Frazer Institute Summer Research projects - 2027

Hours of engagement and delivery mode

36 hours per week, 11 January to 19 February 2027 (6 weeks). Primarily on campus at the Frazer Institute, Herston, with the option of hybrid work by arrangement. Typical working days and hours will be agreed with the supervisor.

Project description

Hepatitis B vaccination is highly effective, but some people do not develop protective antibody levels after a standard intramuscular vaccination course. These vaccine non-responders can remain susceptible to infection, yet there is limited evidence to guide the best follow-up vaccination strategy. This project will examine whether additional intradermal hepatitis B vaccine doses can help non-responders achieve protective hepatitis B surface antibody levels. Using de-identified retrospective clinical data from Dr Deb - The Travel Doctor clinic in Brisbane, the study will describe seroconversion after intradermal vaccination and investigate whether responses vary by age, sex, previous vaccine doses, number of intradermal doses, and timing of post-vaccination serology. The student will contribute directly to generating real-world evidence that may inform clinical practice and future guidance for managing hepatitis B vaccine non-responders.

Expected outcomes and deliverables

You will prepare and quality-check a de-identified study dataset from existing clinical records. You will help clean and organise variables on demographic characteristics, vaccination history, intradermal doses, and hepatitis B surface antibody results. You will undertake descriptive analyses of seroconversion, defined as an antibody level of at least 10 mIU/mL, and explore results by relevant subgroups. You will assist with interpretation, create tables and figures, and contribute to a manuscript draft. The project does not involve recruiting or contacting patients.

Suitable for

Undergraduate students in medicine, public health, biomedical science, pharmacy, nursing, epidemiology, biostatistics, or a related discipline. Applicants should be interested in infectious diseases, immunisation, travel medicine, or clinical research and be comfortable working carefully with structured data. Basic Excel skills are required. Familiarity with R, Stata, or another statistical package is helpful but not essential

Primary supervisor

Dr Sebastian Vernal

Em s.vernal@uq.edu.au

Instructions to applicants

Students may contact the supervisor before applying. Prospective applicants are encouraged to send a brief resume and academic transcript. An online meeting may be arranged to discuss the project and answer questions