Research Projects

Choosing the right research project that interests you is a critical element of success. Below you can find a diverse range of cutting-edge research projects available at the Doherty Institute, including the levels they’re available at, information on supervisors and their areas of interest.

Search for a project

Filter by themes and disciplines

Themes

• Immunology
• Viral Infectious Diseases
• Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections
• Host Pathogens Interactions

Disciplines

• Discovery Research
• Genomics
• Epidemiology
• Global Health
• Indigenous Health
• Public Health
• Translational and Clinical Research

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• How do influenza virus infectious dose and replication kinetics impact on the titre and breadth of influenza-reactive antibodies?

  Honours
  WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza

• Immunosurveillance pathways in brain cancer

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Barrow group

• Mining The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to identify novel tumour surveillance pathways and targets for immune checkpoint blockade.

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Barrow group

• Molecular basis for growth factor regulation of natural killer cell function in cancer

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Barrow group

• The role of growth factor immunosurveillance in human cancers

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Barrow group

• Development of cell-based potency assays using Ready-To-Use cells approach

  Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Bioassay group

• Identification of blood transcriptomic biomarkers which characterize dysregulated immune response to bacterial and viral infection in children

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
  Coin Group

• Detecting natural selection in bacterial genomic data

  Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Davies Group

• Evolution of streptococcal pathovars

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Davies Group

• Real-time phylogenetics and epidemiology in SARS-CoV-2 genome data

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
  Davies Group

• Integrative infectious disease phylodynamics

  PhD/MPhil
  Davies Group

• Population genomics of endemic Streptococcus pyogenes

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Davies Group

• Unravelling the drivers of group A streptococcal pandemics

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Davies Group

• Using genomics to investigate the transmission of skin pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in a ‘One Health’ setting

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Davies Group

• Clinical metagenomics for rapid diagnosis of drug resistant tuberculosis

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
  Dunstan group

• Identifying human genes influencing tuberculosis susceptibility and disease outcome

  Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Dunstan group

• Age-dependent susceptibility of neurons to RNA virus infection

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Fazakerley Group

• Role of suppressor of cytokine signalling proteins in viral encephalitis

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Fazakerley Group

• Vertical transmission of Ross River virus in mosquito vectors

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Fazakerley Group

• Development and function of unconventional T cells

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Godfrey Group

• Recognition of phosphoantigens by gamma-delta (γδ) T cells

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Godfrey Group

• Small-drug-alteration of lipid recognition by CD1-restricted unconventional T cells

  Honours
  Godfrey Group

• Studying immune cell responses during infection and cancer using single-cell genomics

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Haque Group

• Applications of phylodynamics to multidrug resistant enteric pathogens

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Howden Group

• Development of new antibiotics to treat multidrug resistant superbugs

  Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Howden Group

• Precision genomics for antimicrobial-resistant bacterial pathogens

  Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Howden Group

• Targeting regulatory T cells to treat cancer

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Kallies Group

• Understanding CD8 T cell responses during chronic infection and cancer

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Kallies Group

• Can resident memory B cells in the lung protect against COVID19 and other respiratory viruses?

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
  Kent group

• Helping make the best antibodies to combat COVID-19 and Influenza

  Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Kent group

• Interrogating B cell immunity to COVID19 and influenza vaccines

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
  Kent group

• A cell-based model of sporadic prion disease

  Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Lawson group

• Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of medically-relevant prion diseases

  Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Lawson group

• Neurodegeneration in the enteric nervous system

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Lawson group

• The role of co-pathologies in the clinical presentation of prion disease

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Lawson group

• The role of the prion protein in brain cancer

  Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Lawson group

• Beyond integration: defining factors that control HIV latency reversal in both clonal and non-clonal populations

  PhD/MPhil
  Lewin group

• Investigating the role of soluble immune checkpoints in HIV persistence

  PhD/MPhil
  Lewin group

• Identifying immunosuppressive mechanisms in brain cancer

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Mantamadiotis group

• A novel link between metabolism and host defence: O-GlcNAc glycosylation

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Villadangos Group

• Immuno-paralysis following severe infections or trauma

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Villadangos Group

• Improving the formation of protective immunity against human viruses

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Villadangos Group

• Regulation of immune receptor expression and turn-over by ubiquitin ligases

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Villadangos Group

• The amyloidogenic protease inhibitor Cystatin C in health and disease

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Villadangos Group

• The immune signature of COVID-19 patients

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Villadangos Group

• Trogocytosis: a novel communication system between cells of the immune system

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Villadangos Group

• Understanding the mechanisms that impair anti-tumour Adoptive Cell Therapy

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Villadangos Group

• Are there additional MAIT cell antigens?

  PhD/MPhil
  McCluskey group

• Dissecting antigen presenting cell subsets and cytokines responding to TLR agonists for MAIT cell activation

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  McCluskey group

• Manipulating MAIT cells for increased protection by vaccination and therapy

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
  McCluskey group

• Role of MAIT cells in viral/bacterial co-infection

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  McCluskey group

• Understanding the role of MAIT cells in immune-mediated pathology

  PhD/MPhil
  McCluskey group

• Understanding the role of MAIT cells in protection from microbial infections

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  McCluskey group

• How is selective metal ion transport achieved at the host-pathogen interface?

  PhD/MPhil, Honours
  McDevitt group

• Mapping elemental fluxes during host-pathogen interaction

  PhD/MPhil, Honours
  McDevitt group

• Metal ion homeostasis in Klebsiella pneumoniae

  PhD/MPhil, Honours
  McDevitt group

• Understanding the biological chemistry of pneumococcal disease

  PhD/MPhil, Honours
  McDevitt group

• Preventing infections of the highly puke-ogenic virus - norovirus

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Mackenzie Group

• Stopping protein translation the norovirus way

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Mackenzie Group

• Bias in vaccine effectiveness studies

  
  McVernon Group

• Buruli ulcers’ Most Wanted – Understanding the mosquito associated with the flesh-eating bacteria, Mycobacterium ulcerans.

  Master of Biomedical Science
  McVernon Group

• Epidemiology of Scarlet Fever in Victoria

  Master of Biomedical Science
  McVernon Group

• Exploring the association between hepatitis C and invasive group A streptococcus infections (iGAS)

  Master of Biomedical Science
  McVernon Group

• Invasive Streptococcus A – piecing together clinical, genomic and public health aspects of the puzzle

  PhD/MPhil
  McVernon Group

• Investigating the determinants of persistent or recurrent infections with group A Streptococcus

  Master of Biomedical Science
  McVernon Group

• Measuring the association between influenza presentations and invasive group A Streptococcus infections (iGAS)

  Master of Biomedical Science
  McVernon Group

• Optimal design of competitive mixture experiments

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
  McVernon Group

• Modelling spatial and demographic heterogeneity of malaria transmission risk

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
  McVernon Group

• Optimising use of existing and emerging SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics to support the public health response to COVID-19

  PhD/MPhil
  McVernon Group

• Sample size determination for within-host animal studies of infection

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
  McVernon Group

• Signals controlling T cell responses during chronic infections and cancer

  Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Mueller Group

• How do tumours impact normal tissue functions?

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Mueller Group

• Neural regulation of anti-cancer immunity

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Mueller Group

• Regeneration of lymphoid tissues

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Mueller Group

• An overview of key antimicrobial stewardship indicators within Australian hospitals

  Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship

• Deciphering the role of important Coxiella effector proteins

  PhD/MPhil, Honours
  Newton Group

• Mitochondria and intracellular bacterial pathogens

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Newton Group

• Using genomics to track transmission of Chlamydia trachomatis

  Honours
  Newton Group

• Illuminating microbial “dark matter” for antibiotic discovery

  Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Pidot group

• New antibiotics from old bacteria

  Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Pidot group

• Antibodies preventing HTLV-1c infection

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Purcell Group

• New drugs to reactivate latent HIV

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
  Purcell Group

• Pathogenesis of HTLV-1 subtype-C infecting remote indigenous Australians

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Purcell Group

• RNA control of HIV latency

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
  Purcell Group

• SARS-CoV-2 escape from neutralising antibody control

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Purcell Group

• Investigating host factors that control the replication of respiratory viruses

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
  Reading Group

• Understanding the entry pathways and viral life cycle of influenza A virus (IAV) in host epithelial cells and immune cells

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
  Reading Group

• Determining the importance of conserved residues identified throughout the HBV genome on viral replication

  Honours
  Revill Group

• Identification and characterisation of novel malarial transmission-blocking antigens

  Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Rogerson Group

• Immunoglobulin allotypes in functional immunity to malaria

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
  Rogerson Group

• Understanding the development of protective immunity to malaria in pregnancy

  Honours
  Rogerson Group

• Pathogenesis of bacterial pneumonia

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Satzke Group

• Streptococcal transmission and disease

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Satzke Group

• Synergistic and antagonistic interplay between Streptococcus pneumoniae and respiratory viruses

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Satzke Group

• Understanding the importance of variation in the capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae

  Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Satzke Group

• Application of proteomics to explore Burkholderia pathogenesis

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Scott group

• Understanding the role of O-linked glycosylation within Burkholderia species

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Scott group

• Finding new antibiotics against Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus

  PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Stinear Group

• Impact of adenine methylation in unstable small colony variants of Staphylococcus aureus

  Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
  Stinear Group

• How does virulence work in Klebsiella pneumoniae

  Honours
  Strugnell Group