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Scaling Up a Novel Precision Oncology Model of Care - PhD Scholarship Applications NOW OPEN

Genomic diagnostics have significantly advanced therapeutic and preventative measures in oncology and cancer genetics. However, despite increased access, the implementation of genomics-based care is hindered by fragmentation and scalability challenges due to insufficient system support. The Precision Care Initiative aims to establish an innovative and scalable Precision Care Clinic (PCC). This clinic is specifically designed to coordinate precision medicine in oncology, streamline decision support for oncologists and geneticists, enhance the quality of care through comprehensive and patient-centered communication, and improve translational capacity by integrating expertise in precision oncology, implementation science, clinical informatics, cancer genetics, health economics, and patient-reported outcomes. The PhD student will be required to conduct a process evaluation project and lead a scale-up dataset development/integration, framework and toolkit design.

Scholarship: $40,000 per annum, 3.5 years. 

Eligibility

  • Applicants must have Honours or Masters by Research thesis with Distinction/High Distinction level of achievement. 
  • Domestic applicants only
  • PhD applicants only

How to Apply

To express interest, please email Associate Professor Natalie Taylor at precisioncareinitiative@unsw.edu.au with your CV and academic transcripts by 11 November 2024.

2025 Cancer Theme Research Seed Grants Applications CLOSED

Collaboration is fundamental to research quality and success. This grant program aims to promote cross-disciplinary collaboration within the UNSW cancer research community through the award of seed grants. The objective of the grant is to initiate collaborative team science, leading to increased competitiveness for program-level grant funding, staff exchanges for education and training, and shared use of infrastructure.  We recognise that the funding landscape is particularly difficult for early- and mid-career researchers. These grants will provide targeted support for this crucial group and our next generation of leaders. 

In this grant round, projects can address any area along the continuum of cancer research, from preclinical to clinical research. Applicants must demonstrate that their project will be completed by December 2025, with funding available from January 2025. No extensions will be provided.

2025 -2028 White Walker Cancer Research Scholarship Applications CLOSED

The UNSW Faculty of Medicine and Health - White Walker Cancer Research Scholarship is a full 4-year PhD scholarship offered to outstanding domestic candidates to be trained to conduct research specifically in the field of Cancer, under the supervision of experienced academics affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine and Health at UNSW.

The scholarship comprises a full stipend of $45,000 per annum for a maximum of 4 years; a career development fund of $10,000 per annum; a comprehensive Research Training and Career Development program; and a 3-month (1 term) integrated internship with an academic unit or industry partner.

2024 Cancer Theme Research Seed Grants ($50,000)

Seed grants are offered to support new and strategic research, with a focus on collaboration across organisations and disciplines. Unsuccessful seed grants are eligible for other forms of support, including grant preparation support or leverage funds for external funding applications above $2m and philanthropic exposure.

Recipients

Affiliation

Grant Title

Dr. Angelica Merlot

Children’s Cancer Institute

Targeting Cell Surface Proteins in Deadly Paediatric and Adult Brain Cancers

Dr. Daryan Kempe

School of Biomedical Sciences/ Molecular Medicine, UNSW

Dissecting crosstalk between neutrophils and T cells in microbial therapy of pancreatic cancer

Dr. Frank Lin

The Garvan Institute

Establishing clinical correlates of SLC7A11 expression in pancreatic adenocarcinoma through histomorphology and deep learning analyses: the first step towards clinical translation

Dr. Jessica Bell

Children’s Cancer Institute

Targeting the YTHDF2 oncogene with non-toxic copper chelation in neuronal cancers

Dr. Narjess Ayati

The Garvan Institute

Development of Novel Treatment Response Criteria in Prostate-specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) SPECT/CT for Optimizing 177Lu-PSMA radionuclide therapy in Patients with Advanced Prostate Cancer (ReSPECT)

White Walker Cancer Research Scholarship

The UNSW Faculty of Medicine and Health - White Walker Cancer Research Scholarship is a full 4-year PhD scholarship offered to outstanding domestic candidates to be trained to conduct research specifically in the field of Cancer, under the supervision of experienced academics affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine and Health at UNSW.

Year

Recipient

2024-2028

Lucy Haggstrom

2022-2026

Michael Trpceski

  • 2023 Cancer Symposium Poster Presentation Winners

    Recipient

    Affiliation

    Prize

    Carley Purcell

    The Garvan Institute

    PhD Student Poster Prize

    Allegra Freelander

    The Garvan Institute

    Early Career Researcher Poster Prize

    Leila Eshraghi

    The Garvan Institute

    Mid-career Researcher Poster Prize

    Vikneswary Batumalai

    School of Clinical Medicine

    Consumer Poster Prize

     

    2022 Cancer Symposium Poster Presentation Winners

    Recipient

    Prize

    Felix Kohane

    PhD Student Poster Prize

    Beata Kiedik

    PhD Student Poster Prize

    Dr. Shabani Gupta

    Early Career Researcher Poster Prize

    Dr. Beatriz Perez San Juan

    Mid-career Researcher Poster Prize

     

    2023 Cancer Theme Research Seed Grants ($50,000)

    Recipients

    Affiliation

    Grant Title

    Dr. Joanna Achinger-Kawecka

    The Garvan Institute

    Targeting enhancers to overcome breast cancer resistance to CDK4/6 inhibition

    Dr. Craig Haifer

    School of Clinical Medicine

    St Vincent's Healthcare Clinical Campus

    Orally Administered Faecal Microbial Transplantation in the Management of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Associated Colitis - A randomised control trial to assess safety and preliminary efficacy

    Dr. Dongli Liu

    School of Clinical Medicine (WCH)

    Establishing 3D Ovarian Cancer Organoids Using Novel Biomaterials

    Dr. Kendelle Murphy

    The Garvan Institute

    Uncoupling the tumour-stroma feedback loop in pancreatic cancer using the ROCK2 inhibitor KD025, in combination with contemporary Folfirinox chemotherapy.

    Dr. Mei Ling Yap

    The George Institute for Global Health

    SoCM SWS Clinical Campus

    Leveraging big data to attain equity in cancer control for refugees and recent migrants

     

    2022 Cancer Theme Research Seed Grants ($50,000)

    Recipients

    Affiliation

    Grant Title

    Dr. Benjamin Daniels

    Centre for Big Data Research

    Understanding the impact of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) on Australian cancer treatment

    Dr. Leila Eshraghi

    The Garvan Institute

    Elucidating the oncogenic role of telomere dysfunction in drug resistant ER+ breast cancer

    Dr. Jackie Huang

    Children’s Cancer Institute

    Sensitisation and eradication of chemo-resistant T-ALL by repurposing epigenetic and myeloid-directed drugs

    Dr. Ernesto Moles

    Children’s Cancer Institute

    In vivo controlled reprogramming of T cells with chimeric antigen receptor-encoding mRNA nanoparticles to potently suppress brain cancer

    Dr. Brooke Pereira

    The Garvan Institute

    Repurposing PCSK9 inhibitor PF-846 to enhance immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer