L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science | 2022 Edition 

Nanotechnology: the future of non-invasive early detection

We are all too familiar with how our breath can get us into trouble. Even without us knowing, the processes taking place in our bodies are creating gasses that come together to tell a story that we haven’t learnt how to read just yet.

But what if we could break down each component of our breath to understand what is happening behind the scenes? In the same way that dogs can detect happiness, stress, and even pregnancy from the way we smell, what if we too could find a way to understand our bodies without having to reach inside?

This is where Dr Noushin Nasiri steps in. Noushin is using nanotechnology to develop a new generation of cost-effective, miniaturised, yet powerful sensing technologies for recognising chemical molecules. Modelled on the structures of dog’s noses, Noushin’s sensors fit on the tip of your finger and will allow you to monitor your health from the comfort of your own home.

The idea of detecting disease by analysing human breath is not a new idea. In 400 BCE, Hippocrates mentioned that maybe breath aroma can be related to diseases, nd it is this possibility of potentially inexpensive diagnosis that has inspired Dr Nasiri’s research.

Universally applicable cell-based therapy

The last few years have illustrated the critical role our immune systems play in protecting us from disease.

Our immune system consists of an army of agents known as cells, that work together to keep the body on alert against outside threats. T cells trigger our immune response and are informed by previous experiences and exposures to respond in ways that are best for our body. T cells' efficiency comes from their ability to recognise patterns that make you you, bespoke to each individual, meaning we can’t transfer our own T cells from one human into another who might require some healthy T cells.

These cells can be our best friends, protecting us from COVID and the flu, or some of themcan act like a misunderstood family member, turning on us—which is what happens in autoimmune diseases such as cancer or allergies. This is why some of us recover quicker from illnesses, and why some of us suffer from autoimmune diseases.

Researchers have recently discovered a novel type of T cells that recognise patterns that are in all of us. These universal T cells, also known as innate T cells, can have very diverse functions and present a possible alternative to existing therapies and medications. They can augment the immune response in those who are unable to recover as quickly, or they can suppress the immune response where needed.

Rebuilding oyster-reef shorelines for hazard risk reduction and habitat restoration

When we think of oysters, we don’t usually think of the word ‘reef’ immediately after. However, oyster reefs represent crucial components of our ecosystems, serving as habitats for hundreds of species. In addition to promoting biodiversity, oyster reefs establish the first line of defence against erosion and flooding—issues that are too often addressed with unsustainable man-made solutions. Today, only 1–8% of oyster reefs remain across Australia, with many having been lost to overharvesting, habitat degradation, and poor water quality.

Countries worldwide are investing in rebuilding these oyster reefs, with ‘living shoreline’ projects now restoring oyster reefs to stabilise eroding coastlines. Australia is contributing to this effort, with a 2020 federal investment of a $20 million shellfish ‘Reef Builder’ program, unlocking the opportunity for oyster reef restoration projects nationally.

Dr Rebecca Morris is conducting research into how rebuilding oyster reefs impacts coastal erosion and promotes biodiversity. Rebecca has previously shown that  how you design these oyster reefs determines the outcomes that you get for shoreline stabilization and oyster habitation through projects in the United States and locally on the Victorian coastline.

Future implementation of oyster reefs as an adaptation strategy to coastal hazard risk reduction in Australia can be informed through an understanding of the efficacy of oyster reef restoration projects currently designed to provide a coastal defense co-benefit. Rebecca would like to investigate whether patterns she observed in US oyster reefs will translate to native Australian oyster reefs.

Cells rising from the ashes: the dance of death keeping us alive

Every 10 seconds, about 10 million cells within our bodies will die, yet here we are, still standing. Cell death is a normal part of our body’s regulation needed to remove old, damaged or infected cells within the body.

Although the process of cell death is essential to keep us healthy, it requires a fine balance. Too much cell death can lead to neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease where the cells in the brain degrade. In contrast, too little cell death may lead to the rapid expansion of cancer cells. Importantly, once our cells die, they also need to be quickly removed.

Dying cells are removed by a specialized cell-type call phagocytes – essentially, the garbage truck cells of the body. Once they have been instructed to die, our cells use an array of molecular messages to help their removal. This includes releasing ‘find me’ signals to tell the phagocyte where they are, and ‘eat me’ signals that tell the phagocyte which cell to eat or, ‘engulf’.

This process of dying cell engulfment is vital as the accumulation of dying cells is a well-known trigger of inflammation and inflammatory disease.

Inflammation is like the body’s way of ringing the alarm bells however, just like cell death, it also requires a fine balance. Too little inflammatory signals may be insufficient to bring in enough reinforcements to help fight the danger. In contrast, too much inflammation can overwhelm the body and be extremely harmful. Therefore, heightened levels of inflammation are often a hallmark of devastating diseases like viral or bacterial infections and autoimmunity

Healthy humans need healthy environments

Time spent in nature has measurable physical and psychological health benefits, providing compelling reasons to conserve nature in urban areas. People who regularly spend time in nature experience improved psychological wellbeing (mental restoration and lower stress levels), a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, and greater opportunities for socialization and physical activity.

With the world rapidly moving towards digitalization and urbanization, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find an oasis of greenery amidst our concrete jungles.  So, how do we ensure that we make the most of our time spent outdoors?

Research has shown that wellbeing is directly influenced by the quality of these natural spaces—as determined by the biodiversity and health of natural species in these areas. We now know that higher biodiversity in areas dominated by plants, or ‘green spaces’, is directly correlated with higher psychological and physical wellbeing. However, these relationships have not yet been explored in ecological spaces dominated by water bodies or ‘blue spaces’.

While the health benefits of nature are increasingly understood, it remains unknown if these benefits increase with the ecological quality (i.e., biodiversity and organismal health) of habitats. Natural spaces with higher biodiversity are deemed to be of higher quality which may confer greater health benefits, providing a rare win-win conservation opportunity.