Application is now open for the Ph.D. Scholarship in Nanosensors for Foodborne Pathogens at the RMIT University. Interested applicants are encouraged to send their applications in before the deadline date.
About RMIT University and Scholarship
Australia’s Melbourne is home to RMIT University, formally known as the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. RMIT was established in 1887 as a night school by Francis Ormond in response to Australia’s industrial boom, providing courses in art, science, and technology. Before its 1992 merger with the Phillip Institute of Technology and transformation into a public university, it operated as a private institution for more than a century. The biggest dual-sector educational institution in Australia, it enrolls about 95,000 students in higher and vocational education.
A Discovery project funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) is affiliated with this PhD grant. In addition to gaining knowledge of nano-biomolecular interactions, the research will create a reliable nanosensor technology for the quick detection of foodborne infections.
Through this project, new color-based biosensing platforms will be created for the quick and simple identification of food pathogens that are dangerous to both human health and the Australian agricultural sector. The enzyme-like catalytic activity of the nanoparticles (NanoZyme) will be used to generate color in the presence of the target molecule, and the capacity to selectively detect the target analyte will be attained by combining the NanoZymes with various aptamers (ssDNA).
The Ph.D. student will be involved in (i) creating new chemical synthesis techniques to create various nanomaterials with control over their size, shape, and compositions; (ii) using a variety of advanced techniques to characterize the properties of nanoparticles; (iii) evaluating the enzyme-like catalytic property of nanomaterials to determine reaction kinetic parameters; (iv) develop biosensor and diagnostic platforms for the detection of environmental pollutants, food contaminants, and therapeutically relevant pathogens by combining the NanoZymes with aptamers through covalent and non-covalent interactions.
The Ph.D. scholar will study collaboratively in a highly interdisciplinary setting while based at the RMIT city campus. The projects current and future business partners, including the research-focused Australian Biosecurity agencies, are expected to participate in the initiative. Additionally, the initiative provides chances for foreign researchers to collaborate.
When measuring the sensor response with a basic smartphone camera, the Ph.D. student will employ specialized methods such as microscopy (SEM, TEM, HRTEM), spectroscopy (absorbance, fluorescence, FTIR, EDX, XPS), crystallography (XRD), statistical analysis (cluster tools, discriminant tools, regression analysis), and color assessment. Overall, this initiative will provide several high-caliber papers as well as highly interdisciplinary training in the fields of materials science, nanotechnology, chemistry, cell biology, and biochemistry.
Details about Ph.D. Scholarship in Nanosensors for Foodborne Pathogens at RMIT University:
Scholarship Sponsor: RMIT University/Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project
Scholarship Value: 3-year scholarship with a $33,826 stipend for full-time study
Number of awards: 3
Study level: PhD
Host Institution(s): Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, RMIT University Australia
Eligibility Criteria for Ph.D. Scholarship in Nanosensors for Foodborne Pathogens
Candidates must possess or be completed to be eligible for the Ph.D. Scholarship in Nanosensors for Foodborne Pathogens:
- A doctoral student
- A master’s degree earned by coursework with a high distinction, or its equivalent, and a major research component
- A first-class honors degree in an academic field
- A four-year bachelor’s degree with a grade point average of at least 4 (80%)
Note: If you don’t meet the requirements listed above, you’ll only be given consideration for a scholarship if you’ve published before, have a lot of research experience, or have worked in a related field.
Application Procedure for Ph.D. Scholarship in Nanosensors for Foodborne Pathogens
Before applying for the Scholarship, get in touch with Professor Vipul Bansal to find out if your study is relevant. You may read more about RMIT University’s research plan here. The following should be sent by email from each candidate to Professor Vipul Bansal at vipul.bansal@rmit.edu.au:
- A one- to two-page study proposal
- Your Curriculum Vitae
- A cover letter outlining how your past research expertise aligns with the subject being offered. The research proposal is a crucial step in the application process where candidates must show the importance of their work and why they should be chosen for a scholarship. Your proposal has to be broken up into the following sections:
- Title and subject
- In the context of prior research and literature in the field, discuss the significance and effect of the research topics you want to examine.
- Research tasks and methodology needed to conduct the study.
The Submission Deadline is: December 31, 2023.