Careers and study
Student opportunities
Explore research projects currently open for expressions of interest from Masters, Doctorate or PhD students.
AI, eyes and cardiovascular disease
Artificial intelligence system to detect eye and cardiovascular disease
Supervisor: Professor Mingguang He
Email: mingguang.he@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD or MPhil
Retinal photography gives us the ability to visualise the retina, optic disc, macula and blood vessels. It is the most important, low-cost and non-invasive diagnostic tool for common eye diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy (DR), and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Artificial intelligence system to detect eye and cardiovascular disease
Supervisor: Professor Mingguang He
Email: mingguang.he@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD or MPhil
Retinal photography gives us the ability to visualise the retina, optic disc, macula and blood vessels. It is the most important, low-cost and non-invasive diagnostic tool for common eye diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy (DR), and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
AI for early diagnosis
Integrating retinal photography and AI for improved early diagnosis of eye disease.
Supervisor: Professor Mingguang He
Email: mingguang.he@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD or MPhil
Funded by an NHMRC Partnership Grant, this project will be based on Professor He’s current AI-based fundus image diagnosis system, a do-it-yourself (DIY) screening system that is less dependent on technicians for image acquisition, and less dependent on eye care professionals in the interpretation of clinical images.
Integrating retinal photography and AI for improved early diagnosis of eye disease.
Supervisor: Professor Mingguang He
Email: mingguang.he@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD or MPhil
Funded by an NHMRC Partnership Grant, this project will be based on Professor He’s current AI-based fundus image diagnosis system, a do-it-yourself (DIY) screening system that is less dependent on technicians for image acquisition, and less dependent on eye care professionals in the interpretation of clinical images.
Artificial intelligence in ophthalmology
From data to algorithm and real-world application
Supervisor: Professor Mingguang He
Email: mingguang.he@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD or MPhil
Funded by a NHMRC Investigator Grant from 2020-2025, this project aims to further evolve artificial intelligence technology to develop and validate a clinical decision system that can predict disease outcomes and prognosis, as well as help clinicians decide on treatment options, based on real-world multi-modality clinical data.
From data to algorithm and real-world application
Supervisor: Professor Mingguang He
Email: mingguang.he@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD or MPhil
Funded by a NHMRC Investigator Grant from 2020-2025, this project aims to further evolve artificial intelligence technology to develop and validate a clinical decision system that can predict disease outcomes and prognosis, as well as help clinicians decide on treatment options, based on real-world multi-modality clinical data.
Atrophic age-related macular degeneration
Expediting translation of new therapies to clinical care
Supervisors: Associate Professor Zhichao Wu and Professor Robyn Guymer AM
Email: wu.z@unimelb.edu.au; rh.guymer@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
Patients who develop atrophic complications of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) currently face an inevitable future of progressive central vision loss since no effective treatments are available to prevent or slow the unrelenting degeneration of the retina. However, this prospect may soon change as new therapies are beginning to show promise for slowing disease progression in atrophic AMD, and several challenges need to be addressed to expedite their translation into clinical care.
Expediting translation of new therapies to clinical care
Supervisors: Associate Professor Zhichao Wu and Professor Robyn Guymer AM
Email: wu.z@unimelb.edu.au; rh.guymer@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
Patients who develop atrophic complications of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) currently face an inevitable future of progressive central vision loss since no effective treatments are available to prevent or slow the unrelenting degeneration of the retina. However, this prospect may soon change as new therapies are beginning to show promise for slowing disease progression in atrophic AMD, and several challenges need to be addressed to expedite their translation into clinical care.
Cell reprogramming to regenerate retina
Development of regenerative therapy for retina using cellular reprogramming technology
Supervisor: Dr Raymond Wong
Email: wongcb@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD or Masters
Retinal degeneration causes vision loss in millions of patients, but cellular reprogramming shows promise in slowing or even reversing the condition. This project aims to develop cell reprogramming technology to generate new retinal neurons and provide a novel regenerative therapy approach to treat retinal degeneration.
Development of regenerative therapy for retina using cellular reprogramming technology
Supervisor: Dr Raymond Wong
Email: wongcb@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD or Masters
Retinal degeneration causes vision loss in millions of patients, but cellular reprogramming shows promise in slowing or even reversing the condition. This project aims to develop cell reprogramming technology to generate new retinal neurons and provide a novel regenerative therapy approach to treat retinal degeneration.
Early stages of age-related macular degeneration
Imaging biomarkers for treatment discovery
Supervisors: Associate Professor Zhichao Wu and Professor Robyn Guymer AM
Email: wu.z@unimelb.edu.au; rh.guymer@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
A major impediment to the discovery of preventative interventions in the early stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the need for large and lengthy clinical trials to assess their efficacy. This is due to our current inability to identify those at high risk of progression to target for such trials, and the lack of effective disease biomarkers to act as earlier indicators of treatment efficacy. There is therefore an urgent need for such biomarkers to pave the way for therapeutic innovation to prevent irreversible vision loss.
Imaging biomarkers for treatment discovery
Supervisors: Associate Professor Zhichao Wu and Professor Robyn Guymer AM
Email: wu.z@unimelb.edu.au; rh.guymer@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
A major impediment to the discovery of preventative interventions in the early stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the need for large and lengthy clinical trials to assess their efficacy. This is due to our current inability to identify those at high risk of progression to target for such trials, and the lack of effective disease biomarkers to act as earlier indicators of treatment efficacy. There is therefore an urgent need for such biomarkers to pave the way for therapeutic innovation to prevent irreversible vision loss.
Keratoconus and big data
Finding solutions using big data analysis
Supervisors: Dr Srujana Sahebjada and Professor Mark Daniell
Email: srujana.sahebjada@unimelb.edu.au
Keratoconus is a common, sight-threatening corneal condition that affects children and young adults. This project involves a combination of advanced clinical imaging, artificial intelligence, next generation genetic analyses and health outcomes research that will advance our understanding of Keratoconus and avoid the need for corneal transplantation.
Finding solutions using big data analysis
Supervisors: Dr Srujana Sahebjada and Professor Mark Daniell
Email: srujana.sahebjada@unimelb.edu.au
Keratoconus is a common, sight-threatening corneal condition that affects children and young adults. This project involves a combination of advanced clinical imaging, artificial intelligence, next generation genetic analyses and health outcomes research that will advance our understanding of Keratoconus and avoid the need for corneal transplantation.
Mitochondrial optic neuropathy
Validation and characterisation of biomarkers
Supervisor: Dr Isabel Lopez Sanchez
Email: isabel.lopez@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: Honours, MSc, PhD
Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is the most common mitochondrial disease and causes irreversible blindness primarily in young men. Using RNA sequencing we have identified potential protective and pathogenic biomarkers in this disease.
Validation and characterisation of biomarkers
Supervisor: Dr Isabel Lopez Sanchez
Email: isabel.lopez@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: Honours, MSc, PhD
Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is the most common mitochondrial disease and causes irreversible blindness primarily in young men. Using RNA sequencing we have identified potential protective and pathogenic biomarkers in this disease.
Optic atrophy genetic screening
Developing a genetic screening panel for research purposes
Supervisor: Dr Isabel Lopez Sanchez
Email: isabel.lopez@unimelb.edu.au
Project suitable for: Honours, MD project (6 months)
Starting date: Anytime
This project aims to improve the genetic diagnosis of optic atrophy, the most frequently inherited optic nerve disease, for further genotype-phenotype studies.
Developing a genetic screening panel for research purposes
Supervisor: Dr Isabel Lopez Sanchez
Email: isabel.lopez@unimelb.edu.au
Project suitable for: Honours, MD project (6 months)
Starting date: Anytime
This project aims to improve the genetic diagnosis of optic atrophy, the most frequently inherited optic nerve disease, for further genotype-phenotype studies.
Retinal satellite imaging
Using satellite technology to image the retina for early signs of Alzheimer’s disease and glaucoma
Supervisors: Associate Professor Peter van Wijngaarden and Dr Xavier Hadoux
Email: peterv@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
We aim to be the first group in the world to bring hyperspectral imaging, based on NASA satellite technology, to the clinic to improve the care of Australians with Alzheimer’s disease, glaucoma and a range of retinal diseases.
Using satellite technology to image the retina for early signs of Alzheimer’s disease and glaucoma
Supervisors: Associate Professor Peter van Wijngaarden and Dr Xavier Hadoux
Email: peterv@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
We aim to be the first group in the world to bring hyperspectral imaging, based on NASA satellite technology, to the clinic to improve the care of Australians with Alzheimer’s disease, glaucoma and a range of retinal diseases.
Study of AMD genetics
Understanding the genetic factors contributing to age-related macular degeneration
Supervisor: Dr Raymond Wong
Email: wongcb@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: Honours or Masters
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) involves complex genetic factors that require further study. This project aims to use CRISPR/Cas9 technology to better understand the role of AMD-associated genes in human retinal cells, provide new AMD pathogenesis insights and identify potential new drug targets to develop AMD treatments.
Understanding the genetic factors contributing to age-related macular degeneration
Supervisor: Dr Raymond Wong
Email: wongcb@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: Honours or Masters
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) involves complex genetic factors that require further study. This project aims to use CRISPR/Cas9 technology to better understand the role of AMD-associated genes in human retinal cells, provide new AMD pathogenesis insights and identify potential new drug targets to develop AMD treatments.
IPTNTs, a new therapeutic target for glaucoma
Interpericyte tunneling nanotubes (IPTNTs) function and how to preserve IPTNT health in glaucoma
Supervisor: Luis Alarcon-Martinez
Email: luis.alarconmartinez@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
Strategies to restore normal IPTNT function reveal new knowledge on preventing retinal ganglion cell loss and vision impairment in glaucoma. Here, we will study IPTNT function and how to preserve IPTNT health in glaucoma.
Interpericyte tunneling nanotubes (IPTNTs) function and how to preserve IPTNT health in glaucoma
Supervisor: Luis Alarcon-Martinez
Email: luis.alarconmartinez@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
Strategies to restore normal IPTNT function reveal new knowledge on preventing retinal ganglion cell loss and vision impairment in glaucoma. Here, we will study IPTNT function and how to preserve IPTNT health in glaucoma.
Correction of disease-related point mutation to restore vision
Developing RNA base editing for treatment of inherited retinal diseases
Supervisor: Associate Professor Guei-Sheung Liu
Email: gsliu@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
The aim of the project is to develop a generalisable gene therapy for IRDs through a new gene editing tool – RNA base editing.
Developing RNA base editing for treatment of inherited retinal diseases
Supervisor: Associate Professor Guei-Sheung Liu
Email: gsliu@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
The aim of the project is to develop a generalisable gene therapy for IRDs through a new gene editing tool – RNA base editing.
Glaucomatous Visual Field Damage
Enabling earlier and more accurate detection
Supervisor: Associate Professor Zhichao Wu
Email: wu.z@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
Glaucoma is a progressive optic neuropathy characterised by the progressive loss of the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). However, up to 50 per cent of the RGCs need to be lost by the time abnormalities can be detected on a standard visual field test. This represents a significant missed opportunity for early detection and prevention of irreversible vision loss.
Enabling earlier and more accurate detection
Supervisor: Associate Professor Zhichao Wu
Email: wu.z@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
Glaucoma is a progressive optic neuropathy characterised by the progressive loss of the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). However, up to 50 per cent of the RGCs need to be lost by the time abnormalities can be detected on a standard visual field test. This represents a significant missed opportunity for early detection and prevention of irreversible vision loss.
Glaucoma Progression
Transforming the detection and prediction of progression
Supervisor: Associate Professor Zhichao Wu
Email: wu.z@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
One in three people with glaucoma, a progressive optic neuropathy, become blind in at least one eye within 20 years of diagnosis. A key contributor to this is our difficulty in being able to predict who is at the greatest risk of vision loss, and in detecting disease progression within a short timeframe. Therefore, better tools to address these challenges are urgently needed to help us prevent irreversible vision loss in glaucoma.
Transforming the detection and prediction of progression
Supervisor: Associate Professor Zhichao Wu
Email: wu.z@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
One in three people with glaucoma, a progressive optic neuropathy, become blind in at least one eye within 20 years of diagnosis. A key contributor to this is our difficulty in being able to predict who is at the greatest risk of vision loss, and in detecting disease progression within a short timeframe. Therefore, better tools to address these challenges are urgently needed to help us prevent irreversible vision loss in glaucoma.