A cutting-edge facility at The University of Western Australia is attracting researchers from all over the world.

Most recently, UWA's Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis (CMCA) hosted scientists from universities in England.

A former UWA graduate, Dr Nicole Hondow from the University of Leeds, visited the Centre for six weeks through a World Universities Network (WUN) mobility grant.  Dr Hondow worked on the development of specimen preparation protocols and miscroscopy techniques for analysing the structure of nanoparticle assemblies for use in nano medicine.

The Centre's Deputy Director, Professor Martin Saunders, said it was likely a PhD student exchange program would be set up between the CMCA and the Leeds electron microscopy group.

From the University of York, Dr Roland Kroeger and Ms Renee van der Locht are spending four weeks at the Centre to research coral biomineralisation with Winthrop Professor Malcolm McCulloch of UWA's Ocean Institute.  They are at UWA until 4 July thanks to a York scheme to promote collaborations with WUN partners.

The CMCA supports research across the University, the Australian community and internationally in natural, agricultural, physical, life and biomedical sciences and engineering.

Research in the biosciences involves understanding the structural, immunological and compositional properties of cells and tissues.  In Earth and environmental sciences, analysing and characterising the minerals and microstructures of rocks and soils increases knowledge of the planet's past and guides the sustainable development of resources.  In physical science, research involves the characterisation of the structure, composition and chemistry of materials down to the nano or atomic scales. 

Through its Research Mobility Program, WUN supports personal and academic growth, enabling postgraduate students and staff to work at member universities.  The Network enhances learning and internationalises curricula through the development of e-learning theory, practice and programs and organises regular online seminars delivered by leading WUN academics with themes and topics ranging across the research spectrum.

UWA will encourage its researchers to benefit from the association with WUN by providing funding on a competitive basis to support staff and postgraduate students to initiate, expand and maintain collaborative research projects with Network partners.

WUN currently consists of the Universities of Alberta; Bergen; Bristol; California, San Diego; Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Leeds, Nanjing, Pennsylvania State; Sheffield; Southampton; Sydney; Utrecht; Washington, Seattle; Wisconsin, Madison; York; Zhejiang and UWA.

Media references

Professor Martin Saunders (Deputy Director, UWA Centre for  (+61 8)  6488 8092
Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis)
Michael Sinclair-Jones (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 3229  /  (+61 4) 00 700 783