MYC Degraders for Brain Tumours
Developing Brain-Penetrant MYC Degraders for Childhood Brain Tumours
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.
Aggressive childhood brain tumours, including medulloblastoma and diffuse midline glioma, urgently need more effective treatments with fewer lasting side effects. This project will develop small molecules that enter the brain and trigger the breakdown of MYC and MYCN, proteins that drive tumour growth and have been difficult to target with conventional drugs. Building on promising lead compounds, the research will investigate how these molecules work, identify factors influencing treatment response and resistance, and guide the development of improved drug candidates.
The student will combine molecular biology, functional genomics and pharmacology to evaluate these compounds in clinically relevant tumour models and identify biomarkers that could support future patient selection. Based at UNSW and Children’s Cancer Institute, the project includes a collaborative research placement at Mayo Clinic, USA. This interdisciplinary training will equip the student to advance a new therapeutic approach and contribute to better outcomes for children with aggressive brain tumours.
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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, Belamy Cheung - BCheung@ccia.org.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 Belamy Cheung (UNSW, Primary Supervisor)
Dr Satyanarayana Gadde (UNSW, Co-Supervisor)
Dr Sukriti Krishan (UNSW, Co-Supervisor)
Professor Shizhen Zhu (Mayo Clinic, 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 Medicine & Health | School of Clinical Medicine
Impact focus area
Pillar 8: Enable healthy lives
Learn more
Supervisors
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.