Project opportunity
This Earmarked Scholarship project is aligned with a recently awarded Category 1 research grant. It offers you the opportunity to work with leading researchers and contribute to large projects of national significance.
TNBC is an aggressive sub-type of breast cancer with a high recurrence rate after primary treatment. Copper is a central nutrient element for the tumorigenesis of TNBC, and thus copper depletion through oral administration of molecular chelators, e.g. tetrathiomolybdate (TM), has emerged as a promising strategy for preventing TNBC recurrence and succeeded in phase II clinical trial. However, systemic exposure to high doses of molecular copper chelators inevitably results in loss of copper from normal tissues, causing a range of adverse effects, such as bone marrow suppression and skeletal abnormalities. Therefore, developing new strategies that can lower the effective drug dose and minimise the off-target copper depletion is of urgent need. The PhD research program will aim to develop a novel oral nanoformulation to realise the effective prevention of TNBC through a primarily localised copper depletion strategy.
Scholarship value
As a scholarship recipient, you'll receive:
- living stipend of $32,192 per annum tax free (2023 rate), indexed annually
- tuition fees covered
- single Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
Supervisor
Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology
Email: y.yang5@uq.edu.au
Preferred educational background
Your application will be assessed on a competitive basis.
We take into account your
- previous academic record
- publication record
- honours and awards
- employment history.
A working knowledge of nanotechnology, pharmaceutical science, chemistry, biology, or other related scientific disciplines would be of benefit to someone working on this project.
The applicant will demonstrate academic achievement in the field(s) of nanomedicine and the potential for scholastic success.
A background or knowledge of nanotechnology and biology is highly desirable.
Latest commencement date
If you are the successful candidate, you must commence by Research Quarter 1, 2025. You should apply at least 3 months prior to the research quarter commencement date.
If you are an international applicant, you may need to apply much earlier for visa requirements.
How to apply
You apply for this project as part of your PhD program application.