Specialising in marketing and servicing scientific and analytical instruments, ATA Scientific has had a significant influence across Australia and New Zealand’s pharmaceutical, polymer, chemical and mining industries. We endeavour to stay abreast in the latest research and developments in the scientific world, and as such have over time acquired a very large contact base around the globe.

At ATA Scientific we believe supporting this industry’s up-and-coming research personalities is key to bettering our own products and service, but even more importantly, is vital to sustaining scientific communication, growth and discovery. This is why we regularly sponsor promising academics and researchers; helping them achieve their goals has a flow on effect to the rest of the scientific community, and society in general.

Nicolas Alcaraz is one such student who we have supported in recent months. A PhD student at Monash University, Australia, Nicolas has already completed his Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Honors. Under the supervision of Prof Ben Boyd, he is currently completing his thesis entitled ‘Targeting Drug Carriers Using ‘Copper-Free’ Click Chemistry and Metabolic Labelling’.

Metabolic labelling and copper-free click chemistry are two techniques which so far have been predominantly used in conjunction for metabolic imaging. What Nicolas’ research will investigate is how these imaging techniques could instead be used to monitor and better understand metabolic processes and target specific cells. Such information could lead to the development of new drug delivery systems such as liquid crystal lipid systems. This in turn could lead to new ways of curing diseases such as cancer.

Made aware of the leaps Nicolas is taking in his research field, ATA Scientific awarded him our Travel award. This award enabled Nicolas to attend the 42nd Annual Controlled Release Society Meeting in Edinburgh, from the 26th to the 29th of July, 2015.

This 5 day conference is strongly focused on drug delivery and imaging, and with over 1,500 attendees is the largest congregation of drug delivery researchers in the world. Leading names and researchers within this field made an appearance, giving speeches, networking, mentoring, and sharing information with colleagues around the world. Nicolas, post-attending, suggested that his experience was invaluable;

“These connections will be helpful in both the short and long term. In the short term making these connections has benefitted my PhD by finding suitable mentors to provide me with insight and tips on my current research. In the long term it will help my career by increasing my contacts across the globe that could be future colleagues or employers. From the talks and posters I gained helpful information regarding alternative techniques and instrumentation that will be useful in answering a number of tough questions in my project, and also alerted me to limitations of many other techniques and instruments. I was also pleased with feedback and attention that my poster presentation received and I was able to explain and discuss my project with other delegates.”

During his visit, Nicolas was also able to visit the Department of Chemistry at the University of Warwick. Here he met Dr Matt Gibson and other students working on similar chemistry to that in his project, and Nicolas was able to benefit from their advanced knowledge in some areas of surface chemistry, as well as experience working in a different lab environment.

ATA Scientific is proud to be able to support and encourage scientific entrepreneurs such as Nicolas, whose research and skills will undoubtedly benefit us in years to come. Without support scientific minds may not be given the voice or assistance they deserve.

Win a Young Scientist Encouragement Award

Every year ATA Scientific awards to leading scholars and researchers with the hope our assistance may enable them to reach their full potential. One up-and-coming award is our ‘Win a Young Scientist Encouragement Award’. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recently donated $100,000 to researchers at the University of Wollongong to build a hydrogel condom. They also donated another $100,000 to RMIT to assist them in developing a biosensor, which could be used to diagnose malaria and other diseases.

Inspired by their benevolence, ATA Scientific awards $1,500 to a young scientist who can best answer.

The current competition has closed applications and the winner will be announced on the Award page.

Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) Sub Micron Sizing & Zeta Potential

We also often run courses designed to help educate and update researchers. This course is for users of Malvern Zetasizer particle size analysers. Learn how to use this technology correctly and efficiently, and how to interpret data accurately.

Laser Diffraction Particle Sizing – Course 1

For users of Malvern laser diffraction particle size analysers. Learn more about this instrument; how it works, how to use it properly, and how to read data.

Laser Diffraction Particle Sizing – Course 2

You can conduct this course from your very own lab! Using your Malvern particle size instrument undergo a routine maintenance session, learn to make reliable measurements and read data correctly.

There are always conferences and events being held around the world to support and educate the scientific community. ATA Scientific often sponsors these kind of events, and encourages people in relevant fields to take part. For a full list of 2016 events please visit our website.

Albert Einstein is known to have described himself as being passionately curious – and it’s interesting to ponder the question how would he have managed with Google?

Internet research is an unwieldy beast for the curious. You can narrow your focus too much, or be crushed by information overload. You could spend weeks downloading papers, and yet miss the truly exciting things happening in scientific research right now. Information overload makes users less likely to interact, whereas simple messages, such as a short article in a news blog, are more likely to encourage conversation.

Continue reading 12 Science Blogs You Should Be Reading →

ATA Scientific recently installed the first Morphologi G3-ID in Australia at Southern Cross University (SCU) within the School of Science, Environment and Engineering. The instrument is intended to be used primarily by researchers and students at SCU and other research institutions to support cutting-edge research involving environmental particles. The instrument will also be available for external commercial work as per the details below.

The Morphologi G3-ID from Malvern Instruments provides a unique capability to accurately measure particles in the range of 0.5 to 1000 µm.  An integrated dry powder dispersion system automates sample preparation for repeatable and reproducible measurements of a wide range of samples. A choice of accessories supports analysis of samples on microscope slides, in wet suspensions or on membrane filters. When equipped with a Raman microprobe, the Morphologi G3-ID gains the additional ability to chemically identify particles enabling the differentiation of chemical components within a blend and the identification of foreign contaminants. The software provides simple operation with automatic selection, targeting and rapid chemical classification of thousands of individual particles. Automated and unattended SOP operation delivers substantial time savings by allowing users to get on with other tasks while the instrument completes the measurements.

Morphologi G3-ID system

Rapid and accurate characterisation of different particles in a sample is seen as a challenge across many different industries and research areas. A particle’s shape, size and composition has the capacity to modify the properties of a powder, such as flow ability, surface area and dissolution rate, which may ultimately affect final product quality.  In order to characterise these particle properties, a suitable and robust analytical method is required.

Traditional manual microscopy methods have been limited to imaging and have shown to be both subjective and time consuming. Automated image analysis systems provide a means for improved statistical classification of particles, enabling differentiation based on their size and morphological parameters. The inclusion of Raman spectroscopic measurements alongside imaging provides chemical identification of particles, which aids further understanding of the type of processes that may be occurring with the sample (e.g cohesion or adhesion). Together, these techniques enable users to ensure product quality remains consistent, or to identify the cause of a problem when things go wrong.

The Morphologi G3-ID system combines automated static imaging with chemical identification of individual particles using Raman spectroscopy in one platform. Rapid and accurate analysis leads to significant cost and efficiency savings relative to manual microscopy, in addition to greater data integrity.

The Morphologi G3-ID installed is being used to support research involving several different groups at Southern Cross University. At present, the main projects are:

• characterising the size, concentration and morphology of filaments of the marine cyanobacterium Trichodesmium being grown under different environmental conditions as part of a project aimed at understanding how this organism responds to different environmental conditions.
• characterising the morphology and chemical identity of major mineral phases in agricultural soils
• attempting to determine characteristic Raman spectra for organic residues on archaeological tools
• attempting to determine markers for human activity in paleo soils
• characterising the transformation of calcium carbonate minerals under varying environmental conditions.

“The Malvern Morphologi G3-ID has saved countless hours on tasks that were previously performed using manual microscopy, and opened new cutting-edge research opportunities in a wide range of areas, many of them unexpected. After just four months, the instrument is already heavily used by researchers and students at Southern Cross University working on a wide range of different projects” said Andrew Rose, Associate Professor within Southern Cross GeoScience at Southern Cross University, Australia.

The instrument was purchased as part of a suite of advanced particle characterisation equipment associated with an ARC LIEF grant entitled “an integrated facility for the advanced characterisation of environmental particles”. The aim of the LIEF grant is to support a range of different research projects at SCU (particularly other ARC-funded projects) that rely on characterisation of particle size, shape and chemical identity in the fields of including sediment geochemistry, contaminant mobility, and biogeochemistry.

Overall the system has proven robust, reliable, easy to use and very popular! It is already in use for most of the week for the variety of projects mentioned above. The automated microscopy and image analysis functions are particularly popular for tasks that would previously have been performed using manual microscopy, and the Raman spectroscopy has been adopted by several users as a fingerprinting tool for a range of different natural particles.

The instrument will be available for collaborative work with researchers from other research institutions, and for commercial work through the university’s Environmental Analysis Laboratory (EAL). The EAL uses qualified analysts to run samples for commercial clients with appropriate QA/QC and reporting standards. The services offered and indicative fee structure for commercial samples is as follows:

* This charge applies to all new clients and sample types to enable evaluation of the method suitability and analysis services that we can offer

** Indicative prices are based on dry, non-hazardous, easily dispersed powders. A detailed quote will be provided after initial sample evaluation

The SCU group is in the process of establishing a dedicated website for instrument bookings and contacts. However in the meantime, interested users can refer to the Environmental Analysis Laboratory website: www.scu.edu.au/eal.

Left : A/Prof Andrew Rose (SCU – Geosciences), Middle:  Ms Nadia Topler (Technical Officer – Environmental Analysis Lab), Right:  Debbie Huck-Jones (Malvern Instruments)

ATA Scientific has been supporting customers throughout Australia and New Zealand for more than 25 years. Our dedicated local service team have a long history of providing excellent customer service and support. For more information, please contact us.

ATA Scientific Pty Ltd
+61 2 9541 3500
enquiries@atascientific.com.au
www.atascientific.com.au

According to a recent article on Khaleejtimes.com, astronauts may soon be able to enjoy a pizza on their way to the space station, thanks to new 3D printing research.

SMRC, a Texas-based materials and technology company, has been contracted by NASA to perfect the task of making pizzas fit for space. Doctor Christopher Daubert and a team of researchers at SMRC are investigating the process, which involves feeding the ingredients into a 3D printer and trying to get them to come out via nozzles in a consistent, pizza-like form.

Continue reading Space Pizza May Soon be on the Menu →

A breakthrough by scientists at Oxford University has led to the creation of a cheaper, simpler and more efficient solar cell, according to an article on Phys.org.

Using a material known as perovskite, they have worked out a way to make its diffusion length ten times better than previously possible.

The diffusion length is the average distance charge carriers (electrons and ‘holes’) are able to travel before recombining. By adding chloride ions, the Oxford University researchers have been able to achieve diffusion lengths of more than 1000 nanometres (100 nm was previously the best that could be achieved).

Prior to this, scientists could only achieve the same efficiency level of 15% by arranging cells in complex structures called mesostructures, but the new cells can achieve the same efficiency without having to create mesostructures, which makes them much cheaper and easier to make.

The scientists predict that, thanks to this breakthrough, it will not be long before commercial manufacturers start taking a serious interest in perovskite cells.

US scientists claim that they have successfully used a stretchy polymer coating for a battery electrode that allows the electrode to ‘heal’ itself in the event of cracks appearing, according to Laboratory Talk.

The team of scientists from Stanford University and the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory say that the self-healing lithium ion battery may be appropriate for use in mobile phones and electric cars.

The researchers found that, when the self-healing polymer coating was used, silicon electrodes lasted ten times longer. Also, only a few hours were required for the polymer to repair cracks.

This polymer was originally the creation of researchers developing flexible electronic skin. The applications of such skin include sensors, robots and prosthetic limbs.

The researchers working on the battery also needed to guarantee that it could conduct electricity. Subsequently, carbon nanoparticles were added to the coating of polymer.

The capacity for energy storage of these batteries is now considered ‘practical’. The researchers are adamant that they would like to increase this capacity.

The team are now exploring ways of making the material viable in a commercial sense. They are also focused on enhancing its performance and endurance.