Postdoctoral Research Fellow : Dr Imelda Keen

Address:
Centre for Magnetic Resonance
Ritchie Building
The University of Queensland
Brisbane Qld 4072
E-mail address: Imelda Keen
Telephone: +61-7-3366 3865
Fax: +61-7-3365 3833
Home Page: Imelda Keen

Career Profile:

Dr Keen is a member of the Polymer Research Group (AIBN), and has extensive experience and knowledge in: (i) surface modification of both polymers and biopolymers (e.g. plasma and UV treatments and sonication assisted modification); (ii) polymer synthesis (e.g. plasma and gamma induced graft copolymerisation); (iii) attachment of biomolecules to biopolymer surfaces; and (iv) polymer characterisation techniques such as XPS, vibrational spectroscopy (FTIR, Raman) and SEM. 

She is also actively involved in other nanotechnology and biomaterials projects such as characterisation of colloidal particles and biomaterials for implants and drug delivery.

Research Interests :

Selected Publications:

• Keen, I., Broota, P., Rintoul, L., Fredericks, P., Trau, M. and Grondahl, L. (2006).  Introducing amine functionalities on a poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) surface: comparing the use of ammonia plasma treatment and ethylene diamine aminolysis.  Biomacromolecules 7(2):427-434.

• Keen, I., Raggatt, L., Cool, S., Nurcombe, V., Fredericks, P., Trau, M. and Grøndahl, L. (2006).  Surface roughness and topography of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) influences osteoblast cell growth.  Journal of Biomaterial Science – Polymer Edition. submitted.

• GA Lawrie, I.Keen, P Fredericks and L Grøndahl, (2006)Interactions Between Alginate and Chitosan Biopolymers Characterised using FTIR and XPS (for submission to Biomacromolecules)

• GA Lawrie, I.Keen, C Doeuk, A Leung M. Trau, (2006) Characterisation of functionalised alginate membranes tailored to modify multilayered microcapsules (for submission to Biomacromolecules)

• Surawski, P., Vogel, R., Kozak, D., Keen, I., Lawrie, G. and Trau, M. (2006).  A morphological study of organosilica microspheres towards future bioassays.  Langmuir. submitted.

• Lawrie, G.A., Battersby, B.J., Grondahl, L., Keen, I., Lorentzen, M., Surawski, P. and Trau, M. (2005).  Tailoring surface properties to build colloidal diagnostic devices: controlling nanoscale interparticle associations. Langmuir 22(1), 497 -505.

• Keen, I., George, G.A. and Fredericks, P.M. (2003).  Selective plasma-induced grafting of polystyrene onto polyolefin blends. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 88(7): 1643-1652.

• Keen, I., Rintoul, L. and Fredericks, P.M. (2002).  Raman microspectroscopic mapping: a tool for the characterisation of polymer surfaces.  Macromoledcular Symposium 184: 287-298.

• Keen, I., Rintoul, L. and Fredericks, P.M. (2001).  Raman and infrared microspectroscopic mapping of plasma-treated and grafted polymer surfaces.  Applied Spectroscopy 55: 984-991.

• Liu, H., Keen, I., Rintoul, L. and George, G. (2001).  Study of the degradation of polyolefins by amplifying the heterogeneous photo-oxidised sites through grafting.  Polymer Degradation and Stability 72: 543-550.

• Keen, I.P., White, G.W. and Fredericks, P.M. (1998).  Characterisation of fibers by Raman microprobe spectroscopy.  Journal of Foresic Science 43: 82-89.

Other activities:

Awards: 1998-2000: Queensland University of Technology Deans Doctoral Scholarship; 1996: Travel Scholarships from the ANZFSS (Australia) and ANZFSS (Qld branch) to attend 13th International Symposium on the Forensic Sciences, Sydney.
Memberships: The Australasian Society for Biomaterials