Summing up a PhD thesis in three minutes is no easy feat - especially in front of a crowd - but AIBN scholars Kwang Keat Leong, and Aaron Netto showed that can be both possible and extremely entertaining.
After winning their heats, Aaron and Kwang went on to compete in the UQ All-Institutes 3MT competition taking home all three prizes between the two of them.
Competing against the top students from the other UQ institutes, Kwang and Aaron swept the competition, with Kwang winning first place and People's Choice, and Aaron receiving second place.
The students showcased their unique research, highlighting the range of amazing research that goes on at AIBN.
You can watch their 3MT pitches below.
Smaller crystals, bigger impact.
What do tiny crystals have to do with protecting Brisbane’s iconic Story Bridge?
Quite a lot, as PhD Student Kwang Keat Leong explains in his Three Minute Thesis (3MT) presentation.
Working in the lab of Associate Professor Nasim Amiralian, Kwang's PhD is focused on developing a way to precisely control the growth of metal-organic framework (MOF) crystals using nanocellulose - natural fibres extracted from plants.
In his research, Kwang found that MOFs grown on nanocellulose could hold three times more corrosion inhibitors, while the resulting coating provided up to five times greater corrosion protection.
A molecular bouquet for the immune system
The HTLV-1 virus affects 20 million people worldwide, and it can be found in some of the most remote and marginalised communities worldwide, from South America to Africa to right here in Australia. Currently, the virus has no treatments, or cures, and is known to cause cancer.
But there is hope as PhD Student Aaron Netto explains in his Three Minute Theses (3MT) presentation titled:
Working in the labs with Professor Keith Chappell, Aaron is using the UQ Molecular Clamp technology to develop a vaccine for HTLV.
Aaron describes the molecular clamp as like a vase designed to present a bouquet to your immune system, which lets it recognise the molecules from HTLV-1 and fight the virus.
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