Successful 2003 Discovery Projects Grants by Institution - Australian ...

Title: Nanocrystalline Processing of Polycrystalline Ceramics Exhibiting the Giant
Piezoelectric Effect
2003 : $45,000
2004 : $45,000
2005 : $45,000
Category: 2914 - MATERIALS ENGINEERING
Administering Institution: The University of Newcastle
Summary:
Piezoelectric materials interconvert electric and mechanical energy. They have been incorporated into a
wide range of industrial, medical and domestic applications. The newest, known as PZN-PTs, are only
available as single crystals. They have ten times the response of conventional piezoelectric materials,
however they are expensive, mechanically fragile and have shape limitations. This project will tailor
nanostructured intermediate states that will allow the production of stronger, more versatile
polycrystalline PZN-PT ceramics. It will develop scientific results on nanocrystalline processing applicable
to many materials and allow deeper insight into the mechanism of the anomalous piezoelectric response
of these materials.
***
DP0345404 Prof GA Lawrance A/Prof M Maeder
Title: Bifunctional Metal Complexes as Artificial Nucleases
2003 : $60,000
2004 : $54,000
2005 : $48,000
Category: 2502 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Administering Institution: The University of Newcastle
Summary:
This study will develop new compounds with designed and molecularly engineered shapes which bind
either one or two metal ions and act as artificial nucleases (i.e. catalyse the cleavage of DNA). It will
produce and examine the properties and reactions of molecules which provide two linked or adjacent
DNA interaction sites and which influence and direct biological activity through their shape, size and metal
binding groups. Investigations will be pursued of the reactivity of copper, zinc and cobalt complexes of
these molecules as artificial nucleases with model systems and for site-specific RNA and DNA cleavage
of potential pharmaceutical interest.
***
DP0342988 Dr A McCluskey A/Prof DJ Young Dr JA Sakoff
Title: High Pressure and Fluorous Approaches to Fostriecin Libraries: New Therapeutic
Opportunities.
2003 : $50,000
Category: 2503 - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Administering Institution: The University of Newcastle
Summary:
The natural product, Fostriecin, displays considerable broad-spectrum anti-cancer activity, acting via a
novel mechanism. However, this activity is tempered by its considerable instability, being too unstable to
be used as a therapeutic agent. Using state-of-the-art approaches we will, rapidly generate libraries of
more stable and biologically active fostriecin analogues and examine their potential to be used anti-cancer
agents. This project represents an opportunity for Australia to take a significant, innovative lead in the
development of hitherto unforseen therapeutic agents.
DP0344114 Prof KL Mengersen
Title: New Bayesian methodology for understanding complex systems using hidden
Markov models and expert opinion, environmental, robotics and genomics
2003 : $75,000
2004 : $65,000
***