Savant Thakur Memorial Scholarship

About

“Strive towards your goals, just push on and never give up. Anyone who has a dream and wants to achieve something can and the disability should be no barrier.”

That was the life motto of Savant Thakur – a man with a single-minded determination to improve the lives of others with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Sadly, Savant fell short of time in his quest to find a cure, but he made incredible inroads with his award-winning studies into muscle wasting disorders at the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Muscle Research in the Department of Physiology.

This scholarship is to support PhD candidates within the School of Biomedical Science who demonstrate the qualities Savant exemplified – academic excellence, resilience in the face of adversity and leadership in the community.

Benefits

One PhD scholarship to cover 3.5years of candidature.

Scholarship is worth $140,000 over 3.5 years. Funding provided through the School of Biomedical Sciences and the MDHS Scholarship Fund.

_{Disclaimer: The benefit amount for this award is approximate. It will be confirmed at the time of awarding and determined by the committee according to the terms of the award.}

Eligibility

To be considered for this award, students must:

• have applied for and met the entry requirements for a Graduate Research Degree at The University of Melbourne
• have an area of study in muscle disease or related conditions, including but not limited to:
  • understanding the pathophysiology of skeletal muscle diseases and related muscle wasting conditions
  • investigating novel treatments for skeletal muscle diseases and muscle wasting disorders
  • understanding the mechanisms of adaptation and plasticity relevant to skeletal muscle in health and disease

Selection

Eligible applicants will be assessed based on:

• their proposed project’s area of study
• academic excellence in Biomedical Sciences
• leadership in the community

Application

Applicants to submit Savant Thakur Memorial Award Application form and academic transcript(s) to biomedsci-gradstudent@unimelb.edu.au.

The selection committee may organise a meeting with you to discuss your application.

Outcome

All applicants will be notified of their outcome within 1 month of application.

Enquiries

Ms Aradhana Deoki biomedsci-gradstudent@unimelb.edu.au.

More information

The award cannot be deferred without approval from the Selection Committee.

Students must maintain satisfactory progress throughout their enrolment.