Science and Society

The Science and Society theme draws together research strengths in several areas that have a significant impact on society. These areas include:

• science education, particularly in the areas of chemical and biological sciences
• nutrition and food science
• forensic science
• environmental health, focussing on the impacts of working environments on health
• occupational health and safety

The School hosts a collaborating World Health Organisation Centre for Environmental Health Development.

Our work in these key thematic areas is underpinned by a variety of world class facilities, including NMR, electron microscopy and confocal microscopy. In particular, the Confocal Bio-Imaging Facility (CBIF) draws together a suite of instruments which collectively produce live, three-dimensional images of almost any material. This state-of-the-art facility, which is unique in Australia, uses a suite of lasers to depict inorganic materials, plants and animal cells in incredible detail. Confocal laser imaging is increasingly being used to image:

• Viruses crossing cell membranes in real-time
• Living cells dividing and changing over days or weeks
• Live cells, with little or no sample preparation
• Real-time, solution-based molecular interactions, in femptolitre volumes
• The effects of drugs or other chemicals at the cellular level