Griffith University

About: Griffith University is a education organization based out in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 13830 authors who have published 49318 publications receiving 1420865 citations.

Advanced cell culture techniques for cancer drug discovery.

Abstract: Human cancer cell lines are an integral part of drug discovery practices. However, modeling the complexity of cancer utilizing these cell lines on standard plastic substrata, does not accurately represent the tumor microenvironment. Research into developing advanced tumor cell culture models in a three-dimensional (3D) architecture that more prescisely characterizes the disease state have been undertaken by a number of laboratories around the world. These 3D cell culture models are particularly beneficial for investigating mechanistic processes and drug resistance in tumor cells. In addition, a range of molecular mechanisms deconstructed by studying cancer cells in 3D models suggest that tumor cells cultured in two-dimensional monolayer conditions do not respond to cancer therapeutics/compounds in a similar manner. Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of utilizing 3D cell culture models in drug discovery programs; however, it is evident that further research is required for the development of more complex models that incorporate the majority of the cellular and physical properties of a tumor.

Fluctuations and Irreversibility: An Experimental Demonstration of a Second-Law-Like Theorem Using a Colloidal Particle Held in an Optical Trap

Abstract: The puzzle of how time-reversible microscopic equations of mechanics lead to the time-irreversible macroscopic equations of thermodynamics has been a paradox since the days of Boltzmann. Boltzmann simply sidestepped this enigma by stating "as soon as one looks at bodies of such small dimension that they contain only very few molecules, the validity of this theorem [the second law of thermodynamics and its description of irreversibility] must cease." Today we can state that the transient fluctuation theorem (TFT) of Evans and Searles is a generalized, second-law-like theorem that bridges the microscopic and macroscopic domains and links the time-reversible and irreversible descriptions. We apply this theorem to a colloidal particle in an optical trap. For the first time, we demonstrate the TFT in an experiment and show quantitative agreement with Langevin dynamics.

Photocatalytic nanomaterials for solar-driven bacterial inactivation: recent progress and challenges

Abstract: Nanostructured photocatalysts have attracted ever-growing research attention in the application of solar energy for water disinfection. Over the past few decades, various photocatalytic nanomaterials have shown superior bacterial inactivation activity to their bulk counterparts, due to their enhanced interfacial charge separation and large surface area providing more active sites. This review presents an overview of the current research activities that focus on the development of nanostructured photocatalysts for water disinfection, including 0D, 1D and 2D (low-dimensional) nanostructures. The synthesized methods, characterization and photocatalytic bacterial inactivation performances are systematically summarized and discussed. In particular, a new conceptual direction to develop naturally occurring materials is highlighted, especially for accelerating practical industrial application. Moreover, the photocatalytic bacterial inactivation process and mechanisms based on the role of reactive species are briefly reviewed from a tutorial point of view. Finally, future research opportunities and challenges associated with the development of highly efficient and cost-effective nano-photocatalysts for water disinfection using inexhaustible solar energy are also pointed out.