The University of Sydney has announced its receipt of funding from the Federal government's Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) scheme.
The LEIF scheme provides funding for large-scale cooperative initiatives so that expensive infrastructure, equipment and facilities can be shared by researchers in partner organisations.
The university succeeded in securing $5.34 million for nine projects, including:
A 5-D Correlative Imaging Platform: Combining the strengths of light and electron microscopy, led by The University of Sydney in partnership with The University of New South Wales.
This will be Australia's first dedicated five-dimensional multiphoton-microscopy platform, allowing observation of dynamic structures across different length and time scales under controlled temperatures, followed by high-resolution electron microscopy studies on the same samples. This platform will enable: fundamental studies of cancer, neural diseases and immune disorders; the development of frontier technologies, such as smart nanomaterials, biosensors and targeted drug delivery; and applied research to help plants and soils adapt to climate variability, and to increase sustainable use of water.
Advanced focused ion beam (FIB) / scanning electron microscopes (SEM) for nanometre scale characterisation and fabrication, led by The University of Sydney in partnership with the University of New South Wales and the University of Wollongong.
These instruments provide insights into physical and biological systems through characterisation and fabrication of structures at nanometre length scales. The research will range from the characterisation of light alloys for improving and building Australia's aluminium, magnesium and titanium alloy industries, to the study of aerosol particles for improved pulmonary drug delivery for asthma patients, the development of advanced solar cells and the study of the integrated behaviour of the soil-microbe system for sustainable agriculture.
Federated single crystal X-ray structural analysis facility, led by The University of Sydney in partnership with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, The University of Newcastle, The University of New South Wales, and the University of Wollongong.
X-ray crystallography is a method for determining 3D molecular structures. These structures range in size from small systems such as materials and pharmaceuticals through to large biological structures such as proteins. This application will provide a multidisciplinary facility covering the structural characterisation needs of chemistry, pharmacy, biology and medicine.
Funding for the successful LIEF projects will commence in January 2010.
LIEF is part of the Australian Research Council's National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP). A full summary of funding outcomes can be found at: www.arc.gov.au/ncgp/lief/lief_outcomes.htm
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