Dec 8 2009
UNSW will enhance its research capabilities in areas including nanotechnology, clean energy and biotechnologies following its success in the latest round of federal government grants for major equipment and research infrastructure.
The University has received 12 ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) grants – the highest success rate among Australia’s universities – totalling $4.2 million.
Funds were granted for equipment for research in the fields of clean energy, nanotechnology, biotechnologies, oceanography and materials engineering, as well as for the development of online resources for a legal database and art and design research.
The largest grant made to UNSW was $700,000 for the establishment of a super-resolution fluorescence microscopy facility. The technology allows researchers to identify the function of proteins and lipids in conditions including cardiovascular disease and cancer.
The project, led by Associate Professor Katharina Gaus and Professor Levon Kachigian of the Centre for Vascular Research in the Faculty of Medicine, will make super-resolution fluorescence microscopy available to Australian researchers for the first time, advancing their world-leading position in fundamental biosciences.
The project will proceed in collaboration with the University of Sydney, University of Technology, Sydney, University of Western Sydney and Macquarie University.
A grant of $600,000 was made for an advanced facility for the development of new-generation optical fibre nanotechnologies for use in areas including biomedical imaging, sustainable energy industries and environmental monitoring. The project will be led by Professor Gang-Ding Peng of the School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications.
Another grant of $400,000 was made for the development of the Design & Art of Australia Online archive, in a project led by Professor Vivien Johnson of the College of Fine Arts.