Nanoscale Organisationand Dynamics GroupUniversity of Western Sydney

Research Projectsavailable at Campbelltown Campus

Why Consider Going on to Honours and Higher Degrees The Honours program encourages independent learning and research, further develops academic ability, provides the opportunity to pursue undergraduate studies to a more advanced level, deepens intellectual understanding in the major fi eld of study, and develops research skills. The extra training equips students for a wider range of positions in industry and in government laboratories than is available from the BSc degree alone. Such positions generally have a greater involvement in research and development; responsibility levels are higher, there are better fi nancial rewards, and opportunities for promotion. An Honours degree is also a recognised point of entry for postgraduate research studies at PhD level. The Honours program consists of a rigorous program of supervised research on a scientifi c topic, culminating in the production of a thesis and presentation of a fi nal seminar. It is a one year program. Depending on the candidate an Honours Scholarship may be given (this is addition to any other scholarship funded through UWS).

Undergraduates: Undergraduates are encouraged to undertake 3rd year projects in the lab and should discuss the many possible projects that are available with Prof. Price, Dr. Castillo, Dr. Torres, or Dr. Lauto, and also with the postgraduate students in the lab (contact details below). These projects are an excellent introduction to research and may inspire the student to continue on to a higher degree. Third year projects will likely be related to many of the projects discussed on the following pages. Vacation work may also be possible.

Please Note: Applications close 31 October 2008

Additional Information:Course information about the B Science (Honours):http://handbook.uws.edu.au/hbook/course.asp?course=3611Course information about Postgraduate degrees:http://uws.edu.au/research/prospective_candidates/degreesEligibility and how to apply:http://www.uws.edu.au/students/stuadmin/admissions/otheradmission#HonoursScholarships: http://www.uws.edu.au/students/scholarshipsGroup website: http://www.uws.edu.au/nmr

2

Why You Should Choose to Study for a BSc(Hons), Masters, or PhD in the Group

o World class research facilitieso Extensive links with international laboratories and potential travel opportunitieso Cutting edge research projectso Supervisors with international reputationso Projects ranging from purely experimental to purely theoreticalo Exciting multidisciplinary projectso Links with industry through the UWS Nanotechnology Networko A collegial and friendly atmosphere in which to studyo Being part of the group can increase your chances in being awarded a scholarship

3

Research Infrastructure The Biomedical Magnetic Resonance Facility is one of UWS’s premier research facilities for conducting very high resolution MRI (aka NMR microscopy) and NMR diffusion measurements. The equipment in the laboratory is of world class and includes:

o Bruker AV500 wide bore NMR spectrometero Bruker AV400 NMR spectrometero Terranova Earth’s Field NMR spectrometero Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)o Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM)o SGI Altix 350 (high performance computing workstation)

4

5

6

The Supervisors

Prof. William S. Price and Price Lab The Price research group, headed by Prof. William S. Price, focuses on NMR/MRI based research to a vast variety of systems from geological applications through to clinical medicine. Prof. Price is the Director of the NMR facility and is also director of the UWS node of the National Imaging Facility. Prof. Price is a fellow of both the Royal Australian Chemical Society and the (UK) Royal Society of Chemistry, a member of the American Biophysical Society, the Australian and New Zealand Society for Magnetic Resonance (ANZMAG), Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Inc. (ASBMB) and the Australian Society for Biophysics (ASB). Prof. Price has a background spanning Biochemistry, Biophysics, Chemistry and Nanotechnology and, of course, NMR/MRI theory and applications. Current areas of research include modelling protein aggregation kinetics, drug binding studies, developing new NMR/MRI pulse programmes, developing new hardware, modelling restricted diffusion, and investigating self-assembly in alcohol systems. The Price research group also works closely with Dr. Allan Torres, Dr. Reynaldo Castillo, Assoc. Prof. Janice Aldrich-Wright, Dr. Vincent Higgins, Dr. Gary Dennis, and Dr. Andrew Shalliker. The group also has collaborations with the School of Medicine, Westmead Hospital, the University of New South Wales, the University of Sydney, University of Wollongong, Samsung Yokohama Research Institute and AIST in Japan, and Universities in Japan, Sweden, and Taiwan.Contact Details: Room 21.G.45, Campbelltown Campus; Phone: (02) 4620 3336; Email: w.price@uws.edu.au

Dr. Reynaldo Castillo Dr Castillo is a Theoretical Physicist who works in problems of Condensed Matter Physics. Current research topics are related to: 1) The Ginzburg-Landau theory of Superconductivity, 2) Periodic Structures in one and two dimensions, and 3) Fluctuations and Irreversible Thermodynamics. All theoretical projects in these areas are related to our experimental facilities as well as to the content of

7

our Nanotechnology Program.Contact Details: Room 21.1.75, Campbelltown Campus; Phone: (02) 4620 3208; Email: r.castillo@uws.edu.au

Dr. Allan Torres Dr Torres is an NMR Research Instrumentalist managing the Biomedical Magnetic Resonance facility. His research interests include NMR method development, protein structure and dynamics, molecular diffusion and platypus venom research. He has considerable experience in devising and utilizing various NMR methods for the study of bioactive molecules, molecular interactions and cells. He has also been involved in the determination of three-dimensional structures of many biologically important protein molecules, such as toxins. He collaborates with Prof. Price, Assoc. Prof. Janice Aldrich-Wright and with various researchers on projects that involve NMR spectroscopy.Contact Details: Room 17.1.56 Campbelltown Campus;Phone: (02) 4620 3459; Email: a.torres@uws.edu.au

Dr. Antonio Lauto Dr. Lauto’s primary research interests are in medical applications of lasers and photonics, tissue engineering, biomaterials and nanotechnology. His investigations focus particularly on the development of minimal invasive technologies using novel bioadhesives to provide surgeons with improved sutureless techniques for repairing and regenerating peripheral nerves. Current areas of research include: 1. Fabrication of laser activated bio-adhesive scaffolds for sutureless tissue repair. 2. Incorporation of drug delivery nanodevices in scaffolds to enhance wound healing and tissue regeneration in situ. 3. Development of conducting polymer nerve grafts to enhance nerve regeneration. 4. Effects of non-ionizing radiation on wound healing and tissue regeneration. Dr. Lauto collaborates with Prof. Price’s research group and Dr. Castillo.Contact Details: Room 21.1.24 Campbelltown CampusPhone: a.lauto@uws.edu.au; Email: (02) 4620 3235

8

Research Projects

The following list summarises some of the Honours Projects available in 2009. Ex-plored in greater depth these projects can also form MSc (Hons) and PhD Projects.

Predominantly Experimental

Self-assembly in Alcohol SolutionsSupervisor: Professor William S. Price Understanding self-assembly is of central importance to the biological sciences (e.g., lipids self-associate to form membranes). However, to understand these extremely complicated phenomena we must resort to studying simpler model systems. One such class of model systems are alcohol (e.g., ethanol, propanol) - water. Indeed alcohols can be viewed as primeval lipids and possess fascinating solution chemistry. In this project alcohol water systems will be studied using NMR to gain insight into self-assembly processes in solution.(Would suit students interested in Physical Chemistry/Biology) http://stoddart.chem.ucla.edu/personnel/grads/hayden/hayden.html

9

Development of Fast NMR Diffusion SequencesSupervisor: Professor William S. Price For a number of reasons including optimising signal-to-noise, and being able to access information on systems that change rapidly (e.g., to study the binding of a drug that exchanges rapidly between a free and bound site), and shortening image acquisition times in diffusion-weighted MRI measurements, it is desirable to have fast and robust NMR diffusion sequences. Our lab has an international reputation in the development of NMR diffusometry techniques and this project builds upon a wealth of expertise in the area. (Would suit students interested in NMR/Physics/Mathematics)

NMR of Ion Dynamics in Solution (including ionic liquids and salt-polymer electrolytes)Supervisor: Professor William S. Price So much of chemistry and biochemistry depends on the fundamental interactions between ions (e.g., cation and anion self-association, solvation and binding). This project will examine well-chosen model systems with real world signifi cance. For example, the solvation of lithium ions can impact on the performance of lithium-salt polymer batteries.(Would suit students interested in NMR/Physical Chemistry/Biology)

Diffusion of Peptides in Different Solution EnvironmentsSupervisors: Dr. Allan Torres and Professor William S. Price The conformation of peptides can be very dependent on the solution environment and interactions with other species. For example, some peptides adopt different conformations when dissolved in solutions containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles. This has great signifi cance as in biological systems many proteins are bound to lipids in cell membranes. In this project, the diffusion of peptides in different solution environments, for example water and SDS micelles, will be studied. Issues to be investigated include whether the critical micelle concentration might also have an effect on the diffusion of the peptide.(Would suit students interested in Biophysics/Chemistry/Biology)

Biophysical NMR Studies of Protein Folding and DenaturationSupervisors: Dr. Allan Torres and Professor William S. Price The three-dimensional structure of a protein is largely determined by its primary structure or amino acid sequence. Protein folding is a complex process infl uenced by many factors including solvent properties, temperature, salt concentration and presence of other molecules. Protein denaturation is the reverse of protein folding and is often irreversible. In this project, protein folding and denaturation will be investigated using NMR techniques for the study structure and diffusion. The role(s) of water molecules in these processes will be also be examined as folded proteins are known to incorporate water molecules to stabilise their structures.(Would suit students interested in Biophysics/Chemistry/Biology)

http://folding.uchc.edu/Research.htm

10

11

NMR structure of membrane-associated polypeptidesSupervisors: Dr. Allan Torres and Prof. William S. Price Membrane proteins are proteins molecules that are attached or associated with cell membranes. These biomolecules are important in transport of information and materials between cells. It is predicted that approximately 30% of the proteins encoded in the human genome may be classifi ed as membrane-proteins. In contrast to structures of water soluble proteins, the structures of membrane proteins are less understood as they are diffi cult to study by NMR or X-ray crystallography. This NMR project aims to characterize the structure polypeptide fragments of known membrane-proteins dissolved in membrane-mimicking environments such as micelles. Specifi cally, the sample that will be used is peptide fragment from T cell antigen receptor (TcR) referred to as “core peptide”. It is anticipated that structural information that will be obtained in this study will provide useful insights into the mechanism of immune response to diseases or viruses.(Would suit students interested in Biology/Chemistry/Biophysics)

Development of New NMR Methods for Diffusion StudiesSupervisors: Dr. Allan Torres and Prof. William S. Price Knowledge about the diffusive properties of chemical species is important in studying chemical reaction rates since reacting entities must fi rst collide before they can react. NMR provides useful methods for studying diffusion such as pulsed gradient spin-echo (PGSE) and it variant pulsed gradient stimulated echo (PGSTE). The performance of such NMR diffusion methods are affected by various factors that are due to the sample and the instrumental limitations. These include homonuclear spin-spin coupling, background gradients and presence of strong solvent signals. This project aims to improve the standard NMR diffusion methods by modifying its components, which consist of RF pulses and delays. This will involved studying the transformation of various relevant magnetizations (coherences) in each step of the pulse sequence. Results obtained in this study may also be useful for improving other NMR methods with general applicability.(Would suit students interested in Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics)

12

13

Diffusion Tensor ImagingSupervisor: Professor William S. Price Although in free solution diffusion is isotropic – that is equal in each spatial direction. Diffusion in ordered media including tissues (e.g., brain, muscle) and many other porous media is anisotropic. Consequently, the diffusion coeffi cient measured will have a directional dependence – hence the diffusion properties in such media are described by a tensor. This dependence can provide very important information not otherwise obtainable such as following fi bre tracts in brain. This project will introduce a student into the theory and practice of conducting diffusion tensor images. And later to further develop this very important fi eld in MRI. (Would suit students interested in NMR/Physical Chemistry/Biology/Physics)

http://www.informatik.uni-leipzig.de/bsv/Hlawit/dti.html

http://www.smu.edu/math/re-search.html

Modelling Diffusion in Complex StructuresSupervisor: Professor William S. Price Translational diffusion is the most fundamental form of transport and is responsible for almost all chemical reactions, since the reacting species must collide before they can react. In many systems, the diffusive motion of a species is affected by its surroundings. For example, a species diffusing inside a biological cell is restricted in its motion by the cell membrane and its permeability through the membrane. Nevertheless, theoretical models for describing restricted diffusion only exist for very simple systems (box, sphere, and cylinder). Analytical equations quickly become mathematically intractable in more complex systems. Finite element analysis is a computer simulation technique used for fi nding approximate solutions of partial differential equations and integral equations such as the diffusion equation. It can be used to model diffusion in very complex structures which can then be compared to experimental data. The interdisciplinary nature of understanding diffusion in microheterogeneous systems means this project has signifi cance relevant to a wide variety of fi elds such as petroleum exploration where pore distribution and fl ow in sandstones and other materials control productivity and MRI diagnosis of brain injury where the location, orientation, and anisotropy of tracts in brain white matter control brain function. This project offers students an opportunity to study diffusion in complex structures and model the process using fi nite element analysis. The model will be compared to nuclear magnetic resonance data. The extremely powerful software package Comsol multiphysics will be used for modelling whist experiments will be carried out in the UWS biomedical magnetic resonance facility located on the Campbelltown campus. (Would suit students interested in Physics/Mathematics)

14

15

Interactions between Lipids and Membrane ProteinsSupervisors: Professor William S. Price and Dr. Allan Torres in conjunction with Dr. Marina Ali (Westmead Hospital) Membrane proteins play important roles including transporting materials, identifying ligands, and triggering immune reactions in the human body. The ‘Core peptide’ is the transmembrane region of the α chain of T cell antigen receptor (TcR), and it plays a crucial role in human immune function. In this project, the interactions between lipids, micelles or bilayer membranes and membrane proteins or peptides (e.g., core peptide) will be studied by performing 31P and 1H NMR diffusion experiments using new pulse sequences developed by our group. A detailed understanding of these interactions will allow us to fi ght against immune system related diseases or viruses (e.g., HIV) more effi ciently. The core peptide (CP) is the transmembrane region

of the TcR α chain with a sequence of GLRILLLKV. CP is suspected of directly interfering with the interaction between α,ε,δ and γ chains. When a successful complex is unable to form, immune response from that site no longer occurs. (Would suit students interested in Biophysics/Biol-ogy/Chemistry/Mathematics)

Suppression of Solvent Signals in Highly Dilute SolutionsSupervisor: Professor William S. Price Due to solubility problems, limited sample availability and/or aggregation, solvent signals in NMR are typically 4-5 orders of magnitude larger than the solute signals. Thus, the suppression of solvent signal is crucial for chemical and biological NMR. So far, most solvent suppression techniques have been developed on the basis of acquiring signals from solutes in the millimolar concentration range. However, the physiological concentration of many solutes is often sub-millimolar, and even with the best current techniques the residual solvent signals overwhelm the solute resonances complicating or even preventing acquisition of their signals. In this project, more effi cient solvent suppression techniques which are suitable for highly dilute biological samples will be developed. These techniques will allow us to study the diffusion of small molecules, peptides and proteins at more physiologically relevant concentrations. This is important since their biochemical behaviour can change with concentration. A 1H spectrum of 100 μM core peptide in 10% D2O and 90% H2O is shown on the right. A huge water peak is right at the middle of the spectrum even though a WATERGATE solvent suppression sequence was used.(Would suit students interested in NMR/Physics/Biology/Mathematics)

16

17

Multiple Solvent Suppression Supervisor: Professor William S. Price In many areas of application (e.g., studying chromatographic processes) the NMR sample will contain a solute which is dissolved in a solvent (or mixture of solvents) that has multiple resonances that must be suppressed in order to observe the solute resonances. In this project, multiple solvent suppression techniques will be developed and implemented into diffusion sequences suitable for measuring highly dilute biological samples. These techniques will allow us to study the diffusion of small molecules, peptides and proteins at more physiologically relevant concentrations. This is important since their biochemical behaviour can change with concentration.(Would suit students interested in NMR/Physics/Biology/Mathematics)

Visualising Atoms, Molecules, and Surfaces by Scanning Probe MicroscopySupervisor: Dr. Reynaldo Castillo Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) has provided visually stunning three-dimensional images of materials that have been benefi cial to a wide range of scientifi c disciplines. In addition to imaging, SPMs can be used for atomic manipulation, determining surface physics & chemistry, chemical modifi cation, and investigating biomolecules to name a few. In this project an STM and AFM will be used to develop novel techniques for the study of DNA, microchips, and self assembled monolayers.(Would suit students interested in Physics/Biology/Mathematics)

Synthesis and Characterisation of Gd(III) Complexes for Use as Potential MRI Contrast AgentsSupervisors: Dr. Trevor D. Bailey and Professor William S. Price Much of the importance of MRI in clinical applications stems from its ability to discriminate between different tissue types. Often chemical compounds known as ‘contrast agents, are used to enhance these differences in MRI images. Complexes of gadolinium have been considered for some time as contrast agents in MRI. Many of the complexes to date have been variants on simple poly-carboxylate ligands such as DTPA and DOTA. Gadolinium complexes with these and similar ligands enhance MRI by increasing the relaxation rate of protons in the sample. This project involves the synthesis and characterisation of improved ligands, their gadolinium(III) complexes, and testing of their effi cacy in MRI imaging.(Would suit students with interests in Coordination chemistry/NMR-MRI)

Fabrication of laser activated bio-adhesive scaffolds for sutureless tissue repairSupervisor: Dr. Antonio Lauto Combining bioadhesive scaffolds with laser/photonics technologies provides surgeons with an alternative minimal invasive technique to sutures. Indeed, the current technology for wound closure (sutures, clips and staples) has several problems ranging from poor sealing, tissue infl ammation, time consuming applications and technical diffi culties during minimally invasive surgery. In this project, a chitosan-based

bioadhesive will be designed and fabricated to enhance the adhesion bonding strength to tissue following laser irradiation. The activation temperature of the adhesive will also be reduced to minimize undesirable tissue thermal damage.(Would suit students with interests in Chemistry, Nanobiotechnology, Biological/Medical sciences)

18

19

Incorporation of drug delivery nanodevices in adhesive scaffolds to enhance wound healing and tissue regeneration in situSupervisor: Dr. Antonio Lauto This project aims to investigate the loading of growth factors (PDGF, NGF) within novel scaffolds to enhance wound healing and tissue regeneration in situ. Among various systems, nanoparticles appear to be well suited for this task. The kinetics of release will be investigated and characterised in relation to the material composition, morphology and degradation rate. The loaded fi lms will be also incubated with specifi c cell lines to assess cell proliferation and migration. The unique combination of an adhesive biomaterial with novel factors for accelerating wound healing will generate a new tissue repair technique. This will unite wound closure with sealing and drug delivery to address an unmet need in tissue engineering for reconstructive surgery.(Would suit students with interests in Nanobiotechnology, Biological/Medical sciences, Chemistry)

Development of conducting polymer nerve grafts to enhance nerve regeneration

Supervisor: Dr. Antonio Lauto Axons can regenerate over gaps caused by trauma and reconnect with the distal stump by recreating functional contacts. Peripheral nerve injuries that produce long gaps require the implantation of a bridge between the proximal and distal nerve stumps to restore the organ

innervation and function. Autografts are typically employed in patients but a second surgical procedure, limited availability and permanent denervation at the patient site are the major disadvantages. This project aims to develop a novel nerve graft that incorporates a conducting polymer and polymer-based bioadhesive. Conducting polymers, such as polypyrrole or polyacetelene, have the unique properties to combine electrical stimulation of the nerve along with biocompatibility. This unique combination can stimulate axonal regeneration and improve the restoration of nerve functions.(Would suit students with interests in Chemistry, Nanobiotechnology, Biological/Medical sciences)

Effects of non-ionizing radiation on cell differentiation and nerve regenerationSupervisor: Dr. Antonio Lauto Low Level Laser Therapy has been used by physicians in a broad spectrum of applications including wound healing and tissue regeneration for over thirty years; yet, the action mechanism at cellular level is virtually unknown. The effect of laser light on stem cell differentiation and nerve regeneration is the focus of this project that aims to systematically study such effect at various wavelengths and try to elucidate the cellular mechanism of laser interaction with cells. This study employs various lasers and photonics devices (quantum dots) in combination with molecular cell biology and proteomics techniques in order to identify possible cell differentiation pathways induced by visible light.(Would suit students with interests in Nanobiotechnology, Biological/Medical sciences)

20

21

Predominantly Theoretical

These two projects are the fi rst stage of a large PhD. Project, both are multidisciplinary topics in Theoretical Nanoscience and any interested student should have a background in Statistical Physics and Elementary Differential Geometry.

Density Function for Two Dimensional CrystalsSupervisor: Dr. Reynaldo Castillo Periodic structures in one and two dimension has been consider theoretically possible. For systems for which the fl uctuational displacement is small. This condition introduces such a severe restriction on the size of the system that when originally the problem was discussed by R.E. Peierls in 1934 and later in 1937 by L.D. Landau they concluded that probably such material does not exist in Nature. Since a monolayer graphite fi lm called grapheme has been produced in several laboratories, a revision of Landau’s methodology is needed. This project intent to study the thermodynamical properties of Graphene.(Would suit students interested in Physics/Mathematics)

Topological Properties of the Free Energy in CrystalsSupervisor: Dr. Reynaldo Castillo The free energy of liquid crystals contains terms similar to the helicity of the director vector. Using a result from differential geometry we can apply a lower dimension Gauss-Bonnet Theorem to obtain a set of invariants for the free energy. The aim of this project is to study this connection and calculate the invariants.(Would suit students interested in Physics/Mathematics)

NMR simulation using Symbolic AlgebraSupervisor: Professor William S. Price Understanding spin-dynamics is of fundamental importance for NMR students. However, in many instances to understand such complicated theory we must resort to computer simulation, which turns boring memorization into exciting practice. Numerical and symbolic algebra simulation programs can be used for the development of new NMR pulse sequences. In this project students will perform NMR simulations based on a full understanding of spin-dynamics to enhance the development of new NMR methods (e.g. water suppression).Exact numerical simulations of NMR experiments are often required for the development of new techniques and for the extraction of structural and dynamic information from the spectra. In this project, a user friendly liquid state NMR simulation software will be developed based on density matrix, product operator and quaternion theories by the use of Maple software. The newly developed software will be distributed around UWS to assist NMR teaching and scientifi c research. (Would suit students interested in NMR/Physics/Mathematics)

Note: If you have a particular interest in a topic not listed in this booklet, please come and talk to a group member about creating project which suits your interests.

22

23

Recent PublicationsBooks1. Price, W.S. (2008) NMR Studies of Translational Motion, Cambridge University Press. In Press.

Book Chapters1. Price, W.S. (2005) Applications of Pulsed Gradient Spin-Echo NMR Diffusion Measurements to Solution Dynamics and Organization. In: Diffusion Fundamentals: Basic Principles of Theory, Experiment and Applications, (J. Kärger, F. Grinberg, and P. Heitjans, Eds.), Leipzig University Press. pp. 490-508. (Invited chapter).2. Price, W.S. (2006) NMR diffusometry. In: Modern Magnetic Resonance, (G. A. Webb, Ed.), Springer. pp. 105-111 ISBN: 1402038941. (Invited review chapter).3. Yadav, N. and Price, W.S. (2007) Effects of Polydispersity on PGSE NMR Coherence Features. In: Diffusion Fundamentals II, (S. Brandani, C. Chmelik, J. Kärger, and R. Volpe, Eds.), Leipzig University Press. pp. 40-51. (Invited chapter).

Journal Publications (Refereed)1. Price, W.S. Hallberg, F., and Stilbs, P. (2007) A PGSE diffusion and electrophoretic NMR study of Cs+ and Na+ dynamics in aqueous crown ether systems. Magn. Reson. Chem. 45, 152-156.2. Still, B.M., Anil Kumar, P.G., Aldrich-Wright, J.R., and Price, W.S., (2007) 195Pt theory and application. Chem. Soc. Rev. 36, 665-686.3. Zheng, G. and Price, W.S., (2007) Suppression of background gradients in (B0 gradient-based) NMR diffusion experiments. Concepts in Magn. Reson. 30A, 261-277.4. Traytak, S.D. and Price, W.S., (2007) Exact solution for anisotropic diffusion-controlled reactions with partially refl ective conditions. J. Chem. Phys. 18, 184508-1-184508-8.5. Wheate, N. J., Anil Kumar, P.G., Torres, A.M., Aldrich-Wright, J.R. and Price, W.S., (2008) Examination of cucurbit[7]uril and its host-guest complexes by diffusion NMR. J.Phys. Chem. B. 112, 2311-2314.6. Zheng, G., Stait-Gardner, T., Anil Kumar, P.G. Torres, A.M. and Price, W.S. (2008) PGSTE-WATERGATE: An STE-based PGSE NMR sequence with excellent solvent suppression. J. Magn. Reson. 191, 159-163.7. Torres, A.M., Dela Cruz R. and Price, W.S. (2008) Removal of J-coupling peak distortion in PGSE experi ments. J. Magn. Reson. In press (May 13 2008).8. Yadav, N.N., Torres, A.M., and Price, W.S. (2008) Calibration of high magnetic fi eld gradients for pulsed fi eld gradient experiments. J. Magn. Reson. In press (May 21 2008).9. Torres, A.M., Bubb, W.A., Philp, D.J., Kuchel, P.W. (2008) Improved J-compensated sequences based on short composite pulses. J. Magn. Reson. In press (June 7 2008).10. Zheng, G., Torres, A.M., and Price, W.S. (2008) Solvent suppression using phase-modulated binomial-like sequences and applications to diffusion measurements. J. Magn. Reson. In press (June 19 2008).11. Stait-Gardner, T., Anil Kumar, P.G. Torres, A.M. and Price, W.S. (2008) A steady state PGSE NMR sequence for faster diffusion experiments. Chem. Phys. Lett. In press (July 24, 2008).12. Zheng, G. and Price, W.S. (2008) MAG-PGSTE: a new STE-based PGSE NMR sequence for the determination of diffusion in magnetically inhomogeneous samples J. Magn. Reson. In press (August 14 2008).

Additional information on research output can be obtained by going to www.scopus.com, selecting the ‘Author Search’ tab, entering the appropriate surname and setting the affi liation to ‘University of Western Sydney’ and then hitting ‘search’. After the new window has displayed, place a check mark against the relevant author names and fi nally hit the tab ‘Citation Tracker’.