PhD Scholarship in Immunomodulatory properties of natural anti-cancer compounds

This PhD scholarship project will investigate two natural compounds (Xanthatin and L-carnosine) that have the potential to modulate immune responses and thereby effectively contribute to cancer treatment. The immune system plays a pivotal role in cancer prevention, development and therapy. Xanthatin is the primary medicinal component of Xanthium strumarium (cocklebur) commonly used in Chinese medicine with reported anti-bacterial, -viral, -fungal and anti-cancer activity. L-carnosine is a dipeptide molecule with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-glycation and chelating properties. The project aims to identify changes in expression of key molecules that may be important to ovarian cancer immunotherapy and have wider implications for the treatment of chronic disease. The laboratory uses world-class big-data omics analysis of blood immune cells, including RNAseq, epigenetics, multicolour flowcytometry, cell sorting, multiplex cytokine analysis as well as classical immunological techniques. The scholarship is available for 3.5 years and is equivalent to an RMIT full scholarship.