Possible Honours Projects

Dec 13, 2008 17:31

 
JM & KM ED & MB CJ & WW GG JR & BC Project
Scabies, resistance to permethrin

Osteoporosis, looking for SNPs and monogenic factors re: bone anabolism and removal

Microcystin, an algal toxin, extracting, purifying and describing two novel congeners

Not well described yet, but assaying a selection of Brisbane residents (through ARCBS) for genetic differences in immunophenotypes

Using the Gene Dimmer technology in Arabidopsis to express GUS/GFP without RNAi: helps prove that Gene Dimmer works in all Eukaryotoes and not just animals
Publications
Strong record, variety of journals

Very strong record of publications in a variety of journals, inc. the big ones

Good record of publications in variety of journals

Fairly long history of publication in a variety of journals and formats in past 20 years. Written one textbook and one popsci book

Both have a long history of publications and education at UQ
Lab
Modern, well equipped lab. Double funded in ‘08-’09

New facility with very modern equipment. Well funded and supported by HPV vaccine patent

Modern lab, well equipped, time split between UQ and EnTox at Coopers Plains

Lab only opens 15 December, lacks a lot of equipment yet. Obviously modern facility, funding is still uncertain

Unsure of lab, though both supervisors are well funded
People
Friendly, helpful and enthusiastic about an honours student. Primary supervisor desc. as ‘brilliant recent PhD grad’, head of lab infectious disease specialist

Very mentally active married couple, friendly, talkative and open. Very enthusiastic about honours student. Actual supervisor endocrinologist, head of lab rheumatologist, now immunogeneticist

Both supervisors are friendly, knowledgeable and open to the idea of an honours student. Primary supervisor has a background in biochem, esp. neurochem and immunosupression drugs

Small group, only been back in AU since February. Supervisor, post-doc, honours student. Post-doc and supervisor seem nice enough, though not particularly organised re: projects or funding yet

Both are nice enough people, but remarkably busy. All other projects would have less busy supervisors/co-supervisors
Techniques
Sequencing, extraction, developing primers, working with animal models, diagnostics, microscopy(?)

Sequencing (sanger and nextgen), microarrays, bioinformatic analysis(?)

Protein extraction, purification, column chromatography, HPLC, NMR, mass spectrophotometry

Sequencing, extraction, heavy emphasis on bioinformatics and stat analysis, Bayesian possibly

Cloning, PCR, transformation, growing plants, analysis thereof, microscopy
Interest & Applications
High interest, useful for further control of scabies (new acaricides unlikely)

High interest, monogenic traits could be channelled into pharmaco-therapeutic research

Interesting, of import due to microcystin’s role as hepatotoxin and commonness in water

Medium interest, data could be potentially useful at some future point

Medium interest, similar techniques to those currently in my repertoire. GD tech monitarily important for crop applications
Location
QIMR, in Herston. Bus and train close by, fairly frequent

DI, PAH in Dutton Park. Bus and train possible, less frequent, change in city

UQ and EnTox at Coopers Plains (easy parking, buses probable given proximity to QEII hospital

UQ

UQ
Potential for Publishing
Medium, probably insufficient novel work

Medium, novel findings based on chance monogenetic links

High, description of two new congeners and possible toxicological analyses is paper material alone

Medium to Low, novel findings unlikely

Low, novel findings unlikely, this project would simply be to confirm multiple-kingdom application of GD
Stipend Yes, ~5K No Yes, ~10K paid as wage No No
So, this is the table of potential honours projects I have to choose from. I've highlighted in aqua my first preference for each area, and orange marks my second choice. I've pretty much excluded GG and JR & BC from consideration, but I still need to rank three preferences of project/supervisor on the application form, so any assistance with that'd be appreciated. Comments are very welcome and encouraged, no matter what your background is.

Poll Honours Project Ranking
Cheers!

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