design multi-functional nanoparticles that can be tracked by multiple bio-imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography imaging. The nanoparticles are designed to be targetable to specific cell populations and capable of delivering drugs. The project plans to concentrate the MRI-active gadolinium into nanoparticles to generate enhanced images, and ....Complex nano-systems for highly selective imaging and targeting of cells. The aim of the project is to design multi-functional nanoparticles that can be tracked by multiple bio-imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography imaging. The nanoparticles are designed to be targetable to specific cell populations and capable of delivering drugs. The project plans to concentrate the MRI-active gadolinium into nanoparticles to generate enhanced images, and to combine this with other imaging modalities to facilitate tracking and sensitivity. Expected outcomes would enable a new approach to extremely accurate and sensitive imaging of tumours to enable the imaging of much smaller tumours than currently possible. This would allow early therapeutic intervention. The nanoparticles are also designed to deliver a therapeutic payload to specific locations, avoiding systemic delivery of toxic anticancer drugs.Read moreRead less
Sustainable Reversible Polymerisation. This project aims to address the problem of the current lack of efficient chemical recyclability of polymers. For the majority of polymers, no methods exist so far that are scalable and economic at the same time. To reach this aim, we will utilise a mixture of clever chemical concepts with continuous flow engineering. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of depolymerisation and chemical recycling methods. The expected outcome of this p ....Sustainable Reversible Polymerisation. This project aims to address the problem of the current lack of efficient chemical recyclability of polymers. For the majority of polymers, no methods exist so far that are scalable and economic at the same time. To reach this aim, we will utilise a mixture of clever chemical concepts with continuous flow engineering. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of depolymerisation and chemical recycling methods. The expected outcome of this project is a scalable process and its practical demonstration for full chemical recycling of various polymers used in everyday applications. This will provide a benefit to society as it allows to tackle plastic pollution problems, and creates avenues to green methods in plastic recycling.
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