Why study at Centenary?
Be trained by our world-class medical researchers to make discoveries that have a positive impact on the health and welfare of our community.
Student Benefits
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Inclusion and Gender Equity Program
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Parental Leave & Support
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Grant Application Support
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Visiting Speaker Initiative
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Weekly Seminars & Lunches
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Unconscious Bias Training
Student Opportunities
Embrace the independence to pursue your desire of discovery. With state-of-the-art facilities, and an internationally renowned reputation, the Centenary Institute offers you the support and means to realise your dreams through pioneering breakthroughs and advancing the fight to find a cure. The Centenary Institute has supported PhD candidates that have gone one to pursue careers in academia, industry, and policy with a positive impact on health and welfare of society. For a list of projects and scholarships for interested applicants, see below.
Progress your research career by taking the next step with a Masters education through the Centenary Institute. With state-of-the-art equipment, and an internal support system consisting of world-renowned scientists, Centenary Institute can be the foundation for your promising career. Our Masters program is designed as a perfect gateway to your PhD, and enables you to further your skills on cutting technologies, while working side by side with researchers at the top of their field. Whatever you desire for your future in science, Centenary can empower you to achieve your goal and help you to where you want to be. For a list of projects and scholarships for interested applicants, see below.
Take your first step into a career in medical research with Centenary. Housing state-of-the-art facilities, you will hone new skills and learn the latest techniques from internationally renowned researchers whilst building the foundations for a future that could see you make breakthroughs that save lives. For a list of projects and scholarships for interested applicants, see below.
Are you an enthusiastic student who would like to get some hands-on experience working in a leading independent medical research institute?
Centenary’s Summer Research Scholarship programs are available to undergraduate students currently in their penultimate or final year of study at the University of Sydney or UTS. The program provides an opportunity for students to undertake research with leading researchers using state-of-the-art technology.
Projects in a variety of research fields are available. You may be assigned a small research project to undertake with supervision or you may assist a researcher as part of a larger project. You will also be invited to attend Institute seminars to broaden your scientific knowledge.
What’s involved in a Summer Research Scholarship with Centenary?
- A stipend of $2,400 will be paid per summer scholar
- Spend 8 weeks working on a research project over the summer break
Eligibility
- The program is open to University of Sydney and UTS students currently in their penultimate or final year of study
- You should have a minimum WAM of 65
- You must be able verify that you have been vaccinated against COVID-19
Selection criteria
- WAM (minimum of 65)
- Your statement of medical research interests
- A short phone, virtual or in person interview may be required with a potential supervisor.
How to apply?
Applications have now closed for this year.
Please come back to this site next year for details on the next Summer Research Scholarship.
Current Student Openings
Project type: HDR/Honours
Theme: Respiratory disease
Project details: In the field of respiratory disease, severe Asthma is of particular importance to Australians. Steroid resistant asthma results in a significantly lower quality of life for sufferers as well as an enormous ongoing cost both to individuals and health systems worldwide. The Center For Inflammation UTS / Centenary institute, led by Prof Hansbro has an internationally renowned track record in the development of human representative animal models to study severe asthma and has recently launched the proteomics node to drive transdisciplinary “multi-Omics” research.
By combining these established mouse models together with advanced mass spectrometry-based proteomics, bulk and single cell RNA sequencing. This project aims to define the role that proteins play in the progression of the pathogenesis of Severe asthma and how they interact with the transcript to contribute to steroid resistance.
Scholarships are available for the right candidate
Technologies: Proteomics, Metabolomics, lipidomics, mass spectrometry, mass spectrometry imaging.
Supervisors: Prof Phil Hansbro, Dr Matt O’Rourke
To apply, contact education@centenary.org.au
Project type: HDR/ honours
Theme: Ageing
Project details: The establishment of the Proteomics Node for the centre for inflammation is a new initiative to enhance ongoing projects in respiratory disease, under the direction of chair of inflammation Prof Phil Hansbro and proteomics Node Leader Dr Matthew O’Rourke. The Node aims to develop and implement mass spectrometry based “Omics” style techniques and apply them to the analyses of a range of respiratory diseases including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD), Severe asthma and the current COVID-19 pandemic. This work will be performed in collaboration with the Centre For Inflammations and its internationally recognised mouse models and track record in single cell RNAseq and histological analysis. This project will focus on the common phenotypic hallmarks of ageing and COPD and will aim to better understand how ageing leads to declines in lung health.
Scholarships are available for the right candidate.
Technologies: Proteomics, Metabolomics, lipidomics, mass spectrometry, mass spectrometry imaging, crosslinking chemistry.
Supervisors: Prof Phil Hansbro, Dr Matt O’Rourke
To apply, contact education@centenary.org.au
Project type: Honours
Theme: Infectious diseases
Project details: Mycobacteria are a broad family of bacterial species broadly clustered into two major groups: Tuberculosis (TB) causing pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). NTM are a diverse group of bacteria, with over 200 species identified to date. Many of these species are environmental organisms found in soil and water sources and pose no risk to human health. However, some of these species are known to cause infections in immunocompromised individuals, or those with underlying structural or genetic abnormalities. The reported incidence of NTM infection is exponentially increasing in first-world countries, frequently surpassing new infections associated with TB, highlighting this emerging health crisis. Mycobacterium abscessus is a rapid-growing mycobacteria commonly associated with pulmonary and extra-pulmonary disease, particularly in those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or cystic fibrosis (CF). M. abscessus is intrinsically resistant to many first-line antimycobacterial drugs, therefore making it increasingly difficult to treat and often associated with poor clinical outcomes and cure rates of approximately 40%. In the past decade, there has been a surge in our understanding of M. abscessus pathogenesis, however there is still limited understanding of both host and pathogen determinants controlling infection outcomes.
In this project, we will dissect the host-pathogen interface of M. abscessus infection using a combination of cellular and animal models to identify novel pathogenic traits and host pathways required for infection. We will further explore host genetic determinants controlling M. abscessus infection using our world-leading mouse models of chronic respiratory disease. We will explore M. abscessus genetic signatures that are linked to diverse infection outcomes and understand how these regulate the host-pathogen interface during infection. Finally, we will exploit these identified pathways to propose novel host-directed therapies that may lead to increased host clearance of the M. abscessus infection.
Technologies: Cell culture, high-throughput drug screening, fluorescent microscopy, genetic manipulation of micro-organisms
Supervisors: Dr Matt Johansen, Prof Philip Hansbro
To apply, contact education@centenary.org.au
This project will investigate maximally effective microbiome and dietary interventions in experimental and human COPD to treat clinical trial human patients. Experiments will involve Faecal Microbial Transfer (FMT), and specific bacterial taxa/probiotic and dietary manipulation. Dietary interventions will be designed at the molecular level to outgrow specific microbial populations and the production of specific metabolite profiles. This will enable rapid profiling of the most effective interventions not possible in human studies.
Supervisor: Professor Phil Hansbro p.hansbro@centenary.org.au
Healthy Environments And Lives (HEAL) – National Research Network on Human Health and Environmental Change.
HEAL aims to transform the human health and environmental change research landscape in Australia by establishing a highly innovative, inter-disciplinary, geographically distributed, dynamic and equitable network of researchers and research end-users from across Australia.
Supervisor: Professor Phil Hansbro p.hansbro@centenary.org.au
Project type: Honours
Theme: Pathology
Supervisors: Prof. Mark Gorrell & Dr. Bobby Boumelhem
Project details: Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease is poised to become one of the biggest contributors to liver transplants in the next decade. Chronic lipid accumulation activates fibrotic pathways leading to fibrosis. Liver fibrosis is a crucial predictor of progression towards cirrhosis and cancer, so its assessment is critical in determining treatment eligibility and in risk-stratification. Our lab has a keen interest in the Dipeptidyl Peptidase family of enzymes which includes fibroblast activated protein. A suitable project will be designed around the candidate student’s interests, skills and aspirations, with a focus on the potential of FAP as a biomarker for liver disease progression.
Gorrell MD. Dipeptidyl peptidase IV and related enzymes in cell biology and liver disorders. Clin Sci (Lond) 2005 April; 108 (4): 277–292. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20040302
Keane FM, Yao TW, Seelk S, Gall MG, Chowdhury S, Poplawski SE, Lai JH, Li Y, Wu W, Farrell P, Vieira de Ribeiro AJ, Osborne B, Yu DM, Seth D, Rahman K, Haber P, Topaloglu AK, Wang C, Thomson S, Hennessy A, Prins J, Twigg SM, McLennan SV, McCaughan GW, Bachovchin WW, Gorrell MD.
Quantitation of fibroblast activation protein (FAP)-specific protease activity in mouse, baboon and human fluids and organs. FEBS Open Bio. 2013 Dec 8;4:43-54. doi: 10.1016/j.fob.2013.12.001. PMID: 24371721; PMCID: PMC3871272.
Technologies: Cell culture/transfection; enzymatic assays; immunohistochemistry; flow cytometry; qPCR
Applications Close: December 15, 2024
Enquiries and to apply email: education@centenary.org.au
Project type: Honours
Theme: Pathology
Supervisors: Prof. Mark Gorrell & Dr. Bobby Boumelhem
Project details: Primary liver cancer is the 3rd leading cause of cancer related deaths. We are addressing the urgent need to develop a greater understanding of pathogenesis for improved therapeutics. The pathogenesis of chronic liver injury and cancer is driven by chronic cell death and proliferation and inflammation. Cirrhosis generally precedes cancer in the liver. Proteases are important in cancer pathogenesis and suit drug development. We primarily study fibroblast activation protein (FAP) and DPP9 as proteases associated with cancer pathogenesis. We will discuss with each student their interests, skills and aspirations in order to design a suitable project within this field.
Huang JC, Emran AA, Endaya JM, McCaughan GW, Gorrell MD, Zhang HE. DPP9: Comprehensive In Silico Analyses of Loss of Function Gene Variants and Associated Gene Expression Signatures in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Apr 1;13(7):1637. doi: 10.3390/cancers13071637. PMID: 33915844; PMCID: PMC8037973.
Harapas CR, Robinson KS, Lay K, Wong J, Moreno Traspas R, Nabavizadeh N, Rass-Rothschild A, Boisson B, Drutman SB, Laohamonthonkul P, Bonner D, Xiong JR, Gorrell MD, Davidson S, Yu CH, Fleming MD, Gudera J, Stein J, Ben-Harosh M, Groopman E, Shimamura A, Tamary H, Kayserili H, Hatipoğlu N, Casanova JL, Bernstein JA, Zhong FL, Masters SL, Reversade B. DPP9 deficiency: An inflammasomopathy that can be rescued by lowering NLRP1/IL-1 signaling. Sci Immunol. 2022 Sep
16;7(75):eabi4611. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abi4611. Epub 2022 Sep 16. PMID: 36112693; PMCID: PMC9844213.
Technologies: Mouse genetics, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, qPCR, immunoblotting, protease assays, ELISA and confocal microscopy.
Applications Close: December 15, 2024
Enquiries and to apply email: education@centenary.org.au
“I was so honoured to be taken on board to start my research career at Centenary. Working in this space allows me to develop professionally, hopefully publish in the future, and lay the foundations for the rest of my career”
“I’m really thankful that Centenary has given me this opportunity to start the next stage of my scientific career in Ghent, Belgium. I do really hope I’ll be back to research here again”.
Scholarships
Centenary Foundation Scholarship
The purpose of this scholarship is to offer a talented PhD student with a $25, 000 per annum stipend for 3 years over the course of their candidature. Applications will be considered and assessed based on academic merit and research experience. Applications close 30 November 2023.
Berth Cheung Top-Up Scholarship
The purpose of this top-up scholarship is to offer existing PhD students with an annual stipend of $5, 000 (up to three years) which they can use for their research (e.g. consumables, computer) or professional development (e.g. conference travel). Applications will be considered and assessed based on the progress that the candidate has made up until the time of application. Applications close 30 November 2023.
Please refer to the USYD website: https://www.sydney.edu.au/scholarships/
Please refer to the UTS website: https://www.uts.edu.au/study/scholarships
Get in touch
For any enquiries on our student opportunities, scholarship program or study opportunities at Centenary, please email through the button below to submit your enquiry. We will review your enquiry and get back to you as soon as possible.
FAQs
Applications for domestic students are due in May and October of each year.
For international students, the submissions are due in September and December of each year.
We would first recommend you make contact with a supervisor at Centenary. Getting a relevant visa can take some time so it is important to factor this into your application timeline. We suggest submitting a completed application six months before you want to commence and if you’re successful, you can then apply for your visa.