10 Nov, 2026
This Christmas, the Queensland Eye Institute Foundation is raising funds to purchase specialised equipment for its ophthalmic bioengineering and biomaterials research program, which includes materials and treatments designed to repair, support or replace damaged tissues in the eye.
The ElastoSens™ Bio is an advanced scientific instrument using innovative, patented technology to measure the physical properties of soft biological materials without damaging them. Unlike conventional testing methods, it enables researchers to repeatedly examine delicate materials as they form, strengthen or degrade.
Adding this technology to the Queensland Eye Institute laboratory would give scientists valuable new capabilities to develop and refine biomaterials and experimental treatments designed to protect and restore eyesight.
The instrument would support multiple research projects, providing a valuable resource for scientists working towards new solutions for eye disease.
For example, QEI investigates methods of strengthening collagen-containing tissues using light-activated chemical reactions (cross linking) to combat vision impairment.
This new research tool could potentially quantify changes in the viscoelastic properties of tissue samples or collagen-based models before and after treatment. This would provide objective measurements of mechanical changes caused by crosslinking, helping researchers investigate treatment conditions and their effectiveness.
Similarly, QEI investigates ways of breaking down hyaluronic acid fillers that can accidentally obstruct blood vessels supplying the retina, potentially causing blindness.
For suitable gel samples, the instrument could measure changes in mechanical properties as the filler is degraded by enzymes or other treatments, complementing existing chemical and biological assessments of filler degradation.
ElastoSens™ Bio uses a distinctive, non-destructive approach to measuring soft materials without directly probing or substantially deforming them. A small sample is placed in a specially designed holder with a flexible membrane at its base. The instrument gently vibrates the holder and uses a laser sensor to analyse the resulting movement.
From these measurements, it calculates the material’s mechanical properties. An additional sensor measures changes in sample height, helping researchers monitor swelling or degradation.
Unlike conventional mechanical tests that may require direct contact or substantial deformation, this method allows repeated measurements without physically probing the sample.
The instrument can also provide controlled temperature conditions and expose samples to light at different wavelengths, which is particularly relevant to QEI’s research involving light-activated materials.
This patented technology offers exciting new research capability. Donations are vital to allow QEI to make this significant purchase.
Your support could help equip our researchers with the technology they need to turn promising scientific discoveries into future treatments that protect and restore sight.