Medical Research at the Burnet Institute

Unit Code

00717

Department/Institution Offering Unit

The Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health
(Burnet Institute)
Commercial Road
Melbourne
Victoria 3004 Australia

web: www.burnet.edu.au

Unit Points

Research Points: 87.5

Coursework Points: 12.5

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Contacts

Unit Coordinator/s:

Dr Catherine (Kate) Cherry
Infectious Diseases Physician and Senior Burnet Fellow Neurovirology
Group
Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health
Alfred Medical and Education Precinct
85 Commercial Road
Prahan 3181 Australia

tel: +61 3 9282 2278 (Office)
fax: +61 3 9282 2100
email: Kcherry@burnet.edu.au

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Overall Objectives

• To provide an introduction to the principles, processes and practice of laboratory research.
• To encourage the development of autonomy in understanding and defining research problems, developing and utilising experimental methods to solve laboratory research problems, interpreting laboratory research data, and synthesizing that data into oral presentations and written reports.

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Content

Coursework: Intermediate Epidemiology and Biostatistics.

Research: An original, supervised project, to be negotiated between the student and a senior scientist at the Burnet Institute.

Sample Research Topics:

Some examples of projects at the Burnet Institute:

1. Genetic and functional analysis of HIV-1 subtype C Nef protein
   Contacts: Drs Paul Gorry and Melissa Churchill
   Email gory@burnet.edu.au and churchil@burnet.edu.au
2. Identification of prognosis-associated biomarkers for Hepatitis C Virus by genome-wide transcription profiling. (2 students)
   Contact Dr Shuo Li
   Email shuo.li@burnet.edu.au
3. Investigation of the role of cell mediated immunity in protection from Hepatitis C virus infection in IDU
   Contact Dr Rosemary Ffrench
   Email Ffrench@burnet.edu.au
4. A Rapid, Point-of-care diagnostic test for measles virus infection
   Contact A/Prof David Anderson
   Email Anderson@burnet.edu.au
5. Malaria molecular epidemiology/population genomics &
   immuno-epidemiology. (Project will involve both lab and bioinformatics
   component and will be based at the AMREP campus)
   Contact Dr Alyssa Barry
   Email: alyssa.barry@burnet.edu.au
   Phone: 8506 2334
6. Using dried blood spots to detect HIV drug resistance and provide low-cost monitoring of HIV+ patients receiving antiretroviral therapy in resource constrained countries
   Contact: Suzanne Crowe
   email: crowe@burnet.edu.au
7. Tracking HIV infection using fluorescent viruses.
   Contact Johnson Mak
   email: mak@burnet.edu.au
8. Selecting host cell lipid membrane proteins during HIV-1 assembly.
   Contact Johnson Mak
   email: mak@burnet.edu.au
9. Diversity of HIV-1 - mechanism for generating multipe drug resistance..
   Contact Johnson Mak
   email: mak@burnet.edu.au
10. Is IgA nephrophathy a protein folding disease?
    Contact Bruce Wines
    Email: bwines@burnet.edu.au
11. Immune-inhibitory signaling through Immunoglobulin A
    Contact Bruce Wines
    Email: bwines@burnet.edu.au
12. Projects within the Kidney laboratory at the Burnet's Austin campus are available. Sample topics include
    Contact Dr Peter Mount Peter.Mount@austin.org.au
    Phone 9496 5685 or 9496 3059
    Prof David Power David.Power@austin.org.au
    Phone 9496 5634

Other Research at the Burnet Institute:.

Studies of the mechanism of action of the HIV Nef protein, and its role in pathogenisis.
• Studies of the mechanism of action of the HIV Nef protein, and its role in pathogenisis.s.
• Determining how HIV infection disrupts the function of macrophages.
• The pathogenesis of HIV-associated dementia.
• Investigating protein: protein interactions between viral proteins and host cell factors that are important for HIV-1 replication.
• Understanding how HIV-1 proteins hijack host cell signalling molecules to increase viral replication and disease progression.
• Studies on the assembly of hepatitis B virus in cells.
• Viral factors determining slow progression of HIV infection.

Please see www.burnet.edu.au for detailed research descriptions and contact information.

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Assessment Breakdown




Research Component: 87.5 points
Research Report (up to 9,000 words): 85%
Oral presentations during the year: 15%

Coursework Component: 12.5 points
Intermediate Epidemiology and Biostatistics will be assessed as per subject description.

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Student Numbers




Number of places available:
4