Primary supervisor:  Associate Professor Monika Doblin

Other supervisors: Professor Tony Bacic

This project is focussed on revealing new knowledge about the molecular mechanism(s) of synthesis and regulation of (1,3;1,4)-β-glucan (mixed-linkage glucan, MLG), a major soluble dietary fibre component of cereal grain cell walls. The major polysaccharide synthase is CSLF6, an enzyme of Glycosyltransferase (GT) family 2 (www.cazy.org/), the same family to which many of the enzymes that make cell surface glycans in plants, bacteria, fungi and mammals belong. The student will: (i) attempt to reconstitute CSLF6 with the aim of obtaining detailed structural information about the enzyme, and (ii) undertake domain-swap experiments in plants and bacteria to obtain further insight into the synthesis and regulatory mechanisms utilised by MLG synthases.

Special conditions: Preference will be given to a candidate who is available to start immediately (Sem 1 2026). A background in protein biochemistry is desired.

Available to domestic applicants only.

Primary supervisor: Dr Peter Dracatos

Other supervisors: Associate Professor Monika Doblin, Dr Linda Brain

Leaf rust is a damaging  fungal disease affecting cereal production in Australia on an annual basis. This industry funded project aims to enhance our understanding of the molecular genetic basis of resistance to foliar pathogens of cereals. Leveraging available genetic diversity and a new state of the art phenotyping platform, our goal is to pinpoint specific genes and understand their function in contributiong to enhancing leaf rust resistance in wheat and/or barley. The project will involve development of capabilities in digital agriculture, the genetic enhancement of cereal crops through interaction with an extensive national and international network of researchers specialising in cereal genomics, quantitative genetics, AI and plant pathology. The project will also involve international travel to interact with collaborators.

Available to domestic applicants only.

Primary supervisor: Dr Shannon Hedtke

The PhD position is for genomic sequencing and analysis of a parasite that causes a disease, lymphatic filariasis (LF), in humans. Chronic complications of LF are the leading cause of long-term physical disability worldwide. Although drug therapies can be effective, LF remains a public health scourge in many islands of the south Pacific. This major risk to public health will continue unless current strategies for elimination are adapted to specific environmental and social conditions. This PhD position would involve whole-genome sequencing of parasites and bioinformatic analysis to help figure out whether the disease persists because of migration, drug resistance, or insufficient drug distribution. Candidates with previous experience or training in genomics/bioinformatics and in infectious diseases/evolutionary ecology will be preferred.

Available to domestic and international applicants.

Primary supervisor: Dr Wren Green

Other supervisors: Dr Saimon M Silva

We are excited to announce a PhD scholarship opportunities for a highly motivated candidates to join our research team focused on developing an innovative optical biosensor platform for the continuous monitoring of biomarkers in harsh and highly fouling environments (e.g. blood, wastewater). You will have the unique opportunity to work closely with leading industry partners in a commercialization focused project and will gain invaluable insights and experience that will enhance your research and professional development. Join a dynamic research team that fosters creativity and innovation. You will have access to advanced facilities and resources, enabling you to push the boundaries of current biosensor technology.
The scholarship includes a competitive stipend, tuition fee scholarship, and access to research funding to support your project.
We are seeking a candidate with an academic background in chemistry, materials science, or a related field to develop and validate biosensor chemistry
We are also seeking a candidate with an academic background in engineering or physics to develop optical instrumentation and hardware interfaces.
Candidates with excellent problem-solving skills and a collaborative mindset are preferred.

Available to domestic and international applicants.

Primary supervisor: Professor Yuning Hong

More than 80,000 Australians are affected by Parkinson's disease (PD), a progressive neurological disorder. There is a pressing need to develop reliable, easy-to-access biomarkers for early diagnosis of PD to enable effective treatment. This project aims to leverage cutting-edge technology to generate ‘molecular signatures’ of dysfunctional proteins that are unique in blood cells from individuals with PD, enabling translation for a blood test aiding in early PD diagnosis and drug evaluation.

Available to domestic and international applicants.

Primary supervisor: Associate Professor Ashley Mansell

Inflammation plays a key role in many diseases and is driven by inflammasomes such as NLRP1 and NLRP3. When these inflammasomes are overactive, they can lead to infections, inflammatory diseases, and cancer. This project aims to explore the role of NLRP1 in lung and gut diseases using novel inhibitors, new cell models, and a humanised NLRP1 mouse model. The student will gain hands-on experience with both in vitro (lab-based) and in vivo (live animal) disease models, work with genetic mouse models, and learn about the drug development process for novel inhibitors in pre-clinical models to treat inflammatory diseases.

Special conditions: This project will involve working with animals.

Available to domestic applicants only.

Primary supervisor: Associate Professor Julia Gilmartin-Thomas

Other supervisors: Professor Nicholas Taylor

Australia’s public hospital system is experiencing alarming rates of Allied Health workforce shortage, with difficulty recruiting and retaining Allied Health staff leading to high staff turnover. Existing Allied Health staff have been grappling with reduced capacity to manage patient caseloads, which can lead to poor staff and patient outcomes. Optimising existing Allied Health hospital workforce capacity via innovative workforce design is vital to ensure that patient care is not compromised. This PhD project will work towards future-proofing the Allied Health workforce and ensuring it is fit for purpose via 3 complementary streams: 1. Understand the current Allied Health public hospital workforce capacity; 2. Quantify the impact of current capacity on staff and patient outcomes; and 3. Explore the utility of innovative workforce design on current capacity limitations.  We are seeking a candidate with a background in an Allied Health profession, health care, health services research, or other relevant discipline/background. The successful applicant will collaborate with the Project Lead (Associate Professor of Allied Health - a joint position between La Trobe University’s School of Allied Health, Human Services & Sport and Alfred Health), to develop a project that reflects the interests and aspirations of the individual. The PhD project is based at The Alfred Centre (99 Commercial Rd, Melbourne). The successful candidate will be supervised by the Project Lead and work in collaboration with their wider network of Professors and Associate Professors of Allied Health, who are based at Melbourne Health, Eastern Health and Northern Health.

Available to domestic applicants only.

Primary supervisor: Dr Katherine Harding

Other supervisors: Professor Nicholas Taylor, Ms Annie Lewis

This project will form part of the NHMRC-funded project WaitLESS: Wait List Evidence to Support Specialist clinics, a stepped wedge randomised controlled trial testing innovative, evidence-based approaches to tackle long waiting lists in hospital outpatient departments. The PhD candidate will work within the project team led by Professor Katherine Harding, leading a series of sub studies within the trial.

For more information contact katherine.harding@easternhealth.org.au.

Available to domestic applicants, and international applicants who are onshore in Australia and who have experience working in Australian hospitals.

Primary supervisor: Professor Matthias Ernst

Other supervisors: Dr  Moritz Eissmann,  Dr Annalisa Carli

Targeting Hck as a therapy for COPD and associated lung malignancies.
Based on our insights of the contribution of excessive HCK activity to chronic pulmonary inflammation in mice harbouring a constitutive active isoform of HCK (referred to as HckCA), we have recently identified that a functionally equivalent somatic mutation confers a similar (and ultimately lethal), steroid treatment-resistant phenotype in patients. Thus, this project will assess the validity of HckCA mice as a clinically relevant model for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and for COPD-associated susceptibility for (cigarette smoke-induced) non-small cell lung cancer, based on our discovery of profound and accelerated lung cancer development in HckCA;KrasG12D mice. These studies will include collaborations with R.Vlahos/S.Botzinovski (RMIT)/K.Sutherland (WEHI).

Available to domestic and international applicants.

Primary supervisor:  Dr Delphine Merino

Other supervisors: Professor Matthias Ernst

The recent development of high-throughput sequencing, single cell technologies and high-resolution imaging revealed that tumours are highly complex ecosystems, in which cancer cells and normal cells are coexisting, competing or cooperating. The resulting equilibrium is responsible for cancer fate, and therefore, patient outcome.

The objective of this project is to study the network of cellular and molecular events driving tumour progression in the most common and deadly solid cancers - breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancer and pancreatic cancer. We will focus on the heterogeneity of aggressive tumours and use the cellular barcoding technology to identify the unique properties of cancer clones able to successfully coerce the tumour microenvironment (TME) in metastatic sites. We will also study the heterogeneity of the surrounding tissues, and how targeting the TME can also impact cancer clonality. We bring together complimentary cancer models (transgenic models, patient-derived xenografts and patient samples), and state-of-the-art technologies (including single cell sequencing, ATAC-seq, 3D imaging and cellular barcoding).

Available to domestic and international applicants.

Primary supervisor: Professor Marco Herold

Other supervisors: Dr Emily Lelliott

Immunotherapies have revolutionised cancer care in recent years but sadly remain ineffective in many patients. The most widely used cancer immunotherapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy, harness the anti-tumour activity of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs). However, the success of these therapies depends heavily on the ‘quality’ of the CTLs being targeted. This project aims to understand genetic mechanisms underpinning CTL function and phenotype with a goal of identifying CTL genes that can be therapeutically targeted to enhance their anti-tumor activity. Using patient-derived immune cells and preclinical models, this project will leverage single-cell sequencing and CRISPR-based functional genomic screens to map the genetic landscape of tumor-reactive CTLs and identify genes that enhance their anti-tumor function. The project will also explore avenues for translating promising gene candidates into novel immunotherapies through the modification of CAR-T cells or the development of mRNA therapeutics.

The PhD candidate will gain expertise in a range of immunological and molecular techniques, functional genomics, and translational research, working with primary immune cells, genetic mouse models, and advanced gene editing technologies. Importantly, this work will contribute to the refinement of existing immunotherapies, as well as inspire the creation of novel and personalised immunogenetic approaches to combat cancer.

Available to domestic and international applicants.

Primary supervisor: Dr Jean Berthelet

Other supervisors: Dr Delphine Merino

Breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM) represents a major challenge in the management of breast cancer patients. This common type of metastasis significantly impacts patient prognosis and quality of life. Understanding the mechanisms underlying BCBM formation and identifying effective therapeutic strategies to prevent or treat these metastases are essential to improving patient outcomes.
This research project focuses on studying BCBM using patient samples and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, specifically in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and HER2-positive subtypes. The proposed research aims to address three main objectives:
1. Studying intra-patient heterogeneity to identify and characterize the specific clones responsible for BCBM.
2. Functionally exploring the role of identified targets to develop innovative therapeutic strategies for BCBM treatment and prevention.
3. Investigating inter-patient heterogeneity to discover predictive markers of BCBM formation.
To achieve these objectives, a new optical barcoding strategy called LeGOTeknik will be used. This technique enables the tracking of individual human clones or patient tumours in different organs and facilitates the study of their transcriptomic profiles at the single-cell level.

Available to domestic and international applicants.

Primary supervisor: Professor John Mariadason

Other supervisors: Dr Lisa Mielke

Colorectal cancer claims the lives of over 5000 Australian’s each year.  Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are routinely used to treat these tumours, however not all patients respond to these treatments. This PhD project will seek to develop new ways to increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiation therapy by testing new therapeutics in cell line, organoid and mouse models of this disease, and investigating their underlying mechanisms of action. It also involves the use of genetic screens such as CRISPR/Cas9 to discover new drivers of drug resistance.  The project will provide the candidate with extensive knowledge of cancer biology, and the transcriptional and signaling pathways which drive the respnse to drug treatment. The candidate will also gain expertise into the use of cutting-edge discovery tools such as molecular profiling, CRISPR screening and drug screening, and the use of mouse models and clinical samples to address critical questions that can improve outcomes in cancer patients.

Available to domestic and international applicants.

Primary supervisor: Dr Lisa Mielke

The Mucosal Immunity and Cancer Laboratory focuses on identifying new immune targets that can be explored to develop novel therapeutics to treat stomach and bowel cancers. We use mouse models and patient samples to understand the organ-specific functions of immune cells. We study heterogeneous populations of T cells, known as intraepithelial lymphocytes that are distinct in their frequency and function across different regions of the gastrointestinal tract. Our studies have identified one population, known as gamma delta T cells, that play a protective role in bowel cancer. In this project we will use multiple cutting edge technologies including crispr gene editing, single cell RNA sequencing, flow cytometry, multiplexed immunohistochemistry to understand the function of gamma delta T cells in mouse models and patient samples.

Available to domestic and international applicants.

Primary supervisor:  Dr David Ju Head of Nanomedicine and Gene Therapeutics Laboratory

Nanomedicine and Gene Therapeutics Laboratory at Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute is seeking a new PhD student.

mRNA lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have revolutionised SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and hold great promise for treating many intractable diseases. The LNPs used in approved mRNA vaccines consist of four lipid components: (i) ionisable lipids, (ii) phospholipids, (iii) polyethylene glycol (PEG)-lipids, and (iv) cholesterol. This project aims to develop next-generation LNPs to enhance targeting efficiency and therapeutic efficacy. It will integrate particle engineering, comprehensive proteomics analysis, whole human blood immune assays, and animal models to investigate the relationships between nanoparticle design, protein corona composition, and the stealth and targeting performance of nanoparticles.

The candidate will receive training in nanoscience, nanotechnology, immunology, and oncology, gaining key skills in the synthesis and characterisation of nanoparticles, bio-nano interactions, and animal experiments.

Available to domestic and international applicants.

Primary supervisor: Dr Rebecca Chisholm

Other supervisors: Associate Professor Angela Devine (Menzies School of Health Research)

Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) is responsible for >500,000 deaths annually worldwide, the majority of which occur in socio-economically disadvantaged settings where a high diversity of, and fluctuations in circulating strains lead to complex epidemiological dynamics. The complex nature of Strep A epidemiology in high burden populations means that it is not obvious how to optimally design control strategies or studies to address remaining uncertainties in Strep A transmission pathways . The project will involve (1) the development and integration of costs and quality of life data into a computational model of Strep A transmission; and (2) application of the model to evaluate feasible study and intervention designs, based on statistical and economic principles.  The project would suit a student with a background in applied mathematics, computer science, or a related discipline and an interest in infectious disease modelling and health economics.

Available to domestic and international applicants.

Primary supervisor:  Dr Robert Ross

Large water storage tanks (>100KL) are key assets which need to be protected from contamination and degradation by water authorities. Regular tank inspection currently performed to assess both structural integrity and ingress points for contaminates or vermin which can cause dangerous degradation to the water supply of a region. Currently, most inspections are performed manually in a time-consuming process which can be slow, subjective, dangerous, difficult to measure degradation over time and difficult to assess all areas of the water tanks requiring inspection. This project would involve created robotic solutions combined with AI to inspect these water tanks in the field and provide a measure of health for these critical assets.

Available to domestic applicants only.

Primary supervisor: Dr Shanmuga Sundar Dhanabalan

Other supervisors:  Dr Saimon M Silva

Women's healthcare faces numerous challenges due to gender-based disparities in medical research, diagnosis, treatment, and cultural taboos. According to the National Women’s Health Strategy 2020–2030, women and girls from socioeconomically disadvantaged and marginalised groups face poorer health outcomes than the general population. To address these disparities and advance women’s healthcare, the project ‘SHE’ – Smart Healthcare for Women Empowerment has been designed in collaboration with national and global partners at La Trobe University, Melbourne.

In this project, we aim to develop a novel, non-invasive platform technology capable of detecting and monitoring biomarkers in real-time. This modular sensor technology has the potential to detect additional biomarkers, including those associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), reproductive health, cancer, and hormonal imbalances. This adaptation will provide valuable medical insights and expand the technology’s applications in women’s health monitoring.

Special conditions:  We are seeking a candidate with an academic background in materials science, biosensors, electronics engineering or a related field to develop and validate flexible multiplexed biosensor and soft electronics.

Candidates with excellent problem-solving skills and a collaborative mindset are preferred. Available to domestic and international applicants.

Available to domestic and international applicants.

Primary supervisor: Associate Professor Piers Gooding

Other supervisors: Dr Chris Maylea

La Trobe Law School is offering a fully funded doctoral project scholarship as part of the Australian Research Council Discovery Project "A Human Rights Implementation Assessment for Mental Health Law and Policy."

This project aims to develop a human rights ‘indicator’ to evaluate Australia’s compliance with international human rights law in the mental health context. The mental health context includes mental health law, policy, and practice, but extends beyond them to include diverse areas of policy affecting the social and economic rights of people with mental health conditions or psychosocial disabilities, such as housing, social security, employment, and education. The indicator will be co-designed with mental health service users/consumers and tested across different jurisdictions.

Interdisciplinary approaches are encouraged, and the scholarship is open to students with academic backgrounds in law, political science, public health, psychology, sociology, social work, disability studies, anthropology, and related fields.

The successful candidate will be based within the La Trobe Law School under the primary supervision of Associate Professor Piers Gooding and Professor Chris Maylea and may be co-supervised by additional experts aligned with the research focus. The successful PhD candidate will conduct research that complements and informs the work of the Project, culminating in a doctoral thesis that makes a substantial contribution to the field.
Successful applicants must be able to commence their studies by 2026. Flexible start dates may be considered.

Selection will be based on

• academic merit and/or research experience,
• quality of the research proposal, and
• demonstrated expertise of relevance to the project.

Priority will be given to applicants with lived experience of mental health service system use and/or disability who meet the selection criteria.

Supervision and Research Focus
There is some flexibility as to the precise focus of the PhD thesis. Yet, as noted, the successful applicant’s work would be expected to complement and inform the work of the Human Rights Implementation Assessment for Mental Health Law and Policy project.
Given La Trobe Law School’s socio-legal focus, the research may adopt interdisciplinary methods from law, social sciences, and humanities. Possible research topics include but are not limited to:

• Assessing human rights compliance in mental health law and policy
• The implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in mental health systems
• Theoretical inquiry into human rights indicators, particularly in the context of the CRPD and/or mental health
• The development of human rights indicators that tend to economical, social, and cultural rights in the mental health context

Candidates are encouraged to propose their own project within these or related themes, identifying gaps in academic literature and defining their research scope.
Community-engaged and participatory research approaches are particularly welcome, and the successful candidate will be supported with access to local networks, data, and industry expertise.
To apply, follow the steps outlined below.
In the first instance, applicants should confirm their eligibility and contact Associate Professor Piers Gooding (p.gooding@latrobe.edu.au) with the following details:

• Name and contact information
• Relevant academic qualifications and experience (up to one paragraph)
• A brief research idea (up to one paragraph)
  After this initial step, eligible applicants will be required to submit:
• A Research Proposal (max 1,000 words) outlining the research objectives, methodology, and potential contribution to knowledge
• An Expression of Interest Letter (max 300 words) explaining the applicant’s interest in joining the Human Rights Implementation Assessment for Mental Health Law and Policy project.

For further questions about the PhD opportunity or application process, please contact:
Dr Piers Gooding (p.gooding@latrobe.edu.au)
Dr Kathleen Birrell, Director of Graduate Research (LawDGR@latrobe.edu.au)
Persons with disabilities and/or lived experience of mental health service use are encouraged to apply. Information about accessibility and disability support services at La Trobe University is available here: https://latrobe.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/39/~/disability-support-services

Available to domestic and international applicants.