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.
Exosomes are naturally occurring vesicles 50-100 nm in size that facilitate effective cell-to-cell communication. In tumours, cancer and stormal cell populations secrete large number of these exosomes to promote further tumour growth. The goal of this project is to understand how these tumour-derived exosomes can contribute to immune suppression and cancer progression in tumours, and how we could utilise exosome technology to further enhance anti-tumour immunity. We will utilise human tumours along with in vitro and in vivo model systems to develop a clinically feasible approach to treat cancer better. The therapeutic approach developed in this project will be applicable to multiple cancer types, including melanoma, breast and ovarian cancers. The student will learn a wide range of biomedical research techniques spanning across clinical sample analysis, and in vitro and in vivo experiments using human cell cultures and cancer mouse models.
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
Faculty of Medicine
Email: sherry.wu@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 cancer biology and drug/gene delivery systems would be of benefit to someone working on this project.
The applicant will demonstrate academic achievement in the field(s) of biomedical science and the potential for scholastic success.
A background or knowledge of cancer immunology is highly desirable.
Latest commencement date
If you are the successful candidate, you must commence by Research Quarter 2, 2024. 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.