Three New PhD scholarships available in Prof Rossjohn's lab
Four new PhD scholarships are available in Prof Jamie Rossjohn's laboratory. The four projects are as follows:
Investigation of T cell mediated allograft rejection
Incompatibility between donor and recipient cells remains the principal barrier for successful transplantation. T cell alloreactivity, or the recognition of foreign pHLA by self-T cells, is a long-standing paradox in cellular immunology. How and why alloreactive T cells exist at such high frequencies remains unclear.
Using X-ray crystallography we can observed the interaction of the T cell receptor with both the foreign and self-pHLA complexes and provide molecular basis for T cell allorecognition mechanism that could lead to allograft rejection. Ultimately, this project will lead to improved understanding of T cell alloreactivity and might facilitate development of prognostic tools.
The project will use molecular biology, protein expression and purification, structural and cellular immunology techniques. We have access to the state-of-the-art crystallisation platform at Monash (Crystalmation Facility) to determine the crystallisation conditions, X-ray Synchrotron radiation at the Australian Synchrotron.
The scholarship is for 3 years, at a stipend equivalent to Australian Postgraduate Award rates. Applicants should have a science degree, ideally with first class honours (or H1 equivalent).
Natural Killer T cell receptor recognition of glycolipid antigens
The project is within the immunity group and will be focused on Natural Killer T-cell receptor recognition of glycolipid antigens and will involve molecular biology, protein expression and purification, structural and cellular immunology techniques. The successful applicant will join a group of researchers with a proven international track record in the field of immunology and structural biology.
The scholarship is for 3 years, at a stipend equivalent to Australian Postgraduate Award rates. Applicants should have a science degree, ideally with first class honours (or H1 equivalent).
Viral Immunity (2 projects)
The two proposed projects are within the Viral immunity group, alongside Dr Stephanie Gras, and will be focused on HIV and Influenza viruses recognition by T cell receptor. Viruses are part of day-to-day encounters that the immune system needs to deal with. How the immune system “sees”, recognises and eliminates viral infection is not fully understood. Indeed, viruses are able to mutate in order to escape the immune system surveillance. If we were to develop better vaccine and drugs, or even vaccine against viruses like HIV, it is essential to understand the mechanism of viral recognition and viral escape prior to this.
We use X-ray crystallography to make 3D structures of viral peptides bound to immune system proteins (MHC molecule) in complex with T cell receptor (TCR). The atomic structure allows us to observed the details of the interaction between the peptide and the TCR. These structures help us understanding the recognition mechanism of the T cell for the viral particle. Our interest is the structural comparison of a native viral peptide and a mutant of the viral peptide that impact on T cell recognition. This will guide us to understand the diverse mechanisms of viral escape, and how to activate T cells earlier than viral escape occurs.
The project will use molecular biology, protein expression and purification, structural and cellular immunology techniques. We have access to the state-of-the-art crystallisation platform at Monash (Crystalmation Facility) to determine the crystallisation conditions, X-ray Synchrotron radiation at the Australian Synchrotron.
The scholarship is for 3 years, at a stipend equivalent to Australian Postgraduate Award rates. Applicants should have a science degree, ideally with first class honours (or H1 equivalent).
Please direct all enquires to Margaret Bills ([email protected]), 99029238.
Investigation of T cell mediated allograft rejection
Incompatibility between donor and recipient cells remains the principal barrier for successful transplantation. T cell alloreactivity, or the recognition of foreign pHLA by self-T cells, is a long-standing paradox in cellular immunology. How and why alloreactive T cells exist at such high frequencies remains unclear.
Using X-ray crystallography we can observed the interaction of the T cell receptor with both the foreign and self-pHLA complexes and provide molecular basis for T cell allorecognition mechanism that could lead to allograft rejection. Ultimately, this project will lead to improved understanding of T cell alloreactivity and might facilitate development of prognostic tools.
The project will use molecular biology, protein expression and purification, structural and cellular immunology techniques. We have access to the state-of-the-art crystallisation platform at Monash (Crystalmation Facility) to determine the crystallisation conditions, X-ray Synchrotron radiation at the Australian Synchrotron.
The scholarship is for 3 years, at a stipend equivalent to Australian Postgraduate Award rates. Applicants should have a science degree, ideally with first class honours (or H1 equivalent).
Natural Killer T cell receptor recognition of glycolipid antigens
The project is within the immunity group and will be focused on Natural Killer T-cell receptor recognition of glycolipid antigens and will involve molecular biology, protein expression and purification, structural and cellular immunology techniques. The successful applicant will join a group of researchers with a proven international track record in the field of immunology and structural biology.
The scholarship is for 3 years, at a stipend equivalent to Australian Postgraduate Award rates. Applicants should have a science degree, ideally with first class honours (or H1 equivalent).
Viral Immunity (2 projects)
The two proposed projects are within the Viral immunity group, alongside Dr Stephanie Gras, and will be focused on HIV and Influenza viruses recognition by T cell receptor. Viruses are part of day-to-day encounters that the immune system needs to deal with. How the immune system “sees”, recognises and eliminates viral infection is not fully understood. Indeed, viruses are able to mutate in order to escape the immune system surveillance. If we were to develop better vaccine and drugs, or even vaccine against viruses like HIV, it is essential to understand the mechanism of viral recognition and viral escape prior to this.
We use X-ray crystallography to make 3D structures of viral peptides bound to immune system proteins (MHC molecule) in complex with T cell receptor (TCR). The atomic structure allows us to observed the details of the interaction between the peptide and the TCR. These structures help us understanding the recognition mechanism of the T cell for the viral particle. Our interest is the structural comparison of a native viral peptide and a mutant of the viral peptide that impact on T cell recognition. This will guide us to understand the diverse mechanisms of viral escape, and how to activate T cells earlier than viral escape occurs.
The project will use molecular biology, protein expression and purification, structural and cellular immunology techniques. We have access to the state-of-the-art crystallisation platform at Monash (Crystalmation Facility) to determine the crystallisation conditions, X-ray Synchrotron radiation at the Australian Synchrotron.
The scholarship is for 3 years, at a stipend equivalent to Australian Postgraduate Award rates. Applicants should have a science degree, ideally with first class honours (or H1 equivalent).
Please direct all enquires to Margaret Bills ([email protected]), 99029238.
Top-up scholarships of $5,000 p.a. are available for students who have secured an Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) scholarship or other full PhD scholarships to do a PhD with one of the Centre’s five nodes commencing in 2014-15.
Over 40 top-up scholarships will be awarded between 2014 and 2020.
The ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Molecular Imaging aims to provide an unprecedented understanding of how immunity works and to pioneer the next generation of imaging at the atomic, molecular, cellular and whole animal levels.
The Centre brings together leading Australian researchers in nodes at Monash University, La Trobe University, The University of Melbourne, The University of New South Wales and The University of Queensland and is funded from 2014-2020.
The Centre’s PhD program includes:
- Biology, Chemistry and Physics projects
- Exceptional interdisciplinary projects
- Work across multiple nodes, including our international partners in Germany and the UK
- Train on and use state-of-the-art research infrastructure
Eligibility:
You must:
- be about to or wish to commence the first year of your PhD at one of the Centre's nodes, AND
- have already secured an APA or other full scholarship through external means.
Interested? – Send your CV and contact details to info at imagingcoe dot org
