winter research project uq

• Winter Research Program

2024 Winter Research Program

Engage in a formal research project with the uq winter research program over the winter semester..

The UQ Winter Research Program provides UQ students with an opportunity to gain experience working alongside a researcher in a formal research environment in their area of interest at UQ.

Applications for the 2024 Winter Research Program open Monday 25  March and applications close on 21 April. 

The program will be offered for a period of four (4) weeks between 24 June - 21 July .

Participation is open to undergraduate (including honours) and master by coursework students who are currently enrolled and will remain at UQ for the entirety of the research program.

Discover more about the Winter Research Program

Available projects with Education 2024: 

Exploring Youth Digital Activism on The Indigenous Voice to Parliament

Young people’s online search behaviours and attitudes, the impact of a research-practice partnership on shaping teacher professional identity, mentoring in the workplace, de-escalating student behaviour in schools.

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• Current students

Develop your analytical, critical thinking, and communication skills through research.

The UQ Winter Research Program provides UQ students with an opportunity to gain research experience working alongside some of the University’s leading academics and researchers.

Participation is open to undergraduate (including honours) and masters by coursework students who are currently enrolled at UQ.

Each of the Schools within the Faculty offers its own Winter Research Projects. Visit UQ's Employability website  to find information on applying, explore the projects available through your School, and register your interest.

Explore Winter Research Projects

2021 Projects | Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences

Project details:.

Supervisor:  Dr Norman Ng Duration:  1 student x 5 weeks Title:  What is this term ‘IPE’ that you speak of?

Project overview:

This project is open to students from any discipline with a keen sense of curiosity and reliable work ethic.

The World Health Organisation recognises interprofessional collaboration in education and practice as an important strategy to mitigate increasing health care costs, chronic diseases and a health workforce crisis. Interprofessional education (IPE) will enable students from different disciplines to better understand the values, skills, knowledge and contribution of each health professional on an interprofessional team. Interprofessional learning occurs when students learn with, from and about each other.  It enables shared learning experiences influence students’ perceptions and attitudes to interprofessional learning that help prepare for future collaborative practice.

There are various interprofessional learning opportunities at the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences. For example, HLTH1000 Professional, People and Healthcare is a first year course for all allied health professional students. Some students participate in interprofessional learning at the UQ Healthy Living clinic. Students participating in this project will help to investigate and describe the expectations and learning experiences of student cohorts who participate in such interprofessional learning activities. Outcomes such as professional identities, attitudes towards IPE competencies and readiness to participate in future interprofessional activities will be explored.

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Information for current Winter Research scholars

Summer & Winter Research Scholarships

• Current students

Students who are curious and inquiring, have an enthusiasm for the discipline area or project topic, and who are keen to exercise their creativity and communication skills in exploring and communicating research outcomes are encouraged to consider applying for a summer/winter research project. 

Not sure if a summer/winter research scholarship opportunity is right for you? If you have any questions at all, we encourage you to contact the School of Mathematics and Physics or the supervisor of the project you are interested in for more information. The School of Mathematics and Physics values diversity and inclusion and seeks to ensure that all members of mathematics and physics student communities at UQ feel empowered to participate in all opportunities. We particularly encourage students who bring diversity to UQ – whether that be gender identity, LGBTQIA+, cultural and/or linguistic, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, and/or people with a disability, to apply for the summer/winter research program. 

For application details, eligibilty requirements and further information on the program, go to Careers & Employability  UQ Summer & Winter Research Programs .

Prior Summer or Winter Research program recipients are not eligible to apply for a further SMP project, excluding BAdvSc(Hons) students who may participate twice in the program.

Winter Research Projects Program 2024 (applications open 25 March 2024)

The Winter Research Program is offered for four weeks over the Winter inter-recess period (24 June - 19 July 2024). Students will participate in a 4 week research project, working with a research mentor, and will be expected to actively participate in the program for between 20 and 36 hours per week.

Applications for the Winter Research Program will open on Monday 25 March and close on 21 April 2024. 

For application details, eligibilty requirements and further information on the program, go to Careers & Employability  UQ Summer & Winter Research Programs . 

Available Projects Winter 2024

Random simplicial complexes and applications - Dr Agnese Barbensi

Knots and their grid diagrams - Dr Daniele Celoria

How to best save endangered species: optimizing conservation investments between expanding nature reserves versus better managing them - Dr Matthew Holden

Imaging and Manipulating Molecular Nanostructures via Scanning Probe Microscopy  - Dr Peter Jacobson

Modelling and simulation of spatial dynamics in Australian petrol retail pricing - Dr Dietmar Oelz

Tracing the Solar Magnetic Cycle Two Thousand Years with Tree Rings  - Dr Ben Pope

Estimating parameters for g-and-h distribution families  - Dr Melanie Robertson-Dean

Solving Differential Equations using Neural Networks (+ 3 alternative projects in machine learning) - Dr Nan Ye

Crop Traits Prediction using Noisy Data and Simulated Data - Dr Nan Ye, Prof Scott Chapman, Dr Qiaomin Chen

Summer Research Projects Program 2024 (applications closed)

The Summer Research Program is offered for six weeks over the Summer inter-recess period (January to February). Students will participate in a 6 week research project, working with a research mentor, and will be expected to actively participate in the program for between 20 and 36 hours per week.

Applications for the Summer research program will open around mid-September and close mid-October 2024. 

For application details, eligibilty requirements and further information on the program, go to the Faculty of Science  UQ Summer Research Program  

If you've been awarded a Summer Scholarship, you're eligible to  enrol  in our SCIE3250 course. Find out more about our SCIE project courses .

What our research scholars say 

A research project is a great way to experience what actual research in maths/physics/stats is like. It's something coursework will never teach you and it inspired me to do maths research so much more than any course did. – Liam, Mathematics scholar  

Working with my supervisor was excellent, and I learned a lot. We're just now starting to write a paper on the research we did, and it'll be great to have a first-author paper under my belt before even graduating undergrad. – Physics scholar    Although I am studying a Master of Science in Physics, I have always been interested in lots of other fields. I saw the opportunity to learn more about the field of forecasting, and the statistics that underpin it, and I applied. It was a wonderful experience to extend my knowledge beyond what I could learn through my degree's courses…Even if you don't feel qualified for a certain project, if the content interests you, then you should apply. Technical skills can be learned on the job, but a passion for what you are studying is a must. – Lucas, Statistics scholar 

I was uncertain whether research was the right path for me, so the winter research program was a good way to test out the waters… I was able to find out that experimental research suits me, as it is great to be able to creatively solve problems and see the contributions I made be implemented . – Isaac, Physics scholar    It was exciting to see how all of the mathematics I have learnt throughout the years can be used... – Katelyn, Physics scholar

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Summer and winter research programs

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UQ's Summer and Winter Research Programs provide students with an opportunity to gain research experience working alongside some of the university’s leading academics and researchers.

By participating, you’ll be able to extend your knowledge of an area of interest and develop your analytical, critical thinking, and communication skills.

Research projects are available in most disciplines over the following vacation periods:

• Summer: mid-November to mid-February, for 6 weeks
• Winter: mid-June to mid-July, for 4 weeks

Participation is open to undergraduate, honours, or masters by coursework students, who have completed at least one year of study and are currently enrolled at the time of application.  

Engineering students may be able to count participation in the UQ Summer and Winter Research Programs towards their Professional Practice requirement.

Winter research projects

Summer research projects, qaehs summer and winter research programs, eligibility, scholarships and applications.

• School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (PDF, 214.2 KB)
• School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering (PDF, 167.4 KB)
• Centre for Natural Gas (PDF, 278.4 KB)

Relevant dates are as follows:

Applications open: 25 March 2024

Closing date for applications: 21 April 2024

Supervisor shortlising period: 22 April - 19 May 2024

Program officially commences: 24 June 2024

Program officially concludes: 21 July 2024

• School of Architecture (PDF, 181.6 KB)
• School of Chemical Engineering (PDF, 426.6 KB)
• School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
• School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering (PDF, 149.2 KB)
• Centre for Natural Gas (PDF, 120.1 KB)

Applications open: 18 September 2023

Closing date for applications : 22 October 2023

Program officially commences: 8 January 2024

Program officially concludes: 16 February 2024

• Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences - Summer and Winter Research Programs

All information for applicants, including the application process, resources and scholarship details can be found on the Careers and Employability website.

Visit the UQ Summer and Winter Research Programs page for more information.

General enquiries about the program should be directed to the UQ Student Employability Hub at [email protected] .

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Summer and Winter research program

Develop your analytical, critical thinking, and communication skills through research 

The QAAFI  Summer and Winter Research Programs  provide UQ-enrolled students with an opportunity to gain research experience working alongside some of the university’s leading academics and researchers. 

QAAFI are proud participants in the Summer and Winter Research Program. It is an opportunity for you to develop your analytical, critical thinking, and communication skills through research.  

Research projects are open to UQ undergraduate, honours, and masters by coursework students offered in two rounds for the winter university vacation break during June and July and summer university vacation break during January and February. 

All successful scholars will receive a scholarship for the duration of their research. Once you have checked eligibility and selected your preferred project, submit an application. 

IMPORTANT: Only 10 scholars will be chosen to participate.

More Info from UQ Careers and Employability    How to apply

QAAFI research projects open for applications for the Summer and Winter Research Program

Animal science.

  2024 Winter Program   2024 Summer Program - Application Closed  

Crop Science

  2024 Winter Program    2024 Summer Program - Application Closed  

Horticultural Science

Nutrition and food sciences.

2024 Winter Programs  

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2024 Winter Program

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Important dates

2024 winter research program.

The program will run for six (4) weeks between 24 June - 21 July 2024. Application open 25 March and close 21 April 2024

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For project-specific enquiries, please contact the project supervisor directly..

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Winter research projects

Applications for the 2024 Winter Research Program are now open and close on 21st April 2004

General information on the program, including how to apply, is available from the UQ Student Employability Centre’s  program website .

Explore 2024 winter research projects:

An investigation into the provision of allied health support for people living with endometriosis

Supervisor Dr Chloe Bryant

This research project aims to understand what support people with endometriosis have received from allied health professionals, as well as what people with endometriosis suggest to improve support provision.The student may be involved in reviewing literature, some writing tasks, article screening processes, and contributing to data analysis.

Download further details (DOCX, 21.3 KB)

Assessing the sexual health and wellbeing of children and adolescents with disability

Supervisor Dr Chloe Byrant

To be able to provide comprehensive sexual health and wellbeing support, health professionals often require valid, reliable and clinically useful assessment tools. These tools enable health professionals to gather important information and help to guide their intervention planning. However there appears to be a major gap in research and practice as it is not well understood what assessment tools are utilised in practice to support the sexual health and wellbeing of children and adolescents living with disability. This research therefore aims to identify existing assessment tools, and to understand how clinically useful, valid and reliable those tools are. 

Download further details (DOCX, 20.4 KB)  

Beyond Professional Practice: Understanding how students become reflective speech pathologists and lifelong learners

Supervisor Dr Felipe Retamal Walter  and  Dr Adriana Penman

In this project, you will work closely with the research team to better understand how speech pathology students develop reflective practice and lifelong learning skills. You will help with data analysis and writing of a scholarly paper that includes key themes and findings relevant to speech pathology students and the profession of speech pathology.

Download further details (DOCX, 20.1 KB)  

Early language facilitation: What strategies do parents/carers implement when interacting with their children

Supervisor Dr Felipe Retamal Walter

In this project, you will work closely with the research team to identify the range of language facilitation techniques used by parents of young children with language difficulties. Based on your interests, you may be involved in conducting a review of the literature, database searching, study screening, data extraction and analysis, and part of the writing of a scholarly paper. As a result, you will gain unique insight into the area of early speech pathology intervention for families of young children with language difficulty and learn key research skills.

Evaluation of Interprofessional Practice Simulation within health professional training

Supervisor Dr Freyr Patterson

In this project, you will work closely with the research team to better understand the perceived needs, preferences and experiences of students' who undertook the IPS.You will help with data analysis and writing of a scholarly paper that includes key themes and findings relevant to health professional students. The research will provide insight into students’ experiences and perceptions of the course which may be used to inform future iterations of the curriculum.

Download further details (DOCX, 20.5 KB)  

2024 Children’s Motor Control Research Collaboration research scholar position

Supervisor Dr Georgina Clutterbuck

Scholars will work with expert paediatric researchers and industry clinicians to create and evaluate digital resources, service delivery and educational content. Scholars will spend time on up to 4 projects, depending on their interest:  -    Project 1 involves the Evaluation of a physiotherapy-led normal variance clinic at QCH -    Project 2 involves investigating swimming focused interventions for children with disabilities through a systematic review (online) -    Project 3 involves the development and evaluation of an education program relating to sports participation for clinicians working with children with disabilities (online) -    Project 4 involves the evaluation of the implementation of digital teaching materials in paediatric physiotherapy (PHTY3130/7813) (UQ)

Download further details (DOCX, 21.3 KB)  

Codesign of an interdisciplinary intervention to support text-messaging for adults with post-stroke aphasia: The SMS study

Supervisor Dr Jade Dignam

This codesign project will engage with key stakeholders (people with aphasia, family members, health professionals and technology experts) to develop an interdisciplinary intervention to support effective communication via text-message for people with aphasia. 

Download further details (DOCX, 19.1 KB)  

Development of a needs assessment tool for people with disability wanting to participate in physical activity

Supervisor Dr Jess Hill

This research involves developing a pilot needs assessment tool to be used by community-based fittness professionals supporting people with disability participate in physical activity. 

Download further details (DOCX, 19.3 KB)  

Investigating factors that influence the effects of exercise for knee OA: a review of trial design

Supervisor Dr Jonathan Quicke

The research project involves reviewing published randomised controlled trials of exercise for people with knee osteoarthritis to investigate the association between trial design (according to how explanatory or pragmatic they are) and the magnitude of clinical effect (on outcomes of pain and physical function). Narrative synthesis and data visualisation techniques will be used to describe the findings.

Download further details (DOCX, 22.4 KB)  

How Runners Stay Injury-Free: A Study Comparing Self-Regulation Strategies to Prevent Running Injuries

Supervisor Dr Manuela Besomi

This project aims to compare the self-regulation processes and factors influencing injury management and prevention in injury prone and injury resilient runners. This study can contribute to the advancement of knowledge of how and why some runners are able to self-manage, self-regulate, and prevent injuries. It involves a mixed-methods design with a quantitative (online survey) and qualitative (interviews) component.

Outcomes and outcome measures used to assess the efficacy of interventions for male individuals with chronic pelvic pain

Supervisor Dr Marie-Pierre Cyr

This research project will involve the production of a systematic review of randomised trials assessing the efficacy of interventions to treat male individuals with chronic pelvic pain. The study will follow a predefined protocol and involve the screening, data extraction, analysis and manuscript preparation. Results are critical to inform the development of a core outcome set which will be used to improve the meaningfulness of trials to recommend specific interventions.

Download further details (DOCX, 19 KB)  

CARE-SCI - Co-designing Actionable Recommendations to Enhance support for older adults with Spinal Cord Injury navigating age-specific policy

Supervisor Dr Melanie Hoyle

This project investigates how age-specific policies affect older adults with spinal cord injuries (SCI), comparing government-funded services to insurance-based schemes. Utilizing experience-based co-design and interpretive description, the research aims to design solutions, advocate for change, and improve outcomes for older individuals with SCI.

Download further details (DOCX, 21.4 KB)  

Exploring the careers of physiotherapists in Australia

Supervisor Dr Roma Forbes

Physiotherapists in Australia predict relatively short careers, with over half of all new graduates from one Australian university predicting a career of less than ten years. Several reasons have been proposed for such short career intentions from remuneration through to concerns regarding recognition of skills. Much of this research is over ten years old and may not reflect the contemporary practices and experiences of those within the workforce.  In this project you will work closely with the research team who include academics from UQ, Queensland Health and the University of Adelaide to explore the reasons previous physiotherapists in Australia have left the profession. You will help with data, writing and discussing findings with the research team. You will gain interesting insight into the areas that physiotherapists work in and the way they work. 

Download further details (DOCX, 18.2 KB)  

Transforming person-centred care through meaningful consumer and community involvement in health research

Supervisor Dr Lisa Anemaat

Effective Consumer and Community Involvement (CCI) in research can improve the design, delivery and governance of healthcare services. CCI is increasingly becoming a requirement of national health standards, boards, and research funders. This research seeks to explore new ways to meaningfully embed the involvement of consumers in research. We are co-designing processes to support the inclusion of consumers in critically appraising current best clinical practice within health service settigns (Surgical, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Service - STARS, hospital). 

Further details to be added

Winter Research Program - IMB

The 2024 Winter Research Program will run for four (4) weeks between 24 June - 21 July 2024 and the application period is from 25 March - 21 April 2024. Please note, this year UQ have 15 scholarships available to support any of the below projects. There are many opportunities for you to grow your knowledge, develop a new skill and perhaps take that first step to a career in science!

A Mendelian Randomization Analysis to investigate the possible causal relationship between a woman’s years ovulating and ovarian cancer

Supervisor:   Dr Gunn-Helen Moen ( [email protected] )

Ovarian cancer has the worst prognosis of the common female cancers. It is well established from observational studies that both a woman’s life-time use of oral contraceptives and her number of pregnancies are associated with a strong decreased risk of ovarian cancer. This information can be put together in a variable “years ovulating”, which is calculated as: years menstruating - years on the oral contraceptive pill - 0.75 * (live births + stillbirths).  Observational studies are prone to confounding and conclusions regarding causality cannot easily be drawn. Mendelian randomization (MR) is a method that uses genetic data to provide information on causality in observational studies. We will use MR to explore if number of years ovulating is causal for ovarian cancer risk.  Expected outcomes and deliverables:  Scholars will have an opportunity to work in a research group, gain skills in data analysis and generate publications from their research.  Suitable for:  The student should be familiar with the software R. It would also be preferred if the student have some background or interest in bioinformatics, genetics or epidemiology. 

Algae-muscle co-culture as a system for ‘green’ meat production

Supervisors:   Dr Harriet Lo ( [email protected] ); Dr Melanie Oey ( [email protected] )

Algae produce O2 and take up CO2, both needed and produced by muscle cells. In this project the participant will test the effect of algae on the growth and differentiation of muscle cells in co-culture as a test of the utility of algae to promote ‘green’ meat production.

Expected outcomes:  The student will have the opportunity to gain experience the culture of algae and mammalian cells in a wet-lab setting. The project will provide experience with imaging and assays for muscle formation.

Suitability:  This project is suitable for a student with a background in biology, 3 rd or 4 th  year students only, ideally with some experience in aseptic techniques.

Ancestry classification of mixed ancestry individuals in the UK Biobank

Supervisors: Dr Kathryn Kemper ( [email protected] ); A/Prof Loic Yengo ( [email protected] )

To date, the majority of human genetics studies have been conducted in individuals of European ancestry, although European ancestry only constitutes 16% of the global population. Therefore, there is a real need to improve our understanding of the genetic determinants of human traits in individuals with non-European ancestries, and also in people with mixed ancestry backgrounds. This project aims to describe and classify the genomes of a cohort of about 2000 individuals from the UK with self-reported ‘mixed’ ancestry. There are two main tasks are to be completed using publicly available programs such as STRUCTURE (Pritchard et al. 2001 Genetics 155(2):945). The tasks are to: 1. Describe and define the genomic ancestry profile of ‘mixed’ ancestry individuals. 2. Assign genomic regions of ‘mixed’ ancestry individuals to the ancestries identified in (1) . Students will gain skills in the analysis of human genomic data, and working in a HPC environment. Students will be required to comply with human ethics requirements. The project will conclude with a brief report to project supervisors and a presentation to the group. The project is suitable for students wanting to gain experience in computational biology and genome analysis. It is open to any students with an interest in the topic. Helpful background knowledge may include genetics and/or statistics. The student will be part of the PCTG (https://cnsgenomics.com/), within the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the St Lucia campus. The PCTG is a group of around 40 researchers and PhD students. The student will have opportunity to attend seminars and other activities within the PTCG.

Assessment of genetic variants using in silico prediction tools to support ALS variant interpretation.

Supervisor: Dr Fleur Garton  ( [email protected] ) please contact Dr Garton before submitting an application

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a fatal neurodegenerative condition with a complex genetic architecture. Whole genome and exome sequencing supports the identification of both common and rare variants contributing to disease. Rare variants in known ALS genes have often not been seen before and are labelled as variants of uncertain significance. As more samples are analysed this number becomes larger and prioritising the variants to follow-up is necessary. In-silico prediction tools exist for this purpose. They use empirical data to predict their likelihood to be deleterious but their sensitivity for ALS has not yet been explored. 

Aim: This project will test the sensitivity known pathogenic ALS and benign ALS variants across a range of in-silico tools. We hypothesise that certain tools have better sensitivity at detecting pathogenicity and these are the tools that the community should be used to prioritise variants of unknown significance.  

Approach: This is a computational project requiring variant annotation and analysis. You will be involved in comparing each of these tools using a range of software tools and packages with analyses performed in R. You will use a variety of statistical methods to make conclusions. This may reveal future opportunities for variant interpretation design and/or sensitivity testing for other conditions.  

Expected outcomes:  As part of the Centre for Population Genetics and Disease Genomics at IMB, students will be exposed to a variety of research projects and discussions. This project is geared to gaining skills in genetic variant analysis and interpretation. This has not been done before and so there is opportunity to contribute to a publication from this work. Students may also be asked to produce a report and present at the end of their project. 

Suitability:  This project is only open to applications from students trained in statistical genetics, bioinformatics and/or related fields.  

Bioinformatic web-based information system

Supervisor: Dr Johannes Zuegg ( [email protected] )

The Community for Open Antimicrobial Drug Discovery (CO-ADD) is maintaining a web-based information system, build on open-source web-framework (django), database (postgresql), and analysis (python) modules. The project is to enhance the existing system with a repository, analysis and visualisation of bacterial and fungal whole genome data collected by CO-ADD and from external sources, together with bioinformatic analysis and visualisation

Required background/skills

Computer Science, Coding (python, html, sql), Database modelling, some Bioinformatic.

Computational analysis and design of HDAC7 inhibitors towards new inflammatory drugs

Supervisors: Dr Huy Hoang ( [email protected] ); Dr Jeffrey Mak ( [email protected] ); Professor David Fairlie ( [email protected] )

The histone deacetylase HDAC7 is an emerging anti-inflammatory drug target, but there remains a lack of selective inhibitors. The student will use molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations to study the structural basis of the selectivity of our best-in-class HDAC7 inhibitors, and then design new HDAC7 compounds in silico.

Developing a molecular toolkit for investigating the Commander trafficking machinery.

Supervisor:  Dr Michael Healy ( [email protected] )

The Commander complex is a conserved regulator of intracellular trafficking. This ancient complex consists of 15 core components as well as a number of associated proteins that can be subdivided into three (3) categories: the COMMD/Coiled coil domain containing proteins, the Retriever complex (a distant relative of the Retromer complex) and a number of associated proteins. Functionally Commander couples to Sorting Nexin 17 (SNX17) to facilitate the recycling of over 100 cell surface proteins including key receptors such as, LDLR, LRP1, p-Selectin and the amyloid precursor protein. In addition, Commander dysfunction has been linked to various disease pathologies including X-linked intellectual disability. It is therefore crucial to understand the structure, mechanism and function of this complex, an understanding that has remain largely elusive to date. 

The specific aim of this project is to act in a complementary fashion to a larger project. The aims of larger project are to resolve a high resolution structure of the 16 subunit Commander complex, both by single particle analysis of the isolated complex and analysis of the structure of the complex in-vivo using correlative light electron microscopy. However, before we can achieve this we will need to characterise a set of molecular tools generated during my PhD, this will be the focus of the proposed project. 

Aim 1:  Resolve a high-resolution crystal structure of the N-terminal domain of Commd7 bound to Nanobody D12

Nanobodies are small, soluble, high affinity molecules, that can be used in a wide array of tasks including, in cell imaging, and complex purification. In previous unpublished work done in collaboration with A/Prof. Wai-Hong Tham (WEHI ) a high affinity nanobody was developed against a stable tetrameric subset of the Commd proteins (Commd-5-7-9-10). After some initial mapping experiments by ITC this nanobody (Nb D12) was found to bind selectively to the helical n-terminal domain of Commd7. However, the exact binding site/orientation of this molecule is unknown. Given this has the potential to disrupt the structure of the overall complex it is critical that we gain a better understanding of this interaction before proceeding to use this Nb to isolate the 16 subunit Commander complex. While various biochemical and cellular techniques will be performed in tandem the gold standard for assessing this interaction will be to obtain a high-resolution structure of Nb D12 bound to the HN domain of Commd7.

Aim 2:  Map the binding site of several macrocyclic peptides and resolve a high-resolution structure.  Likewise in Aim 2 we will endeavour to better understand the interaction between a semi-stable hexamer (Commd1-2-3-4-6-8) and a series of macrocyclic peptides that were developed in collaboration with Dr. Toby Passioura (University of Sydney). Currently this project is less developed and so initial experiments will focus on mapping the interaction site to a particular Commd or interface with a subsequent goal been to produce a high resolution crystal structure. 

Developing a new class of histone deacetylases inhibitors

Supervisor:   Dr Jeffrey Mak ( [email protected] )

Background: Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are enzymes that hydrolyse acetyl groups from the lysine sidechains from histones. They are the targets of a number of known anti-cancer drugs, while some sub-classes of HDACs are emerging as promising drug targets for treating inflammatory diseases. 

Gap: Most HDAC drugs have many deleterious side effects as they are not very selective for their protein targets. There is a need to discover new compound that can confer greater selectivity. 

Approach: The research student will convert known HDAC drug SAHA into new inhibitors that exploit the enzyme’s catalytic mechanism. To our knowledge, this has not been studied before. 

Aim: Synthesise a series of SAHA derivatives to demonstrate a conceptually new way to inhibit HDACs 

Expected outcomes: 

The student will: 

experience conducting research in a dynamic and multidisciplinary research laboratory 

gain valuable skills in conducting organic synthesis, including advanced reaction techniques and compound characterisation 

gain exposure in the design of biologically-active molecules and appropriate synthetic routes 

contribute to publications, depending on project outcomes 

The students will be expected to: 

contribute to the synthesis of new analogues 

give a short oral presentation, depending on project results

Suitability:  This project is for enthusiastic organic chemistry students who have completed 2nd year, and aim to study (or have already studied) CHEM3001. 

Developing dimensionality reduction methods to study complex biological relationships

Supervisor: A/Prof Nathan Palpant ( [email protected] )

The ability to study complex data is important in current project design due to routine high dimensional data generated by sequencing and imaging methods. This project will make use of new computational methods we have developed (see Mizikovsky et al, Nucleic Acids Research, 2022). The goal is to understand and compare data outputs of this and related methods as computational frameworks for determining relationships of objects based on large-scale phenotypic data.

Expected outcomes:  The applicants will gain experience working with emerging computational pipelines involving dimensionality reduction and visualisation of complex data. The project will aim to evaluate a set of diverse and pre-selected data types using our established computational methods. We will then use these data to interpret performance accuracy against a reference ground truth. 

Suitability:  The work requires applicants with strong computational bioinformatics skills suitable for 3rd-4th year students.

Developing peptide-based antimalarial drugs

Supervisor:  Dr Nicole Lawrence ( [email protected] )

Host defence peptides can selectively recognise and kill pathogens, while leaving healthy cells unharmed. We are developing new peptide-based medicines for treating malaria that are safe and selective, and also are less likely to result in malaria parasites developing drug resistance. Design and validation of new drug candidates requires pre-screening for desirable characteristics prior to testing for antimalarial activity using in vitro assays and eventually animal studies.  The research scholar will contribute to producing and validating some of the next generation of antimalarial peptides. 

Discovery and characterisation of novel organoselenium compounds as a new class of antimicrobial agents

Supervisors:  Louise Friberg ( [email protected] ), Dr Karl Hansford ( [email protected] )

Antibiotics save lives and enable modern medicine. But as pathogenic microbes continue to evolve and evade the effective mechanisms of current antibiotics, new antimicrobial agents are urgently needed.  Our group has developed novel organoselenium compounds with activity against various strains of resistant microbes. We now have an opportunity to further our understanding of these compounds by investigating the structure-activity and structure-toxicity relationships of this class of compounds. As a student, you now have the unique opening to join us to be a part of the discovery of a novel chemotype to fight superbugs! 

Expected outcomes:  The student will have the opportunity to understand the unique challenges of antibiotic discovery and development in a globally recognised research group, and contribute to a high impact research area. The student will have a clear set objectives and will receive continual guidance during the course of the project. The project will provide experience with organic synthesis in a laboratory setting, including solid and/or solution phase synthesis techniques and typical purification/analytical methods such as HPLC, flash column chromatography, LCMS, NMR, TLC etc. Target compounds will be will be tested for antimicrobial activity.  Suitable for:  Open to applications from students with an interest in drug discovery, with a background in chemistry. Synthetic organic chemistry skills are required, and the student must have completed CHEM2054.  Other important details:  Interested students are to contact the supervisor/s prior to submitting an application. 

Does an apple a day keep the doctor away?

Supervisor:  Dr Daniel Hwang ( [email protected] )

Eating fruits and vegetables that are rich in nutrients has been link to a positive health status. The proverb "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" suggests eating apples is beneficial for health promotion and disease prevention. This project will apply rigorous statistical methodologies to investigate the causal relationship between apple consumption and multiple health factors in large-scale genetically informative datasets. The outcome will provide scientific evidence to support or against the proverb.

Expected outcomes and deliverables: Scholars will have an opportunity to work in a research group, gain skills in data analysis and generate a publication from their research. 

Suitable for:  The student should be familiar with the software R and have knowledge of human genetics and statistics.  

How do the aging process occur in the brain at a single cell resolution?

Supervisor: Dr Quan Nguyen ( [email protected] )

Duration: 10 weeks Description: The brain is such a complex organ that each of the many brain regions controls a distinct set of cognitive functions. Understanding of the variations between these regions at cell and gene levels is lacking. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of brain MRI images from large biobanks and consortia for >50,000 people have suggested hundreds of genes contributing to differences in areas of cortical brain regions. This opens an unprecedented opportunity to link genetic data to changes in brain morphologies across individuals in time (lifespan) and space (brain regions). However, activities of GWAS genes in each cell type in these MRI-defined regions are largely unknown. Further, little understanding exists on the roles of non-neuronal cells in the brain, i.e., glia, which make up more than half of all brain cells. Throughout life, glial cells maintain the wellbeing of neurons and are key for healthy brain aging but are also involved in various brain disorders like stroke, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s diseases. This project aim at investigating how genetic variants associated with brain regions manifest their effects differently across genes and cells in space (brain regions) and time (young vs aged). Cutting-edge data are readily available for the student to analyse cell types and compare differences between young and old brain samples.

Expected outcomes and deliverables: Students would learn skills in big biological data analysis. There are opportunities for presenting at conferences and co-authored publications.

Suitable for: This project is open to applications from students with good analytical skills. Familiarity to R and/or Python scripting is required.

Impact of light and circadian rhythms on the embryonic development of the zebra finch

Supervisor:   A/Prof Frederic Gachon ( [email protected] )

The circadian clock orchestrates virtually all aspects of physiology so that organisms may better anticipate predictable daily changes caused by the Earth’s rotation. Consequently, disruption of circadian rhythms, or chronodisruption, is associated with several pathological or psychological conditions. Nevertheless, most research has focussed on nocturnal rodents, with little information on diurnal animals. This project proposes to study the impact of chronodisruption on the physiology of a diurnal animal: the common Australian zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). In collaboration with Prof. Kate Buchanan (Deakin University), we will study the impact of light and circadian rhythms on the embryonic development of the zebra finch, opening new perspective about the impact of the environment on the development of birds.

Improvement of water quality by applying silver products

Supervisor: Dr Zyta Ziora ( [email protected] )

Growing industrialization and various other human activities have led to the reducing of clean water resources. The ever-increasing demand for hygienic water has prompted the development of technologies that can be used for treating polluted water. Many water-borne diseases are a result of blooming microbial populations in water. Over the years, conventional methods for water purification that prevent microbial growth, such as chlorination, ozonation etc., have limitations owing to the formation of disinfection by-products which are carcinogenic in nature. It is therefore vital to develop effective and low-cost technologies that address the problem. Hypothesis: Various silver products can be applied and use as an antimicrobial agent to improve the water quality. Aim: To identify an effective concentration of silver ion solutions against common microbes in wastewater. Approach: A model consisting of artificial sweat mixture liquid and sterile water will be used for sampling of three common wastewater bacteria, P. aeruginosa, E. coli, and S. aureus, fungi Candida Albicans, and biofilms. Samples will be collected immediately after the addition of silver, and 2, 4, and 24 hours afterwards. This study will demonstrate the practical use of silver ions as potential disinfection agents in managing water quality.

Expected outcomes and deliverables: The applicant is expected to produce a report and give an oral presentation. There is a possibility to continue this research as a PhD study in the joint project with the industry. The generated results from this research can be included in the planned publication in the reputable peer review journal.

Suitable for: This project is open to applications from students with a background in chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and microbiology, 3-4-year students.

Improving IVF with photosynthesis

Supervisor: Dr   Melanie Oey ( [email protected] )

IVF is an emotionally and physically challenging journey and the success rates are accordingly important. We will use Zebrafish as model organism to evaluate whether IVF success rates can be improved using photosynthetically active microalgae.

We are looking for third year students with a background and an interest in cell and molecular biology. Basic laboratory experience in cell and molecular biology required.

Investigate the role of taste and olfactory receptors in mental disorders

Supervisor: Dr Daniel Hwang ( [email protected] )

Disturbed sensory perception is commonly observed among individuals with mental health issues, such as Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. This winter research project will be a follow-up study of our recent discovery of a novel association between the supertaster gene and bipolar disorder. The student will investigate the role of taste and olfactory receptor genes in mental disorders using a range of online platforms and existing tools.

A background in statistics, nutrition, genetics, epidemiology, or medicine is preferred. Expertise in computer languages (e.g. R) is an add-up. 

Investigating a possible causal relationship between left-handedness, disease and mortality using Mendelian randomisation

Supervisor:   Professor David Evans ( [email protected] ) 

Handedness refers to the preferential use of one hand over the other. Conversely, ambidexterity refers to the ability to perform the same action equally well with both hands. Hand preference is first observed during gestation as embryos begin to exhibit single arm movements. The prevalence of left-handedness in modern western cultures is approximately 9% and is greater in males than females. Using data from the UK Biobank, 23andMe and the International Handedness Consortium, we recently conducted the world’s largest genetic study of handedness in over 1.7 million individuals (Cuellar-Partida et al 2020). We found 41 genetic loci associated with left-handedness and 7 associated with ambidexterity (P < 5 × 10−8). We would now like to take this work forward and use this resource to investigate possible causal relationships between handedness and a variety of life outcomes including mortality and common complex diseases using a statistical genetics technique called Mendelian randomization. Expected outcomes and deliverables:  Scholars will have an opportunity to work in a research group, gain skills in data analysis and generate a publication from their research.  Suitable for:  The student should be familiar with the software R and have knowledge of human genetics and statistics. 

Investigating Endometriosis Genetic Risk Loci

Supervisor: Dr Sally Mortlock ( [email protected] )

Endometriosis is a debilitating gynaecological disorder affecting 11% of women of reproductive age in Australia. Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to that of the endometrium is present outside its usual location in the uterus. The disease is associated with menstrual pain, chronic pelvic pain and reduced fertility. The endometriosis research group at IMB are part of world class research on the genetics and genomics of endometriosis alongside national and international collaborators. Our goal is to increase understanding of the genetic and functional pathways of endometriosis risk and pathogenesis. A total of 49 independent genetic risk loci have been associated with endometriosis including loci implicating genes involved in oestrogen responsiveness, cellular adhesion and sex steroid hormone signalling and function. Our goal now is to comprehensively review the evidence for target genes at these risk loci to better understand the disease biology. 

Approach: Review current scientific literature for evidence of the role of target genes in health and disease. Summarise molecular evidence for target genes from online databases including GTEx, OpenTargets, UniProt and EpiMap. Characterise the expression of target genes in endometrial tissue and cell types using locally available and publicly available RNA-seq and single-cell RNA-seq datasets. 

This project is open to applications from students with a basic background in molecular biology and/or genetics. Any experience in statistical computing software (eg. R) and bioinformatics would also be beneficial.

Is health at birth a driver for hand preference?

Supervisor: Dr Daisy Crick ( [email protected] )

Handedness or hand preference is one of the most overt forms of lateralization seen in humans. It is linked to differences in the susceptibility to psychopathy and even with certain personality traits. Research has identified that there is a genetic influence on handedness, however most of the variation appears to come from environmental factors. For example, low birthweight and being part of a multiple birth, both appear to increase the susceptibility to being left-handed. However, as with many studies, these associations may be confounded. For example, low birthweight and being part of a multiple birth are also associated with a difficult birth experience and the infant’s poor health immediately after birth. 

This study aims to disentangle this relationship. We will look at associations between the infant’s health at birth and hand preference. We will use both classic epidemiological and genetic methodology to help infer the causality of this relationship. 

The student should be familiar with the software R and have some knowledge of genetics and statistics. 

New chemical space as a source of new drug leads

Supervisor:   Dr Zeinab Khalil ( [email protected] )

Microbes have been a new promising source of modern medicines, including antibiotics (e.g. penicillin) and immunosuppressants (e.g. sirolimus) and well as agents to treat cancer (e.g. adriamycin) and cardiovascular (e.g. statins) disease, as well as many more. Recent advances in genomics offer the prospect of exciting new approaches to discovering the next generation of medicines hidden within the Australian microbiome.

To this end in 2020 we launched Soils for Science (S4S) as an Australia wide citizen science initiative, designed to engage the public, to collect 10's of thousands of soil samples from backyards across the nation, from which we will isolate 100's thousands of unique Australian microbes. 

This project will annotate the S4S microbe library to prioritize those that are genetically and chemically unique. These will be subjected to cultivation profiling, and fermentation, followed by chemical analysis to isolate, identify and evaluate new classes of chemical diversity. 

The successful candidate will join a multi-disciplinary team where, supported by microbiological and genomic sciences, they will gain skills and experience in analytical, spectroscopic and medicinal chemistry – to inform and inspire the discovery of future medicines.

Applicants must have a strong background with outstanding grades in organic chemistry, and with an interest in learning multidisciplinary biosciences. 

Photosynthetically active light for food and therapeutics

In Australia light exposure is often considered a danger. We want to explore light effect on animal and plant cells to improve photosynthetic oxygen production with the end-goal of developing medical therapies and alternative food production systems.

Third year students with background and an interest in cell and molecular biology.

Recombinant production of stroke medication from spiders in microalgae

Stroke is the second leading cause of death world wide. We aim to recombinantly produce stroke medication in microalgae.

Regulation of liver protein secretion and its regulation by circadian and feeding rhythms

Supervisor:  A/Prof Frederic Gachon ( [email protected] )

While most of blood proteins are secreted by the liver, how they are secreted is still not clear, as well as the regulation of this secretion. Our previous experiments showed that liver protein secretion is rhythmic and regulated by feeding rhythms in both mouse and human. Using newly generated animal model and experiments in cultured cells, this project will decipher the mechanisms involved and the consequences of the perturbation of this rhythmic secretion on animal physiology.

Resuscitation-associated endotheliopathy in septic shock

Supervisor:   Dr Nchafatso Obonyo ( [email protected] )

To characterise resuscitation-associated endothelial injury in a novel ovine septic shock model.

Basic statistics.

Soils for Science: the discovery of new antibiotics

Microbes have been a new promising source of modern medicines, including antibiotics (e.g. penicillin) and immunosuppressants (e.g. sirolimus) as well as agents to treat cancer (e.g. adriamycin) and cardiovascular (e.g. statins) disease, as well as many more. Recent advances in genomics offer exciting new approaches to discovering the next generation of medicines hidden within the Australian microbiome. 

To this end, in 2020, we launched Soils for Science (S4S) as an Australia broad citizen science initiative designed to engage the public to collect 10's of thousands of soil samples from backyards across the nation, from which we will isolate 100's thousands of unique Australian microbes.  

Hypothesis: Knowledge of microbial metabolites would lead to molecular tools that could be used to access new metabolites with therapeutic potential. 

Aims: This project will include the following; 

(1) analysing the soil microbiome by growing microbes in different media. (2) culturing/photographing communities of microbes.  

(3) isolating/cryopreserving pure microbes.  

(4) uploading images to the S4S Image gallery.  

(5) extracting the pure microbial isolates for chemical analysis to prioritise those genetically and chemically unique. 

Expected outcomes:  The successful candidate will join a multi-disciplinary team where, supported by microbiological and genomic sciences, they will gain skills and experience in microbiology, analytical and medicinal chemistry – to inform and inspire the discovery of future medicines. The successful candidate will be asked to produce a report and/or oral presentation at the end of the project to highlight the outcomes.

Suitability:  This project is open to applications from students with a background in organic chemistry and/or microbiology or 3rd – 4th year students only, and with an interest in learning multidisciplinary biosciences.

Statistical thresholds in the genome-wide association studies

Supervisors:   Dr Evans Cheruiyot  ( [email protected] ); Prof Allan McRae ( [email protected] )

The commonly used threshold for genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in humans is 5 x 10-8. This was developed based on samples sizes and marker densities available in the early days of GWAS. We now work with much larger samples sizes and use denser SNP marker panels covering a wider minor allele frequency range. This project will use  simulation to assess appropriate statistical thresholds for analysis in the UK Biobank, a large-scale biomedical resource containing genetic and health information from half a million people.

Expected outcomes:  The student will gain significant hand-on knowledge in:       1. Genome-wide association studies       2. Handling large complex datasets       3. Using high-throughput computing and Linux

Suitability:  The project is particularly suitable for honours/master students who are interested in pursuing career research in the biological sciences (e.g., bioinformatics and genetics) 

Synthesis of protein degraders with state-of-the-art exit vectors

Supervisors: Dr Timothy Hill ( [email protected] ), Dr Jeffrey Mak ( [email protected] ); Professor David Fairlie ( [email protected] )

PROTACs are compounds that use specialised motifs to mediate target protein degradation, but the linkage points (exit vectors) for such motifs require strategic positioning. In this project, the student will synthesise new PROTACs with state-of-the-art exit vectors towards new anti-inflammatory drugs.

Tardigrades as a cell biological model for stress resistance

Supervisors:   Dr Harriet Lo ( [email protected] ); Mr James Rae  ( [email protected] )

Tardigrades are one of the toughest creatures on earth. In this project we will study the cellular adaptations that allow tardigrades to survive in extreme conditions.  

Expected outcomes:  The student will learn how to study tardigrades using state-of-the-art microscopy techniques. Practically they will learn wet laboratory skills including hands on experience in tardigrade culture and techniques for imaging. 

Suitability:  This project is suited to applications with a background in cell and molecular biology (3rd or 4th year) who are interested in undertaking postgraduate studies in their future education (Honours, Masters, PhD).

Understanding Oncogenic Signalling in Melanoma Brain Metastases

Primary Supervisor: Dr Samantha Stehbens ( [email protected] )

Melanoma is a cancer that arises in the pigment producing cells of the skin called melanocytes. Whilst curable if treated early -it is often fatal, due to rapid spread throughout the body, especially to the brain. Melanoma brain metastases occur in up to 75% of patients with advanced disease and are associated with very poor prognosis with near 100% mortality. We currently lack a deep molecular understanding of melanoma brain metastases. This project aims to characterise an oncogenic pathway that is altered in melanoma in the brain to understand how cells survive and seed in the brain environment. 

Expected outcomes:  The scholar will work with a post-doctoral scientist to gain skills in cell culture, immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, cancer culture models, microscopy, image analysis and figure assembly for publications. Students will be expected to produce a short summary document the end of their project.

Suitability:  This project is suited to applications with a background in 2nd or 3rd year cell biology who are interested in undertaking post graduate studies in their future education.  (Honours, Masters, PhD). 

Using statistical methods in genomics to investigate unmeasured biological mechanisms

Supervisor:   Dr Alesha Hatton ( [email protected] )

Genome-wide association studies measure the degree of association between genetic variants and observed traits and provide insights into the genetic basis of complex traits and disease. However, observed variables are often imperfect measurements of underlying biological mechanisms. A latent variable is one that is not directly measured but is inferred from other observed variables. We can study the genetic basis of such latent variables using a technique called genomic structural equation modelling (genomic SEM). The intrauterine environment is a prime candidate to study using this approach and has been implicated in fetal growth restriction and an increased future risk of disease. 

Aim: This project will investigate indicators that capture different elements of the intrauterine environment using genomic SEM in order to better understand favourable fetal growth.

The student will gain hands-on knowledge in genome-wide association studies, genomic structural equation modelling, handling large complex datasets, using high throughput computing and linux.

This will be a computational project. The student should be familiar with the software R (or similar and willing to learn), and have knowledge of statistics and/or genetics. 

Using Structural Equation Modelling in Related Individuals to Distinguish Correlation from Causation

Primary Supervisor: Prof David Evans ( [email protected] )

The gold standard for demonstrating causal relationships in the epidemiological sciences is the randomized controlled trial. However, these sorts of studies are not always possible due to practical and/or ethical considerations. Nevertheless, in some cases data from genetically related individuals can be used to inform causality in non-experimental (observational) data. The aim of this project is to implement a statistical model we have devised that is capable of distinguishing causal relationships from correlational ones using data from genetically related individuals in non-experimental situations. The successful applicant will use a technique called “structural equation modelling” to construct the model and then test its performance using a mixture of simulated and real genome-wide data from twins/sibling pairs. 

Expected outcomes:  Scholars will learn structural equation modelling, data simulation and statistical power analysis. The deliverable will be an R script that implements the model and tests its utility in simulated data. 

Suitability:  This project is open to 2nd and 3rd year students who have a statistics major, experience with the R statistics package and/or previous experience in structural equation modelling. The candidate will need to demonstrate outstanding grades in statistics related courses. 

Using transcriptomic data to understand the mechanisms of Motor Neurone Disease

Supervisor:  Dr Fleur Garton ( [email protected] )

This project aims to investigate whether this phenomenon may be occurring in other MND risk loci. The UNC13A splicing event has been shown to occur due to mislocalisation of TDP-43 (an important regulator of RNA-splicing). UNC13A is not the only gene targeted by TDP-43 and we know of at least one other gene in a MND genetic risk locus, that may also be affected by TDP-43 mislocalisation.    By leveraging off these recent discoveries in the field, this project aims to further explore cryptic exon splicing as a mechanism of MND. Computational integration of genetic and transcript data will be required. It will involve the use of in-house (human muscle) and publicly available (human iPSC- derived motor neurons) transcriptome data (RNA-seq) to look for evidence of cryptic splicing events in MND cases and controls.    The overall aim of this project is to identify genetic links with the molecular mechanisms associated with MND. The long-term goal of this research is to use this detailed understanding of genetic risk of MND to help define novel therapeutic avenues. 

Expected outcomes:  Applicants can expect to gain experience and knowledge in QC and processing of transcriptomic (RNA-seq) data, together with genetic data. Students may also be asked to produce a report or oral presentation at the end of their project. Suitable for:  This project is open to applications from students with a strong interest in molecular genetics, genetic and genomics, year 3 undergraduate and postgraduate students. Other important details:  Interested students must contact the supervisor/s, prior to submitting an application. Evidence of supervisor support is required to be uploaded as part of the application process. Students are also welcome to contact the supervisor if they are interested in a related project area.

Web-based information system for chemical and biological data

The Community for Open Antimicrobial Drug Discovery (CO-ADD) is maintaining a web-based information system, build on open-source web-framework (django), database (postgresql), and analysis (python) modules. The project is to enhance the existing system with a repository, analysis and visualisation of chemical information, both from data generated within CO-ADD as well as data from external sources (like ChEMBL).

Computer Science, Coding (python, django, html, sql), Database modelling, some Chemoinformatic.

2023 Winter Research Program

Engage in a formal research project over the summer semester with the UQ Summer Research Program.

The UQ Winter Research Scholarship Program offers scholarships to students wishing to gain experience working alongside a researcher in a formal research environment in their area of interest at UQ.

Applications have closed

Each project  will be offered for a period of four (4) weeks between  Monday 26 June – Friday 21 July 2023.

Participation is open to undergraduate (including honours) and master by coursework students who are currently enrolled and will remain at UQ for the entirety of the research program.

Discover more about the Winter Research Program

• Memory discourses in letters to women who were executed and disappeared in Chile.
• How accurate is professional Mandarin/English interpreters' real-life telephone interpretations?
• Translating Testimony from Survivors of Enforced Disappearances in the Algerian War
• Multimodal public health communication
• Eye tracking in bilingualism research with less-commonly researched languages.
• Potential impact of learner background factors on their communication in a second language - Part 2
• Language use and story structure: Analysis of stories told by Russian-English bilingual children
• Socio-pragmatic understanding of (im)politeness in Korean discourse
• ChatGPT for schools – Curating a prompt taxonomy for AI in F-10 Education.
• Border-Crossing Australian and Japanese Literature: Literary Exchange as Cultural Diplomacy
• Empowering Asian language speakers to become language teachers in Australian schools

1. Memory discourses in letters to women who were executed and disappeared in Chile.

Winter Research Project 2023

Summer and Winter Research Programs for Undergraduates

The Sustainable Minerals Institute offers a number of research projects to UQ-enrolled undergraduate students, through the UQ Summer and Winter Research programs .  These projects will develop your analytical, critical thinking and communication skills, through research, while providing you with an opportunity to gain research experience working alongside some of the university's leading academics and researchers.

For details on how to apply for a project, please visit the  UQ Summer & Winter Research Programs  website.

Winter 2024 projects offered:

Brc project: measuring the tensile strength of thin units in coal measure rocks using a comminution approach.

The overarching theme of the project is to characterise intact rock strength at small scales of various rock units and while working with inexpensive type of samples, ultimately achieving improved quantification of rock mass strength inputs to geotechnical stability models.  The proposed combination of the unique geotechnical (SILC, Brazilian disc method) and mineralogical characterisation (hyperspectral imagery) tests will lead to improved understanding of the relationship between mineralogy and tensile fracture propagation. In the end, we will develop a refined methodology for sample selection, preparation and testing to enable future repetition of the SILC test to the characterisation of intact rock strength in the form of a guide that could be readily applied by a geologist,  geotechnical engineer or a materials testing technician.

Duration and delivery:  4 weeks duration, 36 hours per week. Full-time on-site attendance at the Indooroopilly Mine Site is required, although a hybrid arrangement is possible when helping with literature review/methodology.

Expected outcomes and deliverables:  The applicant will gain skills in data collection in a laboratory environment, working with various rock samples (sieving, measuring, weighing and mini-core drilling).  As a change of pace, there will also be an opportunity to conduct literature review on a set of specific geotechnical breakage tests and assist with the development of additional methodology.  The applicant may also be asked to produce a report or oral presentation at the end of the project.

Suitable for:  This project is open to a UQ-enrolled student  who m ust be willing to work with samples in the lab/pilot plant.  No prior knowledge required, and all training will be provided.  Students from  all years and disciplines are encouraged to apply, but this project may be of relevant interest to 3 rd  - 4 th year students with a background in mechanical engineering / geotechnical engineering / geology .

Primary Supervisor:   Katerina Savinova ; Dr Dion Weatherley

Further information: Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Katerina Savinova  to discuss this project in more detail, prior to submission of their online application.

JKMRC project: Investigation of aerosol collector dosing on coarse particle flotation performance

Being able to efficiently recover coarse particles by flotation would enable minerals processing operations to significantly reduce the power these operations consume to grind rocks into fine powders and would open safer and more water efficient options for tailings management.

This project seeks to determine the effect that dosing collector as an aerosol has on the flotation behaviour of coarse particles and to understand the mechanisms driving that behaviour. Traditionally, collectors are dosed to a flotation system as a solution and adsorb onto the mineral surfaces at the solid-liquid interface. However, thermodynamic theory predicts that collector adsorption is greater at the solid-gas interface, so dosing collector as an aerosol together with the air that forms the air bubbles in the flotation system should result in greater collector adsorption onto the mineral surfaces. This in turn should increase the flotation recovery of coarse particles because these particles require more hydrophobic surfaces to be able to float.

This topic will be investigated by performing laboratory scale flotation tests on a complex sulphide ore (chalcopyrite-pyrite) to compare the flotation performance between different collector dosing methods.

Project duration and delivery: 4 weeks duration. The applicant will need to be on-site at the Indooroopilly Mine Site for the duration of the project.

Expected outcomes and deliverables:   The applicant will primarily be tasked with assisting to prepare the flotation products for assay, and with assisting to perform flotation tests.

Suitable for:  Suitable for UQ enrolled students seeking skills in minerals processing laboratory techniques. The ideal applicant will be comfortable with performing repetitive tasks with care and accuracy.

Primary Supervisor:   Associate Professor Liza Forbes

Further information: Interested applicants may contact  Associate Professor Liza Forbes  to discuss this project in more detail if desired, but this is not a requirement.

JKMRC project: Simulation-based investigation of mineral separation equipment performance

Mineral separation is a critical process in mining and resource industries, contributing to the extraction of valuable minerals. Efficient separation methods directly impact resource recovery, environmental sustainability, and economic viability. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations play a pivotal role in comprehending the hydrodynamics of mineral separation equipment. By virtually modelling fluid-particle interactions, CFD provides insights into complex processes, aiding the improvement of separation efficiency.

This project constitutes a vital component of a broader research project of the CFD team, which aims to leverage simulation techniques for the comprehensive evaluation and optimisation of mineral separation equipment, including conventional flotation cells, reflux classifiers, teeter bed separators, and Hydro Float devices. The applicant, mentored and supported by a team of experienced CFD modellers and researchers, will conduct in-depth analysis and interpretation of results from CFD simulations. This involves a comparative assessment of the impact of different equipment designs and operational conditions on the hydrodynamics and efficiency of a selected mineral separation device, thereby contributing to the advancement of such separation technology.

Duration and delivery: 4 weeks duration, 36 hours per week. The applicant will need to be on-site at the Indooroopilly Mine Site for the duration of the project.

Expected outcomes and deliverables:  The project offers a unique opportunity for the applicant to gain insights into the working principles and hydrodynamics governing mineral separation devices. They will acquire valuable skills in CFD modelling, simulation software and data analysis. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to contribute to research publications, and are expected to produce a written report or deliver an oral presentation summarising their findings.

Suitable for:   This project is suitable for UQ enrolled students with a background in engineering or science and a keen interest in computational science and research.  Up to two positions are available.

Primary Supervisor:  Dr Dion Weatherley

Further information: Interested applicants are encouraged to contact  Dr Dion Weatherley  to discuss this project in more detail, prior to submission of their online application

JKMRC project: Python code development for Xray Tomography Analysis

Researchers are utilising Xray tomography to better understand the mineralogical makeup of metal containing ores and particles. Image processing is required to quantify and characterise the ore particles scanned.

Currently this is undertaken in Dragonfly software. However, due to custom workflows and needs, it is necessary to develop python code to interact with the Dragonfly software. This enables a better user experience and performing additional calculations not available in the software.

Project Duration & Delivery: 4 weeks duration, 20-36 hours per week, as agreed with supervisor. The project will be offered on-site, with an option for some work to be undertaken remotely.

Expected outcomes and deliverables:    The successful applicant will use their python skills to develop plugins GUIs and improved workflows for the analysis of Xray tomography scans.   They will develop problem identification and solving skills particularly within python programming space. Applicants will be required to learn how to work through problem definition and scope, identification of appropriate programming resources, utilise APIs, develop and test software.

Suitable for:  Computer based work. Applications from UQ enrolled students with a strong background in python programming are desirable .

Primary Supervisor:   Dr Gordon Forbes

Further information:  Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Dr Gordon Forbes  to discuss this project in more detail, prior to submission of their online application

JKMRC project: Testing of novel, bioflotation reagents for copper minerals

In mineral processing, the valuable minerals are separated from the waste material by froth flotation. In this physical-chemical process, mineral particles are mixed with water (pulp) and chemical reagents are added to alter the surfaces of the minerals of interest. These particles are then collected by attachment to air bubbles rising to the top of the flotation cell. The surface properties of the minerals play a key role during this process and determine the separation efficiency.

State-of-art, cutting-edge biotechnology can offer a pathway for the development of a new generation of flotation reagents that would replace the use of conventional toxic chemicals in mineral processing, contributing to more sustainable and environmentally friendly mining practices. This project aims to test the application of novel bioreagents developed to target and modify the surfaces of copper minerals and evaluate the resulting surface properties, such as hydrophobicity.  

Project duration and delivery : 4 weeks duration. Full-time on-site attendance at the Indooroopilly Mine Site is required.

Expected outcomes and deliverables:   The work will involve the applicant doing laboratory work where different bioreagents will be tested and compared with traditional reagents used in flotation. The applicant will undertake contact angle measurements to ascertain mineral hydrophobicity and data analysis. The outcomes of this work will help determine the efficacy of the new reagents compared with the traditional reagents used in the flotation of copper minerals.

Suitable for:  This project is open to one UQ enrolled student with an engineering or science background .

Primary Supervisor:   Dr Susana Brito e Abreu

Further information:  Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Dr Susana Brito e Abreu  to discuss this project in more detail, prior to submission of their online application

JKMRC project: Image analysis for bubble surface area identification in coarse particle flotation using fluidised flotation cells

Effective flotation techniques require processing feed materials within a specific fine size range in mineral processing, necessitating intense comminution processes. Comminution, one of the most energy-intensive operations, accounts for a significant portion of mining operating costs and contributes to increased carbon emissions. Therefore, reducing energy consumption in comminution processes is crucial to mitigating the industry’s environmental impact.

Developing new equipment like the HydroFloat®, a fluidised bed separator designed for coarse particle flotation, presents opportunities for early waste rejection in processing circuits, enhancing liberation and reducing energy-intensive grinding requirements. However, limited research exists on the chemical factors influencing performance in this new hydrodynamic environment, especially regarding bubble size and bubble surface area flux determination. These are essential for optimising operations and fast-tracking implementation across various commodities globally.

Developing an understanding of how to control bubble size and surface area flux in HydroFloat®'s unique hydrodynamic environment is essential for enhancing unit operation and control. Implementing such methodologies will support equipment utilisation across various commodities, reduce global energy consumption for grinding, and mitigate the mining industry's environmental impact on the greenhouse effect.

Project Duration and delivery:  4 weeks duration. Full-time onsite attendance at the Indooroopilly Mine Site is required, however a hybrid arrangement is possible for several days over the duration of the placement.

Expected outcomes and deliverables:  Producing a significant volume of high-quality images for bubble identification and analysis using MATLAB code. The analysis will provide insights into the types of bubbles present in the process, their sizes, distribution, and volumes. Collecting this data will aid in understanding the relationship between chemical and hydrodynamic parameters and their effect on bubble coalescence and surface area flux.

Applicants will:

• Gain knowledge of the fundamental principles of the flotation process, with a focus on coarse particle flotation
• Participate in a laboratory visit and receive hands-on training in using a range of laboratory equipment
• Understand the influence of chemical reagents on bubble formation and behaviour in flotation processes
• Recognize the broader significance of coarse particle flotation technology in promoting sustainable mineral resource management and improving mining industry practices
• Utilise the MATLAB code extensively for data analysis and interpretation
• Collaborate with professionals from diverse fields to tackle complex challenges in mineral processing, fostering interdisciplinary approaches

The project will yield high-quality bubble analysis data from images received using a MATLAB code developed specifically for on-site purposes.

Applicants will be asked to produce a report containing all the collected data.

Suitable for:  This project is open to 3rd-4th year students from the UQ Chemical Engineering School.

Primary Supervisor:  Dr Ünzile Yenial Arslan

Further information:  Interested applicants are encouraged to contact  Anna Skliar  to discuss this project in more detail, prior to submission of their online application.

MISHC project: New energy (e.g. hydrogen or nuclear) risk analysis

This project will involve reviewing incidents and literature to identify and map lifecycle and supply chain risks and circular economy impacts in a manner that facilitates comparative analysis between proposals.

Duration and delivery:  4 weeks duration, 36 hours per week. This project will involve meetings at St Lucia but work can be conducted remotely.

Expected outcomes and deliverables:  From this project, the applicant can expect to gain skills in systematic literature review, incident investigation analysis and report writing.

Suitable for:  This project is open to a UQ enrolled  student who is interested in identifying, analysing and representing risk associated with emerging energy sources. It will involve a lot of reading and coding of reports.

Primary Supervisor:   Professor Maureen Hassall

Further information: Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Professor Maureen Hassall  to discuss this project in more detail, prior to submission of their online application.

• Higher Degree by Research
• Summer and Winter Research Programs

Further information:

Lucia Dzinza

2024 Winter Research Program

4 weeks duration between 24 June 2024 – 21 July 2024 Applications open 25 March - 21 April 2024

2024-25 Summer Research Program

6 weeks duration between 6 January 2025 – 14 February 2025 Applications open September 2024  

More Info from UQ Careers and Employability

• Submit a Winter Research Project
• Research Strategy and Support Office
• Winter Research Program

Information for supervisors

The deadline for projects to be considered for Faculty funding was 16 February 2024. Projects submitted after this deadline will be advertised subject to the Supervisor confirming they are able to fully fund the project.

For more information, please see student and staff links on the UQ Winter Research Program website for more detailed information.

If you are hosting a project in MRI-UQ or QIMRB, please do not use this form. Please contact Sarah Doyle (MRI-UQ) or Angela Trieu (QIMRB).

Project submissions are now closed.

Supervisor eligibility and supervision

• Supervisors must hold a current UQ Faculty of Medicine appointment at the time of application and for the duration of the Winter Research Program. Please refer to the supervisor guidelines for additional information.
• The students are undergraduates and will be relatively unskilled. They will need supervision and mentoring.
• Enrolled medical students cannot participate as the Winter program overlaps with MD academic timetable commitments.
• All supervisors are expected to spend a minimum of one hour with each student per week. This contact should be in-person or via video chat rather than email.  Students should have access to their supervisor or another mentor at least once per day that they are engaged on their project to discuss any issues or questions they have. This can be via email or in-person.
• Be realistic and clear in your expectations of attendance, which can be between 20-36 hours per week.
• This form will populate a description for potential applicants and will be completing against hundreds of other projects across the university.  Target your project description and the expected outcomes to the student.  If it’s a larger project, what will they actually be doing or get out of the experience.
• You can discuss projects and their suitability with a student before they apply, but you should not offer any student a confirmed place.  Projects must be advertised, and students must apply and be offered a placement through the formal processes.  Students can submit only one application but can specify a second preference option within the faculty.

Project governance

Projects must be "project-ready", i.e., with all governance and compliance in place, before being proposed.  

• Supervisors of projects impacted by research agreements between UQ and another entity should not assume that existing agreements will cover student involvement in a project – please check with your partnering research governance office (eg in the HHS)
• Supervisors of projects located in hospital or other non-UQ facilities will be asked to upload confirmation from the relevant HHS/Institute governance office that it as possible for a student to come into the hospital/institute and conduct this project as a UQ unpaid work experience, and that an agreement between UQ and the HHS/institute, that covers the student’s involvement, either already exists or is not required. 
• We cannot approve projects that involve student access to hospital records systems, or access to identifiable patient information.
• Please contact [email protected] for the key contacts at Metro North, Metro South and CHQ HHSs who are familiar with the UQ Summer and Winter Research Program.

For more information, please see the brochures for supervisors and for scholars at the  UQ Winter Research Program website .

2024 Winter Research Program timeline

• Faculty of Medicine Winter Research projects

Summer and Winter Research Programs

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit's summer and winter research program provides Indigenous students with the opportunity to gain practical research experience, while working alongside some of UQ's leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander academics and researchers.

Our Winter Research Projects

What to expect

By participating in a research program, you'll take part in a project that will help you gain valuable academic and professional experience, develop analytical and critical thinking, and have the chance to create networks with industry and academic contacts.

As a research scholar you'll receive a scholarship equivalent of $2000 for the duration of your project (over the 4-week program from 24 June to 19 July 2024).

Who can apply

You're eligible if you're:

• an undergraduate, honours, or master's by coursework student
• have completed at least 2 years of study
• are currently enrolled at the time of application.

Applications open on 25 March 2024 (and close on 21 April). Please   Apply Here .

2024 Winter Research Program: Information session

This session will provide important information for students who are thinking about applying for the 2024 Winter Research Program.  The session will cover the following topics;

• Overview of the program
• Eligibility
• Where to find a project
• How to approach a supervisor
• How to prepare and submit an application
• What to expect if you're selected.

This is a Zoom session so please ensure you log in online to access the link via StudentHub.

Other upcoming sessions

Employability Award: Prepare your final application

BEL Faculty Global Experience Drop-in Sessions

Global Experiences: Fund your Global Experience

Work and Energy Experience Sampling Study Work and Energy Experience Sampling Study

Participant Information Sheet

What is the purpose of this research.

You are invited to take part in a research project that examines employee energy and recovery strategies, during and after working, and how these strategies support your motivation and wellbeing.

What are your strategies for coping with the daily grind? Do you take regular breaks or power through your workday? What about after work, how do you relax or unwind? Or do you find that work creeps into your leisure time? And finally, are these strategies worth your time? This experience sampling study aims to address these questions.

Experience sampling is a novel research method, whereby we ask you very brief questions each hour over the course of one work day, so you can tell us how it really is, as you are experiencing your work and leisure. By doing this, we aim to identify and understand the moment-to-moment factors that may effectively (or ineffectively) impact your motivation and wellbeing.

Any employee above the age of 18 who is employed in one job (i.e., part-time, full-time, or casual) and works a relatively standard 9am-5pm workday (or similar hours) can take part in this study. Please note that internet access, and the ability to complete brief surveys during work and leisure, is essential for participation.

What does my participation involve?

As part of your participation in this study, you will first complete a baseline survey about yourself and your work life, as well as nominate a suitable day to complete your experience sampling survey day.

By ‘suitable’ we mean a day of the week when you work, that you can easily access and complete the surveys (e.g., while at work, during your work breaks, during transit, and when at home).

The full study procedure is displayed in in the figure below.

Additional Information:

• Nominated Survey Day: Your nominated survey day should represent a typical working day for you.
• Survey Notifications: On your nominated survey day, you will be sent notifications to complete your hourly surveys every hour at 5 minutes to the hour. Surveys begin at 5am and end at midnight. Please feel free to use the settings on your phone or other device to silence the notifications when you are sleeping or do not want to be disturbed.
• Survey Response Window: You will have 10 minutes to complete each hourly survey. If you miss a survey window, you will be prompted to complete the next survey.
• Missing Surveys: It is ok to miss a couple of hourly surveys. Just do your best to complete as many as you practically can.
• Changing your Nominated Day: If you need to change your nominated survey day you can do so at any time from the survey portal page.
• Opting Out: You can opt out of the study at any time by selecting the ‘opt out option’ on the survey portal page, or by simply not responding to any surveys.

As thank you for participating, you will be offered the following opportunities, but you can choose to opt in or out of any or all of these as you like:

• Personalised Feedback: You will be offered a feedback report from the research team on your recovery strategies as revealed through your participation in the study. This report will also include some evidence-based strategies to help improve energy and wellbeing on a daily basis.
• Gift Card Prizes: For every survey that you complete you will be entered into a prize draw (up to 21 entries) to win one of three $200 gift cards. The winners of the gift cards will be drawn upon completion of the study, and notified via their nominated contact details provided.

Who can participate?

Those who are eligible to participate include:

• Adults (i.e., over 18 years of age);
• Are employed in one job, at one company or organisation;
• Employed on a full-time, part-time, or casual basis (i.e., at least 10 hours per week or more);
• Work primarily during the day on relatively standard ~9am-5pm schedule (i.e. no night shift workers) - it is ok if your work hours are slightly earlier or later;
• Live in Australia, within any Australian time zone;
• Can easily access the internet and complete brief surveys during work and leisure time (i.e., on a computer or mobile device).

Participation and Withdrawal

Please read this information carefully and consider your participation before agreeing to participate in the study. Your participation is voluntary, and you are able to discontinue your involvement in this study at any time without explanation or penalty. If you wish to withdraw, you may simply stop completing the surveys. If you would like the reminders to cease and/or your data to be removed from the study, please contact a member of the UQ research team. You may skip any questions in this study that you do not wish to answer. If you have any more questions about the research, please contact the research team via [email protected] .

Risks of Participation

Participation in this study should involve no physical or mental discomfort, and no risks beyond those of everyday living. Data management by the UQ research team will minimise any risk of identification by using a computer-generated code to link your survey responses.

You will be asked to respond to some questions about your experiences at work that may trigger some reflection on your work stress (e.g. “I felt burned out from my work”). If you should find any question to be invasive, offensive or distressful, you are free to omit answering or participating in that aspect of the study. If you become upset or distressed as a result of your participation in the research project please reach out to the research team. Contact details can be found at the end of this page.

Confidentiality and Security of Data

Your data will be kept completely confidential. All the survey responses you provide are kept confidential through a randomised computer-generated code, which is designed to protect the confidentiality of your data while allowing the research team to link your survey responses over time. During the study, only members of the UQ research team and the School of Psychology webmaster will know who you are for the purposes of recruitment and survey reminders. Importantly, no personally identifying information (e.g., name or contact details) will be stored with your survey responses. After your survey responses have been collected, then your data will be de-identified by the UQ research team (i.e., we will remove your unique code and any other potentially personally identifying information). All data will be safely secured using an encrypted password. De-identified data may be used in additional research and made available to other researchers through collaboration and dissemination of the research findings.

Who has reviewed the research project?

This study has been cleared in accordance with the ethical review processes of the University of Queensland (#2020001262) and Queensland University of Technology (#2000000445) within the guidelines of the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research.

You are, of course, free to discuss your participation with project staff (e-mail: [email protected] , or phone: +61 7 3365 6423). If you would like to speak to an officer of the University of Queensland not involved in the study, you may contact the UQ Human Research office on +61 7 3365 3924 or e-mail: [email protected] .

Further information and who to contact

If you would like any further information concerning the project or if you have any problems which may be related to your involvement in the project, you can contact the research team via [email protected] , or a particular member of the team via below:

I have read the Participant Information Sheet and agree to take part in this study. I understand that my participation is completely voluntary and that I may withdraw at any time without consequence.