Science researchers awarded $670,000 under the Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) scheme
The ARC has announced more than $28 million in funding for 35 new research projects under the ARC LIEF scheme. Monash University received $2,570,000 with $670,000 allocated to a science-led project.
The LIEF scheme supports national and international collaboration and research partnerships between stakeholders in research and innovation, including higher education providers.
It provides funding to research collaborations for the acquisition of research equipment and infrastructure allowing Australian researchers to undertake basic and applied research.
Professor Bayden Wood from the School of Chemistry is the Chief Investigator of the successful science project titled ‘A multimodal infrared, Raman and fluorescence submicron imaging microscope’.
The project aims to use a new multimodal submicron imaging microscope to perform chemical imaging on both hard and soft materials. The technology will enable researchers to better understand biological systems and develop materials with important technological applications. Chemical imaging at an unparalleled level of detail will facilitate the detection of progenitor stem cells, antimicrobial resistance, toxins in plant tissue, and toxicity of microplastics containing pharmaceuticals.
The effects of nanoparticles on cells and associated toxicity can also be studied. New protocols will be developed for measuring materials in green energy technologies, such as the development of new lithium batteries and electrocatalysis. The technology will be used to characterise the deactivation/regeneration of catalytically converting carbon dioxide to fuels and investigate water splitting. In addition, materials from Egyptian mummies will be studied to understand the embalming processes and causes of death.
Expected outcomes include interdisciplinary collaborations to develop new protocols for studying cell phenotypes, material characterisation for green energy, environmental monitoring, advanced catalytic materials, and forensic archaeology.
This project offers an exciting opportunity to advance our understanding of the chemical and biological world and develop new materials with important technological applications.
For further information about the infrastructure, equipment and facilities being funded by the ARC through the LIEF scheme, please visit: Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) | Australian Research Council.
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