1. Current research activities

CSIRO Molecular Science has a multidisciplinary team which performs technologically focussed research in the areas of surface chemical modification and analysis for use in implants and tissue engineered products. Our research is aimed at developing an understanding of the chemistry of surfaces, interfaces, and polymeric thin film coatings, with a particular emphasis on adsorption phenomena. This expertise underpins our ability to design and produce interfacial chemistries for a diverse range of technological applications. A key focus is in the development of novel surface treatments for products in the ophthalmic and tissue engineering fields.

In the ophthalmic field we have developed coatings for extended wear contact lenses and are currently developing novel coatings for contact lenses whose surface characteristics are even more highly compatible with the environment encountered in the eye. Bioactive surface coatings that enhance corneal epithelial tissue overgrowth have been developed for use in an implantable contact lens. Bioactive coatings designed to enhance the proliferation of cells are another focus of our activities. The ability to undertake detailed surface analysis complements our surface modification capability.

2. Keywords

Surface modification; bioactive coatings; biocompatibility; plasma polymerisation; surface analysis; coupling; ophthalmic coatings.

3. End-user applications


• Ophthalmic applications: implantable contact lens; extended wear contact lens
• Cell propagation and delivery for tissue engineering and stem cells
• Low-fouling coatings
  


4. Key publications

I.	Evans, M.D.M., McLean, K.M., Hughes, T.C. and Sweeney, D.F. The development of a synthetic onlay for the correction of refractive error. Biomaterials, 22, 3319-3328 (2001).
II.	Hartley, P.G., McArthur, S.L., McLean, K.M. and Griesser, H.J. Physicochemical Properties of Polysaccharide Coatings Based on Grafted Multilayer Assemblies. Langmuir, 18(7), 2483-2494 (2001).
III.	McLean, K.M., Johnson, G., Chatelier, R.C., Beumer, G.J. Steele, J.G. and Griesser, H.J. (2000) Method of immobilisation of carboxymethyl-dextran affects resistance to tissue colonisation. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 18, 221-234 (2000).
IV.	Evans, M.D.M., McFarland, G., Spencer, S., Johnson, G. and McLean, K.M. The architecture of a collagen coating on a synthetic polymer influences epithelial adhesion. J. Biomedical Material Research, 56, 461-468 (2001).
V.	.McArthur, S.L., Wagner, M., Hartley, P.G., McLean, K.M., Griesser, H.J. and Castner, D.G. (2002). Characterization of Sequentially Grafted Polysaccharide Coatings using Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) Surface and Interface Analysis, 33, 924-931.

5. Outreach activities

None as Yet.

6. Key organisation membership

None as Yet.

7. Early career researcher?

No.

8. Young investigator?

No.

9. Skills and expertise


• Design and synthesis of surface coatings for biomedical applications
• Plasma polymerisation
• Coupling of bioactive molecules
• Understanding cell-material and cell-protein interactions
• Surface analysis
• In vitro evaluation of materials
• Product focused research and development
  
10. Specialist equipment and infrastructure


• X-ray photoelectron spectrometer
• plasma reactors for surface treatment, etching, and plasma polymerisation
• scanning / transmission electron microscope
• atomic force microscope
• ellipsometer
• contact angle goniometer
• streaming potential apparatus
• particle microelectrophoresis
• confocal laser scanning microscope
• quartz crystal micro-gravimetry
• FT-IR spectrometry / microscopy
  
11. Contact Details 

    Dr Keith McLean
    Address: Biomaterials CSIRO Molecular Science
    Bag 10, Clayton South, Victoria 3169
    Country: Australia
    Phone: +61 3 9545 2599
    Fax: +61 3 9545 2446
    Email: Keith.McLean@csiro.au
    

© 2004

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