LINDO TECHNOLOGY (APR – 2765)

Determining the Efficacy and Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Blue Light in Water Antifouling

Medical, Biological and other Sciences

PLEASE NOTE

• This internship will be funded in partnership with the Defence Science Institute (DSI) and the Australian Government through it’s Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship program and is open to female PhD candidates from Victorian based universities.

ABOUT THE INDUSTRY PARTNER

Lindo exists to apply antimicrobial Blue Light (aBL) to develop innovative solutions to the world’s disinfection and hygiene challenges. Lindo is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and is delivering antimicrobial control across applications in the facilities, healthcare, transport, and water segments.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

1. Cutting-Edge Research in antimicrobial Blue Light (aBL) technology
   The intern would engage in pioneering research focused on the novel use of aBL for bio-fouling prevention in aquatic environments, a field with very limited prior art and significant potential. This includes:
   • Investigating light-microorganism interactions, especially how aBL affects bacteria, diatoms and protozoa in water.
   • Exploring novel mechanisms of microbial inactivation beyond traditional ultraviolet light methods.
   • Cross-disciplinary research spanning biology, optics, engineering, and environmental sciences.
2. Advanced Experimental Design and Technical Skill Development
   The program emphasizes rigorous experimentation, including:
   • Measuring dose-dependent effects of different aBL wavelengths on microorganism inactivation.
   • Assessing light penetration dynamics in water of varying quality and turbidity.
   • Applying and potentially developing Light Emitting Diode (LED)-based experimental platforms that mimic real-world water immersion conditions.
3. Real-World Innovation Pathway Experience (from Laboratory to Market)
   The intern would contribute directly to generating data for the development of commercial solutions, with involvement in:
   • Preparing research reports and documentation that will meet the standards of peer review and third-party assessment.
   • Collaborating with the Lindo CEO and his team to shape the anti-fouling solutions that will be market tested.
   • Potentially participating in early-stage commercialisation discussions with industry partners.

RESEARCH TO BE CONDUCTED

The intern would engage in pioneering research focused on the novel use of antimicrobial blue light (aBL) for biofouling prevention in aquatic environments, a field with very limited prior art and significant potential.
The research program will include:

• A desktop study of existing knowledge on the aBL mechanism of microorganism inactivation, drawing from Lindo developments, Lindo technology partners, and third-party research.
• A desktop study of the aquatic bio-fouling process in both fresh and seawater, and existing (non-aBL) anti-fouling technologies.
• A Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) assessment of the use of aBL and UV-C (ultraviolet) light in a laboratory setting so that the experimental design will incorporate these HSE learnings and ensure the research is safe and effective (note that aBL is generally safe for exposure to humans and materials, unlike UV-C radiation).
• A laboratory investigation of the aBL light-microorganism interactions in water, especially with respect to bacteria, diatoms (microalgae) and protozoa. Example species for testing will be selected based on the aquatic bio-fouling study.
• A laboratory assessment of the dose-dependent effects of different aBL wavelengths on microorganism inactivation in water to understand the practical challenges of energy efficiency and treatment time.
• A laboratory assessment of the light penetration in water of selected wavelengths of aBL and UV-C light for effective microorganism inactivation.
• A laboratory assessment of the light penetration dynamics of aBL in water of varying quality and turbidity.
• Preparing research reports and documentation that will meet the standards of peer review and third-party assessment.
  It will be necessary for the intern to have access to a laboratory to conduct this research program.

SKILLS WISH LIST

If you’re a postgraduate research student and meet some or all the below we want to hear from you. We strongly encourage women, indigenous and disadvantaged candidates to apply:

• Lindo is an early-stage technology development company, and the ideal intern candidate will be excited about working on pioneering research with a small and enthusiastic team aiming to quickly bring innovation to market.
• The Lindo team includes expertise in the field of lighting and engineering, and the ideal candidate would bring skills in biology and/or environmental sciences.
• The ability to design and self-manage a research program is essential.

RESEARCH OUTCOMES

The desired research outcomes of the project include:

• Successfully completing the research program as outlined earlier.
• Publishing research reports and documentation that describe the project outcomes.
• Translating the research into commercially relevant solutions for the use of aBL in water anti-fouling.

The outcomes of this research are expected to find immediate commercial application that will result in a safer and more energy efficient future for our interaction with water. Lindo has industry partners who need an aBL-based solution to improve their on-time delivery, reduce their maintenance costs, and to eliminate current inefficient or hazardous approaches. Included in this partner list are the Australian Government DSTG (Defence Science Technology Group), confidential commercial marine companies, and healthcare water management companies.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

The intern will receive $3,300 per month of the internship, usually in the form of scholarship payments.

It is expected that the intern will primarily undertake this research project during regular business hours and maintain contact with their academic mentor throughout the internship either through face-to-face or phone meetings as appropriate.

The intern and their academic mentor will have the opportunity to negotiate the project’s scope, milestones and timeline during the project planning stage.

Please note, applications are reviewed regularly and this internship may be filled prior to the advertised closing date if a suitable applicant is identified. Early submissions are encouraged.

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