Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship (GRES)

This PhD opportunity at Monash University Malaysia focuses on the integrated immune profiling of Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction (DGBI), including Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Functional Dyspepsia (FD), within a Southeast Asian cohort. DGBI are chronic conditions that significantly impact quality of life, and recent research suggests they are associated with immune dysregulation, low-grade inflammation, and altered gut–brain–immune communication. Most immunological data on DGBI are derived from Western populations, but differences in diet, microbiome, environmental exposure, and genetics in Southeast Asia may influence immune responses, making this cohort underexplored.

The project aims to fill this gap by combining serum cytokine profiling and immune cell phenotyping, moving beyond individual markers to identify distinct immune patterns (endotypes) and relate them to clinical features. Research areas include biochemistry, bioinformatics, biotechnology, cell biology, genetics, genomics, immunology, molecular biology, and molecular genetics. The study is supervised by Professor Chow Sek Chuen, with Associate Professor Dr Fang Chee-Mun, Associate Professor Dr Chong Chun Wie, and Dr Ho Keat Lam as co-supervisors.

Successful applicants will be awarded the Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship (GRES), which provides a full tuition fee waiver and a monthly stipend for up to 3 years 6 months. To be eligible, candidates must have a First Class Honours (H1) or its equivalence (H1E) recognised by Monash University Malaysia and meet English language requirements. The application deadline is July 31, 2026.

Applicants are encouraged to contact the main supervisor with their academic background and achievements to determine suitability for the research topic. If a good fit, applications should be submitted via the provided link, ensuring the research topic matches the advertisement. Further details on application requirements and scholarship information are available in the submission guide and on the university website.

This project offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the understanding of immune mechanisms in DGBI within a Southeast Asian context, with strong interdisciplinary support and comprehensive funding.