2024-25 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 240 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 2024-25 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 Qi Zhang (qi.zhang@adelaide.edu.au)
Research Area: Epigenetics, biochemistry, molecular biology and cell biology
Research Project:
Uncovering the regulation and dysregulation of epigenetic modifiers
Explore how epigenetic modifiers regulate gene expression and contribute to diseases using diverse methodologies such as biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology, molecular and cell biology, genomics, and bioinformatics. Gain hands-on experience in cutting-edge techniques to uncover the fundamental mechanisms behind epigenetic regulation and its role in development and disease.
Researcher: Dr Adrienne Sullivan (adrienne.sullivan@adelaide.edu.au)
Research Area: Epigenetics and molecular biology
Research Project:
GATA3 and enhancer decommissioning in development and cancer
This project will investigate the molecular mechanisms of how the transcription factor GATA3 changes cell properties by deactivating gene regulatory elements known as enhancers. This involves cloning expression constructs, CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, cell culture, and molecular assays such as ATAC and ChIP.
Researcher: Dr Luke Isbel (luke.isbel@adelaide.edu.au)
Research Area: Genomics and chromatin biology
Research Project:
Designing molecular tools to study transcription factors on chromatin
Gene editing has been revolutionised 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: 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.
We also have projects available for those interested in bioinformatics. Please contact us for a discussion.
Researcher: Dr Nora Liu (nora.liu@adelaide.edu.au)
Research Area: Bioinformatics and cancer
Research Project: Please contact researcher for discussion.
Researcher: Dr Ning Liu (ning.liu@adelaide.edu.au)
Research Area: Bioinformatics
Research Project: Please contact researcher for discussion.
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 20 SEPTEMBER 2024.