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- A multi-pronged approach to targeting myeloproliferative neoplasms
- A new paradigm of machine learning-based structural variant detection
- A whole lot of junk or a treasure trove of discovery?
- Advanced imaging interrogation of pathogen induced NETosis
- Analysing the metabolic interactions in brain cancer
- Atopic dermatitis causes and treatments
- Boosting the efficacy of immunotherapy in lung cancer
- Building a cell history recorder using synthetic biology for longitudinal patient monitoring
- Characterisation of malaria parasite proteins exported into infected liver cells
- Deciphering the heterogeneity of the tissue microenvironment by multiplexed 3D imaging
- Defining the mechanisms of thymic involution and regeneration
- Delineating the molecular and cellular origins of liver cancer to identify therapeutic targets
- Developing computational methods for spatial transcriptomics data
- Developing drugs to block malaria transmission
- Developing models for prevention of hereditary ovarian cancer
- Developing statistical frameworks for analysing next generation sequencing data
- Development and mechanism of action of novel antimalarials
- Development of novel RNA sequencing protocols for gene expression analysis
- Discoveries in red blood cell production and function
- Discovering epigenetic silencing mechanisms in female stem cells
- Discovery and targeting of novel regulators of transcription
- Dissecting host cell invasion by the diarrhoeal pathogen Cryptosporidium
- Dissecting mechanisms of cytokine signalling
- Doublecortin-like kinases, drug targets in cancer and neurological disorders
- Epigenetic biomarkers of tuberculosis infection
- Epigenetics – genome wide multiplexed single-cell CUT&Tag assay development
- Exploiting cell death pathways in regulatory T cells for cancer immunotherapy
- Exploiting the cell death pathway to fight Schistosomiasis
- Finding treatments for chromatin disorders of intellectual disability
- Functional epigenomics in human B cells
- How do nutrition interventions and interruption of malaria infection influence development of immunity in sub-Saharan African children?
- Human lung protective immunity to tuberculosis
- Improving therapy in glioblastoma multiforme by activating complimentary programmed cell death pathways
- Innovating novel diagnostic tools for infectious disease control
- Integrative analysis of single cell RNAseq and ATAC-seq data
- Interaction with Toxoplasma parasites and the brain
- Interactions between tumour cells and their microenvironment in non-small cell lung cancer
- Investigation of a novel cell death protein
- Malaria: going bananas for sex
- Mapping spatial variation in gene and transcript expression across tissues
- Mechanisms of Wnt secretion and transport
- Multi-modal computational investigation of single-cell communication in metastatic cancer
- Nanoparticle delivery of antibody mRNA into cells to treat liver diseases
- Naturally acquired immune response to malaria parasites
- Organoid-based discovery of new drug combinations for bowel cancer
- Organoid-based precision medicine approaches for oral cancer
- Removal of tissue contaminations from RNA-seq data
- Reversing antimalarial resistance in human malaria parasites
- Role of glycosylation in malaria parasite infection of liver cells, red blood cells and mosquitoes
- Screening for novel genetic causes of primary immunodeficiency
- Single-cell ATAC CRISPR screening – Illuminate chromatin accessibility changes in genome wide CRISPR screens
- Spatial single-cell CRISPR screening – All in one screen: Where? Who? What?
- Statistical analysis of single-cell multi-omics data
- Structural and functional analysis of epigenetic multi-protein complexes in genome regulation
- Structural basing for Wnt acylation
- Structure, dynamics and impact of extra-chromosomal DNA in cancer
- Targeted deletion of disease-causing T cells
- Targeting cell death pathways in tissue Tregs to treat inflammatory diseases
- The cellular and molecular calculation of life and death in lymphocyte regulation
- The role of hypoxia in cell death and inflammation
- The role of ribosylation in co-ordinating cell death and inflammation
- Understanding Plasmodium falciparum invasion of red blood cells
- Understanding cellular-cross talk within a tumour microenvironment
- Understanding the genetics of neutrophil maturation
- Understanding the roles of E3 ubiquitin ligases in health and disease
- Unveiling the heterogeneity of small cell lung cancer
- Using combination immunotherapy to tackle heterogeneous brain tumours
- Using intravital microscopy for immunotherapy against brain tumours
- Using nanobodies to understand malaria invasion and transmission
- Using structural biology to understand programmed cell death
- Validation and application of serological markers of previous exposure to malaria
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International PhD Scholar Initiative

Our International PhD Scholar Initiative enables outstanding international students to join our Medical Biology PhD Program.
The International PhD Scholar Initiative (IPSI) recruits candidates who completed their latest degree outside of Australia to come to WEHI to undertake their PhD research. IPSI selects students on the basis of their academic record, relevant experience, research motivation, referees' reports and a video conference interview.
The latest round of applications closed on Friday 11 November 2022.
International PhD scholarships
WEHI offers a number of dedicated scholarships to support International PhD Scholars.
Our International PhD Scholarships provide a living allowance equivalent to the current Melbourne Research Scholarship rate.
In addition, all international PhD students receive WEHI’s $2000 per annum scholarship top-up plus a relocation allowance (once-off lump sum of $3000), health insurance coverage and a university tuition fee offset.
International students who are in the final year of their current degree (expected to complete their current degree in mid-2023) are eligible to apply for this round of the International PhD Scholar Initiative.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the International PhD Scholar Initiative applicants must meet the following academic requirements:
- Have a four-year undergraduate degree (with a substantial research component) or masters degree at an international university
or
- Be in the final academic year of their current degree due to complete in first semester of 2023
This initiative is for applicants who will be enrolled as an international student in Australia.
- Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and New Zealand citizens qualify as domestic students with University of Melbourne and are not eligible to apply for the International PhD Scholar Initiative.
- If your last degree of study was at an Australian university, you are also not eligible for the International PhD Scholar Initiative. These international students should please see the scholarships options available.
PhD program details
WEHI's PhD students receive advanced, multidisciplinary medical research training through hands-on research within our leading scientific teams. Our Medical Biology PhD Program also equips students with the broader knowledge and skills to advance their careers.
Find out more about the benefits of studying with us.
How to apply
Applications for the 2022 International PhD Scholar Initiative have now closed.
Prospective international PhD students should investigate research projects with individual supervisors, attend our Student Open Days and be aware of the PhD application process for research opportunities with us.
To apply for the International PhD Scholar Initiative in 2022, international applicants (not currently or recently enrolled at an Australian university) will be required to:
- Check that you currently meet or are on track to meet the entry requirements for PhD candidature at the University of Melbourne.
- Investigate the student project opportunities to identify your preferred research areas (applicants should contact supervisors to discuss projects).
- Complete and submit an application form online.
You will be asked to nominate up to three research projects or WEHI supervisors for your application. You are encouraged to directly contact supervisor/s to discuss projects; any supervisor/s verbal agreement is informal at this stage. If you have secured a project with a WEHI supervisor, include a letter of support (optional).
You will be asked to submit the following supporting documents:
- A cover letter that explains your research interests and motivation for doing a PhD
- Curriculum vitae
- Academic transcripts (include university grading scale and English translation, if applicable).
Applications close on Friday 11 November 2022 (11:59pm AEST).
Incomplete applications (including missing supporting documents) will not be considered.
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted via email after the close date and invited to a video conference interview within four weeks of the close date. At this stage, shortlisted applicants will be required to provide professional or academic referee reports.
WEHI international PhD scholarships will be awarded to the successful students by the end of 2022. The Scientific Education Office will assist the selected scholars to finalise supervisors and PhD project, and admissions for commencement in 2023.
WEHI welcomes international students who are currently or recently enrolled at an Australian university to apply for a PhD project at WEHI through the main PhD application process.
At WEHI we strive to ensure our students and staff enjoy a great working environment, and we value diversity and gender equality in our student body and workforce.
Contact
For any queries about this initiaitve:
Scientific Education Office
Email education@wehi.edu.au