Sydney Analytical is pleased to invite you to attend the Biospectroscopy Symposium, taking place from 4-6 August 2025.
This symposium will bring together Australia’s biospectroscopy community to explore the latest advances and practical troubleshooting approaches in vibrational spectroscopy.
Designed to share practical insights and real-world applications in the biosciences, this year’s theme is problem solving. We are especially keen to hear about the challenges you have faced, the strategies that worked, and the tips and tricks you wish you had known earlier. Our goal is for both experienced researchers and newcomers to walk away with tools they can immediately apply in their own work.
We are excited to welcome Prof Nick Stone (University of Exeter) as our keynote speaker, alongside invited talks from Dr Annaleise Klein (Australian Synchrotron), Dr Annette Dowd (UTS), and Prof Ewan Blanch (RMIT). The program includes two workshops hosted by Bruker and Photothermal Spectroscopy Corp (PSC), offering a unique opportunity to learn more about their cutting-edge instrumentation and techniques.
Date: 4-6 August 2025
Location: Moore College, Level 5, Room 503 (Auditorium), 1 King Street, Newtown, NSW 2042, Australia
Register here: https://pay.sydney.edu.au/VSW
The registration fee is $210, which includes access to all sessions and workshops, full catering across the three days, and the symposium dinner. Seating is limited to 55 attendees, registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
For enquiries, please contact: Dr Elizabeth Carter (elizabeth.carter@sydney.edu.au), or Vibrational Spectroscopy Facility (vscf.admin@sydney.edu.au).
Registration deadline: 25 July 2025
Time |
|
8:45 – 9:00am |
Registration & Arrival |
9:00 – 10:30am |
Bruker Workshop: “Technology, Applications, and Data Evaluation Using Bruker FTIR and Raman Imaging Microscopy for Biospectroscopy” | Koman Tam |
10:30 – 10:50am |
Morning tea |
10:50am – 12:20pm |
Bruker Workshop (Continued) |
12:20 – 1:00pm |
Lunch |
1:00 – 1:10pm |
Opening Address and Welcome |
1:10 – 2:00pm |
Keynote Speaker – Nick Stone, University of Exeter: “Taking Raman from Bench to Bedside (and Other Related Stuff)” |
Session 1 |
|
2:00 – 2:30pm |
Invited Speaker – Ewan Blanch, RMIT University: “Raman Optical Activity as Probe of Molecular Stereochemistry” |
2:30 – 2:55pm |
Eric Cao, University of Sydney: “Advancing Bacteriophage Therapy Through Nano-Biospectroscopy” |
2:55 – 3:20pm |
Michel Nieuwoudt, University of Auckland: “Differentiation of Skin Cancers, Benign Skin Lesions and Inflammatory Dermatoses” |
3:20 – 3:40pm |
Afternoon tea |
Session 2 |
|
3:40 – 4:10pm |
Invited Speaker – Annette Dowd, University of Technology Sydney: “Far Infrared Spectroscopy of Lipid Bilayers and the Hidden Dynamics of Cell Membranes” |
4:10 – 4:35pm |
Mohammed Siddeek Fathima Nusra, University of Sydney: “Principal Component Analysis of IR Spectroscopy Differentiates EMT and Cytotoxic Responses to Fluorescent Bisphenylurea Compounds” |
4:35 – 5:00pm |
Sara Miller, Flinders University: “Raman Mapping To Detect Lipids in Rat Lungs” |
Time |
|
Session 3 |
|
9:00 – 9:25am |
Yusra Rabbani, University of Queensland: “Nanocrystalline Cellulose Hydrogel Encapsulated Plasmonic Nanosensors for Detection of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS): Towards a Sensing Bandage” |
9:25 – 9:50am |
Tina Hoang, University of Sydney: “Biocompatibility of Superhydrophobic Materials” |
9:50 – 10:15am |
Iris Radosevic and Maria Costantino, University of Sydney: “From Subjectivity to Spectroscopy: Reimagining Oestrus Detection in the Pork Industry” |
10:15 – 10:35am |
Morning tea |
Session 4 |
|
10:35 – 11:00am |
Jeremy Landry, RMIT University: “Development of Raman Spectroscopic Analysis Techniques To Assess Quality Markers in Food” |
11:00 – 11:25am |
Eliza James, University of Sydney: “Use of Raman and IR Spectroscopies To Characterise the Biomolecular Content of Immune Cell Responses in the Presence of Metals” |
11:25 – 11:50am |
Vesna Miletic, University of Sydney: “Mapping the Invisible: Raman Spectroscopy of the Hybrid Layer and Resin Composite Curing in Restorative Dentistry” |
11:50am – 12:15pm |
Presenter and Title TBC |
12:15 – 1:00pm |
Lunch |
1:00 – 2:00pm |
Invited Speaker – Annaleise Klein, Australian Synchrotron – “Quasar: Creating Chaotic Workflows To Explore Your Data” |
Session 5 |
|
2:00 – 2:20pm |
Eoghan Dillon, Photothermal Spectroscopy Corp: “Super-Resolution IR Microscopy Combined With Simultaneous Raman and Co-Located Fluorescence” |
2:20 – 2:40pm |
Che Boyang, HORIBA Instruments: “Exploring Modern Raman Microscopy and A-TEEM Fluorescence Spectroscopy Techniques” |
2:40 – 3:00pm |
Danmar Gloria, Metrohm ANZ: “Unlocking Sensitive Biosensing: Advanced Signal Enhancement with Metrohm's Mira XTR DS Orbital Raster Scan (ORS) for SERS and Fluorescence Mitigation” |
3:00 – 3:20pm |
Jennifer Ferguson, Renishaw plc: “Bio-Raman with Renishaw” |
3:20 – 3:40pm |
Afternoon tea |
Session 6 |
|
3:40 – 4:20pm |
Panel discussion: Nick Stone, Ewan Blanch, Annette Dowd and Annaleise Klein |
Session 7 |
Lightning Presentations |
4:20 – 4:25pm |
Manal Alwahsh, University of Sydney: “Deploying Multimodal Responsive Sensors” |
4:25 – 4:30pm |
Matt Hadden, University of Sydney: “Exploring Raman Spectroscopy to Map the Biochemical Composition of Human Cancer Biopsies” |
4:30 – 4:35pm |
Katherina Petrou, University of Technology, Sydney: "Single-cell biomolecular profiling of marine microalgae" |
4:35 – 4:45pm |
Elizabeth Carter, University of Sydney: “Sydney Analytical – Your Biospectroscopy Toolkit” |
5:30 for 6:00pm start |
Symposium Dinner: Royal Hotel Darlington, 370 Abercrombie St, Darlington NSW 2008 |
Time |
Session |
9:00 – 10:30am |
Photothermal Spectroscopy Corp (PSC) Workshop: “Multi-modal Label Free Chemical Imaging for Life Science Applications Advances in Spatial Resolution, Sensitivity & Multi-modality (IR, Raman & Fluorescence)” | Eoghan Dillon |
10:30 – 10:50am |
Morning tea |
10:50am – 12:20pm |
PSC Workshop (Continued) |
12:20 – 12:30pm |
Closing Remarks |
12:30 – 1:30pm |
Lunch |
1:30 – 4:30pm |
Hands-on PSC Workshop and Sydney Analytical Facility Tour |
Bruker offers the most advanced range of FTIR microscopes, including the LUMOS and HYPERION models. Our line-up features single-element systems with MCT as well as focal-plane array or QCL-based IR laser imaging systems. Our dedicated workflows ensure seamless and easy operation giving routine results within a few minutes. The workshop will focus on routine FTIR microscopy and evaluation for biospectroscopy applications and provide an update on the latest Bruker IR Laser Imaging to guide and reduce significant measurement time for MALDI imaging.
Complementary to IR microscopy, Bruker also offers the fastest Raman imaging microscope (Nanophoton series) using galvanometric scanning, with spectral quality and unmatched performance.
Dr Koman Tam completed his PhD in 2006 at the Vibrational Spectroscopy Facility (now Sydney Analytical) at the University of Sydney. His research focused on developing a non-destructive approach for breast cancer diagnosis and pathological analysis using infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy. He was supervised by Prof Peter Lay, the late Assoc. Prof Bob Armstrong, and Dr Liz Carter.
Dr Tam’s PhD research was focussed on sample preparation and focal plane array (FPA) imaging for cancer classification, employing multivariate statistical analysis. In 2007, he joined Bruker as an Applications and Product Specialist, where he has since concentrated on advancing infrared and Raman microscope technologies. His work supports both academic and industrial applications, with particular interest in the evolution of biospectroscopy and microplastics analysis.
Label-free imaging in life sciences is vital for preserving sample integrity and providing accurate observations of biological processes without introducing artifacts from labeling, thus advancing our understanding of complex biological systems.
A key emerging method of label-free imaging is Optical Photothermal Infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy. O-PTIR presents a valuable advancement in life science applications due to its ability to provide label-free, high-resolution chemical imaging of biological samples at the nanoscale allowing researchers to characterize molecular composition and distribution within complex biological structures. O-PTIR excels in studying chemical composition and spatial distribution, of macromolecules such as proteins (inc. secondary structure, orientation etc.), lipids (inc. types of lipids, chain length, saturation etc.) nucleic acids and carbohydrates and more.
In recent developments, O-PTIR has been combined with widefield epi-fluorescence imaging to enable co-located fluorescence imaging allowing additional chemical characterisation of fluorescently labelled samples. Several examples from life science such as live cell label free metabolism imaging, live/hydrated tissue imaging for amyloid aggregates, single bacterial cell metabolism, exploring biopharma (sub-visible), microplastics and more, will be provided to demonstrate these capabilities and how they can enable new experiments and research findings.
Dr Eoghan Dillon, originally from Dublin, Ireland, earned his BSc in physics from TU Dublin and completed his PhD in Chemistry at Rice University in 2012, focusing on CO₂ capture using functionalized nanocarbons. He has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and presented at major U.S. conferences including ACS, MRS, and BPS. Eoghan began his career at Anasys Instruments, specializing in AFM-based techniques like nanoscale IR and thermal analysis. He is currently the worldwide manager of applications and business development at Photothermal Spectroscopy Corp, where he leads efforts in advancing O-PTIR and simultaneous Raman spectroscopy across life sciences, polymers, and contamination analysis.
Light can be harnessed to provide detailed molecular analysis of material composition, when using vibrational spectroscopy techniques, such as infrared absorption and Raman scattering. These techniques can be applied to a whole range of clinical problems and even within the patient to provide a real-time measure of healthy or diseased state. It is even becoming feasible to provide a likelihood of progression of disease in those with early cancers.
I will introduce Biomedical Raman and IR spectroscopies, covering the range of approaches we have used for spectral histopathology, point of care testing of body fluid analysis, intraoperative tissue analysis for surgical assistance, all the way to in vivo Raman endoscopy for hollow organs, smart needles for solid organs and entirely non-invasive deep Raman techniques. I aim to discuss the value each of these in a clinical setting and any barriers to adoption. If we look to the future, by going beyond the sampling of native molecular signals, we can make use of functionalised gold nanoconstructs to provide both Raman signals and potentially a combined therapeutic. To achieve this we use surface enhanced spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SESORS), which can enable signals to be measured from up to 7-10 cm within tissues. Coupled with laser light these can be used to provide hyperthermia in carefully controlled treatments, using Raman thermography to read the temperature in real-time. https://rant-medicine.com
Prof Nick Stone holds the position of Professor of Biomedical Imaging and Biosensing at the University of Exeter. Nick has worked to pioneer the field of novel optical diagnostics within the clinical environment, recently moving from the NHS (Gloucestershire Hospitals), after almost 20 years of working closely at the clinical/academic/commercial interface to pull-through novel technologies to be used where they have most clinical need. He is an internationally recognised leader in biomedical applications of vibrational spectroscopy (Raman and IR).
Nick graduated with a BSc (Hons) from Bath University in Applied Physics with Industrial Training in 1992. Since then, he has undertaken numerous studies which include: an MSc with Distinction from Heriot-Watt and St Andrews Universities in Laser Engineering with Applications; an MSc with Distinction in Applied Radiation Physics with Medical Physics at Birmingham University; a PhD in the application of Raman spectroscopy for cancer diagnostics at Cranfield University and an MBA (Health Executive) at Keele University.
Nick has received numerous awards for his research both personally and within his research group. He recently won the International Raman Award for ‘Most Innovative Technological Development’ 2014 and was runner up in the 2013 NHS Innovation Challenge Prize. He won the Chief Scientific Officer’s National R&D Award for 2009. He has published over 150 papers (H-40) and book chapters.
Quasar is an open-source program for data analysis built on the python language designed with spectroscopy datasets specifically in mind (https://quasar.codes). Infrared beamlines at multiple synchrotrons worldwide are adopting this program as a main analytical platform due to its intuitive workflow design for linking processes, being able to load data files direct from multiple instruments without converting to a different format, and bulk-batching data processing, among many other positive features.
This presentation will be a short introduction to the usefulness of Quasar for working with infrared spectra and hyperspectral maps. A specific focus will be placed on stepping through solutions and workarounds found to overcome challenges that have arisen using the software when analysing real datasets. At the end, a number of links to resources will be provided to help you get started if you choose to go down the rabbit hole of unintentionally creating chaos to do science.
Dr Annaleise Klein is a Beamline Scientist at the Australian Synchrotron (ANSTO). She supports researchers on the infrared microspectroscopy (IRM) beamline to collect and analyse high-quality infrared spectra across a broad range of scientific research fields. Annaleise has a PhD in environmental biogeochemistry from La Trobe University. Before joining ANSTO she spent 3 years as a post-doctoral researcher at Cornell University and Northwestern University in the USA studying abiotic mineral-catalysed transformation of organic phosphates using a range of analytical methods.
Leveraging her research background, Annaleise has a particular interest in environmental research at the IRM beamline. She enjoys learning from and collaborating with researchers using multiple complementary techniques to generate a deeper understanding of scientific puzzles, particularly when it involves other synchrotron methods.
Understanding the dynamic behaviour of phospholipid bilayers provides insight into how cell membranes function in health and disease. Far-infrared (terahertz) spectroscopy offers a powerful, label-free method to probe picosecond timescale dynamics associated with collective motions in lipid bilayers. However, the technique’s sensitivity to water, subtle spectral features and complexity of data interpretation pose significant experimental and analytical challenges.
In this talk, I will share our journey applying THz spectroscopy to phospholipid bilayers – from sample preparation to data acquisition and spectral analysis. I will describe practical solutions we’ve developed for minimizing strong absorption from water and interpreting weak vibrational modes. Our work characterises phase transitions and associated changes in molecular dynamics. Along the way, I’ll discuss strategies we’ve found helpful for early-career researchers: from designing experiments for reproducibility to navigating the quirks of spectroscopy setups and collaborating across disciplines.
Dr Annette Dowd is a Senior Lecturer of Physics at University of Technology Sydney where she leads interdisciplinary research at the intersection of spectroscopy, biophysics and materials science. Her recent work focuses on using far-infrared spectroscopy to investigate the structure and dynamics of lipid bilayers and other biomaterials. Annette coordinates large undergraduate physics courses, mentors early-career researchers and is active in developing innovative lab-based teaching methods in science education. She is passionate about practical problem-solving in complex experimental systems and enjoys building collaborations across physics, chemistry and biology.
Stereochemically attuned nanosensors have the potential to revolutionise our understanding of biomolecular processes through their sensitivity to the details of three-dimensional molecular structure. We have developed novel colloidal nanosensors that can greatly enhance particular bands in Raman optical activity (ROA) spectra. ROA measures a small difference in Raman scattering from chiral molecules using right- and left-circularly polarised light and has proven to be a powerful probe of chemical and biological structure in solution. However, the low sensitivity of ROA to concentration is a strong motivation for researchers to find mechanisms of boosting signal intensity, with the plasmon resonances generated by metallic nanomaterials being widely regarded as the most favourable, in the form of the new chiroptical technique of surface enhanced Raman optical activity (SEROA).
This talk introduces the concepts of ROA and SEROA spectroscopies, the application of ROA for characterising biomolecules, and describes our work to develop nanosensors with nanoparticle plasmonic reporters, that appear to operate by a novel chirality transfer mechanism. This research may provide a new route for engineering chiral plasmonic nanomaterials.
Prof Ewan Blanch completed his PhD in Physical Chemistry with Professor Geoff Ritchie in 1996 at the University of New England, Armidale NSW. He then gained post-doctoral experience with Professor L.D. Barron FRS at the University of Glasgow, UK. In 2003, he began a Lectureship in Biophysics in the Department of Biomolecular Sciences at UMIST, in the UK, which from 2004 became part of the new Faculty of Life Sciences at The University of Manchester. Ewan returned to Australia in 2015 when he was appointed as Professor of Physical Chemistry at RMIT University.
His research focuses on the use of Raman and infrared spectroscopies to study biological and chemical questions. A wide range of spectroscopic techniques are employed by his group, including Raman imaging, surface enhanced Raman (SERS); Raman optical activity (ROA) and spatially offset Raman (SORS). As these techniques are widely applicable, projects in Ewan’s lab include protein misfolding and its role in amyloid fibril formation, carbohydrate conformation and dynamics, protein stability and aggregation during bioformulation of pharmaceutical drugs, spectroscopic analysis of foods, environmental detection of pollutants, and nanophotonic sensors. A central theme to these interests is the role of molecular structure, particularly chirality, in controlling biological function and behaviour. Ewan’s research is highly multidisciplinary and involves collaborations with computational scientists, synthetic organic chemists, engineers and biologists, as well as with the pharmaceutical and food industries.
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Brought to you by the Vibrational Spectroscopy Facility of Sydney Analytical at the University of Sydney, with the support of our valued sponsors.
