Global Excellence and Mobility Scholarship (GEMS)

This PhD opportunity is offered under the Global Excellence and Mobility Scholarship (GEMS) 2026 at Monash University Malaysia. The research project, 'Precision blood-cell biomarkers for early prediction of severe dengue,' aims to establish a prospective dengue cohort at University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) to identify early blood-cell signatures that predict severe disease outcomes. Peripheral blood samples will be collected at first presentation, with PBMCs and plasma processed and cryopreserved at JCSMHS/UMMC. Fresh-blood immunophenotyping, including neutrophil analysis, will be performed in Kuala Lumpur, while cryopreserved samples will be sent to Melbourne for high-dimensional CyTOF and CITE-seq profiling. The resulting data will be integrated using machine learning to develop a compact biomarker panel suitable for point-of-care diagnostics.

This project is supported by LifeArc and a collaborative team from Monash University Malaysia, Monash University Australia, and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, combining expertise in clinical research, immunology, and bioinformatics. The program is part of Monash University Malaysia’s Graduate Research Thematic Cluster, 'Predict-and-Prevent Severe Dengue: AI-Guided Multi-Omics & Natural-Compound Screening.' The successful candidate will benefit from cross-site co-supervision with the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) and will have the opportunity for an immersive research year at a partner institution.

The ideal candidate will have prior experience in immunology and exposure to clinical or biobank-linked research, with competence in animal cell culture and core molecular biology techniques. Strong skills in documentation, data management, and scientific writing are required. Familiarity with R or Python for basic analysis is preferred, and experience in omics-based data analysis is an advantage. Applicants must hold a First Class Honours (H1) or equivalent qualification recognized by Monash University Malaysia and meet English language requirements.

The GEMS scholarship provides full funding, including tuition and a stipend, and supports up to 9 months of research mobility at Monash University Australia, Monash University Indonesia, or IIT Bombay. The application deadline is April 30, 2026. Interested candidates should first contact the main supervisor to discuss their fit for the project, then submit an Expression of Interest with a relevant research proposal. Eligible applicants will be invited to apply for PhD candidature and may be selected for interview in March 2026.