Careers and study
Student opportunities
Explore research projects currently open for expressions of interest from Masters, Doctorate or PhD students.
AI-powered smart camera to screen for life-threatening headaches
AI-powered smart camera screen “red flag” for life-threatening headache at the point-of-care in emergency department
Supervisor: Dr Lisa Zhuoting Zhu
Email: lisa.zhu@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
In the emergency department (ED), headache is the fourth most common chief complaint. This project intends to pilot a Smart Camera in real-world ED settings to screen for papilledema.
AI-powered smart camera screen “red flag” for life-threatening headache at the point-of-care in emergency department
Supervisor: Dr Lisa Zhuoting Zhu
Email: lisa.zhu@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
In the emergency department (ED), headache is the fourth most common chief complaint. This project intends to pilot a Smart Camera in real-world ED settings to screen for papilledema.
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.
Blood supply in AMD
Investigating the role of retinal blood supply regulation in age-related macular degeneration.
Supervisors: Associate Professor Chi Luu, Professor Robyn Guymer AM
Email: cluu@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
In this project, we will use a state-of-the-art imaging technique – called optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) – to study the regulation of retinal blood supply by examining how the retinal microvasculature responds to different metabolic stress conditions.
Investigating the role of retinal blood supply regulation in age-related macular degeneration.
Supervisors: Associate Professor Chi Luu, Professor Robyn Guymer AM
Email: cluu@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
In this project, we will use a state-of-the-art imaging technique – called optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) – to study the regulation of retinal blood supply by examining how the retinal microvasculature responds to different metabolic stress conditions.
Building 3D corneal models
Development of an immune-responsive 3D corneal stromal model for drug validation
Supervisor: Dr Gink Yang
Email: gyang@cera.org.au
Suitable for: PhD
Combining expertise from clinical ophthalmology, tissue regeneration, macropolymer science and chemical engineering, we have established a PhD program to develop an immune-responsive 3D corneal stromal model using the latest hydrogel polymer technology.
Development of an immune-responsive 3D corneal stromal model for drug validation
Supervisor: Dr Gink Yang
Email: gyang@cera.org.au
Suitable for: PhD
Combining expertise from clinical ophthalmology, tissue regeneration, macropolymer science and chemical engineering, we have established a PhD program to develop an immune-responsive 3D corneal stromal model using the latest hydrogel polymer technology.
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.
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.
Deciphering inherited retinal diseases
Deciphering inherited retinal diseases
Supervisor: A/Prof Lauren Ayton, Dr Tom Edwards, Dr Ceecee Britten-Jones
Email: layton@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: MSc, PhD
This project aims to learn about retinal structure and function in different inherited retinal diseases and their natural progression.
Deciphering inherited retinal diseases
Supervisor: A/Prof Lauren Ayton, Dr Tom Edwards, Dr Ceecee Britten-Jones
Email: layton@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: MSc, PhD
This project aims to learn about retinal structure and function in different inherited retinal diseases and their natural progression.
Early Stages of AMD: Novel imaging biomarkers
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.
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.
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.
Goodbye, needles: Preventing vision loss in neovascular eye disease
Preventing vision loss in neovascular eye disease by easy-to-use eye drops.
Supervisor: Associate Professor Guei-Sheung Liu
Email: gsliu@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
We aim to advance gene therapy so that it can be delivered by eye drops to provide a safer and less invasive alternative to conventional drug injections.
Preventing vision loss in neovascular eye disease by easy-to-use eye drops.
Supervisor: Associate Professor Guei-Sheung Liu
Email: gsliu@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
We aim to advance gene therapy so that it can be delivered by eye drops to provide a safer and less invasive alternative to conventional drug injections.
IPTNTs, a new therapeutic target for glaucoma
Interpericyte tunneling nanotubes (IPTNTs) function and how to preserve IPTNT health in glaucoma
Supervisor: Dr 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: Dr 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.
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.
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.
Retinal vascular autoregulation in AMD
OCT-Angiography study of retinal vascular autoregulation in AMD
Supervisors: Dr. David Sousa and Professor Robyn Guymer AM
Email: david.sousa@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of central vision loss in people over 50 years of age. We will investigate if the retinal vascular autoregulation processes are impaired, and correlate the findings with the various AMD phenotypes.
OCT-Angiography study of retinal vascular autoregulation in AMD
Supervisors: Dr. David Sousa and Professor Robyn Guymer AM
Email: david.sousa@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: PhD
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of central vision loss in people over 50 years of age. We will investigate if the retinal vascular autoregulation processes are impaired, and correlate the findings with the various AMD phenotypes.
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.
Supporting early-stage inherited retinal diseases
Supervisor: A/Prof Lauren Ayton, Dr Ceecee Britten-Jones, Dr Tom Edwards
Email: ac.brittenjones@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: Honours, MSc, PhD
This mixed methods project aims to understand perspectives of people with early-stage inherited retinal diseases to improve low vision access and support.
Supervisor: A/Prof Lauren Ayton, Dr Ceecee Britten-Jones, Dr Tom Edwards
Email: ac.brittenjones@unimelb.edu.au
Suitable for: Honours, MSc, PhD
This mixed methods project aims to understand perspectives of people with early-stage inherited retinal diseases to improve low vision access and support.