ANFF-Q Student Award winners – March 2021

Congratulations to our second ANFF-Q Student Award recipients: Mr Zheng Zheng, Mr Ali Qintoon and Mr Yuhao Zhang . These worthy award recipients will receive:

  • 20 hours of ANFF-Q instrument access, training and support from ANFF-Q staff;
  • up to $500 worth of consumables; and
  • the opportunity to present their research outcomes to an audience including academics and industry representatives.

Learn more about the research projects that our award recipients will be undertaking:

Award Recipient: Mr Zheng Zheng

Supervisor: Dr Li Li

I would be working on development of mucoadhesive nanoparticles as nano-additives. Mucosal delivery is an emerging technology to enhance the macromolecules (proteins, DNA and peptides) adsorption in the gut for medical application. This project aims to synthesise muco-adhesive nanoparticles with controlled physicochemical properties and understand the interaction between nanoparticles and the mucosal layer. Particle tracking analysis using NanoSight will help me to reveal the effect of size and surface modification towards mucin interaction.

Award Recipient: Mr Ali Qintoon

Supervisor: Dr Run Zhang

I will work on Development of GSH-Responsive nanoprobe for fluorescent bioimaging in living cells.  

This Student Award will allow me to investigate the glutathione (GSH)-mediated redox homeostasis inside the living cells using a GSH-responsive nanoprobe that has been developed in my recent work. The GSH level in normal and cancer cells will be determined by semi-quantitative confocal fluorescence imaging, and the outcome is expected to provide new fluorescent imaging agents for diseased cell detection.  

Award Recipient:  Yuhao Zhang

Supervisor : Prof Andrew Whittaker

My honours project aims at improving the hemocompatability of the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) devices. I am working on grafting a novel class of hydrophilic polymer brush onto the membrane of the oxygenator to enhance its anti-fouling performance. The access to ANFF-Q facilities will provide me a great opportunity to perform surface characterisation of the membrane in a more comprehensive manner via its state-of-the-art instruments as well as its professional training provided by the student award.  I am really grateful for this precious opportunity.

If you’d like to learn more about the ANFF-Q Student Award, please contact the Dr Kinnari Shelat