Frazer Institute

Frazer Institute Summer Research projects - 2027

  1. Modelling hepatic ILC1 development and function in vitro
  2. What do clinicians actually want from digital tools? Understanding the case for a modular clinical platform
  3. The Mitochondria Strike Back: How a Novel Cancer Drug Rewires Neuroblastoma Energy Production
  4. Stem cell therapy effects on mitochondrial dysfunction in the fetal growth restricted piglet brain
  1. Effectiveness of Intradermal Hepatitis B Vaccine Boosters in Vaccine Non-Responders
  2. Arming natural killer cells to attack hard to cure solid cancers
  3. Understanding transcriptional regulation of antiviral CD8+ T cells

3. The Mitochondria Strike Back: How a Novel Cancer Drug Rewires Neuroblastoma Energy Production

Hours of engagement and delivery mode

Approximately 30-36 hours per week, typically between Monday and Friday during standard laboratory hours, with some flexibility available by agreement with the supervisor.

Project description

Working within a translational cancer research laboratory at the Frazer Institute, students will use cutting-edge technologies to measure how neuroblastoma cells generate and consume energy following drug treatment. In particular, the project will utilise the Seahorse XF Analyzer to monitor cellular respiration and mitochondrial function in real time.

The findings from this research will help improve our understanding of cancer metabolism and may identify new therapeutic opportunities for children with neuroblastoma. Students will play an active role in generating and analysing data while gaining firsthand experience in translational cancer research.

Expected outcomes and deliverables

You will work alongside researchers investigating how childhood cancer cells generate and use energy. You will receive training in mammalian cell culture and help maintain neuroblastoma cell lines under sterile laboratory conditions.

You will perform experiments to evaluate how the BRD4 inhibitor AZD5153 affects cancer cell growth, viability, and metabolism, while learning how to prepare reagents, optimise drug treatments, and accurately record laboratory data. A major component of the project will involve using the Seahorse XF Analyzer to measure mitochondrial respiration and cellular energy production in real time.

You will also gain exposure to immunofluorescence (IF) microscopy, using fluorescent markers to visualise mitochondrial structure, cellular responses to treatment, and molecular changes induced by BRD4 inhibition.

Suitable for

This project is ideally suited to Master of Molecular Biology, Master of Biotechnology, Master of Biomedical Science, or related postgraduate students who are seeking a research project that could potentially develop into a longer-term 16-unit research dissertation or thesis project

Primary supervisor

by Dr. Debottam Sinha, Garnett Passe Research Fellow

em d.sinha@uq.edu.au

Instructions to applicants