High-speed, high-contrast luminescence biosensing: Finding a needle in a haystack Detection, quantification, or localisation The Background-free imaging is achieved of particular cells or molecules – quickly, by our foundation technology known as sensitively and accurately – is fundamental “time-resolved luminescence assay”, that to both modern biomedical research and employs a long-lived luminescent probe industry: from understanding sub-cellular which glows for longer than non-target processes and biochemical pathways to the background cells (illustrated in Fig 1). early detection of diseases in clinical settings. Therefore the time-gating renders non- However, molecules that are altered as a result target cells, debris and other particles of a pathological condition are generally practically invisible. present in low numbers, and are extremely Our new generation of patented Super dots difficult to detect. This is particularly true in can specifically tag the target cells to glow Professorthe early stages of disease development, Jim Piper amplified luminescence signal. This further posing a “needle-in-a-haystack” problem delivers high contrast at three orders of that demands both sensitivity and speed. Festschrift 2013magnitude more sensitive than conventional Current tests are either slow or not sensitive commercial “dots” or nanoparticles such as enough to detect the few altered cells that quantum dots. indicate a disease. For example, in order to Thursday 20th June 2013 Our proprietary device of Automated identify disease-causing pathogens in water scanning microscope can rapidly find 9amand food, – 5pm analytical techniques must be rare pathogenic microorganisms from sensitive enough to detect a single particular water dirt on a glass slide within 3 minutes. Cochlear,microorganism Ground (e.g., Cryptosporidium Floor, parvum In collaboration with US firm BD Biosciences, and Giardia lamblia) in 10 litres of water 1 University Avenue, Olympus Australia and Newport Instruments containing billions of other microorganisms and (USA), our group successfully demonstrated Macquarieparticles. Potentially Park fatal cancers, and various that it can accurately distinguish the rare heart and neuron diseases may go undetected abnormal cells when there are molecular for many years because of the difficulty of disease biomarkers starting to express detecting as few as ten diagnostic cells in 10 ml themselves on the cell membrane at very of blood or other biofluids in the early stages low abundance. of the diseases. No current techniques are capability of this level of sensitivity. Furthermore, through a successful Discovery Project funded by the Australian Research Working in the cross-disciplinary field of Council (Piper & Jin 2010 -2012), we built an physics, chemistry and biology, our research Accessible library of molecular probes, so that group of the Advanced Cytometry Labs at thousands of molecular disease biomarkers Macquarie University, has invented a package can be analysed simultaneously in a single of novel technologies for the rapid detection test, which holds promise to decode the of single cells. We call this suite of technologies gene signatures of individual patients at our SAAB technology platform, short for high speed. Super-bright dots, Automated-scanning microscopy, Accessible library of molecular probes, and Background-free imaging. 1 Time Speaker Presentation 8:45–9:00am Tea and Coffee on arrival 9:00–9:05am Prof Clive Baldock, Exec Dean Faculty of Introduction Science, Macquarie University 9:05–9:15am Prof Bruce Dowton, Vice-Chancellor, Macquarie Welcome University A/Prof Judith Dawes, Macquarie University Chair of Session 9:20–9:50am Dr Mark Butler, Gosford High School National Physics Curriculum 9:50–10:20am Dr Olivia Samardzic, DSTO Edinburgh Future Directions of Laser- Based Defence Systems 10:20–10:50am Prof Michael Withford, Macquarie University Laser Direct-Write Photonics for Astronomy 10:50–11:10am Morning Tea A/Prof David Coutts, Macquarie University Chair of Session 11:10 –11:40am Scientia Professor Andrew S. Dzurak, Quantum Computing with The University of New South Wales Single Atoms in Silicon 11:40 –12:10pm A/Prof Helen Pask, Macquarie University Crystalline Raman Lasers 12:10–12:40pm Prof Denis Hall, Heriot-Watt University Lasers in High-Precision Manufacturing 12:40–1:30pm Lunch A/Prof Richard Mildren, Macquarie University Chair of Session 1:30–2:00pm Prof Wang Pu, Beijing University of Technology High Power Pulsed Fibre Lasers 2:00–2:30pm Prof Tanya Monro, University of Adelaide Fibre-Based Sensors for Biology and Medicine 2:30–3:00pm Dr Jin Dayong, Macquarie University High-Speed, High-Contrast Luminescence Biosensing 3:00–3:20pm Afternoon Tea Prof Brian Orr, Macquarie University Chair of Session 3:20–3:50pm Dr Cathy Foley, CSIRO Future Research Directions of CSIRO in Materials Science and Engineering 3:50–4:20pm Dr Daniel Brown, Cymer Corp USA State-of-the-Art Light Sources for Photolithography 4:20–4:50pm Dr Larry Marshall, Southern Cross Ventures The Entrepreneurial Journey: from Scientist to CEO to Venture Capitalist 4:50–5:00pm Prof Jim Piper, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Close and Invitation to drinks Research, Macquarie University and nibbles 5:00–6:00pm Reception 2 It is with great pleasure that I welcome you here today as we come together for this Festschrift, as Professor Jim Piper’s colleagues, students and friends, to acknowledge and celebrate his distinguished career. As an academic and A true leader and visionary, Professor Piper’s a university leader, most recent legacy to the Australian Professor Piper has research landscape was to establish the been at the forefront Australian Hearing Hub at Macquarie of research and higher University. Bringing together some of the education development country’s best researchers, educators and in Australia and service providers, to improve the lives of internationally. He has authored over 260 people who experience hearing loss and/or refereed journal articles and full-length language disorders, it was Professor Piper conference proceedings, and has who initially proposed the idea to the supervised to completion more than Federal Government, and whose approval 40 PhD students. Furthermore Professor for funding helped make the establishment Piper is inventor of 12 awarded patents, of the Hearing Hub a reality. with substantial experience in the Professor Piper has gained the enduring commercialization of research-derived IP. respect and admiration of those around Beginning with his Lectureship at him, not only as a leader and academic but Macquarie University in 1975 and also as a man of integrity and affability. throughout four decades of service, Now, as we prepare to say farewell to Professor Piper has made significant Professor Piper on his retirement at the contributions to Macquarie University, end of June, it is with great privilege that excelling as Director of the Australian we take this important opportunity to Research Council Special Research Centre recognise Jim and his many achievements. for Lasers and Applications, and Dean of Information and Communications Sciences. Professor Bruce Dowton Since 2003, under Professor Piper’s Vice-Chancellor Macquarie University leadership as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Macquarie’s Research, Higher Degree Research and Commercialisation programs have grown from strength to strength. The University’s increasing research performance has been exceptional with an increase in research outputs to rank fourth in terms of overall research at the highest level, first in cognitive science, environmental science and ecology. 3 Dr Mark Butler Head Teacher of Science Gosford High School, NSW National Education Convener Australian Institute of Physics Dr Mark Butler is currently Head Teacher of Science at Gosford High School, the National Education Convener of the Australian Institute of Physics and a member of the CUDOS Advisory Board, the MQ Photonics Advisory Board and the Macquarie University Science/Industry Advisory Board. Dr Butler completed a bachelor’s degree majoring in Physics at Macquarie University in 1978 and a Diploma in Education at the University of New South Wales in 1979. After working for a year in the physics teaching laboratories at the University of NSW, he returned to Macquarie University where he completed an honours degree in physics and a PhD in Plasma Recombination Lasers under Professor Jim Piper. In 1985 he worked as a tutor at Macquarie University and in 1986 was appointed Deputy Principal at the Australian International School, where he remained until taking up his current position as Head Teacher of Science at Gosford High School in 1997. A passionate advocate for engaging students in science, Dr Butler has written high school textbooks, study guides and journal articles and is a sought after speaker on science education. He remains above all else a dedicated science teacher and many of his students have achieved outstanding HSC results in physics and many have pursued careers in science. In 2007 he was appointed to the Advisory Panel for the Science National Curriculum and in 2008 he was appointed principal advisor and writer of the Senior Physics National Curriculum. Dr Butler was the recipient of the 2002 BHP/Billiton National Science Teachers Prize, the 2004 Premier’s Science Teachers’ Traveling Scholarship, the 2004 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Secondary Science Teaching, the inaugural NSW Scientist of the Year Award for Leadership in Secondary Science