School of Biomedical Sciences Winter Research projects
SBMS#1: Researching 'Rare' Specimens
Project title: SBMS#1 | Researching 'Rare' Specimens |
Project duration, hours of engagement | 4 weeks from 24th June to 19th July 2024 Hours expected per week: 25 hours |
Location: | Herston: UQ Health Sciences Building, Integrated Pathology Learning Centre |
Description: | The Integrated Pathology Learning Centre has an array of specimens that were deemed ‘rare’ and ‘unusual’ cases when acquired. For example, we have an oesophageal cast from a patient who regurgitated the epithelial lining of their oesophagus. To date, no research has been conducted into these specimens. This winter project is focused on selecting one of these specimens and researching into the disease/injury in order to provide a more in-depth understanding of the specimen’s rarity. The first week of this project will be dedicated to selecting the specimen and conducting some preliminary research. This will be followed by two weeks of compiling a research report into the specimen highlighting its medical/scientific value. Finally, there will be the opportunity to expand on the research and create a small statement of scientific significance to be displayed alongside the specimen. The main goal of this project is to expand the knowledge behind the IPLC's collection and its significance as a pathology museum. |
Expected outcomes and deliverables: | Through this project, scholars will be able to gain experience in medical research, producing a report, writing a significance statement, and, if time allows, producing a specimen label. |
Suitable for: | This project is open to all students who are interested in learning about diseases and conducting research into disease prevalence. No specific background requirements. |
Primary Supervisor: | Ms Rebecca Lush Curator, Integrated Pathology Learning Centre |
Contact info: | The supervisor CAN be contacted by students prior to submission of an application. |
SBMS#2: Development of novel strategies for treatment of cancer
Project title: SBMS#2 | Investigations into metabolism changes in epilepsy |
Project duration, hours of engagement | 4 weeks from 24th June to 19th July 2024 Hours expected per week: 36 hours |
Location: | St Lucia: McGregor Building |
Description: | We are interested in developing novel nano-therapeutic methods to overcome immune suppression in cancer. The high recurrence rate is a major challenge in the clinical management of cancer. While stimulating our own immune system to recognize and attack tumour cells represents an attractive means to facilitate complete elimination of tumours, emerging data suggest that many of the immunotherapy tools, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, are minimally active in cancer. We aim to understand the complex immune suppression mechanism in tumours and use this information to develop effective strategies enhance anti-tumour immunity. We are also interested in developing more effective tumour-targeting delivery strategies for treatment of cancer. Ultimately, strategies developed in this project could harness the power of the immune system to eliminate tumours and significantly increase the survival of patients with cancer. We are seeking a motivated undergraduate student who is interested in contributing to a large project involving nanotechnology and cancer biology, and who is eager to learn how to develop effective strategies for cancer treatment. The student will learn critical research skills, gain experience in working in a multidisciplinary environment, and contribute to an exciting project in the area of cancer nanomedicine and immunology. This project is open to applications from students with a background in biomedical engineering, biomedical sciences, pharmacy, who is interested in exploring research as a career path. |
Expected outcomes and deliverables: | The student will learn critical laboratory skills and knowledge needed to develop new strategies to overcome immune suppression in cancer. He/She will gain experience in working in a multidisciplinary environment, obtain hands-on research training. |
Suitable for: | This project is open to applications from students with a background in biomedical engineering, biomedical sciences, pharmacy, who is interested in exploring research as a career path. |
Primary Supervisor: | Dr Sherry Wu |
Contact info: | The supervisor MUST be contacted by students prior to submission of an application. |
SBMS#3: Exploring stress and effective emotion regulation strategies in undergraduate students
Project title: SBMS#3 | Exploring stress and effective emotion regulation strategies in undergraduate students |
Project duration, hours of engagement | 4 weeks from 24th June to 19th July 2024 Hours expected per week: 36 hours |
Location: | St Lucia: McGregor Building |
Description: | This project involves research into biomedical science education. It will explore common stressors experienced by first year undergraduates enrolled in the Physiology for Human Movement Studies course PHYL1007, and effective methods of emotion regulation. Data was obtained in semester 2, 2023, from open questions put to consenting students as part of a meta learning assessment, at the beginning and end of semester. Common stressors and proposed emotion regulation techniques will be identified through analysis of answers to questions posed at the beginning and end of semester, and the reasons for this. Data will be subjected to deductive qualitative analysis to determine common themes (as per Braun & Clarke, 2006), and quantitative analysis will be used to identify potential relationships between effective emotion regulation, student engagement and academic performance. The findings will provide insight into the undergraduate student experience, assisting in the identification and future mitigation of stressful experiences within the university environment. It will identify effective emotion regulation techniques used by students, and whether the number of techniques employed by students, or specific techniques correlate with academic performance. These data can be used to inform future education practice to take into account the emotional experiences of undergraduate students at university. |
Expected outcomes and deliverables: | Students would gain in depth experience in data collection and statistical analysis using NVivo, Microsoft Excel, GraphPad Prism and SPSS and an opportunity to develop logical thinking, attention to detail, science communication and critical thinking. |
Suitable for: | Any students with an interest in biomedical science education and stress regulation, who are interested in their developing research skills. |
Primary Supervisor: | |
Contact info: | The supervisor MUST be contacted by students prior to submission of an application. |
SBMS#4: Understanding how TEAD1 shapes corticogenesis
Project title: SBMS#4 | Understanding how TEAD1 shapes corticogenesis |
Project duration, hours of engagement | 4 weeks from 24th June to 19th July 2024 Hours expected per week: 36 hours |
Location: | St Lucia: Otto Hirschfeld Building |
Description: | This project will investigate how the transcription factor TEAD1 regulates the development of the brain. The project will include sectioning, histology, microscopy and analysis, and will provide a good grounding of what being in a lab is like! |
Expected outcomes and deliverables: | Learning how some basic lab techniques work, how to think critically and learning how science in the lab is performed. |
Suitable for: | Students considering Honours or PhD. |
Primary Supervisor: | |
Contact info: | The supervisor MUST be contacted by students prior to submission of an application. |
SBMS#5: Blood vessel changes in epilepsy
Project title: SBMS#5 | Blood vessel changes in epilepsy |
Project duration, hours of engagement | 4 weeks from 24th June to 19th July 2024 Hours expected per week: between 20 to 36 hours |
Location: | St Lucia: Skerman Building 65 |
Description: | The project seeks to develop a method to quantify blood vessels in brain tissue from epilepsy models. Experience with image J and marcro writing is preferred. |
Expected outcomes and deliverables: | Scholars will gain skills in data collection, may contribute to a publication, are expected to produce a report and give an oral presentation at the end of their project. |
Suitable for: | This project is open to applications from students with a background in biomedical sciences, pre-medical provisional students as well as students considering an Honours degree in BBiomed or a PhD. |
Primary Supervisor: | A/Prof Karin Borges |
Contact info: | The supervisor MUST be contacted by students prior to submission of an application. |
SBMS#6: Optimising the 'recipe' for making well-defined peptide nanoparticle-based gene delivery systems
Project title: SBMS#6 | Optimising the 'recipe' for making well-defined peptide nanoparticle-based gene delivery systems |
Project duration, hours of engagement | 4 weeks from 24th June to 19th July 2024 Hours expected per week: between 21 hours |
Location: | St Lucia: Skerman Building |
Description: | We are working with Melbourne-based company Loxegen to develop inhalable nanoparticle-based gene delivery systems for cystic fibrosis. Our group have discovered that subtle changes in the nanoparticle solvent and PEG composition (an ingredient used in making the nanoparticles) can significantly change the nanoparticle size and its ability to transfect cells with the packaged DNA. In this project, the student will work on refining the nanoparticle recipe to make well-defined particles that transfect cells and identify a suitable solvent for the nanoparticle formulation. |
Expected outcomes and deliverables: | This work will help us to identify the most optimal recipe for making these nanoparticles for an ongoing project and identify the best solvent to use. The participant will learn cell culture, fluorescence microscopy, nanoparticle formulation methods. |
Suitable for: | Students who have completed a third year pharmacology course with high grades and who have an interest in nanomedicine. |
Primary Supervisor: | A/Prof Lisa Kaminskas Kaminskas Group - Targeted drug delivery or Nev Butcher |
Contact info: | The supervisor MUST be contacted by students prior to submission of an application. |