Do cutting-edge research at the intersection of cryo‑EM, genome-wide profiling, and AI-driven modelling.
Work with world‑class cryo-EM/cryo-ET imaging and AI tools to discover how the dangerous bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae adapts its outer shell to survive – foundational knowledge on cell signalling and gene regulation that will help drive new strategies to combat this major antibiotic‑resistant threat.
Scholarship opportunity:
- Fully-funded, priority level scholarship
- PhD: 3 years
- Hosted at the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute in collaboration with the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems (MACSYS).
About the Project
This project will use cutting-edge cryo-electron microscopy at the Ramaciotti Centre for Cryo-Electron Microscopy to determine the first full-length structure of a membrane-spanning two-component sensor kinase from the important human pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae. By combining structural biology with genome-wide profiling and state of the art AI modeling, the candidate will map the signalling networks governing bacterial outer membrane permeability, addressing a fundamental question in cell biology.
- Contact: Dr Thomas McClean or Professor Trevor Lithgow