2027 Summer Research Program Projects

Supervisor: Dr Christian Nefzger (c.nefzger@imb.uq.edu.au), Dr Xiaoli Chen (x.chen8@uq.edu.au)

Aging is the primary risk factor for numerous degenerative diseases. This project builds on a recent discovery in our lab of a common transcription factor driver underpinning cellular functional decline with age. The goal is to help advance the development of a technology built around synthetic proteins to epigenetically silence specific gene regulatory elements, with the potential to improve cell function and fitness.

Expected outcomes: Applicants will gain experience working with molecular biology workflows, including generation of lentiviruses or RNA-based delivery of different synthetic proteins into reporter cell lines to assess their impact. The project will leverage flow cytometry to assess functional outcomes, along with a variety of cell proliferation assays.

Suitability: The work requires applicants with a biotechnology/molecular biology background and aligned skills, suitable for 2nd–4th year students.

Supervisors: Professor Waldemar Vollmer (w.vollmer@imb.uq.edu.au)

The spread of antimicrobial resistance is rendering current antibiotics obsolete, threatening global health security. To address this escalating threat, next-generation antibiotics with novel targets against multi-drug resistant pathogens such as Escherichia coli, must be identified. This project is to screen for novel antimicrobials in compound libraries and investigate their effects via growth kinetics and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination. Imaging techniques such as live-cell microscopy will be utilised to visualise the morphological effects of these compounds on bacterial cells. 

Hours & Delivery

20-30 hours per week. 
Delivery mode: on campus.

What you'll do

Discovery research in biosciences.

What you'll learn

Laboratory skills.

Who should apply?

Interest in molecular biosciences. 
Required basic skills: Microbiology and molecular biology.

Students may contact the supervisor before applying.

Direct enquiries to: Professor Waldemar Vollmer (w.vollmer@imb.uq.edu.au)

Supervisor: Dr Evans Cheruiyot (e.cheruiyot@imb.uq.edu.au)

Supervisor: Dr Rosemary Cater (r.cater@uq.edu.au)

Solute carrier (SLC) transporters are a large family of membrane proteins that move nutrients, ions, drugs and metabolites across cell membranes. They're essential for normal physiology and are implicated in a huge range of diseases – from cancer to neurodegeneration to metabolic disorders – making them one of the most important classes of drug targets in the genome. Remarkably, around 25% of SLC transporters remain “orphans”: we don't yet know what molecules they transport or what role they play in the cell. This project will use a combination of biochemistry, biophysics and structural biology, including cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), to help deorphan one or more of these uncharacterised transporters. Work will involve expressing and purifying the protein of interest, testing candidate substrates using transport assays, and determining its structure to understand how it works at a molecular level. By assigning a function to a previously unknown transporter, this project has the potential to open up an entirely new area of biology and reveal a novel therapeutic target for disease. Students will play an active role in this discovery process, contributing to experiments that could identify a transporter's function for the first time.

Hours & Delivery

20–36 hours per week (exact hours to be agreed with the student), delivered on campus at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), UQ St Lucia campus. Standard business hours, Monday–Friday, with flexibility around experiment timing.

What you'll do

You'll help express and purify one or more orphan SLC transporters using mammalian or insect cell expression systems and chromatography techniques. You'll assist with designing and running binding/transport assays to test candidate substrate molecules, and help prepare protein samples for cryo-EM analysis. You'll contribute to troubleshooting experiments, recording and organising data, and discussing results with the lab team to help refine hypotheses about the transporter's function. As the project develops, you may also assist with computational analyses, such as comparing the transporter's sequence or structure to related proteins, to help generate ideas about what it might transport.

What you'll learn

You'll gain practical experience in membrane protein biochemistry, including protein expression, purification and quality control. You'll learn how to design and interpret transport assays used to test candidate substrates, and be introduced to cryo-EM sample preparation and structural biology workflows. You'll also develop skills in critical thinking and hypothesis-driven experimental design, since “deorphaning” a transporter often means testing and ruling out multiple possibilities. Alongside these technical skills, you'll build experience in scientific record-keeping, data interpretation and presenting findings to a research team – skills directly relevant to further research training or a career in the biomedical sciences.

Outcomes

By the end of the project, you'll have contributed experimental data toward identifying the substrate or function of a previously uncharacterised SLC transporter. Depending on progress, this may include preliminary evidence of substrate binding, transport activity, or structural insights. You'll gain hands-on experience spanning biochemistry through to structural biology, and a genuine appreciation of how discovery-driven research is conducted. Meaningful contributions may be acknowledged in, or contribute toward, future publications from the lab.

Who should apply?

This project suits students studying biochemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology, or related disciplines. Coursework and wet lab in protein biochemistry, cell biology or pharmacology is useful but not essential. We're looking for students who are curious and enjoy problem-solving, since this project involves genuine scientific discovery with an open-ended question at its core. Patience, attention to detail and comfort with troubleshooting experiments are important, as is a collaborative attitude and enthusiasm for learning new laboratory and analytical techniques.

Additional background/skills

Standard UQ laboratory safety induction and training will be provided before any wet-lab work begins. No prior licences or checks are required.

Students may contact the supervisor before applying.

Direct enquiries to: Dr Rosemary Cater (r.cater@uq.edu.au)

Supervisor: Professor Mark Blaskovich (m.blaskovich@imb.uq.edu.au)

New antibiotics are desperately needed to fight the rise of antimicrobial resistance. Our group combines chemistry and microbiology to discover and develop new antibiotics to kill drug resistant bacteria, as well as creating research tools to help understand how antibiotics work. We have multiple potential projects depending on the skills and interest of the student, ranging from synthetic chemistry projects focused on creating fluorescent versions of existing antibiotics, microbiological projects that use microscopy, flow cytometry and single cell microfluidics to examine how these probes work in bacteria, or drug discovery projects that will microbiologically characterise several ‘repurposed’ drugs we have discovered to have antibacterial activity against some specific species pf pathogenic bacteria.

What you'll do

Depending on the focus of the research project selected, you will conduct chemical or microbiological experiments, or combine aspects of both. For chemistry, this includes design of synthetic strategies and chemical syntheses (either small molecule or peptide) followed by purification and analysis to confirm identity. For microbiology, you will work with a variety of species and strains of bacteria to investigate how novel fluorescent probes or potential new antibiotics interact with them, ranging from standard minimum inhibitory concentration assays to more advanced assessments testing the development of resistance.

What you'll learn

What you'll learn (100–150 words)    Chemical scholars will gain laboratory skills in organic chemistry, peptide chemistry, and analytical techniques (flash column and HPLC purification, LCMS analysis, HPLC analysis and 1H, 13C-NMR analysis). Microbiological scholars will learn how to handle, culture and store bacteria, measure their growth, and quantify interactions with fluorescent probes using fluorescent microscopy, flow cytometry, and single cell microfluidics.

Outcomes

By the end of the project the student would have helped to advance the development of a new fluorescent probe or improved our understanding of the potential of a novel antibiotic. Outcomes could include authorship on a publication stemming from the work

Who should apply?

This project is open to applications from students with interest in synthetic chemistry, microbiology, biotechnology and/or pharmacology. Practical laboratory experience in at least one of the potential project disciplines is essential, while the ability to work well in a team environment would support success, as would an enthusiasm for combatting the global problem of antimicrobial resistance.

Additional opportunities

Students will be expected to present the progress of their research at group meetings. Their work will contribute to advancement of core research themes within the group, supporting potential future publications, grant applications, and/or patent applications.

Students may contact the supervisor before applying.

Direct enquiries to: Professor Mark Blaskovich (m.blaskovich@imb.uq.edu.au)

Supervisor: Dr Rosemary Cater (r.cater@uq.edu.au)

Cells need a nutrient called choline to build their membranes and to grow, and cancer cells are especially hungry for it – almost all cancers ramp up how much choline they take up and use. This project focuses on glioblastoma, the most aggressive and hardest-to-treat form of brain cancer. Choline transporters, the proteins that carry choline into cells, are switched on at higher levels in glioma tumours, and patients with higher levels tend to have worse outcomes, making them promising drug targets. Our lab recently determined the 3D structure of one of these choline transporters using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), revealing exactly how it grabs and moves choline across the blood-brain barrier. This project will use that structure as a blueprint to design molecules that block choline transporters, and test whether cutting off a tumour's choline supply can slow its growth. You'll gain hands-on training in molecular biology and biochemical and structural biology techniques, including protein purification, transport assays and cryo-EM, to test candidate inhibitors and understand how they work – contributing directly to the development of a potential new type of brain cancer treatment.

Hours & Delivery

20–36 hours per week (exact hours to be agreed with the student), delivered on campus at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), UQ St Lucia campus. Standard business hours, Monday–Friday, with flexibility around experiment timing.

What you'll do

You'll assist with expressing and purifying choline transporter proteins, and help run transport assays to test how candidate inhibitor molecules affect choline uptake. You'll contribute to preparing samples for cryo-EM, and may assist with analysing structural data to understand how inhibitors interact with the transporter. You'll help maintain accurate experimental records, troubleshoot assays, and work with the team to prioritise which candidate molecules to test further. Depending on your interests and progress, you may also contribute to basic computational analysis of transporter-inhibitor interactions, and take part in discussions on how findings could translate toward future cancer therapies.

What you'll learn

You'll build practical skills in membrane protein expression and purification, and learn how to design and run transport assays used to screen candidate drug molecules. You'll be introduced to cryo-EM techniques and structure-based approaches to understanding how small molecules interact with their protein targets. You'll also gain insight into the drug discovery process, from structural blueprint through to functional testing of candidate inhibitors. Alongside these technical skills, you'll develop experience in experimental design, data analysis and scientific communication – valuable preparation for further research training or a career in biomedical or pharmaceutical research.

Outcomes

By the end of the project, you'll have contributed to testing candidate inhibitors of a choline transporter implicated in glioblastoma, helping determine whether blocking choline uptake can slow tumour cell growth. You'll gain hands-on experience across protein biochemistry, structural biology and functional assays, directly relevant to drug discovery research. This work contributes to the lab's broader effort to develop a potential new class of brain cancer treatment, and strong contributions may be acknowledged in future publications from the project.

Who should apply?

This project suits students studying biochemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology, pharmacy or related disciplines, with an interest in cancer biology or drug discovery. Coursework and wet lab in biochemistry, pharmacology or cell biology is useful but not essential. We're looking for students who are curious and enjoy problem-solving, since this project involves genuine scientific discovery with an open-ended question at its core. Patience, attention to detail and comfort with troubleshooting experiments are important, as is a collaborative attitude and enthusiasm for learning new laboratory and analytical techniques.

Additional Opportunities

You may have the opportunity to present your work at lab meetings or IMB student symposia. Strong results could form part of a future publication, and this project can serve as a pathway into honours and PhD programs within the Cater Lab.

Additional background/skills

Standard UQ laboratory safety induction and training will be provided before any wet-lab work begins. No prior licences or checks are required.

Students may contact the supervisor before applying.

Direct enquiries to: Dr Rosemary Cater (r.cater@uq.edu.au)

Supervisor: Dr Yasuko Koda (y.koda@uq.edu.au)

This project focuses on the development of peptide-based antibiotics, a promising class of therapeutics that could help address the growing global challenge of antibiotic resistance. Peptides are attractive drug candidates because they can interact with biological targets with high specificity and often have favourable safety profiles. However, many peptide drugs cannot be administered orally because they are poorly absorbed in the body due to limited membrane permeability and metabolic instability.

The aim of this project is to understand how the structural and physicochemical properties of peptides influence their ability to cross biological membranes in the human body. Using a library of cyclic peptide derivatives based on the antibiotic scaffold, students will evaluate membrane permeability through a combination of Caco-2 cell permeability assays and the Parallel Artificial Membrane Permeability Assay (PAMPA). These experimental studies will be complemented by analytical LC/MS measurements and data analysis.

It will contribute to generating and analysing experimental data to establish structure-permeability relationships, helping identify key molecular features that promote permeability and potential oral bioavailability. The knowledge gained will support the rational design and optimisation of next-generation peptide-based antibiotics and contribute to ongoing drug development research.

What you'll do

This project will provide training in advanced methodologies for evaluating the membrane permeability of peptide-based therapeutics. The work will involve developing expertise in Caco-2 cell culture and conducting in vitro membrane permeability assays, complemented by PAMPA studies to assess passive transport characteristics.

Quantitative analysis of cyclodecapeptide will be performed using analytical LC/MS to generate permeability and stability data with minimum inter-intra variability. These experimental results will be integrated with pharmaceutical physicochemical parameters derived from peptide 3 D structures, enabling investigation of the relationships between chemical properties and membrane permeability.

Data analysis and visualisation will be conducted to identify trends and establish robust structure-permeability relationships. The knowledge generated from this project will provide valuable insights into the rational design and optimisation of peptide-based antibiotics with improved bioavailability and maintaining pharmacological effects.

What you'll learn

Students will learn practical experience in mammalian cell culture using Caco-2 cells and perform in vitro membrane permeability assays with PAMPA as a reference membrane. 

They will develop skills in quantitative analysis using analytical LC/MS to generate high-quality permeability and stability data for cyclodecapeptide derivatives. Students will also learn how to interpret pharmaceutical physicochemical properties derived from peptide 3D structures and investigate their influence on membrane permeability. 

Students will gain experience in data analysis, visualisation, and statistical interpretation using GraphPad Prism software. These skills will provide valuable insights into the rational design and optimisation of peptide-based antibiotics with improved bioavailability while maintaining therapeutic efficacy.

Outcomes

By the end of this project, structure-permeability relationships for the cyclodecapeptide scaffold will be established using combinational Caco-2 cell membrane permeability and PAMPA assays. The project will deliver a deeper understanding of how peptide structural features and physicochemical properties influence membrane permeability and potential oral bioavailability. The resulting data will support the development of rational drug design and structure modification strategies for peptide-based antibiotics. The project will also provide validated experimental workflows and analytical methods that can be applied to the optimisation of future peptide therapeutics with improved permeability and pharmacological effects.

Who should apply?

This laboratory-based research project is ideal for final-year undergraduate, Honours, and Master's by coursework students in biochemistry, analytical chemistry, pharmaceutical science, or related disciplines. Applicants should have a strong interest in drug discovery and development and be motivated to gain experience in a research environment.

Coursework or practical experience in biochemistry, analytical techniques, molecular sciences would be advantageous. Successful students will be enthusiastic, proactive, detail-oriented, and capable of working with a multidisciplinary research team. Curiosity, critical thinking, communication skills, and a commitment to learning high laboratory standards will support success in this project.

Additional Opportunities

The project is supported by CIPPS scheme. This project offers opportunities to contribute to an active research program focused on the rational design and optimisation of the cyclodecapeptide scaffold for drug development applications. Students will gain experience in membrane permeability assessment toward bioavailability, and structure-property relationship analysis. Strong project outcomes may contribute to ongoing research activities and provide a foundation for future Honours or postgraduate research projects. In addition, the findings may support conference presentations and the publication of results in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Additional background/skills

Students will be required to work in a PC2 laboratory and follow standard biosafety procedures for mammalian cell culture. The project also involves the use of analytical instruments (LC/MS) and handling of organic solvents and chemicals. The laboratory safety protocols and completion of relevant safety inductions will be required.

Students may contact the supervisor before applying.

Direct enquiries to: Dr Yasuko Koda (y.koda@uq.edu.au)

Supervisor: Dr Vanessa Schendel (v.schendel@uq.edu.au), Dr Sam Robinson (s.robinson@imb.uq.edu.au)

Animal venoms contain thousands of bioactive peptides, many of which have evolved to target insects with remarkable potency and selectivity. These molecules represent potential new bioinsecticides that could help reduce reliance on conventional chemical pesticides. In this project, you will help screen venom peptides for insecticidal activity using the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) as a model insect. 

What you'll do

You will work in the laboratory testing venom peptides by injection, topical application and oral exposure to compare their effectiveness. This will include preparing peptide solutions, handling and injecting insects, carrying out topical and oral exposure experiments, recording survival and behavioural responses, and analysing experimental data. Training will be provided throughout the project.

What you'll learn

The project provides an excellent introduction to laboratory research and venom-based drug and insecticide discovery. You will learn how to perform insect bioassays, handle and microinject fruit flies, design experiments, analyse and interpret biological data. 

Outcomes

You will contribute to ongoing research investigating venom peptides as potential bioinsecticides. Your results will help identify promising insecticidal peptides and improve our understanding of how they affect insects. The findings may contribute to future publications and the development of environmentally friendly pest-control strategies.

Who should apply?

Students with an interest in biotechnology, pharmacology and/or entomology are encouraged to apply. No previous experience with insect research is required, as full training will be provided. We are looking for enthusiastic, reliable students who are curious, organised and keen to gain hands-on laboratory experience.

Additional Opportunities

Attend research seminars and laboratory meetings, with potential opportunities for future Honours or PhD projects.

Additional background/skills

Laboratory safety induction will be provided.

Students may contact the supervisor before applying.

Direct enquiries to: Dr Vanessa Schendel (v.schendel@uq.edu.au)

Supervisor: Dr Robert Ju (r.ju@uq.edu.au)

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in Australia and among the deadliest cancers worldwide. Much of this burden comes from late diagnosis, the striking variation between and within tumours, and resistance to treatment. Cases are rising, and most alarmingly, so are early-onset diagnoses in people under 50, for reasons we do not yet understand. To change this, we need to understand which molecular events initiate a tumour and drive its growth and spread. Traditional flat, 2D cell cultures poorly capture the architecture, mechanics and stem-cell hierarchies of real intestinal tissue, and animal models do not fully reproduce human-specific signalling or drug responses. This project uses organoids, or 3D ‘mini-guts’ grown from mouse and human tissue, alongside patient-derived samples that faithfully preserve the genetics, cellular diversity and behaviour of the original tumour. Using these models, we aim to trace how cancer-driving mutations reprogram intestinal stem cells and their cellular niche. Students will help generate and analyse these models. Your work will feed into a broader effort to improve outcomes for CRC patients.

Hours & Delivery

Approximately 36 hours per week, on campus at the Institue for Molecular Bioscience, St Lucia. Workdays are Monday to Friday during standard working hours (9 am- 5pm), with flexibility around experimental timepoints.

What you'll do

You will join the day-to-day work of an active laboratory. Depending on your experience and interest, activities may include culturing and maintaining mouse and patient-derived intestinal organoids; introducing and validating defined mutations to model tumour initiation; and setting up co-cultures with stromal or immune components. You will prepare samples for molecular and imaging assays (immunofluorescence, gene overexpression, confocal microscopy, PCR, and live-cell microscopy). You will learn to image 3D cultures and quantify features such as growth, differentiation and invasion using analysis tools. Alongside bench work, you will help process and interpret experimental data, maintain a rigorous electronic lab notebook, and participate in lab meetings and journal clubs, where you will present findings and discuss recent literature with the team.

What you'll learn

By the end of the project you will have hands-on experience with 3D organoid culture, a 3D model at the forefront of cancer research, as well as an understanding of how and why it outperforms conventional models. You will gain practical skills in sterile tissue culture, fluorescence and confocal microscopy, image analysis, and common molecular biology assays, as well as experience handling patient-derived material responsibly. You will develop the thinking behind good science: how to frame a research question, design controlled experiments, troubleshoot when things do not work, and interpret complex datasets critically. You will build fluency in reading and presenting research literature, recording reproducible methods, and communicating results clearly to peers. These are transferable foundations for honours, a PhD, or a career in biomedical research or biotechnology.

Outcomes

By the end of this project you will have contributed real data to an ongoing study of early colorectal cancer. Outputs may include a characterised set of organoid models, quantified imaging or molecular datasets, and a short written report or presentation summarising your findings and their place in the wider project. You will present your work to the research group, and depending on progress, your contribution may feed into a larger dataset destined for publication. You will learn a portfolio of new laboratory and analytical skills, a clearer sense of how translational cancer research is done, and a tangible piece of work to discuss in future applications.

Who should apply?

This project suits students from biomedical science, biotechnology, molecular and cell biology, genetics, biochemistry, or related disciplines, typically in their later undergraduate years. Prior wet-lab or tissue-culture experience is helpful but not essential, curiosity and motivation matter more. You should be comfortable with, or eager to learn, sterile technique and quantitative data analysis; familiarity with microscopy, molecular biology, or basic coding for image and data analysis is a bonus. We are looking for someone reliable, patient and detail-oriented, who can work independently as well as within a team, communicates openly, and is genuinely motivated by the biology of cancer and the goal of improving patient outcomes.

Additional Opportunities

Depending on progress and interest, there may be opportunities to present your work at a student research symposium or to be acknowledged in or co-author a resulting publication, and to network with researchers across the cancer research community. Strong contributors may be considered for continuing the work through an honours project, or future PhD project in the group.

Additional background/skills

Before starting, students must complete the institution’s mandatory laboratory safety and biosafety inductions, and any training required for handling human-derived tissue (e.g. PC2 / biosafety, ethics and consent awareness). Student’s should also be up to date with vaccinations. 

Students may contact the supervisor before applying.

Direct enquiries to: Dr Robert Ju (r.ju@uq.edu.au)

Supervisor: Associate Professor Anne Lagendijk (a.lagendijk@imb.uq.edu.au)

Supervisor: Dr Geng Wang (geng.wang@uq.edu.au)

Childhood growth is one of the earliest signals of lifelong health. How a child's body size, measured by body mass index (BMI), height and other anthropometric traits, changes from birth to adulthood is linked to later risks of cardiometabolic disease, such as diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of childhood BMI and height have shown that genetic effects at these ages differ from the adult genetic effects on the same traits. Yet we still do not understand when across development the genes that influence growth are most active, or whether the particular mechanisms shaping growth patterns actually cause later disease. This project tackles both questions using existing GWAS data, so no new samples are needed.
The first aim uses clustering methods to group the hundreds of genetic variants associated with body size according to their mode of action, whether by their time-varying effect across development or by their underlying biological mechanism.
The second aim uses Mendelian randomization (MR), a method that treats the clustered genetic variants as natural experiments, to test whether the specific mechanisms shaping childhood growth patterns causally influence adult cardiometabolic risk.
Together, these tell us when and how genetic risk acts during development, and whether the timing and the specific mechanism or pattern of action matter for disease. Your analyses will help translate these findings into insights that could inform early-life prevention.

Hours & Delivery

Hours: 36 hours per week.
Mode: Hybrid (preferably on campus).
Location: Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), The University of Queensland, St Lucia campus.
Typical days: Monday-Friday.

What you'll do

Working hands-on with real genetic data and guided closely by your supervisor, you will:

• Gather and quality-check publicly available GWAS summary statistics for childhood and adult body-size traits (BMI, height and other anthropometric measures).
• Apply clustering methods to group the many genetic variants associated with body size according to their mode of action, whether by their time-varying effect across development or their likely biological mechanism.
• Run two-sample Mendelian randomization to test whether specific growth mechanisms or patterns causally affect adult cardiometabolic outcomes.
• Write and adapt R scripts, visualise results as clear figures and tables, and read key papers to place your findings in context.
• Help interpret and write up the results, with regular group meetings to guide progress and troubleshoot analyses.

What you'll learn

By the end of the project you will have practical, transferable skills in statistical genetics and genetic epidemiology, a fast-growing field at the interface of data science and health. Specifically, you will gain confidence in programming and data analysis in R and basic Unix command; in clustering methods for grouping genetic variants by their mode of action; in Mendelian randomization for causal inference; in handling and quality-controlling large-scale GWAS summary data; and in interpreting genetic and causal-inference results critically. You will also develop broader research skills that apply across any quantitative discipline: reading and appraising scientific literature, presenting results clearly, and communicating within a research team. These skills are directly relevant to further study or careers in genomics, epidemiology, bioinformatics and data science.

Outcomes

By the end of the project you will have produced a set of analyses that group body-size genetic variants by their mode of action (via clustering), together with causal estimates linking specific growth mechanisms to adult cardiometabolic risk (via Mendelian randomization). These will be presented as a short written report with figures and tables, and a brief presentation to the research group. Strong contributions may feed into a conference presentation or a co-authored publication. You will finish with a working analysis pipeline in R that you understand end to end, and a clear sense of how statistical genetics answers real health questions.

Who should apply?

This project suits students in statistics, data science, mathematics, bioinformatics, biomedical science, public health or a related quantitative discipline, at any undergraduate or honours year level. Some introductory experience with R would be preferred. An interest in genetics, epidemiology, bioinformatics is ideal. If you enjoy working with data and want to see how genetic information helps us understand human health, this project is for you.

Additional Opportunities

Depending on progress, there may be opportunities to co-author a manuscript or contribute to a conference presentation, and to build networks across the statistical-genetics and genetic-epidemiology community at IMB. The project can also serve as a pathway into an honours or higher-degree research project in this area.

Students may contact the supervisor before applying.

Direct enquiries to: Dr Geng Wang (geng.wang@uq.edu.au)

Supervisor: Dr Brian Forde (b.forde@uq.edu.au), Dr Budi Permana (b.permana@uq.edu.au)

Modern microbial genomics research generates data at an unprecedented scale, with individual research groups routinely accumulating terabytes of whole-genome sequencing data across multiple concurrent projects. The scientific value of these datasets extends well beyond any single study, and cross-project integration of genomic data with complementary biological metadata creates opportunities for hypothesis generation, comparative analysis, and the identification of large-scale biological patterns that would be invisible within any single dataset. However, realising this potential requires that data be findable, consistently annotated, and interoperable across projects and sources. This project will design and evaluate a searchable, web-based Resource Hub that consolidates genomic outputs and biological metadata from multiple projects into a unified, queryable resource. The goal is to lower the barrier to data reuse, support robust provenance tracking, and enable the kind of integrated, multi-project analyses needed to drive new biological hypotheses and research directions. 

Hours & Delivery

Hours: 20-36 hours per week (On campus)
Location: St Lucia

What you'll do

Key task are to (1) Design and build the resource hub (2) populate and evaluate the system. Student undertaking this project will: (1) Gain hands-on experience building a full-stack web application in a real research environment; (2) gain hands-on experience working with large, complex biological datasets, developing practical skills in data modelling, schema design, and metadata standards; (3) Engage with an active research group, gaining exposure to microbial genomics and the data challenges facing modern life-science research. 
The project is suitable for students wanting to gain experience in microbial genomics and bioinformatics. It is open to any students with an interest in the topic but would suit those with a computational background.

Supervisor: Associate Professor Anne Lagendijk (a.lagendijk@imb.uq.edu.au)

Supervisor: Dr Daniel Hwang (d.hwang@uq.edu.au)

Supervisor: Max Harding (max.harding@uq.edu.au)

Obesity and metabolic disease are major global health challenges. New weight-loss drugs, like Ozempic, are radically changing how we treat this disease space. However, these peptide drugs are expensive and difficult to manufacture. Current production methods rely on hazardous chemical solvents and are hard to scale sustainably. This project investigates whether we can grow these drugs in plants – a process referred to as plant molecular farming. A student joining this project will help design and build the genetic constructs that instruct biofactory plants to make these peptides, test how stable and active the resulting molecules are, and contribute to optimising these plant expression systems, directly shaping whether this approach can become a viable commercial route for future medicines.

Hours & Delivery

30-36 h per week on campus, St Lucia.

What you'll do

Student will learn about genetic construct design for producing recombinant peptides in plants and contribute to the following: molecular cloning, transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana, stable transformation and tissue culture, genotyping, mass spectrometry peptide analysis, peptide purification. 

What you'll learn

Student will learn about the field of plant synthetic biology and molecular farming broadly, while gaining specific exposure to the application of plants as biofactories for producing therapeutic peptides. They will gain hands on experience in end-to-end gene cloning, construct assembly, plant expression and downstream biochemical characterisation. 

Outcomes

Contribute towards the cloning, transformation, expression and characterisation of plant-produced therapeutic peptides. 

Who should apply?

This project is suited for a third-year undergraduate student looking at completing a full year’s Honours research, or a master’s student planning to do a full year research course, following completion of this project. Molecular biology knowledge and experience required, knowledge of plant biology highly desirable. Candidates should be motivated to learn about plant synthetic biology, be resilient to the challenges that research presents, and wanting to join a collaborative project. 

Students may contact the supervisor before applying.

Direct enquiries to: Max Harding (max.harding@uq.edu.au)

Supervisor: Dr Sanjaya KC (sanjaya.kc@imb.uq.edu.au)

Supervisor: Dr Christian Nefzger (c.nefzger@imb.uq.edu.au), Dr Ralph Patrick (ralph.patrick@imb.uq.edu.au)

Aging is the primary risk factor for numerous degenerative diseases. This project builds on a recent discovery in our lab of a common transcription factor driver underpinning cellular functional decline with age. The goal is to understand whether chronic age-related diseases are driven by the same transcription factors we implicate as driving the aging process.  

Expected outcomes

The applicants will gain experience working with single-cell analysis pipelines involving data integration, dimensionality reduction and data visualisation. The project will aim to perform cell type identification in human disease single-cell ATAC-seq datasets. These cell type identifications will then be used to uncover cell type-specific chromatin accessibility changes in different disease states. 

Suitability

The work requires applicants with strong computational bioinformatics skills suitable for 2nd-4th year students.

Supervisor: Dr Nicholas Ariotti (n.ariotti@uq.edu.au)

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne, positive-sense RNA alphavirus that causes debilitating acute and chronic arthralgia in humans. With hundreds of thousands of cases reported globally each year and a lack of approved targeted antivirals, understanding the fundamental cell biology of CHIKV infection is critical for identifying novel therapeutic vulnerabilities.
CHIKV coordinates its replication cycle by hijacking host cellular membranes and assembling specialized membrane-bound replication compartments. Our preliminary findings demonstrate that the host endoplasmic reticulum (ER) undergoes extensive morphological remodeling during infection. This remodeling establishes expanded, specialized membrane contact sites between the ER, the plasma membrane, and viral replication complexes termed "spherules."
This project aims to characterize how the ER architecture is dynamically modified during early infection stages and identify key host-virus interfaces required for replication complex assembly. By defining these membrane dynamics, this research will provide fundamental insights into alphavirus host interactions and uncover structural mechanisms that could serve as targets for next-generation antiviral strategies.

Hours & Delivery

On campus. 11 January to 19 February. 36 hrs/week.

What you'll do

As a researcher on this project, you will be embedded in a dynamic cell biology laboratory and undertake hands-on experimental work investigating viral internalisation mechanics. Your core activities will include:

• Culturing and maintaining mammalian cell lines and handling non-infectious CHIKV replicon models.
• Preparing samples and performing multi-channel confocal fluorescence microscopy to track organelle remodelling and viral proteins.
• Performing molecular biology techniques including plasmid cloning, cell transfection, and Western blotting to validate protein expression.
• Carrying out total RNA isolation and RT-qPCR assays to quantify viral RNA replication efficiency under varying experimental conditions.
• Analyzing high-resolution imaging data using quantitative image analysis software (e.g., ImageJ/Fiji) to measure organelle morphology changes.

What you'll learn

Throughout this placement, you will develop essential laboratory skills and research methodologies spanning molecular virology and advanced imaging. Specifically, you will learn:

• How to safely model alphavirus replication using non-infectious replicon systems under PC2 laboratory guidelines.
• Practical skills in quantitative fluorescence microscopy, including immunofluorescence labeling, live/fixed cell imaging, and colocalization analysis.
• Experimental design principles, including how to structure rigorous controls, generate reproducible data, and troubleshoot molecular workflows.
• Methods for isolating and handling RNA, coupled with downstream gene expression analysis.
• Scientific communication, critical thinking, and data interpretation through regular participation in lab meetings and project discussions.

Outcomes

By the end of the project, you will deliver:

• A quantitative dataset detailing the spatial and temporal remodeling of the endoplasmic reticulum during early CHIKV replication.
• Validated fluorescence microscopy and molecular data directly contributing to an ongoing peer-reviewed research manuscript.

Who should apply?

This project is ideally suited for motivated undergraduate students majoring in Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Virology, Molecular Biology, or Biomedical Science. Applicants should possess a genuine curiosity for host-pathogen interactions and high-resolution imaging techniques. Attention to detail, time-management skills, and an eagerness to learn advanced microscopy and molecular techniques within a collaborative research environment are important attributes.

Students may contact the supervisor before applying.

Direct enquiries to: Dr Nicholas Ariotti (n.ariotti@uq.edu.au)

Supervisors: Dr Larisa Labzin (l.labzin@uq.edu.au)

Timely and effective innate immune sensing is critical for protecting organisms from viral infection. However, if this innate immune response overshoots, it can cause pathological inflammation, which causes tissue damage and death. The Labzin lab investigates how the innate immune response is triggered during viral infections, including Influenza A Virus (IAV). We aim to understand which innate immune sensors recognise IAV infection in healthy people and what is defective in their signalling in people at risk of severe influenza infection. We are also studying birds’ innate immunity to understand why some species, such as ducks, can act as superspreaders of highly pathogenic avian influenza, while others, such as chickens, can become severely sick and die. We aim to uncover new strategies to boost protective immunity and dampen dangerous inflammation during viral infection in humans and animals.  Project techniques may include cell culture and cell stimulation, gene expression analysis, cloning, and microscopy. 

Required background skills

Interest in BIOL3003 (Immunology) and MICR3002 (Virology), and basic cell and molecular biology. 

Supervisor: Dr Rosemary Cater (r.cater@uq.edu.au)

Rare diseases are often caused by genetic mutations that disrupt protein function. In some cases, we already understand the three-dimensional structure and functional role of the affected protein in healthy individuals – but for many rare diseases, this knowledge simply doesn't exist yet. Without it, we can't understand how a mutation disrupts protein function and leads to disease, which in turn makes it difficult to understand the disease itself or develop treatments for it. This project will use biochemical techniques, structural biology (including cryo-electron microscopy, or cryo-EM) and computational approaches to determine the normal 3D structure and role of proteins implicated in rare diseases. By working out how a protein is supposed to work, we can start to understand how disease-causing mutations disrupt it – providing critical insights that can inform the development of future treatments. You'll contribute directly to this discovery process, working on proteins where fundamental structural knowledge is currently missing, with the potential to make a genuine impact for a rare disease community.

Hours & Delivery

20–36 hours per week (exact hours to be agreed with the student), delivered on campus at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), UQ St Lucia campus. Standard business hours, Monday–Friday, with flexibility around experiment timing.

What you'll do

You'll assist with expressing and purifying proteins linked to rare genetic diseases, and help prepare samples for structural analysis by cryo-EM. You'll contribute to biochemical experiments testing the protein's function, and may assist with computational analyses, such as comparing the protein's sequence or predicted structure to related proteins, to help generate hypotheses about its role. You'll help troubleshoot experiments, maintain accurate records, and work with the lab team to interpret results. Depending on progress, you may also help investigate how disease-causing mutations affect the protein's stability or function, connecting structural findings back to the clinical disease.

What you'll learn

You'll gain practical experience in protein biochemistry, including expression, purification and functional characterisation. You'll be introduced to cryo-EM sample preparation and structure determination, and gain exposure to computational tools used to predict and analyse protein structure. You'll learn how researchers connect fundamental structural biology to disease mechanisms, and develop skills in critical thinking and hypothesis-driven experimental design. Alongside these technical skills, you'll build experience in scientific record-keeping, data interpretation and communicating research findings – all valuable preparation for further research training or a career in the biomedical sciences.

Outcomes

By the end of the project, you'll have contributed to determining the structure and/or function of a protein implicated in rare disease, helping build the foundational knowledge needed to understand how disease-causing mutations disrupt it. You'll gain hands-on experience across biochemistry, structural biology and, where relevant, computational analysis, and a genuine appreciation for how basic research can inform future treatments for rare diseases. Meaningful contributions may be acknowledged in, or contribute toward, future publications from the project.

Who should apply?

This project suits students studying biochemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology, or related disciplines. Coursework and wet lab in protein biochemistry, cell biology or pharmacology is useful but not essential. We're looking for students who are curious and enjoy problem-solving, since this project involves genuine scientific discovery with an open-ended question at its core. Patience, attention to detail and comfort with troubleshooting experiments are important, as is a collaborative attitude and enthusiasm for learning new laboratory and analytical techniques.

Additional Opportunities

You may have the opportunity to present your work at lab meetings or IMB student symposia. Strong results could form part of a future publication, and this project can serve as a pathway into honours and PhD programs within the Cater Lab.

Additional background/skills

Standard UQ laboratory safety induction and training will be provided before any wet-lab work begins. No prior licences or checks are required.

Students may contact the supervisor before applying.

Direct enquiries to: Dr Rosemary Cater (r.cater@uq.edu.au)

Supervisor: Dr Sam Robinson (s.robinson@imb.uq.edu.au), Dr Thomas Durek (t.durek@imb.uq.edu.au)

Stinging trees and nettles can cause severe, long-lasting pain. This project will identify toxins from stinging plants and investigate how they cause pain. The findings will improve understanding of plant chemical defences and improve first-aid recommendations.

Hours & Delivery

30 hours per week | On campus | St Lucia campus

What you'll do

You will assist with laboratory studies investigating toxins from Australian stinging plants. Activities may include preparing samples, purifying toxins, analysing peptides by mass spectrometry, and helping investigate how these toxins affect sensory nerve cells. Training will be provided throughout the project.

What you'll learn

You will gain hands-on experience in pharmacology, biochemistry and toxin research while learning experimental design, data analysis and scientific communication.

Outcomes

You will contribute to ongoing research into Australia's venomous plants. Findings may contribute to future scientific publications and improved understanding of stinging plant injuries.

Who should apply?

Applicants must have completed, or be currently enrolled in, a pharmacology course at UQ. An interest in natural toxins and human physiology is desirable, along with curiosity, attention to detail and a willingness to learn.

Additional Opportunities

Attend research seminars and laboratory meetings, with potential opportunities for future Honours or PhD projects.

Additional background/skills

Laboratory safety induction will be provided.

Students may contact the supervisor before applying.

Direct enquiries to: Dr Sam Robinson (s.robinson@imb.uq.edu.au)

Supervisor: Associate Professor Anne Lagendijk (a.lagendijk@imb.uq.edu.au), Associate Professor
Sonia Shah (sonia.shah@imb.uq.edu.au)