Month: March 2016

Australian National University, The John Curtin School of Medical Research

The Centre for Personalised Immunology (CPI) is looking to provide a studentship to a PhD student with strong talent and motivation to do first class translational research. You will be working on an exciting precision medicine research project led by internationally renowned experts Professor Carola Vinuesa and Professor Matthew Cook.

The successful applicant will learn how to analyse whole genome sequence data from patients with systemic autoimmune diseases (lupus being the prototype); identify putative disease-causing mutations; prove causation using DNA-editing technologies and various molecular biology and cellular immunology assays; and place the mutated proteins into accurate signaling pathways. The goal is to make diagnoses more accurate, and treatment more effective.

The CPI is funded as a National Health and Medical Research Council Centre for Research Excellence. It provides an energetic, collaborative and inter-disciplinary academic structure, with regular interactions with clinicians and bioinformaticians. Research students will have access to state-of-the-art technologies and equipment.

Students will be based in Canberra, Australia at The John Curtin School of Medical Research and will spend time on site at one of the CPI team member’s hospital locations including Children’s Hospital at Westmead (Sydney), Monash Medical Centre (Melbourne) or The Canberra Hospital.

You will have:

Bachelor of Science with first class honours or international equivalent in biology, biomedicine, or related science

• Practical experience in the lab working on a scientific project

• Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) who must have research experience

• Excellent English language skills

^A merit-based supplementary scholarship may be available to applicants with a medical qualification.

Expression of interest documents required:

• Curriculum vitae

• Summary of previous research

• Copy of academic transcripts

Official flier: http://jcsmr.anu.edu.au/files/ElizabethGreeneScholarship.pdf

Contact

E cpi.admin@anu.edu.au
W cpi.org.au
Twitter: @CPImmunology
Facebook: www.facebook.com/centreforpersonalisedimmunology

This scholarship is open until filled.

View this listing on the PhDSeek.com website at http://www.phdseek.com/phds/1348

University of Western Sydney, Graduate Research School

Development of person-portable analytical methods for the rapid on-site identification of hazardous organics at fire scenes

Forensic Science research in the School of Science and Health is strongly focussed towards the development of field-based methods for the preliminary testing of samples at crime scenes and environmental incidents. The aim is to bridge the gap between the scene and laboratory analysis.

We seek a talented and dedicated PhD candidate to undertake research into the development of person-portable Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) methods for the rapid on-site identification of hazardous organics at fire scenes. This PhD scholarship is partly funded by a three-year NSW Environmental Trust grant and partly by Western Sydney University.

Factory and similar fires are an ongoing issue for the protection of water-dependent ecosystems and human health. It is critical that highly-discriminating and rapid on-site monitoring tools are available for the detection and identification of toxics at low levels, to allow for quick, reliable advice to stakeholders, and to ensure fire scenes are assessed and managed appropriately. Such tools are not currently available. The project addresses this by evaluating an advanced person-portable analytical method that can identify low-level toxic compounds in water and air samples in minutes.

The project is in collaboration with the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) and Fire & Rescue NSW (FRNSW). The PhD is based at the Western Sydney University Hawkesbury campus with frequent day travel to locations in and around the larger Sydney metropolitan area.

The objectives of the research are to:

•Define and evaluate field-based, highly-discriminating sampling and analysis protocols that can be used by the OEH, EPA and FRNSW to rapidly and efficiently investigate and manage fire scenes;
•Improve our understanding of the release of hazardous compounds at fire scenes to aid in risk assessment and management of fire scenes with regard to water-dependent ecosystems and human health;•Provide protocols that permit more efficient triaging of samples to reduce the number of samples that need to be submitted for full laboratory analysis, providing reduced analysis costs and faster turnaround times.

Essential Criteria
Applicants should have:
•an Australian Bachelor Honours degree (H2A or H1) in Forensic Science, Environmental or Analytical Chemistry or equivalent qualifications and/or research experience (including research publications).
•demonstrated excellent academic performance
•experience with and a thorough understanding of GC-MS.
•knowledge of and experience with portable GC-MS is highly desirable.
•experience working with industry and/or government agencies.
•excellent oral and written communication skills, including interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in a team.
•the ability to translate research results into published research outcomes.
•excellent time management skills to reach research deadlines.
•the ability to work under minimum supervision
•a current driver’s licence.

What does the scholarship provide?
•Tax free stipend of $26,288 per annum
•Funded place in the degree. International candidates may be awarded a tuition fee waiver

How to apply
Please contact Dr Val Spikmans to discuss your eligibility and the project: v.spikmans@westernsydney.edu.au 

Submit the following documents before the closing date:

* Application Form

* Statement addressing the above criteria

* Certified copies of relevant documents (eg transcripts)

The application form can be downloaded from the web:

http://www.westernsydney.edu.au/graduate_research_school/grs/scholarships

Applications close 15 April 2016

View this listing on the PhDSeek.com website at http://www.phdseek.com/phds/1347

University of Sydney, School of Public Health

Two PhD scholarships are available for suitably qualified candidates from human health-related or veterinary disciplines.

The aim of the broader research project is to investigate the effects of dog ownership on cardiometabolic health, psychological health and mental wellbeing, social connections, and health-related behaviours such as physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep.

ELIGIBILITY:

Potential applicants must be highly motivated and have an Honours degree (or evidence of equivalent research experience) on disciplines such as Public Health, Physical Activity and Exercise Science, Veterinary/Animal Science/Bioveterinary Science, Psychology, Education, Epidemiology/Statistics. A passion for understanding the role of dogs in people’s health is essential. Exceptional interpersonal skills are also required as the research may involve data collection in domestic settings, dog rescue shelters, and other dog welfare organizations.

Applicants must be Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or New Zealand citizens*. These Scholarships are only eligible to candidates who are eligible for an APA scholarship (or a University of Sydney Postgraduate Award, or equivalent) as their primary source of stipend.

Successful candidates will be based at Charles Perkins Centre of the University of Sydney (http://sydney.edu.au/perkins) and Sydney School of Public Health (http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/public-health), and will be active members of the Dog Ownership and Human Health project node (http://sydney.edu.au/perkins/research/current-research/dog-ownership-and-human-health.shtml). Although not necessary, successful candidates will have the opportunity to undertake free-of-charge any of the Sydney School of Public Health Masters coursework units that are approved by their supervisors as relevant to the PhD studies, up to a maximum of 12 credit points.

AMOUNT AWARDED:

Top-up funding is available in the amount of $8,000 per annum to a postgraduate student who has successfully obtained an Australian Postgraduate Award. The scholarship may be renewed for up to three years, subject to satisfactory progress.”

APPLICATION GUIDE:

Further information can be obtained from Associate Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, Charles Perkins Centre, School of Public Health, The University of Sydney NSW 2006 

E-mail:   emmanuel.stamatakis@sydney.edu.au

Phone: 02 8627 1867 

Applications should be sent direct to Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis at the above address and should include a cover letter, a curriculum vitae up to 5 pages, a copy of an academic transcript, and the names and contact details of at least two referees, one of whom should be able to comment on research-related skills and potential. In the covering letter candidates are encouraged to why they think they are suitable for this PhD project. Candidates shortlisted for interview will be informed within 10 workings days from applications closure.

View this listing on the PhDSeek.com website at http://www.phdseek.com/phds/1346

University of Western Sydney, School of Medicine

Western Sydney University’s Gastrointestinal Motility Unit is headed by Dr Vincent Ho, Clinical Academic Gastroenterologist and Director of the Gastroenterology Research Team. Dr Ho leads a team of doctors, academics, clinical researchers and administrative specialists dedicated to better understand the cause of GI motility disorders through both laboratory-testing and clinical research. Our laboratory is located within the School of Medicine, supported jointly by the Sydney South West Local Health District (SSWLHD).

Gastroparesis is a chronic gastric motility disorder characterised by delayed gastric emptying. There are an estimated 125,000 gastroparesis sufferers in Australia. The majority of diagnosed gastroparesis are idiopathic (underlying cause is not known), with the secondly most likely cause attributing to diabetes. Up to 30% to 50% of adult patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes experience chronic gastroparesis. Symptoms include early satiety, postprandial fullness, nausea, vomiting, and upper abdominal pain. There is no cure for gastroparesis; the goals of treatment are to relieve symptoms. Treatment focuses on dietary modifications, control of blood glucose in patients with diabetes, and use of prokinetic and antimetic agents either alone or in combination. 

The general approach to nutritional therapy for patients with gastroparesis focuses on reducing meal size, as well as reducing fibre and fat intake to help control symptoms. Dietary fibres become viscous when mixed with water and can further decrease the ability to clear indigestible fibre from the stomach of gastroparetic patients. Although the avoidance of high fibre foods is recommended, what is not known is the type of fibre and the quantity of fibre that should be withheld. Dietary fibres, especially soluble fibres, are physiologically important in attenuating postprandial blood glucose and insulin levels, and lowering serum cholesterol levels. This may be clinically important because attenuated postprandial blood glucose levels are linked to increased rate of gastro emptying in diabetes. Another approach which has been used in patients with diabetic gastroparesis is a small particle diet which has been shown to improve symptoms as compared to the typical diabetic diet. However, all of these approaches have been largely based on clinical experience as experimental evidence to support these interventions is lacking.

This aim of this study is to determine the rheological properties of different soluble fibre in simulated gastric conditions and investigate the effects of soluble fibre intake on symptoms in patients with gastroparesis. Our hypothesis is that a diet of low concentration, low molecular weight and molecularly complex soluble fibres can reduce symptoms of gastroparesis. From this study, we sought to provide evidence for dietary modification helpful for patients with gastroparesis.

The scholarship is funded in partnership with Western Sydney University, School of Medicine and Rotary Club of Devonport.

What does the scholarship provide?

• A tax-fee stipend of $29,000 per annum for three and a half years.
• A funded place in the degree.
• Successful applicants will be required to address Rotary groups on occasion over the term of the scholarship, in particular the Rotary Club of Devonport. These functions will be arranged at mutually accepted times, and travel expenses will be covered by Australian Rotary Health.

 Criteria

• Applicants must be an Australian citizen, Australian Permanent Resident, or New Zealand citizen, and not be under bond to any foreign government. Evidence of citizenship (citizenship certificate, birth certificate, and passport) or residential status must accompany this application.
• Applicant’s receiving additional stipend funding, such as an APA or NHMRC scholarship, are not eligible to apply. If you have not yet received confirmation of additional funding, you may still apply for this scholarship, but must notify Australian Rotary Health immediately if an offer is made, in which case your application will be withdrawn.

How to apply

• Applicants should discuss their eligibility and research interests with Dr Vincent Ho (v.ho@westernsydney.edu.au) or Dr Jerry Zhou (j.zhou@westernsydney.edu.au) prior to applying.
• Ensure that you include all of the required information as incomplete applications may not be considered.
• Additional information can be viewed here

View this listing on the PhDSeek.com website at http://www.phdseek.com/phds/1345

University of Melbourne, Department of Medicine

Position Description

Title: MSBase at Melbourne Brain Centre Postgraduate Research Scholarship

Department: Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne

Full-time PhD position commencing in 2016

Primary supervisor: Dr Tomas Kalincik

Co-supervisor: Prof Helmut Butzkueven

Contact: tomas.kalincik@unimelb.edu.au

Research Scope

Theme

Modelling disease outcomes in multiple sclerosis

  

Synopsis

Multiple sclerosis is the most common cause of neurological disability among young adults, with the peak of onset in 3-4th decades of life. Almost half of the patients with multiple sclerosis ultimately develop severe limitation of activities of daily living and independence, and less than half of the patients maintain employment. Immunomodulatory and immunosuppressant disease modifying therapies represent the standard of disease management in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis. However management of progressive multiple sclerosis, prediction of disease outcomes and individually-tailored therapy still remain to be resolved.

This postgraduate research scholarship will utilise a global observational cohort study and statistical modelling, including analysis of longitudinal data, propensity score-based methods and individual predictive analysis, to address the questions of (i) treatment and outcomes of progressive multiple sclerosis, (ii) early predictive markers of treatment response, and (iii) the outcomes of various management decisions and treatment pathways.

 

Outcomes and impact

The research completed in the course of the candidature will inform clinical practice of multiple sclerosis management globally. It will further our understanding of predictors of treatment response and will enable individualised multiple sclerosis therapy. The student will develop knowledge observational clinical research, multivariable modelling, analysis of longitudinal data, neuroepidemiology and multiple sclerosis – disease and treatment outcomes.

  

Research Environment

MSBase is a large, international, observational multiple sclerosis registry, collecting longitudinal clinical information from over 37,000 patients in 119 centres and 35 countries. It is a collaborative research initiative with a significant scientific output generated over the past five years.

The Melbourne Brain Centre at Royal Melbourne Hospital is an internationally recognised centre for clinical multiple sclerosis research, including investigator-driven multiple sclerosis trials and observational studies. The centre has a particular interest in translational research in neurology. The Multiple Sclerosis Unit provides continuous care for more than 1100 patients.

The MSBase at Melbourne Brain Centre Postgraduate Research Scholarship provides a research experience that incorporates training in translational multiple sclerosis research with a focus on neuroepidemiology, treatment outcomes and statistical methodology in a large longitudinal observational dataset. The candidate will have an excellent opportunity to develop their knowledge at a globally recognised facility and advance translational research in multiple sclerosis.

Selection Criteria

• Undergraduate education in statistics, biostatistics, mathematics or epidemiology
• First Class Honours in a discipline relevant to the Research Scope
• Competitive academic track record
• Strong interest in academic research
• Capacity to work independently as a part of a research group

Funding

The MSBase at Melbourne Brain Centre Postgraduate Research Scholarship is equivalent to APA rate (AU$ 26,288 per annum with the possibility of extending further six months). A waiver of the tuition fees will be considered for a competitive international candidate.

Applications

Interested applicants should contact Dr Kalincik with their CV, transcript of tertiary records and a cover letter explaining their interest in the topic and addressing the selection criteria.

View this listing on the PhDSeek.com website at http://www.phdseek.com/phds/1344

University of Melbourne, Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science

Project overview
A PhD project is available at the University of Melbourne’s School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences to work with A/Prof Chris Walsh, Dr Jane Catford and Dr Joe Greet. We are seeking a highly motivated candidate interested in developing understanding to overcome constraints to wetland forest restoration. Working with our partners Melbourne Water, Parks Victoria, Zoos Victoria and Greening Australia, the project would aim to quantify the interactive effects of flood regime, propagule availability, and competition for restoring degraded wetland forests. Grounded in ecological theory, and using landscape-scale surveys and an innovative field experiments, the project would aim to: determine the key constraints to restoring wetland forests; test and advance restoration theory; and inform management plans for restoring habitat for the endangered Helmeted Honeyeater and Leadbeater’s Possum. The student would also be encouraged to develop innovative lines of enquiry that complement the project aims.

The candidate should have a solid work ethic, a deep curiosity about vegetation ecology, proven ability to work independently and in a team and strong communication skills. Preference will be given to candidates with strong analytical and quantitative skills, and field experience conducting vegetation surveys and identifying plant species.

Eligibility
Applicants must possess a Bachelor’s or equivalent degree with first-class Honours or Masters in ecology or related discipline. The candidate would need to successfully apply for a scholarship through the University of Melbourne (APA or MRS), which provides a tax-free annual stipend worth $25,849. With the support of our project partners, we will provide an additional $6000 p.a. top-up scholarship and funds to cover other research costs.
To apply, please send a CV, academic transcript, contact details for two academic references, and a brief cover letter outlining your research interests and motivations for applying to greetj@unimelb.edu.au. Informal inquiries are also welcome. Review of applications will begin immediately, and short-listed candidates will be contacted to set up an interview. Ideally, the candidate would start mid-2016.

Research group
The successful applicant will be hosted within the Waterway Ecosystem Research Group (WERG), which currently comprises 9 postdoctoral fellows, 3 research assistants and 4 postgraduate students, and offers a friendly and stimulating research environment. The WERG are based within the lovely surrounds of the Burnley Campus, UoM.

View this listing on the PhDSeek.com website at http://www.phdseek.com/phds/1343

University of Western Sydney, Graduate Research School

The MARCS Institute studies the scientific bases of human communication. Situated on four campuses, MARCS research on brain, behaviour and development encompasses such areas as how we learn language and handle foreign accents, how to program robots for human interaction, how we can enhance communication with infants, those with hearing impairments, and the elderly, and how music and dance communicate universally. We apply our work to advanced technology, biomedical engineering, and improving physical and mental health by designing electronics inspired by neural systems, building better biomedical devices, analysing heightened performance in the creative arts, and addressing impaired performance in developmental delay and sensory deficit.

MARCS and SCEM invites applications from highly motivated graduates seeking to undertake a PhD to work with Dr Quang Vinh Nguyen and Associate Professor Caroline Jones on a project within the ARCS Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language (CoEDL). The aim of the project is to develop and evaluate a new computational tool to visualise linguistic and social patterns in the raw data as well as processed data of large-scale annotated audiovisual speech datasets.

Potential applicants should contact Dr Quang Vinh Nguyen (q.nguyen@westernsydney.edu.au) and Associate Professor Caroline Jones (caroline.jones@westernsydney.edu.au) to discuss their interests and to ensure their research proposal is relevant to the project.

What does a Scholarship at MARCS provide?
All students receive:

• Support for conference attendance (domestic and international), fieldwork and additional costs as appropriate.
• Access to the extensive range of MARCS specialised equipment, laboratory space and facilities.
• Additional funding to support training and equipment purchases.
• A rich environment of support and academic expertise via supervisory panels, seminars, colloquia, international and industry collaborations.

Domestic Students receive:

• Tax free stipend of up to $26,288 per annum for up to 3 years and a funded place in the doctoral program. 
• Additional stipend of $6,000 per annum may be awarded to outstanding students.

International Students receive:

• Tax free stipend of up to $26,288 per annum for up to 3 years. 
• Additional stipend of $6,000 per annum may be awarded to outstanding students.
• Outstanding students may be awarded a Tuition Fee Scholarship valued at approximately $24,000 per annum for up to 3 years.
• Up to $3,267 towards the cost of an Overseas Student Health Care Policy.

Essential Criteria

• Applicants should hold an Australian First Class Bachelor Honours degree, OR equivalent qualifications and/or research experience (including research publications) in a field such as computing sciences or computational linguistics.
• International applicants must also demonstrate a high level of proficiency in the English language. Please refer to the University’s website for information about English Language Requirements.

Next steps

• For information about the application process, contact MARCS Institute Executive Officer Craig Purcell: c.purcell@westernsydney.edu.au 
• +61 2 9772 6585
• Please visit the MARCS website for more information

How to apply

• Submit a scholarship application form, CV, and all other relevant supporting documentation to the Graduate Research School (grs.scholarships@westernsydney.edu.au) before the closing date.
• Applicants should ensure that all relevant documents are certified according to Western Sydney University requirements. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• The application form can be downloaded from the Graduate Research School’s Project Scholarships Page.
• If you have any queries regarding the application process or enrolment, please contact the Graduate Research School: grs.scholarships@westernsydney.edu.au

Applications close April 8 2016

View this listing on the PhDSeek.com website at http://www.phdseek.com/phds/1342

University of Technology Sydney, Connected Intelligence Centre

The University of Technology Sydney, Connected Intelligence Centre (CIC), is offering three $35,000 PhD Scholarships in 2016.

CIC’s mission is to invent, evaluate and theorise the design of human-centered data science and learning analytics to advance the UTS Teaching & Learning program. As you will see from our Research Themes and the three PhD topics advertised, a core theme is analytics techniques to nurture in learners the creative, critical, sensemaking qualities needed for lifelong learning, employment and citizenship in a complex, data-saturated society.

We are currently advertising three PhD scholarships in learning analytics, falling under the themes of:

1. Learning across digital and physical spaces
2. Learning analytics for writing practices and products
3. Human-Centred-Design for Learning Analytics

Applications are invited from those with backgrounds in the social sciences (psychology, linguistics, education, learning sciences, information science, design, etc.), or/and those with an interest in human-centred applications of computer science, mathematics, statistics or equivalent.

We invite you to apply for a place if you are committed to working in a transdisciplinary team to invent user-centered analytics tools in close partnership with the UTS staff and students who are our ‘clients’. Please explore our website so you understand the context in which we work, and the research topics we are supervising. We invite informal inquiries in the first instance.

Selection Criteria
Appointments will be made based on the quality of the candidates, their proposals, the overall coherence of the team, the potential contribution to UTS student and educator experience, and the research advances that will result.

The criteria are specified in the CIC PhD website (http://utscic.edu.au/research/phd/), both generic and specific to advertised projects. Evidence will be taken from an applicant’s written application, face-to-face/video interview, multimedia research presentation at interview, and references.

Applications
Applicants for a Studentship should follow the instructions at http://utscic.edu.au/research/phd/ and submit:

• Covering letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• Research Proposal, maximum 4 pages, applying for one of the advertised PhD topics

Please email your scholarship application, with PhD 2016 Application in the subject line, to: Bridget Payne

Deadline
We aim to appoint for August 2016, the start of the second semester. We invite applications by close of Sunday 1st May 2016, with shortlisting for interview shortly after. However, there is an advantage to contacting us earlier to open discussions: you are encouraged to get in touch with project leads informally in advance of that because if we like you, we will offer you a place as soon as we can.

Please get in touch with the Director (Simon Buckingham Shum) if you have queries about CIC in general, and with the relevant supervisors about the topic of interest to you.

The UTS application form, and further guidance on preparation and submission of your research proposal, are on the UTS Research Degrees website. The 30 October deadline does not apply to these Scholarships.

View this listing on the PhDSeek.com website at http://www.phdseek.com/phds/1340