PhD Research Projects

Our PhD students carry out research in a variety of departments and institutes across the Parkville Precinct, while working closely with their Melbourne Bioinformatics co-supervisors to develop their bioinformatics expertise.

Melbourne Bioinformatics does not directly offer bioinformatics PhD projects, but we can co-supervise students who have funding in other groups within the University of Melbourne (subject to staff availability).

Find out more about research degrees at the University of Melbourne, including eligibility and application processes.

StudentInstitutionSupervisorsThesis topicYear completed
Jessica ChungDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of MelbourneProf Peter Rogers (principal); Prof Daniel Park (Melbourne Bioinformatics)Endometriosis –omics approaches to a better understandingcurrent
Alex EisnerFlorey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of MelbourneProf Anne-Louise Ponsonby (principal); Prof Daniel Park (Melbourne Bioinformatics)Understanding how Epstein-Barr virus and other factors program multiple sclerosis onset and progression through epigenetic pathways to inform prevention and treatment with risk stratificationcurrent
Mary HuangDepartment of Medicine at Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of MelbourneProf Judith Savige (principal); Khalid Mahmood (Melbourne Bioinformatics)Genetic testing to detect undiagnosed inherited diseasescurrent
Mehari MeridFlorey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of MelbourneSteve Simpson-Yap (principal); Prof Daniel Park (Melbourne Bioinformatics)Investigating the direct and indirect effects of environmental, lifestyle, and epigenetic factors on the risk and progression of multiple sclerosiscurrent
Aaron MeyersMelbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of MelbourneA/Prof Dan Buchanan (principal); Khalid Mahmood (Melbourne Bioinformatics)Integrative multi-omic investigations into the genetic and functional mechanisms underlying colorectal cancer aetiology and riskcurrent
Jakob SchusterDepartment of Medical Biology, University of MelbourneProf Matthew Ritchie (principal); Prof Bernie Pope (Melbourne Bioinformatics)Enhancing bioinformatic workflows through open-source software developmentcurrent
Sam TannerFlorey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of MelbourneProf Anne-Louise Ponsonby (principal); Prof Daniel Park, Chol-Hee Jung (Melbourne Bioinformatics)Integrative analyses on phthalates and neurodevelopment disorderscurrent
Santosh VarugheseDepartment of Medicine at Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of MelbourneProf Judith Savige (principal); Khalid Mahmood (Melbourne Bioinformatics)Genetics of atypical forms of polycystic kidney disease (APKD)current
David EdwardsDepartment of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Melbourne; then Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash UniversityProf Kat Holt (principal); A/Prof Bernie Pope (Melbourne Bioinformatics)In Silico Discovery of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Under Positive Parallel Selection in Bacteria2022
Peter GeorgesonDepartment of Clinical Pathology, University of MelbourneA/Prof Dan Buchanan (principal); Prof Bernie Pope (Melbourne Bioinformatics)Evaluating the clinical applicability of tumour mutational signatures in colorectal cancer and related syndromes2022
Philip HarrakaDepartment of Medicine at Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of MelbourneProf Judith Savige (principal); Khalid Mahmood (Melbourne Bioinformatics)Retinal drusen and genetics in glomerulonephritis2022