Mobility Gut-Brain Alzheimer's Risk Pathways
Upward Mobility, the Gut-Brain Axis, and Sex-Specific Alzheimer's Risk
Published on the 08 October 2026 by UNSW Scientia PhD Project
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.
Does climbing out of poverty carry a hidden biological cost? Join a UNSW–UCLA team to find out. Using the RISE-Up Study, a 20-year natural experiment in which an admissions lottery randomised low-income adolescents into higher-performing schools, you will test whether upwards mobility shapes gut microbiome, inflammation, brain structure and function, cognition and early Alzheimer's risk, and why women are more vulnerable than men.
This project offers interdisciplinary training that will set you up for success. Within an active NIH-funded project at UCLA, you will gain rare, in-demand skills in multimodal MRI/MRS, shotgun metagenomics and integrative modelling, then return to UNSW to lead analysis, publish several first-author papers and present internationally. Supervisors: Bridget Callaghan (UNSW, Psychology), Susanne Roehr (UNSW, Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing) and Jennifer Silvers (UCLA).
The ideal applicant has a background in psychology, neuroscience, epidemiology or bioinformatics, strong quantitative skills, and a desire to understand health disparities.
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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, Bridget Callaghan - z3172956@ad.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
Dr. Bridget Callaghan (UNSW, Primary Supervisor)
Professor Susanne Roher (UNSW, Co-Supervisor)
Professor Jennifer Silvers (UCLA, 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 Psychology
Impact focus area
Pillar 8: Enable healthy lives
Learn more
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.