General Health PhD Scholarships

I am a young person with lived experience of psychosis and other mental health challenges. It is these experiences that have lead me to work and advocate in the mental health space. I have volunteered for batyr as part of their University of Technology Sydney chapter, have been a youth ambassador for ReachOut and have been on both the national Youth Research Council and Youth Advisory Council for Orygen.

Joanna received her B. Med Sci in Medicinal Chemistry in 2021 at Western Sydney University. She then completed a B. Sci (Honours) under the supervision of Professor Margaret Sunde at the University of Sydney, developing methods for producing and studying proteins involved in human degenerative diseases. Joanna was awarded the degree with First Class and named on the Dean’s List of Academic Excellence.

Alysa Bachmann, who earned her Bachelor of Psychological Science with First Class Honours from CQUniversity in 2020, is a passionate advocate for mental health. Her professional journey as a Provisional Psychologist involved conducting assessments for children as well as supporting individuals living with psychosocial disabilities. These experiences have contributed to her interest in researching mental health challenges.

Sandra Sursock is a PhD student at the University of Melbourne. She completed a Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science Advanced (Honours) Degree in 2021 at Monash University. Following her studies, she worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in the department of Radiation Oncology. Sandra is also currently working as a Project Officer in the Department of General Practice and Primary Care at the University of Melbourne.

I was born in South Korea and moved to Australia when I was nine. I had to frequently move between Korea and Australia, which was challenging growing up, but it enabled me to quickly adapt to new environments and embrace different cultures.

I initially wanted to become a psychiatrist, so I pursued an undergraduate degree in medical science at UNSW. While studying, I developed a stronger interest in research than in clinical practice, which prompted me to pursue a graduate diploma and honours degree in psychology at the University of Sydney.

My name is Darren Qiang, I completed my Bachelors in Biomedicine (Immunology) 2021 and Masters in public Health (Epidemiology / Statistics) 2023 at the University of Melbourne. Concurrently with my studies, I have also worked as a research officer in epidemiological data analysis and policy at Dental Health Services Victoria.

During my post graduate studies, developed a passion for research, particularly in statistics and epidemiology. This passion for research was really solidified when I was able to understand and see the real life impacts such research can have on patients and populations.

Zoe completed a Bachelor of Health Science from Swinburne University of Technology in 2022 where she developed a passion for biological processes relating to our neurological health, specifically neurodegenerative conditions. She decided to pursue this interest further by completing an honours year at the University of Melbourne investigating a novel mouse model of mitochondrial disease, specifically focusing on neurological complications.

Thanapon Deekaikam completed his master’s degree in Polymer Science from the Petroleum and Petrochemical College (PPC) at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, in 2021. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Chiang Mai University, which he received in 2018. During his studies, Thanapon contributed to the invention and development of natural polymer structures capable of responding to external stimuli for targeted drug delivery. He co-authored a publication on this research in a leading scientific journal.

My research background is in ocular research including neurodegenerative disease in the eye. In 2008, I graduated from the department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, with a maser degree in Ophthalmology and Optometry (a 7-year program). Till now, I have participated in 3 projects related to neurodegenerative diseases in the eye (Wenzhou Science Y20180728、Y20180713、Y20190635).

Besides, in the field of retina diseases, I have published 7 papers as a co-author. Since 2008, I have worked in the Affiliated Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

I was interested in Medicine from a very young age as I was exposed to the field quite early in my life. As I grew up, my fascination with neurodegenerative disorders and brain functioning only increased. I attended a Nobel laureate’s lecture during my secondary school that ignited my curiosity into research. Eventually, I chose a career in medical imaging, where I noticed a need for more advanced techniques in neurological diagnostics, especially for children and elderly patients. To address this gap, I pursued a Master of Research at Nottingham Trent University and Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre in the United Kingdom.

During this transformative experience, I gained expertise in cutting-edge neuroimaging techniques. This solidified my passion for research, along with the excitement of discovering something new daily. However, despite my newfound skills, I felt a desire for a deeper understanding of the medical aspects. This led me to the University of Sydney, where I now use novel magnetic resonance techniques and advanced computational tools to uncover early markers of Lewy body diseases.