Adelaide Summer Research Scholarships with SAiGENCI
The University of Adelaide, Adelaide Summer Research Scholarships have been created to provide undergraduate students with experience working within a research team and to encourage students to consider postgraduate study leading to a career involving research.
Up to 120 Summer Research Scholarships are available across the University of Adelaide to continuing undergraduate students who wish to undertake a six-week research project at the University of Adelaide over the 2023-24 summer vacation.
Summer research projects currently available with SAiGENCI are shown below. Please contact the listed researcher directly to discuss project availability.
SAiGENCI Projects Available
Researcher: Dr Luke Isbel (luke.isbel@adelaide.edu.au)
Research Area: Genomics/chromatin biology
Research Project:
Designing molecular tools to study transcription factors on chromatin.
Gene editing has been revolutionized by CRISPR/Cas9. While it can be used to create useful mutations to study gene/protein, it can also be used to 'tag' proteins with useful molecular tools, such as fluorescent proteins. This project will implement such a tagging system to create reporters of transcription factor activity in stem cells.
Researcher: Dr Adrienne Sullivan (adrienne.sullivan@adelaide.edu.au)
Research Area: Epigenetic regulation in development and disease
Research Project:
The role of mutant GATA3 in aberrant enhancer remodelling
This project will identify how mutations in transcription factor GATA3 affect its activity in remodelling the enhancer landscape, driving normal cells to become cancerous. It will involve cloning expression constructs, cell line generation and culture, and molecular biology techniques such as ChIP and ATAC.
Researcher: Professor Jose Polo (jose.polo@adelaide.edu.au)
Research Area: Epigenetics, reprogramming and cancer
Research Project:
The Polo group is interested in the transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms that govern cell identity, in particular pluripotency, reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, development and cancer.
We have multiple projects available including but not limited to:
1. Exploring the biochemistry of epigenetics in a prostate cancer model.
2. Reprogramming marsupial fibroblasts into induced pluripotent stem cells.
3. Investigating the epigenetic and transcriptional changes during reprogramming of cells to pluripotent stem cells.
Please contact us for discussion of potential projects.
Researcher: Dr Mark Bunting (mark.bunting@adelaide.edu.au)
Research Area: Breast cancer biology
Research Project:
NF-kB hyperactivation in regulation of breast cancer biology
Investigate expression and regulation of NF-kB-induced genes in promoting aggressive breast cancer biology and therapy resistance.
Full scholarship details including eligibility and how to apply are available at
PLEASE ENSURE YOU CONTACT YOUR SUPERVISOR WITH ENOUGH TIME FOR THE FORM TO BE COMPLETED, SIGNED AND SUBMITTED BY THE DUE DATE OF 5PM FRIDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 2023.