Honours Research Project List

How to find a research project

Below is a comprehensive list of research projects available to candidates wishing to apply for an Honours in Health and Biomedical Science with the School of Health and Biomedical Sciences. Use the search fields below to filter the list and find a project matching your skills and interests.

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Before you apply

Local applicants

Prospective applicants must contact the lead researcher of their preferred project(s) before they submit their direct application. Local applicants will be able to nominate their preferred projects through the submission of a selection task in the application system.

International applicants

Prospective applicants must contact the lead researcher of their preferred project(s) before they submit their application. International applicants must complete this Expression of Interest (EOI) form to nominate their preferred preferences.

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Results: 38 found

Understanding how the microbiome impacts gut motility in autism

Gastrointestinal problems including inflammation are commonly experienced by people with autism although the cause is unknown. Many gene mutations affecting the nervous system, including a missense mutation in the Neuroligin-3 gene, are associated with autism (1). It is now well established that the gut microbiome impacts the immune system and gastrointestinal function.

We hypothesise that Neuroligin-3 mutant mice show altered gut motility which is rescued by treatment with the microbiome-altering drug, AB-2004.

This project will assess the effect of a microbiome-altering drug (AB-2004) on gut motility in Neuroligin-3 mutant mice and inflammation. Mice will be treated with Dextran Sodium Sulfate (DSS) to cause colitis (inflammation of the colon) and the microbiome will be modified using AB-2004. We will use our published video imaging technique (2, 3) to record gut contractile patterns in an organ bath and detect changes in gut function.

This project will identify the effects of modifying the microbiome on gut motility in a mouse model of autism and contribute to designing new therapies for clinical applications.

1. Hosie, S., Ellis, M., Swaminathan, M., Ramalhosa, F., Seger, G. O., Balasuriya, G. K., ... & Hill‐Yardin, E. L. (2019). Gastrointestinal dysfunction in patients and mice expressing the autism‐associated R451C mutation in neuroligin‐3. Autism Research, 12(7), 1043-1056.

2. Swaminathan, M., Hill-Yardin, E., Ellis, M., Zygorodimos, M., Johnston, L. A., Gwynne, R. M., & Bornstein, J. C. (2016). Video imaging and spatiotemporal maps to analyze gastrointestinal motility in mice. JoVE (Journal of Visualized Experiments), (108), e53828.

3. Abo-Shaban, T., Lee, C. Y., Hosie, S., Balasuriya, G. K., Mohsenipour, M., Johnston, L. A., & Hill-Yardin, E. L. (2023). GutMap: A New Interface for Analysing Regional Motility Patterns in ex vivo Mouse Gastrointestinal Preparations. Bio-protocol, 13(19).

Discipline:

Supervisors:
Prof Elisa Hill, Prof Ashley Franks

Contact: 0434052127, elisa.hill@rmit.edu.au 0477169590a.franks@latrobe.edu.au

Campus: RMIT Bundoora

Program Code: BH058

Investigating sex differences in gut function in autism

Gastrointestinal problems are commonly experienced by people with autism although the cause is unknown. Many gene mutations affecting the nervous system are associated with autism. We have previously shown that a mutation in the Neuroligin-3 gene alters the enteric nervous system and causes gut dysfunction in male mice (1, 2). The vast majority of autism research has been undertaken in male mice and very little is known about how females are affected.

In this project, we will assess for changes in gut anatomy and gastrointestinal contractile patterns. To assess anatomical changes, we will measure small intestinal and colon length, as well as caecum weight in wild type and mutant female mice. To determine if gut contractions are altered, we will use our video imaging technique (3, 4) to compare gut motility patterns in wild type and mutant female mice.

This research will increase our understanding of gastrointestinal dysfunction in females with autism and contribute to designing new therapies.

1. Hosie, S., Ellis, M., Swaminathan, M., Ramalhosa, F., Seger, G. O., Balasuriya, G. K., ... & Hill‐Yardin, E. L. (2019). Gastrointestinal dysfunction in patients and mice expressing the autism‐associated R451C mutation in neuroligin‐3. Autism Research, 12(7), 1043-1056.

2. Sharna, S. S., Balasuriya, G. K., Hosie, S., Nithianantharajah, J., Franks, A. E., & Hill-Yardin, E. L. (2020). Altered caecal neuroimmune interactions in the neuroligin-3R451C mouse model of autism. Frontiers in cellular neuroscience, 14, 85.

3. Swaminathan, M., Hill-Yardin, E., Ellis, M., Zygorodimos, M., Johnston, L. A., Gwynne, R. M., & Bornstein, J. C. (2016). Video imaging and spatiotemporal maps to analyze gastrointestinal motility in mice. JoVE (Journal of Visualized Experiments), (108), e53828.

4. Abo-Shaban, T., Lee, C. Y., Hosie, S., Balasuriya, G. K., Mohsenipour, M., Johnston, L. A., & Hill-Yardin, E. L. (2023). GutMap: A New Interface for Analysing Regional Motility Patterns in ex vivo Mouse Gastrointestinal Preparations. Bio-protocol, 13(19).

Discipline:

Supervisors:
Prof Elisa Hill, Dr Gayathri Balasuriya

Contact: 0434052127, elisa.hill@rmit.edu.au 0430071515gayathri.balasuriya@rmit.edu.au

Campus: RMIT Bundoora

Program Code: BH058

Epigenetics in immunosenescence: implications to cancer and infections

Background: Vaccine efficacy is decreased in the elderly, who also experience increased susceptibility to infections and cancers. While age-related immune dysfunction has been extensively studied, underpinning the molecular changes that drive the age-related functional decline of immune cells has proven difficult. Many studies including ours have shown that epigenetic marks including DNA methylation and histone modifications play a fundamental role in determining cell function and identity. These marks are actively modulated by different conditions including stress, lifestyle, sex and age or vaccination. This project will systematically map epigenetic changes that promote age-related immune dysfunction, in the context of human clinical trials. Specifically, this study will underpin molecular epigenetic mechanisms of immunosenescence that are involved in cancer and suboptimal responses to vaccination in the elderly, and may provide leads for novel therapeutic strategies.
Aims: This project is designed to understand cellular and molecular epigenetic mechanisms involved in both innate and adaptive immunosenescence that cause the decline of immune function.
Hypotheses:
• Epigenetic mark alterations due to ageing promote dysregulation of immune cell function and may contribute to the increased incidence of cancer and infections in old people
• Identification of the changes of epigenetic marks that contribute to the decline of immune function will provide new means of disease prevention and treatment.
Methods:
This study will uncover age-dependent alterations in epigenetic marks that cause increased incidence of cancer and infections as a consequence of age, utilizing in vitro models, animal models and human clinical trials available in the lab. The laboratory uses world-class big-data omics analysis of immune cells, including RNAseq, genome-wide epigenetics, multicolour flowcytometry, cell sorting, multiplex cytokine analysis, as well as classical immunological techniques, e.g. ELISA, ELISPOT, immunohistology, proliferation and functional immune-cell assays.

Discipline:

Supervisors:
Magdalena Plebanski, April Kartikasari

Contact: +61 39925 7263, magdalena.plebanski@rmit.edu.au +61 (3) 99257648april.kartikasari@rmit.edu.au

Campus: Bundoora West

Program Code: BH058

Inflammation, immune dysfunction, and molecular changes in cancer

Chronic inflammation and immune dysfunction are significant drivers of cancer development and progression. These factors are also influenced by metabolic and nutritional status, previous infections, and the patient's age. Additionally, molecular changes such as mutations and epigenetic reprogramming of the cancer cells support cancer cell escape from immune surveillance. This project is designed to unravel the complex chronic inflammation and immune dysfunction pathways influenced by such factors, that are significant to cause cancer progression or conversely a positive response to cancer treatment. We will also investigate epigenetic and transcriptomic changes related to cancer and the immune system, to understand the molecular pathways as well as to pinpoint possibilities of using the identified changes as biomarkers as diagnostic and prognostic markers or targets of treatment, as well as to optimize treatment. Our projects focus on ovarian cancer, the most lethal gynecological malignancy. Students will have opportunities to learn advanced cellular and molecular immunology techniques, including cutting-edge technologies such as multi-parameter flow cytometry, epigenetic profiling, and blood factor multiplex profiling as well as fundamental skills in cell culture, and human clinical trial sample processing and biobanking from diverse tissues.

Discipline:

Supervisors:
Magdalena Plebanski, April Kartikasari

Contact: +61 39925 7263, magdalena.plebanski@rmit.edu.au +61 (3) 99257648april.kartikasari@rmit.edu.au

Campus: Bundoora West

Program Code: BH058

Understanding COVID-19 and improving our immune response to the vaccines.

The Cancer, Ageing and Vaccines Laboratory is currently working to better understand the effects and long-term complications of COVID-19 on the immune system. This project investigates boosting immunity to COVID-19 with different vaccines to promote broad immune responses that recognize viral escape variants. It involves a multi-institutional large scale human trial to address these vital questions.

Discipline:

Supervisors:
Magdalena Plebanski, Jennifer Boer

Contact: +61 39925 7263, magdalena.plebanski@rmit.edu.au +61 (3) 99257138jennifer.boer@rmit.edu.au

Campus: Bundoora West

Program Code: BH058

Understanding COVID-19 and and the development of autoimmunity.

The Cancer, Ageing and Vaccines Laboratory is currently working to better understand the effects and long-term complications of COVID-19 on the immune system. This project compares acute and mild COVID-19 patients over a time course to understand how the virus may be breaking tolerance and causing new autoimmune pathologies.

Discipline:

Supervisors:
Magdalena Plebanski, Kirsty Wilson

Contact: +61 39925 7263, magdalena.plebanski@rmit.edu.au +61399258279kirsty.wilson2@rmit.edu.au

Campus: Bundoora West

Program Code: BH058

Effect of recommended vaccines in elderly populations

Vaccination is an ideal tool to protect against infections in vulnerable populations such as the elderly; however, vaccine efficacy declines with advancing age. Recent studies, including ours, show that there are age- and sex-specific responses to vaccines. On the basis of our large-scale human vaccine trial (DTP and influenza; n=600) in Tasmania we will map how innate immunity differs in humans based on age and sex, and how this affects responses to vaccines. Importantly, DTP and influenza vaccines, given to the elderly together or sequentially, may prevent each other form working optimally. Thus, this study policy implications for vaccine use in the elderly. Understanding the immune system of the elderly, will also underpin in-house development of more effective new generation synthetic vaccines based on nanoparticles.
Aims: The innovative human clinical trial in this project will define the innate immunological imprint following DTP vaccination, and its effect on the induction of subsequent innate and adaptive responses to the seasonal human influenza vaccine. It is designed to specifically study innate immunity and its modulation in the context of an aging immune system, and the effect of sex on vaccination outcomes.
Hypotheses:
• DTP vaccination modulates immunity to other stimuli, such as the influenza vaccine.
• Baseline immunity and immune imprinting effects will differ between younger adults and the elderly, and females compared to males.
Methods:
The laboratory uses world-class big-data omics analysis of blood immune cells, including RNAseq, epigenetics, multicolour flowcytometry (up to 20 simultaneous markers on cells), cell sorting, multiplex cytokine analysis (up to 48 analytes at once) as well as classical immunological techniques, e.g. ELISA, ELISPOT, immunohistology, proliferation and functional T cell assays.

Discipline:

Supervisors:
Magdalena Plebanski, Kirsty Wilson

Contact: +61 39925 7263, magdalena.plebanski@rmit.edu.au +61399258279kirsty.wilson2@rmit.edu.au

Campus: Bundoora West

Program Code: BH058

Enhancing the immune response using nanoparticles and assessing their vaccine potential in animal models of cancer and malaria

Background: Vaccines are one of the most cost-effective medical interventions for the prevention of disease. Whilst vaccines are readily available for many diseases, there is a need for vaccines to complex diseases such as malaria and cancer. Vaccines to complex diseases are more difficult to design and manufacture due to the complicated lifecycle of the pathogens that cause the disease, or the multifactorial nature of disease pathology and the resulting immune response. Designing vaccines for complex diseases requires careful consideration of the candidate antigen and generally requires an adjuvant or alternative delivery system to enhance the immune response to the vaccine, particularly regarding inducing a T cell response. Our lab focusses on viral-sized nanoparticles as adjuvanting vaccine delivery systems to improve both the antibody-mediated and cellular immune response. These nanoparticles can either have the vaccine antigen attached to their surface, or be simply mixed with the antigen with a combination of other adjuvants to increase the vaccine response. We are interested in nanoparticles of different materials and compositions to compare to our standard biocompatible and non-inflammatory polystyrene nanoparticles in animal vaccine models, as well as their mechanism of action and how they interact with different cells of the immune system (i.e. with antigen presenting cells).
Aims: This study aims to examine the immune response to vaccines using various nanoparticle formulations and adjuvant combinations and examining how they interact with cells of the immune system to generate a strong immune response, capable of protecting against complex diseases. Hypotheses: Nanoparticles in the viral size range will target antigen presenting cells in the local lymph nodes to elicit a strong vaccine induced immune response dependent on the size and composition of the nanoparticle. We will be able to develop vaccines that effectively prevent an treat severe diseases for which currently there are no effective vaccines.
Methods: Our laboratory uses new and standard cell biology/immunology techniques to assess the phenotype and function of immune cells from animal models, including; multicolour flowcytometry (up to 20 simultaneous markers on cells), cell sorting, multiplex cytokine analysis (Luminex), IVIS imaging, as well as ELISA, ELISPOT, immunohistology/immunofluorescence, proliferation and functional T cell assays. There is also potential scope to use RNAseq and epigenetic analysis of immune cell populations, and animal models of cancer and malaria.

Discipline:

Supervisors:
Magdalena Plebanski, Kirsty Wilson

Contact: +61 39925 7263, magdalena.plebanski@rmit.edu.au +61399258279kirsty.wilson2@rmit.edu.au

Campus: Bundoora West

Program Code: BH058

Investigating the anticancer activity of novel drugs

Synopsis: This project offers honours students an opportunity to work in Cancer Ageing and Vaccines Lab (CAVA) to explore the anticancer effects of newly developed drugs. Metal-based drugs have been a cornerstone of cancer chemotherapy, with cisplatin being one of the most widely used. However, the effectiveness of such platinum drugs is often limited by their serious side effects and the development of resistance in cancer cells. Therefore, there is a constant need to develop new drugs that can overcome these limitations while retaining or improved anticancer activities. This project aims to investigate the anticancer activity of novel drugs in human cancer cell lines, specifically assessing their cytotoxicity, mode of action, and potential to overcome resistance compared to traditional chemotherapeutics like cisplatin. By employing colorimetric cytotoxicity assays, flowcytometry techniques, students will investigate potential anticancer activity of new drugs, providing valuable insights into their potential therapeutic efficacy profiles.

Project Components:
1. Cell Culture: Culture and maintain human cancer cell lines under standard conditions. Seed cells in appropriate culture vessels for cytotoxicity assays.
2. Cytotoxicity assays: Treat cells with varying concentrations of novel drugs. Evaluate cell viability using MTT or Trypan Blue assays and calculate IC50 values using dose-response curves.
3. Mechanistic Studies. Analyze cell cycle distribution by flow cytometry after propidium iodide staining and assess apoptosis by detecting DNA damage.
4. Drug Resistance Studies: Establish cisplatin-resistant sublines of cancer cells by continuous exposure to increasing concentrations of cisplatin. Compare the cytotoxic effects of novel drugs in these resistant cells to those in non-resistant counterparts.
5. Data Analysis: Perform statistical analysis of data using GraphPad Prism. Interpret the results in the context of the potential therapeutic application of the novel drugs.

Expected Outcomes: Identification of novel drugs with significant anticancer activity and lower IC50 values compared to cisplatin. Investigation into the mechanism of anticancer activity of these compounds, including their ability to induce a DNA damage and apoptosis. The potential of these drugs to overcome cisplatin resistance, offers a basis for future therapeutic development.

Discipline:

Supervisors:
Magdalena Plebanski, Srinivasa Reddy Telukutla

Contact: +61 39925 7263, magdalena.plebanski@rmit.edu.au 61 (3) 99253976srinivasareddy.telukutla@rmit.edu.au

Campus: Bundoora West

Program Code: BH058

Autoreactive immune responses as biomarkers in cancer

Understanding the immune system in various cancers has been critical in designing and improving therapies or in improving prognostic and diagnostic tools. Cells of the adaptive immune system, T and B cells, target cancer cells for elimination by recognition of broad targets. Amongst these targets include self-proteins. While the presence of self-reactive immune cells has been reported, their roles particularly during treatment remain unclear. This project aims to investigate self-reactive immune responses in cancers, using techniques such as ELISA and ELISPOT, to identify novel targets as diagnostic and prognostic markers.

Discipline:

Supervisors:
Magdalena Plebanski, Rhiane Moody

Contact: +61 39925 7263, magdalena.plebanski@rmit.edu.au N/Arhiane.moody@rmit.edu.au

Campus: Bundoora West

Program Code: BH058

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