AI Multi-Omics for Precision Medicine
AI-Driven Multi-Omics for Precision Medicine and Therapeutic Discovery
This project is part of the UNSW Scientia PhD Scholarship Scheme
Successful applicants will receive an annual stipend and a one-off Global Mobility Grant to conduct international engagement activities.
Can AI transform complex molecular data into actionable discoveries and accelerate precision cancer therapies?
This PhD project will develop next-generation, biologically grounded AI to integrate multi-omics, clinical, pharmacological and biomedical knowledge for precision oncology and therapeutic discovery.
The research will combine multimodal deep learning, biomedical knowledge graphs, explainable AI and agentic workflows to uncover cancer mechanisms, identify actionable molecular targets and prioritise drug repurposing opportunities. A key innovation will be developing scalable, semi-autonomous AI-driven research workflows that connect heterogeneous evidence, computational models and biological knowledge to generate robust, interpretable and experimentally testable hypotheses.
With a strong industry and translational focus, the project aims to accelerate the journey from complex biomedical data to therapeutic decisions, delivering reusable AI capabilities relevant to biotechnology and pharmaceutical R&D.
Led by Professor Fatemeh Vafaee (UNSW) in close collaboration with Professor Joshua Ho (University of Hong Kong), the project offers internationally connected research with strong industry engagement.
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- Residency: Domestic applicants only.
- Degree program: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
You must meet the minimum requirements below to apply:
- An appropriate Bachelor degree with first or upper second class Honours from UNSW: OR
- A completed Master by Research, with a substantial research component and demonstrated capacity for timely completion of a high-quality research thesis; OR
- a qualification from another tertiary institution at a level considered equivalent by the Faculty Higher Degree Committee (HDC)
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Eligible applicants must contact the Primary Supervisor, Fatemeh Vafaee - f.vafaee@unsw.edu.au. If she agrees to supervise you, you will be invited to submit a formal application to UNSW.
Your email should include:
- CV
- Official academic transcripts
- A brief introduction about you and why you are qualified for this project.
- What interests you about this project and the supervisor(s) expertise.
Research project overview
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Scholarship value
$39,991 per annum (2027 rate) stipend for 3.5 years
$25,000 Global Mobility Grant (one-off) -
Supervisory team
Professor Fatemeh Vafaee (UNSW, Primary Supervisor)
A/Professor Joshua Ho (University of Hong Kong, Co-Supervisor)
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Global research partner
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Candidate residency
Domestic
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Degree program
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
UNSW School | Research area
Faculty of Science | School of Biotechology and Biomolecular Science
Impact focus area
Pillar 8: Enable healthy lives
Learn more
Primary supervisor
Do you have questions?
The UNSW Graduate Research School manages all postgraduate research applications and scholarships. Get in touch with our team to discuss your research interests and the next steps.