PhD Scholarship: Synthetic Biopolymer-Protein Conjugates for Enhanced Mucosal Delivery of Drugs and Antigens

Location: Brisbane South (Nathan), Australia; primarily campus-based, with possible work across other hirify.global locations

Scholarship stipend: AUD 34,752 per year, indexed, for up to three years of full-time study. International recipients may also receive tuition-fee coverage for up to three years.

Company

hirify.global is an Australian university with facilities for micro- and nanotechnology, advanced manufacturing, synthetic biology, and bioprocessing research.

What you will do

• Develop innovative biopolymer-protein conjugates for mucosal delivery of drugs and antigens.
• Design functional biopolymers that target mucosal tissues and support nasal delivery.
• Apply electrohydrodynamic atomisation to produce biopolymer micro- and nanoparticles.
• Control particle size and charge to improve delivery efficacy.
• Generate bacterial production strains and develop associated bioprocesses.
• Characterise nanomaterials before and after the nebulising process.

Requirements

• Completed or expected completion of a bachelor’s degree with first-class honours equivalent, or a master’s degree with a significant research component and comparable academic attainment.
• Strong background in material or biomaterial science, including the design, analysis, fabrication, and characterisation of new material samples.
• Ability to work across bioengineering, microfluidics, and material science in a multidisciplinary research environment.
• International applicants must meet the program’s English proficiency requirements, including IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0, or an accepted equivalent TOEFL score.
• Applicants must be able to study primarily at Brisbane South (Nathan), Australia.

Culture & Benefits

• Access to a Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers equipped with bioprocessing and characterisation instruments.
• Work in a PC2 laboratory supporting synthetic biology research with bacterial production strains.
• Professional and personal development support for higher degree research candidates.
• A culture focused on curiosity, creativity, courage, diversity, inclusion, and flexibility.
• International scholarship support may include tuition-fee coverage for up to three years.

Hiring process

• Submit an expression of interest by email with a suitability statement, research proposal, academic transcript, CV, and names of two referees.
• The preferred applicant will be invited to apply online for the research program and scholarship.