I completed a PhD in 2011, in the ARC Centre for Antimatter-Matter Studies, at UWA. This work involved novel positron annihilation studies of materials and surfaces. I worked in this lab for a further two years as a research associate, where I developed slow positron beam technology. Since December 2013, I have been employed as a Senior Research Officer in the Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis (CMCA) at UWA. My research efforts have been largely focused on the application of NanoSIMS and stable isotope labelling to problems in biology, bio-medicine, geoscience and materials science. Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) provides chemical and isotopic analysis on micro-volumes of sample, in situ, while NanoSIMS allows imaging at the sub-micron scale. Combining stable isotope labelling with NanoSIMS allows us to directly visualise the distribution of labelled components within an experimental system, without changing its chemical nature. For example, ¹⁵N and ¹³C labels can be attached to specific molecules used in biological systems (nutrient tracking, drug delivery), and deuterated-¹⁸O labelled water may be used to investigate mineral-fluid interactions. Furthermore, isotopic labels can be conjugated to specific antibodies to identify proteins, or to oligonucleotides to identify specific species of bacteria.

I have actively engaged with industry partners to apply NanoSIMS to a number of industrial problems, these include: 

• An isotope labelling study to investigate the efficacy of a novel buccal drug delivery system, with SUDA Pharmaceuticals.
• An investigation of the penetration of molecules into hair, aiding in the development of new cosmetic products, with Procter and Gamble. Aspects of this work were published in Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces in 2019.
• Elemental characterisation of sub-micron silicate particles on semiconductor substrates, to improve the performance of power ICs, with Silanna Semiconductor.
• Trace element characterisation in minerals to assess the viability of ore deposits, with Rio Tinto.
• Spatial distribution mapping of radionuclides in copper minerals from Olympic Dam, in an effort to develop more efficient methods to remove radionuclides from ore, with BHP.