Research Programs
The Electron Microscope Unit has an active native research program with almost 30 academics, research fellows and students, and visitors. Research interests range through the biological and physical sciences to archaeological studies.
Examples of research programs within the centre include:
- Applying quantitative atom probe tomography to light alloys, allowing development of principles for alloy design at the atomic scale.
- Exploring biological systems by means of correlative imaging, thereby providing unprecedented insights into processes related to cancer.
- Probing molecular energy transfer processes at the nanometre scale within fluorescent protein arrays in coral polyps, generating the fundamental understanding necessary to help protect corals against global warming.
- Using scanned probe microscopy to study the electrical properties of DNA and other molecules for potential nanoelectronic devices.
- Applying analytical transmission electron tomography to explore the morphology and properties of nanoparticles and nanoporous materials for use in next-generation catalysts.
- Characterising nanostructured dilute magnetic semiconductors for design of new spintronic systems.
If you are interested in conducting a PhD at the EMU, please refer to the Available Research Projects and Scholarships pages for more information.
| Program | Project | Investigator(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Techniques in Atom Probe Tomography | New Directions in Data Analysis for Atom Probe Tomography | , |
| Computational Techniques in Nanostructural Analysis | , | |
| New Approaches to Reconstruction in Atom Probe Tomography | , | |
| Atom Probe Tomography of Less Conductive Materials | ||
| New Approaches to Understanding Grain Boundary Chemistry | , | |
| Advanced Steels | Nanostructure of Strip Cast Steels: The Role of Microalloy Additions and Heat Treatment in Optimising Properties | , |
| Techniques in Transmission Electron Microscopy | Development of a Novel and Quantitative Approach to Phase Imaging with Applications to Functional Nanomaterials | |
| 3-D Characterisation of Nanostructured Materials by Electron Tomography | , | |
| Design of Light Alloys | Three-Dimensional Imaging of Atoms in Advanced Titanium Alloys | |
| Advanced Characterisation of Zirconium Alloys for the Nuclear Industry | , | |
| Structures and their Effect on Deformation Mechanisms in Nanostructured Materials Processed by Severe Plastic Deformation | , | |
| Design of a Novel Al Alloy for High Toughness | ||
| Design with Cluster Strengthening for Enhanced Strength and Elongation | ||
| Quantitative Atom Probe Tomography: Understanding Bonding in Cold-Spray-Formed Hybrid Nanomaterials | , | |
| Functional Nanomaterials | Growth Mechanisms of Nanocrystals and in Amorphous Materials | |
| Carbon Nanotube for the Optical Sensing of DNA and DNA Sequence Variations | , , | |
| Microscopic Origin of Ferromagnetism of Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors | , | |
| High-resolution In-situ Characterisation of the Vapour-deposition Growth, the Structures and the Plasmonic Properties of Metallic Nanostructures | , | |
| Nanotube Nanothermometers – Synthesis, Characterisation and Application | , | |
| Ferroelectric-Ferromagnetic Tunnel Junctions | ||
| Mineralogical Characterisation | X-ray Tomographic Analysis and Modelling of Coke | , |
| X-ray Tomographic Analysis and Modelling of Nickle Laterites | ||
| Biological Studies with Advanced Microscopy | Analysis of Orthodontically Induced Tooth Damage Using SEM and XRMT | |
| X-ray Micro-tomography Validation of HRCT-Based Airway Measurements | ||
| Visualizing the Vestibular and Cochlear Receptor Structures of the Inner Ear | ||
| Second Harmonic Imaging of Collagen | ||
| Properties and Function of Coral Fluorescent Pigments | , | |
| Structural Organization of the fts-Z Protein in Bacillus | , | |
| Single-Molecule Electrical Studies of DNA on Silicon Surfaces | , | |
| Live-cell Imaging in 3-D Matrices | , | |
| Measurement of Molecular Dynamics Using a Photoconvertible Protein | , | |
| Vesicle Tracking Using Total Internal Reflection Microscopy (TIRFM) | ||
| Nanobiology of Cancer | Modelling Biomolecular Signalling Pathways in Colorectal Cancer Cells by Using Multidi-mensional Correlative Imaging Techniques | |
| X-Ray Micro-Computed Imaging of Bioreactor Liver Tissue: A Model for Colorectal Metastasis | ||
| 3-D Microscopic Analysis of Colorectal Cancer | ||
| Apoptosis-inducing Anti-Actin Drugs: A Potential Approach for Suppressing the Onset of Hepatic Metastasis | ||
| Development of Correlative Fluorescence and Scanning, Transmission Electron Microscopy Imaging Methods for Biomolecular Investigation of Colorectal Metastasis | ||
| Transendothelial Transport Mechanisms of the Hepatic Sinusoid: From Cell to Molecule | ||
| In Vivo and In Vitro Metastatic Models | , | |
| Mechanisms of Cancer Cell Invasion | ||
| Mechanisms of Chemokinesis and Chemotaxis | ||
| Assay Development for the Simulation of Sharp Gradients for Investigating Rapid and Long-term Cancer Cell Processes | ||
| Intravital Imaging of Tumour Cell Motility along Tumor and Microfabricated Collagen Fibres | ||
| Archaeological Science | First Australians, Last Megafauna? Modern Approaches to a Prehistoric Puzzle | |
| Functional Investigation of Flaked and Ground Stone Tools and Studies of Ancient Starch | ||
| Studies of Ancient Starches | ||
| Taphonomy of Modern and Fossil Bone | ||
| Ancient Ivory Identification | ||
| Glass Technology in the Ancient Near East: the First 1000 Years | ||
| Gordion Glass Project |