Why does nature strongly favor chlorophyll a? What are the consequences of the differences between the chlorophylls for photosynthetic function? Using our unique optical spectrometer, this project aims to address these key fundamental questions.

This project will involve collaboration with industry partners (Beta Therapeutics) and partners within the Centre of Excellence in Peptide and Protein Science.

This project is centered on developing an artificial living biomineralisation platform for self-reinforcing materials.

This project aims to magnetically label proteins for new electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments to study a protein’s structure and dynamics at low concentrations and in-cell.

This project aims to design and build an electric-field cell for nanoscale manipulation of molecular qubits using pulsed electric fields. Integrated with EPR spectroscopy, the device will enable precise quantum control, advancing scalable quantum information technologies.

This project will involve collaboration with the ANU Our Health in Our Hands Grand Challenge teams in the College of Engineering & Computer Science and the Research School of Physics.

This project is centered on developing a new methodology that would allow the prediction of the behaviours of genetically engineered microbes in engineered living materials (ELMs).

This project will magnetically label proteins for new electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments to study a protein’s structure and dynamics at low concentrations and in-cell, and then compute informative models from the measured EPR distances.

This project develops high-frequency molecular qubits using heavy p-block radicals to enhance quantum coherence and sensitivity. It involves synthesis under anaerobic conditions, EPR and NMR spectroscopy, and computational analysis to advance quantum computing technologies.

This project will involve collaboration with partners within the Centre of Excellence in Peptide and Protein Science.

This project is expected to protect important agriculture crops with a novel class of chemical fungicides, contributing to global food security and delivering substantial environmental benefits

Most proteins and enzymes "live" in solution. Like mechanical machines, their function depends on conformational changes. Using NMR spectroscopy in solution, we develop new methods to determine the movements and conformational changes of proteins, such as the COVID-19 main protease.

This project will contribute to a broader research endeavour in the Zhang lab which aims to establish a synthetic biology toolbox towards safe and sustainable control of fungal diseases in agriculture and in native ecosystems

This project will involve use of fs- and ns-pulsed wavelength-tuneable lasers, in some cases interfaced to electrochemistry equipment, to investigate NLO properties of new molecules/materials, and can involve modelling properties using the ANU’s supercomputer.

The successful candidate will get to leverage to power of biology to create completely artificial engineering living materials that can adapt their structures to the external environment.