Nanofabulous Seminar: Engineering biology for human and environmental health
For decades, researchers have worked to replicate the efficiency of biological processes for applications ranging from carbon sequestration to resource recovery. Yet engineered methods are generally less efficient and selective than their native counterparts . We have found that the integration of nano materials with microbial engineering enables us to create novel technologies that outperform conventional cleantech We have generated an inexpensive platform for rare earth element recovery, toxic pesticide remediation, and carcinogenic pollutant degradation.
We have also improved electrochemical conversion of CO 2 to valuable products, decreasing the energy required. Also, we have developed inexpensive, point of use diagnostics for infectious disease. In all of our work, we consistently find that the combination of chemistry and biomolecular engineering affords advantages beyond the capabilities of either technology alone.
Prof Ariel L. Furst
Chemical Engineering at MIT, USA.
11:00am, 18/12/2024
Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication
151 Wellington Road, Clayton, 3168
Zoom link: click here
Meeting ID: 846 8564 5925 passcode: 622184
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Nanofabulous Seminar: Nanopores: From Biosensors to Cell-Instructive Interfaces
Our research bridges physics, materials science, and biology to explore living organisms down to the molecular level. Nanomaterials are central to our work. We have developed methods to fabricate and functionalize nanomaterials, tailoring them for biomedical applications. This includes designing sensors for localized detection of ions and biomolecules, and creating cell-instructive materials that can alter cellular functions for immunotherapy applications.
In this seminar, I will present our latest research on tailoring nanomaterials for biosensing and cellular engineering applications. We will explore the creation of nanopore sensors that operate near or even inside single cells, offering real-time insights into cellular functions and processes. Next, we will discuss how cells interact with nanomaterials and how nanotopographical constraints can alter immune cell functions and gene expression patterns. By using nanoporous surfaces, we have shown that these constraints induce biomechanical signals, leading to potent activation of T and B cells. The induced formation of cellular protrusions (microvilli) inside the nanopores significantly enhances cellular uptake through macropinocytosis. This provides a novel platform for gene or drug delivery to the cells, enabling manufacturing of genetically engineered cells (CAR-T cells) for potential applications in immunotherapy.
Prof Morteza Aramesh
Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich.
1:00pm, 4/12/2024
Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication
151 Wellington Road, Clayton, 3168
Zoom link: click here
Meeting ID: 856 9549 7894 passcode: 574455
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Nanofabulous Seminar: Machine Learning-Assisted Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Nanosensors for Predictive Sensing Applications
Nanomaterial-based sensors (“nanosensors”) are attractive detection tools to detect multiple disease biomarkers swiftly and at point-of-care. These nanosensors make use nanometer-sized particles with unique physical, optical, and electrical properties to induce enhanced output signals in response to the detection and/or changes in concentrations of analytes.
In this talk, I will discuss my group’s effort in using one of the nanosensors, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanosensors for various biomedical applications. SERS utilizes metallic nanoparticles such as Ag and Au to harness incoming light excitation, concentrate surface plasmon resonances, and boost the Raman vibrational signatures of biomarkers for ultrasensitive detection. Firstly, I will discuss various SERS platform fabrication strategies to bestow desirable chemoselectivity and increase target analyte/biomarker affinity to achieve higher detection sensitivity and selectivity.
I will also highlight various emerging research strategies which utilize machine learning algorithms for rapid on-site prediction of disease infection. Specifically, how chemometrics and machine learning algorithms can transform the assimilation and interpretation of complex spectral data in biological samples by discerning more patterns hidden within the data, to achieve high throughput data analysis, sensitivity, and disease prediction. I hope these insights can stimulate the development of innovative and hybrid detection methods across the entire analytical discipline to resolve longstanding challenges in biomarker and analyte sensing and detection.
Prof Xing Yi Ling
School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University,
21 Nanyang Link, Singapore.
1:30pm, 27/11/2024
Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication
151 Wellington Road, Clayton, 3168
Zoom link: click here
Meeting ID: 822 0945 6158 passcode: 305801
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Park FX40 Demo Tour
You’re invited to attend an exclusive live demo of the FX40 Atomic Force Microscope during our upcoming Park FX40 Demo Tour to be held at the MCN.
Join us for an exclusive 3 day demo tour of the FX40 AFM presented by experts from Park Systems. Discover the latest advancements and techniques in this new technology and watch a live demo and participate in conducting your own experiments on the FX40.
SCHEDULE:
Park Systems Seminar – 22 Oct, 9:00 – 10:30 (MCN Boardroom)
Product Demonstrations – 22 & 23 Oct, 11:00 – 12.30 (FIB-SEM Room)
Hands-On Sessions – 22, 23, 24 Oct, various times (FIB-SEM Room)
Participate in your own experiment and see the capabilities for yourself during our ‘hands-on’ sessions (Must be registered). Run the FX40 on our standard samples or bring your own samples to experiment with, provided we have the appropriate mode to use. (Be quick to secure your spot – limited number of sessions available)
Click here for more information & to register
Nanofabulous Seminar: A new imaging modality in nanomaterials and life sciences
Engineered or complex particles found in nano-electronics, photonic materials, and nano-sensors, etc. have experienced a rapid growth in research interest and application over the past two decades. Similarly, the interface between nanomaterials and biology has also grown rapidly. These outcomes are in part due to improving techniques to fabricate materials and biomaterials, from both top-down and bottom-up approaches, even at scale.
The characterisation needs for such materials leans heavily on existing microscopy or metrology tools that often balance resolution against the time, expense and complexity of measurement workflows. In addition, as objects get small, the methods become more specialised.
Motivated by the need to visualize complex particles and objects in engineered materials and dynamic processes in life sciences, this talk will focus on the operating principles of Resonance Imaging Microscopy (RIM). RIM is a new imaging modality to provide simple and easy characterisation of objects with nearly any shape and composition, ranging in size from hundreds of microns to tens of nanometres. RIM is a multi-source evanescent field scattering technique that enables high-speed, non-destructive, label and stain-free imaging in real time (up to hundreds of FPS) using visible light.
For particle metrology applications, we will present both direct and statistical results validating the fidelity of geometric measurements for a selection of spherical calibration particles with radii spanning four orders of magnitude. We will showcase more complex materials including nanorods and materials with complex internal structures. In life sciences we will show results of multi-modal characterisation studies that demonstrate how RIM is able to elucidate the internal structure of, and relationship between, untagged cells and bacteria. We will showcase how RIM can be used to visualise a range of other biological materials, both static and dynamic in nature. All achieved without the need of fluorescent proteins, dyes or conjugated antibodies or risks from photobleaching when examined using traditional laser-based microscopy systems.
Prof Raymond R. Dagastine
Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
Tiny Bright Things, Carlton Victoria 3053, Australia
11:00am, 15/08/2024
Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication
151 Wellington Road, Clayton, 3168
Zoom link: click here
Meeting ID: 858 5837 9980 and passcode:873578
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MCN/ANFF-VIC New Capabilities Workshop
Following what has been a multi-year $13.7M update to MCN and ANFF-VIC instrumentation and infrastructure, we are organising a two-day event on the 23-24th July at Monash’s New Horizons Building to help raise awareness of the new capabilities and catalyse new research activity. Please save these dates and register your interest in attending using the link below.
The event is FREE and will be conducted in a hybrid (in-person/zoom) format, but there will be awesome incentives for those who attend in-person, such as free assisted sessions with process engineers on the new capabilities, delicious refreshments and the chance to chat with applications engineers and staff on the finer details of your fabrication and character needs.
New capability talks, including:
- Heidelberg MLA150 – Direct-Write Maskless Lithography
- 3D Micromac AG – Femtosecond Laser Dicing/Marking/Ablation
- Eulitha PhableR 100 – Displacement Talbot Lithography
- Witec – Confocal Raman Microscopy
- Bruker – AFM Conductivity Probing (PF-TUNA)
- Oxford, ULVAC & SAMCO – DRIE/RIE & PECVD
- Chemspeed et al – Robotic/AI Materials Discovery Glovebox
- AJA – Combinatorial Sputtering
- and many others…
For more details, visit the Evenbrite, here.
Download the Workshop Program HERE
Nanofabulous Seminar: Neuromorphic biomaterials for cell interfacing
In the field of organic neuroelectronics, the use of organic polymers shows promising results for the application in biological interfaces, because of their biocompatibility and mixed ionic and electrical conduction. These devices were shown to have neuromorphic properties emulating the synaptic plasticity of biological neuronal networks. Furthermore, they exhibit the ability to be integrated with cells and show response to neurotransmitters. However, they do not exhibit the 2.5D/3D features, characteristic of neuronal cells.
We identified different geometries for the structures that resembles dendritic spines and whole neuronal morphology made of soft and rigid composition. These have been produced via two photon polymerization and electrodeposition of PEDOT-based blends. In particular, thin shapes spines that can initiate contacts with presynaptic terminals, crucial in the early stages of spinogenesis; mushroom shapes that result from the plastic and dynamic reshaping of neuronal circuits during synaptic development; and stubby forms.
Our results show that microelectrodes and in general surface topography can impact directionality and influence neural network remodeling on bioelectronic devices, particularly affecting the growth cone phase, causing a shift from pausing to a resting state. Importantly, we have demonstrated that the growth cone rate changes in response to different pitch configurations. Our research has revealed that biomimetic topographical cues can quickly affect membrane adhesion proteins and enhance efficiency, as shown through the 3D reconstruction integrated into an electrical equivalent model. Looking toward future applications in controlling signal dissipation, this work has the potential to improve the recording of electrogenic cells towards seamless recognition and integration of artificial neuronal electrodes into biological neuronal networks in vitro and in vivo.
Prof Francesca Santoro
Institute of Biological Information Processing IBI-3, Forschungszentrum Juelich, Germany
Neuroelectronic Interfaces, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and IT, RWTH Aachen, Germany
Tissue Electronics Lab, Italian Institute of Technology, 80125, Italy
11:00am, 01/08/2024
Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication
151 Wellington Road, Clayton, 3168
Zoom link: click here
Meeting ID: 870 7845 6436 and passcode: 394942
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MCN receives gold standard “my green labs” certification for cleanroom operation
MCN is proud to announce it has received the Green Level (the highest level) of My Green Lab Certification for its cleanroom spaces, becoming the first laboratory at Monash University and the first ANFF hub to achieve the internationally recognised certification.
Recognised by the United Nations Race to Zero campaign as a key measure of progress towards a zero-carbon future, My Green Lab Certification is considered the gold standard for laboratory sustainability best practices around the world.
The certification affirms the MCN’s commitment to adopt sustainable laboratory practices throughout its operational activities with additional aim of helping to raise visibility of sustainability initiatives and drive behaviour change.
We are delighted to join a community of hundreds of laboratories that have been My Green Lab certified! More information about this program can be found here.
Nanofabulous Seminar: Tuning light-matter interactions with infrared optical resonators
Light-matter coupling in the visible is, today, a well-understood area of research. We have many good materials that can strongly interact with visible light, many materials that are transparent in the visible, and reliable and cost-effective visible light sources and detectors. In contrast, the infrared is the wild outback for light-matter interactions. With a constant weak thermal background, almost every material interacts with infrared, but only weakly, and there are only limited and extremely expensive IR light sources and detectors.
Therefore, there is a need to tame this wilderness to facilitate light-matter interactions properly! In addition, there are many additional benefits in the infrared: photolithography-compatible device fabrication, covert optical communication, encryption and storage, directed global cooling, and label-free sensing.
In my talk, I will discuss a rational design of plasmonic templates for weak-light matter applications, also known as Surface-enhanced Infrared absorption spectroscopy (SEIRA). I will discuss common problems encountered in SEIRA, such as Fano distortions, peak shifts, and low sensitivity, and give an outlook for large-scale fabrication of plasmonic templates in the infrared.
Further, I will discuss novel systems for vibrational strong light-matter coupling based on freestanding and flexible PET films. Strong light-matter interaction results in the formation of quasi-particles known as polaritons. A polariton represents a hybrid entity, partially light and matter, coherently linking something we perceive as dominantly dynamic (light) to something more static (material). As a hybrid state between light and matter, polaritons exhibit properties distinct from those of their material counterparts and vice versa.
Finally, I will introduce dual resonant optical cavities for optical encryption, featuring independently tunable resonances in the visible and near-infrared spectra, suitable for covert optical applications.
All these projects are ongoing collaborations with ANFF-VIC, and the facilities at MCN are critical to the success of these projects
Goekalp Engin Akinoglu, James Andell Hutchison
ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, School of Chemistry,
University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
11:00am, 28/05/2024
Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication
151 Wellington Road, Clayton, 3168
Zoom link: click here
Meeting ID: 836 7591 9281 and passcode: 381619
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Nanofabulous Seminar: Unveiling Cellular Nanotherapeutic Dynamics: Molecular Insights and Mechanisms
Cellular nanotherapeutics represent a promising frontier in medical science, offering targeted approaches for disease treatment at the molecular level. Understanding the intricate dynamics of these therapeutic mechanisms is paramount for optimizing their efficacy and safety. At the forefront of cellular nanotherapeutics lie nanocarriers, finely tuned vehicles capable of transporting therapeutic cargo to specific cellular targets.
By exploiting various nanomaterials and surface modifications, these carriers navigate through complex biological barriers to precisely deliver payloads. However, the journey from administration to cellular uptake involves a multitude of dynamic interactions influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors.
In my research talk, I will discuss the design of next-generation highly stable nanotherapeutic vehicles, including nanoarchaeosomes, nano protein origamis, self-propulsive nanomotors, and the fate of nanoparticles in real time, elucidating mechanisms of cellular uptake, intracellular trafficking, cargo release, and their application as tumor immune vaccines. In order to gain much deeper insights into cellular cancer protein mechanics and their interactions with nanoparticles, we have carried out single-molecule- imaging and force mechanics with optical tweezers and total internal reflection microscopy thus elucidating molecular intricacies of tumor biology and therapeutic interventions. We believe that by elucidating the molecular underpinnings of nanocarrier-cell interactions, we can harness the full potential of cellular nanotherapeutics for precision medicine applications, ushering in a new era of targeted and personalized therapies.
Dr. Swathi Sudhakar
Assistant Professor & Faculty Advisor for Clinical engineering,
Department of Applied Mechanics and Biomedical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology
11:00am, 7/05/2024
Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication
151 Wellington Road, Clayton, 3168
Zoom link: click here
Meeting ID: 836 7591 9281 and passcode: 381619
