Biological and Medical Applications
The Biological and Medical Applications groups in the CLA conduct research into the detection of micro-organisms and related diagnostic techniques, as well as researching new therapeutic laser treatments in medicine, surgery and dentistry.
The Physics and Biology departments at Macquarie have collaborated successfully over many years, with one focus on the identification and enumeration of microorganisms using innovative flow cytometry techniques. Here, laser illumination excites fluorescence from cells flowing through a micron-sized jet, and digital signal processing techniques are used to analyse cytometry data in real-time. More recently, pathogens have been identified based on their fluorescence spectral emission with effective suppression of false positive results, which arise from autofluorescent (naturally fluorescent) materials. We are also investigating the use of time-resolved fluorescence techniques to eliminate this interference. A recent collaborative project has been the construction of a time-resolved fluorescence microscope (TRFM) to visualise protozoan pathogens Cryptosporidium and Giardia. Future efforts will apply time-resolved techniques to flow cytometry.
Time resolved fluorescence microscopy |
|
 A group of Giardia cysts labeled with a slightly different fluorophore that is intensely fluorescent |
 A single Giardia cyst labeled with a time-resolvable fluorophore embedded in a water concentrate with many algae present |
The CLA works with doctors, surgeons and dentists on the development of laser techniques for treatment also. Our novel, laser-cured solid protein solder for the surgical repair of damaged tissues such as nerves and blood vessels, developed in collaboration with the Microsearch Foundation of Australia, has been taken up by a local biotechnology firm. This approach offers advantages of ease of use and faster treatment, with reduced risk of scarring after treatment. We have collaborated with clinical dentists as well as researchers at the Australian National University and Swinburne University of Technology, to investigate promising short-pulsed laser treatments for the removal of caries in teeth, and precise laser- ablation of enamel and dentine for other dental treatments. We also collaborate with Cardiologists, Ophthalmologists and Dermatologists to develop appropriate lasers and related devices for selected laser-based treatments.
fs-laser ablation of dental enamel |
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|---|---|
 No collateral damage! |
 150 fs; 30 Hz; 1 mJ/pulse 2 hours/cave;  Tmax =
1.4°C |
Contacts
| Phone | Name | Room | Position | |
| 8261 | Artlett, Chris | cartlett @ physics.mq.edu.au | E7B 205 | MSc student |
| 8111 | Connally, Russell | rconnall @ ics.mq.edu.au | E7B 235 | Research Fellow |
| 8970 | Coutts, David | dcoutts @ ics.mq.edu.au | E7A 201 | Associate Professor |
| 8903 | Dawes, Judith | judith @ physics.mq.edu.au | E7A 205 | Associate Professor |
| 8951 | Jin, Dayong | jin @ physics.mq.edu.au | E7A 319 | PhD student |
| 8927 | Dekker, Peter | dekker @ ics.mq.edu.au | E7B 235 | Research Fellow |
| 6367 | Ogilvy, Hamish | hogilvy @ ics.mq.edu.au | E7A 225 | MSc Student |
| 8932 | Pask, Helen | hpask @ physics.mq.edu.au | E7A 316 | Research Fellow |
| 8645 | Piper, Jim | jim.piper @ vc.mq.edu.au | E11A 153 | Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor of Physics |
| 7056 | Withford, Michael | withford @ ics.mq.edu.au | E7A 211 | ARC Research Fellow, Node Director CUDOS Macquarie |