Patterned and switchable surfaces for biomaterial applications

Andrew Hook – Patterned and switchable surfaces for biomaterial applicationsACKNOWLEDGEMENTSAny large undertaking simply cannot be completed without the assistance of manydifferent people, which is particularly true for this PhD thesis. Firstly, I would like to extenda very big thanks to my two supervisors who have become my biggest scientific influences.Professor Nicolas Voelcker and Dr. Helmut Thissen, thank you both so very much for yourkind support, advice, time, encouragement, patience and wisdom that your have continuallyextended throughout my postgraduate study. I have greatly appreciated the friendship wehave been able to enjoy. Thank you for opening your scientific expertise and also yourhomes to me.The many colleagues I have shared ideas, laboratory space, skills and chemicals withhave all made important contributions to my PhD. Many thanks to Dr. Endre Szili. Youreally have taught me just about everything I know about cell culture. The skills you spentthe time to teach me right back at the start of Honours have been extremely important for theoverall success of my PhD. Thanks to Dr. Sue Low. Anything I didn’t learn about cellculture from Endre I learnt from you. Thank you for the time you gave to answer myquestions, give your advice and draw on the white board. We really did create somemasterpieces. Thank you also to Dr. Dusan Losic for your assistance with AFM.Thanks to Steve McInnes, Martin Cole and Matthew Nussio. Our friendship goes rightback to the start of uni. We are the first fledglings of the Nanotech phenomenon here atFlinders. Long may we continue to make the world a nano place. Thanks Steve for yourfriendship and all the squash games. I look forward to many more, and maybe one day wewill beat Nico. Thank you Martin for your friendship, the surfing experience, touring Europewith me and for providing the PNIPAAm. I’m glad you taught me Aarhus is in Denmark.Thank you to Yamini Akkamsetty, Noni Creasy and Michael Olbrich for yourcontribution to this project.Thank you to Dr. Jamie Quinton and Dr. Joe Shapter for the use of your laboratory space,equipment and the corresponding support and advice here at Flinders. Your willingness tohelp has helped made things much easier and is greatly appreciated.Thank you to the many faces at CSIRO that have supported and befriended me when I’vevisited Melbourne. The welcome and advice you continually give makes working at CSIROso much more enjoyable and worthwhile. In particular, I would like to thank Dr. KeithMcLean, Dr. Thomas Gengenbach, Dr. Paul Pasic, Dr. Ben Muir and Dr. Anna Tarasova.Many thanks to Jason Hayes for time and assistance with laser ablation.Thank you to Krasimir Vasilev for your time, support and advice with SPR imaging.Thanks also to Tim Burland from GWC technologies for your advice in regard to the trickyproblems encountered with the SPR imager.Thank you to Dr. Bandaru Murthy for showing me India. Thank you to Associate Prof. N.Jayaraman and Prof. Dipankar Chatterji for your advice and laboratory space whilst in India.Thank you to Dr. Ken Short for your advice and assistance with force measurements.Thank you Dr. Daniel Jardine and Dominic Reppucci for your assistance with SPRmeasurements.Thank you to Flinders University, CSIRO, Australian Research Council and AustralianInstitute of Nuclear Science and Engineering for funding and the opportunity to conduct thisproject.Many, many thanks for the love and support of my family. Thank you to Auntie Trish andUncle John for opening your home to my in Melbourne. To me beloved wife Cindy, I cannotimagine life without you. There are no words to express my gratitude.And finally, thank you to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.VII