There are a number of scholarship options available to students that are based on academic ability. Students are encouraged to explore funding options at an early stage.
Higher Degree by Research (HDR)
Internal scholarships
The University of Queensland (UQ) offers a variety of scholarships to international and domestic students. For further information, visit the UQ Graduate School website.
External scholarships
A number of external parties offer scholarships such as the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Cancer Council Queensland. Other external scholarship can also be found at Nature, and PhdSeek.
PhD scholarships to support Category 1 project grants
These scholarships are funded by the Commonwealth Government to provide financial assistance to students during completion of a PhD. Scholarships are offered for 120+ projects which are aligned with recently awarded Category 1 project grants.
Scholarship value: Living stipend of $27,596 (2019 rate, indexed annually) and Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). Tuition fees do not apply.
Closing date: You can apply anytime - there is no closing date.
Commencement: Enrolment in the PhD program is in research quarters and commencement in a research quarter is fixed to a specific period. Recipients of these scholarships may commence in any research quarter.
Email the Chief Investigator to discuss the project, your suitability, and the preferred educational background.
View details of available projects below.
|
Chief Investigator |
Project title |
Project description |
Preferred educational background |
|
Potency and activity of Meso-Endothelial bipotent progenitors in vivo in homeostasis and injury. |
Blood vessels comprise an inner endothelial layer and surrounding mesenchyme. These vessels are integral to many organs and constitute a unique system connecting different parts of the body. Despite their importance, little is known about how they are maintained and how they contribute to the response to injury. Previous work from the team has described several populations of stem cell capable of self-renewal and repletion of the endothelium or the mesenchyme. This project will examine the potency of these different progenitors to give rise to each of these fates in homeostasis but also during sounding and bone formation. This will help define a unique population of stem cells capable of both vascular and mesenchymal repair. Students will enrol through the Faculty of Medicine. |
Science/Biomedical *This project is available until December 2019 unless a suitable candidate is found prior. |
|
| Defining the biology of vascular stem cells for tissue regeneration. |
This project aims to understand the fundamental biology of vascular stem cells by defining their in vivo niche and molecular identity. Further, this project will delineate the important role vascular stem cells play in regenerating the circulatory system and their potential use as a cell therapy in treating cardiovascular disease. Students will enrol through the Faculty of Medicine. |
The ideal candidate will have a BSc (Hons), with courses in biomedical science, animal handling, cell/molecular biology and cardiovascular anatomy. | |
| Targeting antigens to DC for tolerance induction in a humanised mouse model. |
This project will explore mechanisms of human immune cell development and or human immune cell function in rodents models carrying human immune systems. Techniques and areas may include hematopoiesis, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, gene therapy, immunology and therapy of type 1 diabetes. Students will enrol through the Faculty of Medicine. |
BSc(Hons I) or MSc *This project is available until December 2019 unless a suitable candidate is found prior. |
|
| Reducing toxicity of protocols for human hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. |
This project will explore new, non-toxic approaches for bone marrow transplant in humans. Techniques and areas may include hematopoiesis, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, gene therapy, immunology and therapy of type 1 diabetes. Students will enrol through the Faculty of Medicine. |
BSc(Hons I) or MSc *This project is available until December 2019 unless a suitable candidate is found prior. |
|
| Physiologically-based pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of therapeutic stem cells for liver disease. |
Time course and targeting of stem cells to damaged livers as a result of liver disease. Students will enrol through the Faculty of Medicine. |
Background in science, medicine, pharmacy or related field with an interest in biochemistry, physiology, and possibly mathematical modelling. | |
| Using Statistical Techniques in Genetic Epidemiology to Investigate the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD). |
There is a well-documented observational relationship between low birthweight infants and increased risk of disease in later life (e.g. type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and many more). This inverse association was initially interpreted as resulting from developmental compensations to an adverse intrauterine environment, which in turn led to long-term changes to offspring physiology and increased susceptibility to disease. This theory was christened the “Developmental Origins of Health and Disease” (DOHaD) and has been one of the preeminent paradigms in life-course epidemiology over the last thirty years. The aim of this project is to investigate the DOHaD hypothesis using a variety of statistical techniques including genome-wide association, Mendelian randomization and G-REML approaches in large scale datasets such as the UK Biobank Study. Students will enrol through the Faculty of Medicine. |
Epidemiology, Statistics, Genetics, Psychology. | |
| Control of mitosis and genome stability. | This project will study the response of cancer cells to the disruption of mitosis by the loss of function of regulatory genes or the action of anti-cancer drugs. We will determine the mechanisms controlling genome stability, cell survival and immunological responses following the disruption of mitosis. This work will help identify new therapeutic strategies for improving the treatment of cancer. | Requirements: BSc (Hons) or MSc in biological or biomedical science. |
Honours
Applications for 2019 are now closed.
In 2019, The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute will be offering Honours Scholarships for new or continuing students enrolled in an Honours program at The University of Queensland for the 2019 Academic year (students enrolled mid-year in 2018 will also be considered).
The primary objectives for Honours Scholarships are to:
- Encourage students of high academic ability to take the first step in their career path as a biomedical translational researcher.
- To build research capacity in high priority areas related to biomedical translational research.
Value
- Diamantina Institute Honours Scholarships: 3 at $3,500 each
- Otto and Joan Hirschfeld Memorial Honours Scholarship in Immunology: 1 at $6000
Duration: scholarship awards will be paid fortnightly over the duration of enrolment in 2019.
Honours Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and personal attributes such as leadership and creativity.
The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute (UQDI) is a modern research facility where clinical and basic science are used to study diseases such as cancer, immune disorders, chronic diseases and infection. The Institute has a vibrant community of over 300 researchers, students and support staff. We have delivered global, world-changing discoveries to humanity, such as the world’s first cervical cancer vaccine.
Based at the Translational Research Institute beside the Princess Alexandra Hospital, UQDI has strong clinical interactions and world-class facilities that enable researchers to be at the forefront of their fields. UQDI's position within the TRI allows for a much greater collaborative research environment, allowing our researchers to focus their efforts on turning their scientific discoveries into better treatments for diseases including a variety of cancers, osteoporosis, arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.
The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute focuses on bringing the discoveries of basic science to the patient. Over recent decades, the gap between the laboratory and medicine has widened as science has become increasingly complex. The UQDI therefore aims to translate the greatest opportunities for research discoveries into the cause, mechanism, prevention and treatment of major disease.
UQDI Key Research Themes
- Blood Cancer
- Skin and Skin Cancer
- Immunotherapy
- Immunity and Inflammation
- Genomic Medicine
Eligibility
- You must have completed or expect to complete an undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline
- Your Grade Point Average is greater than 5.0 out of 7, or equivalent
- You must be enrolled through any enrolling school or Faculty at The University of Queensland
- You must have a staff member of UQDI supporting your application as your Principal Supervisor
- The majority of the project must be undertaken at UQDI
- You must not hold any other Honours Scholarships
Retention
- Recipients must maintain full-time enrolment.
Deferrals
- This scholarship cannot be deferred.
Application Process
- To apply, please email to di.undergrad@uq.edu.au the following documents:
- Cover letter highlighting previous research experience and interests, stating career aims and ambitions. Please also specify if you would like to be considered for the Otto and Joan Hirschfeld Memorial Honours Scholarship in Immunology.
- Curriculum Vitae
- A supporting statement from the project Supervisor
- Certified copy of Academic Transcript (UQ students may attach a pdf of their studies report, which will be verified by UQDI); original documents will not be returned.
- All fully completed applications must be received by UQDI Undergraduate Administration before the closing date (5pm, Friday 12th April 2019). Late and incomplete applications will not be considered.
Assessment of Applications
Applications will be reviewed by the UQDI Research Training Committee and ranked based on the information provided within the application. The ranked list will be forwarded to the Director of the Institute for review. Assessment of applicants will be based on:
- Academic success including prior academic record, prizes and awards
- Prior research experience including presentations and publications
- Involvement in academic and non-academic leadership roles
For further information, please contact UQDI Undergraduate Administration on (07) 3443 7018 or email di.undergrad@uq.edu.au.