The Univeristy of Melbourne The Royal Melbourne Hopspital

A joint venture between The University of Melbourne and The Royal Melbourne Hospital

EDUCATION

Research Projects

Project: Characterisation of antimicrobial resistance and virulence of novel staphylococcal lineages

Tong Group

Staphylococcus argenteus is an emerging pathogen first described by Steven Tong (see https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijs.0.062752-0). This project will investigate the evolutionary history, global distribution, and clinical characteristics of S. argenteus. PhD level students will drive the establishment of a national prospective cohort of S. argenteus infections and isolates for incorporation into their studies.

Contact project supervisor for further
information and application enquiries

Project Supervisor

Professor Steven Tong

Project availability
PhD/MPhil

Tong Group

steven.tong@mh.org.au

2 vacancies

Themes
Antimicrobial Resistance
Cross Cutting Disciplines
Computational Science and Genomics
Indigenous Health
Public Health
Clinical and health systems research

Randomised clinical trials are the only way to robustly determine better treatments for patients. Steve’s group uses novel adaptive platform trial methodologies at large scale for conditions such as Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections and COVID-19. See https://www.snaptrial.com.au/ and https://www.ascot-trial.edu.au/.

There are many opportunities for sub-studies within the framework of these large, multi-centre, international clinical trials. Steve also investigates the epidemiology and genomics of staphylococcal and streptococcal infections, with a particular focus on these pathogens in Australian Indigenous communities.