Potential Supervisors


Areas of research expertise of potential supervisors

Please contact the supervisor/s if you are interested in any of the following projects and research themes:

SupervisorsProject titles
Prof  William S. Price
Prof. Annemarie Hennessy
MRI studies on placenta: Imaging the cause of preeclampsia
Dr Amit Arora Health promotion, life-course epidemiology, socio-economic inequality in health, prevention and management of chronic diseases and health literacy
Prof Janice Aldrich-WrightDeveloping new flourophores; Sequence selective compounds; Synthesising tetradentates for coordination to platinum; The design, synthesis and characterisation of anticancer drugs; and The design, synthesis and characterisation of platinum(IV) prodrugs 
Dr Trevor BaileyGadolinium complexes as novel contrast agents in MRI
Dr Marion GaborieauCharacterizing chitosan for nerve repair; and Hyperbranched polymers for drug delivery
Dr Antonio LautoFabrication of laser activated bio-adhesive scaffolds for sutureless tissue repair
Prof William S Price
Dr Tim Stait-Gardner
Development of fast NMR diffusion sequences; Diffusion tensor imaging; Modelling diffusion in complex structures; NMR simulation using symbolic algebra
Prof William S Price
Dr Allan Torres in conjunction with
Dr Marina Ali (Westmead Hospital)
Interactions between lipids and membrane proteins
Prof William S Price
Dr Gang Zheng
Multiple solvent suppression; NMR of ion dynamics in solution (including ionic liquids and salt-polymer electrolytes); Self-assembly in alcohol solutions; and Suppression of solvent signals in highly dilute solutions
Dr Allan Torres
Prof William S Price
Biophysical NMR studies of protein folding and denaturation; Development of new NMR methods for diffusion studies; Diffusion of peptides in different solution environments; and NMR structure of membrane-associated polypeptides
Dr Gang Zheng
Prof William S Price
Decode nature's way of detoxification---NMR studies on dissolved organic matter in Australian aquatic systems; Development of new NMR-based SEC-like analysis; New NMR diffusion experiments for probing the interactions between anti-cancer drugs and macromolecules; and Quantitative composition-flavour relationships: the first step to a flavour tasting machine
Prof Jens CoorssenIsolation and identification of cholesterol-binding proteins
Prof Vaughan MacefieldMovement-induced modulation of sympathetic nerve activity in human subjects
Dr David A MahnsDelayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS): Contributions from the peripheral and central nervous systems; and Is our sense of limb position (Proprioception) affected by ongoing pain
Dr Michelle MoffittGenes and enzymes responsible for natural product biosynthesis in cyanobacteria
A/Prof Gerald MuenchPro-energetic drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease
Dr Simon MyersEndoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial changes in distal axonal neurodegenerative disease
Dr Michael O'ConnorOcular regenerative medicine: optimizing the differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells to lens epithelial cells
Dr Carl ParsonsNeuroplasticity and functional recovery in an animal model
Dr Sabine C PillerThe role of protein arginine methylation
Dr Colin Stack
Dr Michelle Moffitt
Dr Shane Griffin
Identification of new antimalarial compounds from cyanobacteria

Dr Bobby Cheema
A/Prof Caroline Smith
A/Prof Dennis Chang

Effect of a worksite based yoga program on heart rate variability: A randomised controlled trial
Dr Bobby Cheema
Dr Paul Marshall
Effect of a worksite based yoga program on functional fitness: A randomised controlled trial
Dr Bobby CheemaEffect of a worksite-based yoga program on psychological health status: A randomised controlled trial
Dr Shona PapaliaLower limb motor control, strength and foot posture in adolescent populations; Dance and its effect on fitness and body composition; and Landing force profiles during single leg hopping – effect of lower limb injury
Dr Peter ClothierValidation of a 2D kinematic method for predicting leg stiffness during low, moderate and high intensity running velocities; and Do graded compression garments affect running leg stiffness and lower limb kinematics during moderately paced distance running?
Dr Paul Marshall
Cherie Wells
Pilates exercise for chronic low back pain
Dr Paul MarshallGluteus medius muscle recruitment during resistance exercises
Dr Paul Marshall
Dr Dan Robbins
High volume resistance exercise for the biceps muscle
Amitabh Gupta
Dr Peter Clothier
An evaluation of compression garments and their effect on vertical leg stiffness during hopping
Dr Jason SieglerInfluence of prior exercise on the blood buffering potential after sodium bicarbonate ingestion; and Influence of sodium bicarbonate on skeletal muscle recruitment during resistance training exercise
Dr Kylie Steel (UWS)
Roger Adams (USYD)
Can football (or other invasion games) player's accurately identify team-mates vs non-team-mates from brief (<400msec) visual displays of multiple players in a video-clip?; and Can 'self-as-model' video-based training improve deceptive (side-step/agility) movements in team-sports participants
Dr Kylie Steel (UWS)
Kenneth Graham (NSWIS)
Do compression garments provide additional proprioceptive feedback for improving hitting/ striking skills such as a golf swing?
Dr Andrew BennieCoaching effectiveness; Coaching 4 roles; and Implications for evaluating effective coaching
Prof Gregory KoltThe Influence of Teachers' Needs Supportive Behaviours on PDHPE Students' Physical Activity During Class
Prof Gregory KoltExploring factors that influence physical activity behaviours in adults
Dr Stefania Penkala
Dr Julia Bowman
The effect of "green exercise" on anxiety disorders: A systematic review
Dr Ros ByeTherapists' perspectives on the role of occupational therapy with adolescents and their families
Dr Catherine CookSafe to go home? Understanding occupational therapy discharge assessment of older adults in acute care
Dr Julia Bowman
Dr Stefania Penkala
Translation of evidence-based practice knowledge and skills from education to clinical settings: A systematic review
Rachelle CoePaediatric occupational therapy services in the South West Sydney area: A needs analysis
Nerida KluppSystematic review to evaluate the psychometric validity of questionnaires used to measure student attitudes, knowledge and skills in research and evidence-based practice
Dr Margaret SkropetaExploring the how, when, where and what of older Muslim adults interacting within the aged care sector of services in Australia; What do participants think of the UCA-Sydney Regional Intergenerational Playgroup Project?; and Workplace learning: It's place in academic learning
Dr Rebecca OlsonImproving health protection communication with carers of cancer patients
A/Prof Dennis Chang
Dr Ben Colagiuri
Evaluation of complementary medicine for improving neurocognition and cardiovascular function
A/Prof Kelvin Chan
A/Prof Caroline Smith
Dr Xiaoshu Zhu
Assessing the feasibility of the local adoption of the quality of life instrument ChQOL
A/Prof Kelvin Chan
Dr Tina Naumovski
Bioavailability of gypenosides from gynostemma pentaphyllum; and Cytotoxicity of gypenosides from gynostemma pentaphyllum
A/Prof Caroline SmithPractice patterns and motivations of acupuncturists working in the area of women's health
Dr Xiaoshu Zhu
Dr Yachun Zhai
Does acupuncture have a role in the treatment of chronic prostatitis?
Dr Xiaoshu Zhu
Dr Junguan Liu
Traditional Chinese medicine teaching clinic: Demographic, clinical characteristics and validating patient consultation and evaluation sheet
Dr Xiaoshu Zhu
A/Prof Dennis Chang
Dr Stefania Penkala
Psychometric testing of a standardised pattern diagnostic instrument in evaluating coronary heart disease in traditional Chinese medicine practice.
Dr Henry LiangAcupuncture for quality of life in post-chemotherapy cancer patients: A pilot randomised controlled trial
Dr Ben Colagiuri
A/Prof Carolin Smith
Patient-practitioner communication in complementary medicine.
Dr Ben Colagiuri
Cherie Wells
The egoscue method for improving lower back pain: Exercise classification and protocol development
Dr Cheang KhooComparison of Extraction Procedures in the Preparation of Herbal Medicines
Tad BakSolid state electrochemistry; solid state chemistry; gas-solid reactivity; energy materials
Prof Andrew BeattieEntomology; oogenesis in blowflies; behaviour of arthropods to mineral oils; biological control of plant-feeding arthropods; integrated pest management
Jo-Anne Chuck Bioactive compounds from Streptomyces spp; regulation of biosynthetic processes using image analysis, molecular biology, protein chemistry and natural products chemistry; use of Streptomyces spp. in bioreactors for long term drug delivery
A/Prof Gary Dennis Polymer design, synthesis and characterisation; surface properties of polymers as very thin films; polymer nanocomposites; stationary phase design and characterisation for chromatography; surface chemistry – stabilization and destabilization of suspensions, silane passivation of metals
Dr Chris Derry Health risk analysis applied to water chemistry and microbiology; field monitoring, lab analysis, and integration of results into risk assessment matrices; health risk management and communication; health risk analysis relating to food safety, high voltage power distributions and environmental noise; monitoring strategies for surface removal of microorganisms in the reduction of hospital cross infections.
Dr Samsul Huda Climate-related risk analysis - opportunity management and decision making; climatic-agronomic-environmental modelling and simulation; plant biosecurity and environmental risk analysis and modelling; climate, food, environment and health; adaptation to climate change impacts
Mark Jones Molecular and cell biology, investigating disease resistance, cell signalling, gene activation and gene therapy; confocal characterisation of live cell molecular events using fluorescent correlation spectroscopy techniques (FLIM, RICS, N&B)
Kamali KannangaraSynthesis of organic and organometallic compounds and use of spectroscopic techniques for the molecular structure elucidation; functionalisation of carbon nanotubes; catalysts for hydrocracking of bio-fuels; solid state NMR techniques to understand carbon and nitrogen cycling in soils; changes in chemical environments of carbon and nitrogen in plant tissues grown in elevated carbon dioxide characterisation of materials of forensic interest
A/Prof Kant KantharajahPlant biotechnology; plant growth and development; alternative crop production
Dr Sundar KoyyalamudiIsolation of bioactive compounds from medicinal herbs and their structure determination using high resolution solution NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry
Peter LeverettInorganic chemistry; X-ray crystallography; coordination chemistry; solid-state analytical methods; chemical mineralogy
Adriyan MilevSynthesis, characterisation and application of nanocarbons such as nanographite and carbon nanotubes; kinetics and mechanism of chiral carbon nanotube nucleation and growth
Tom MillarStudies of the eye and the tear film; projects will involve tissue culture, protein structure and function, lipid structure and function, immunohistochemistry and rheology
Poonam MudgilTear film components and their interactions; use of polymers to increase ocular comfort in 'dry-eye'
Robert MulleyDietary overlap with sympatric native and exotic carnivores; movement patterns and home range analysis of dingoes; population analysis of free ranging deer; disease monitoring in wildlife species; reproduction and performance with domestic production animals such as deer, pigs and cattle; monitoring dusts and bioaerosols in agricultural and industrial settings
Loo-Teck NgControlled-release of drugs using hydrogels and intelligent membranes; nano-encapsulation of food additives for controlled-release; ameliorating salinity in soil using hydrogels encapsulated with water-soluble calcium salts
Janusz NowotnySolid state electrochemistry; solid state chemistry; gas-solid reactivity; energy materials
Maria NowotnyPhotocatalysis; solid state chemistry; charge transfer
Julie OldNative mammal conservation; native mammal immunology
Qaiyum ParvezAgronomy; crop production; farming system research and extension; systems thinking and praxis development; capacity building, communication and rural development; curriculum development and transfer of technology
Michael PhillipsInteractions of probiotic bacteria with the immune system, natural gut bacteria and pathogens; survival and delivery of probiotic bacteria including the use of capsule technology; the role of biofilms in the persistence and transmission of bacterial pathogens; ecology and mechanisms of gastrointestinal pathogenesis; the use of rapid methods to detect pathogens in food
Narsimha ReddyIsolation of bioactive compounds from medicinal herbs and their structure determination using high resolution solution NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry
Sue ReedMonitoring dusts and bioaerosols in agricultural and industrial settings; establishment of safe working environments in industries where inhalation of dusts and bioaerosols is common; silica dust in Queensland mines and quarries; impact of long term inhalation of dusts on health of workers
Adrian RenshawGeneral biology and ecology; plant biology and ecology; forensic biology
Markus RieglerEntomology in agriculture, forestry, medical, veterinary and forensic Sciences; insect molecular biology; microbiology; molecular ecology; population genetics; ecological genetics; evolutionary biology
Dr Anya SalihStructure-function studies of genes and proteins in live cells by fluorescence and confocal imaging; green fluorescent protein technology; fluorescence analyses of cellular dynamics of proteins and genes; characterisation of cellular oxidative stress responses; photobiology; responses of marine organisms to climate change stress
Andrew ShallikerSeparations in liquid chromatography, with emphasis on theory, fundamentals and separations involving very complex samples; two-dimensional HPLC; flow heterogeneity in fluidised porous beds; complex natural products such as wine, coffee and herbal medicines; heterogeneity of monolithic solid rod HPLC columns; new stationary phase technology
Leigh SheppardSolid state chemistry; mass transport; photoelectrochemistry
Ricky Spencer Conservation and ecology of native animals; the management and control of vertebrate pests; current research projects include life history evolution of freshwater turtles in response to fox predation, the impact of Indian Mynas on native birds and small mammals, and new methods to save the dingo
A/Prof Robert Spooner-HartApplied entomology; biological control and integrated pest management in horticultural crops; botanical pesticides and chemical ecology of insects, native bees and pollination
Roy Tasker Chemical education; interactive multimedia resources to communicate ideas in science; learning chemistry more deeply by visualising the molecular world; developing resources for juries to better understand the significance of scientific evidence
Tony Webb Social science of resource sustainability, particularly issues of community engagement in planning and community capacity building (social capital) arising from people's involvement in ecological science issues
Pete Williams Inorganic chemistry; mineral chemistry; mineral processing; geochemistry; environmental chemistry; X-ray crystallography; coordination chemistry; measurement of non-classical weak bonding effects
Paul Wormell Computational chemistry and spectroscopy of organic molecules; including compounds of biological, medicinal or forensic interest; electronic and vibrational spectroscopy of naturally occurring heterocycles