Targeted Therapy for Sleep Apnoea: A Novel Personalised Approach

The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development invites applications from highly motivated Australian or overseas graduates seeking to undertake a PhD supervised by Dr Paul Breen and Dr Gaetano Gargiulo.

Two PhD Scholarships available now

This PhD research is funded by a Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Project through the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science and supports a project entitled "Targeted therapy for sleep apnoea: A novel personalised approach". The project aims to develop and evaluate a non-invasive wearable solution for sleep monitoring. This solution largely consists of a t-shirt with bespoke embedded sensors and electronics. As a whole, the project will involved the development and manufacture of the shirt, electronics, apps, algorithms and its use in clinical trials.

This scholarship will be conducted within the Biomedical Engineering and Neuroscience (BENS) and in association with Oventus Medical Ltd, Medical Monitoring Solution Pty Ltd, CSIRO and Neuroscience Research Australia. The PhD research will focus on Wearable Sensor Development and Multisensor Data Analysis. The primary goal for each scholarship will be:

Scholarship A

To develop compensatory mechanisms for large body movements and improve small signal detection with the developed shirt.

Scholarship B

To develop new sleep diagnosis algorithms using recorded data from the developed shirt.

This is an exciting opportunity to work on an applied research and development project in partnership with a dynamic MedTech consortium. Western is committed to recognising the intellectual input of all its researchers, students and academics, however the commercial interest in the project dictates that the scholarship can only be offered on condition that PhD candidates agree to assign their IP rights to Western Sydney University. Please contact the research team if you would like to discuss the specific terms and conditions of assignment.

What does the scholarship provide?

All students receive:

Support for conference attendance (domestic and international), fieldwork and additional costs as appropriate.
Access to the extensive range of MARCS specialised equipment, laboratory space and facilities.
Additional funding to support training and equipment purchases.
A rich environment of support and academic expertise via supervisory panels, seminars, academic and industry collaborations.

Domestic Students receive:

Tax free stipend of up to $35,000 per annum for up to 3 years, a funded place in the doctoral program.

International Students receive:

Tax free stipend of up to $35,000 per annum for up to 3 years, a funded place in the doctoral program.
Outstanding students may be awarded a Tuition Fee Scholarship valued at approximately $25,000 per annum for up to 3 years.
Up to $5,000 towards the cost of airfare and Overseas Student Single Health Care Policy.

Criteria

Applicants should hold an Australian First Class Bachelor Honours degree, OR equivalent qualifications and/or research experience (including research publications) in a field such as computer, electronic or biomedical engineering.
Experience in circuit design, PCB design, programming skills (in Matlab, C++ or for app development) are desirable.
International applicants must also demonstrate a high level of English language proficiency.

What are the next steps?

Potential applicants can contact Dr Paul Breen (p.breen@westernsydney.edu.au) or Dr Gaetano Gargiulo (g.gargiulo@westernsydney.edu.au) to discuss the proposed research.
Western Sydney University strongly recommends that applicants browse the Prepare to Arrive page for information regarding the cost of living in Australia.
Contact the Graduate Research School if you are unsure whether you satisfy the family criteria: grs.scholarships@westernsydney.edu.au
For further information about the application process, contact MARCS Executive Officer, Jen Armstrong: jen.armstrong@westernsydney.edu.au.

How to apply

Please submit an application form, CV, names and contact information of two referees, and a one-page document stating how your research interests align with the project's aims.
Please ensure that all relevant documents are certified according to Western Sydney University requirements. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Contact the Graduate Research School to discuss enrolment and scholarships at grs.scholarships@westernsydney.edu.au.