An undergraduate or postgraduate coursework scholarship for students who are studying the Doctor of Dental Medicine or Bachelor of Oral Health Establish...
Understanding the factors of influencing the bioactivities and components of Kuuku I'lyu medicinal plant Dodonaea polyandra
This project forms a part of a wider Australian Research Council Linkage Project called Co-research supporting the development of Aboriginal plane knowledges’, which is a partnership between the University of South Australia, Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation and Melio Skincare.
This PhD project will focus on examining factors that may influence levels of compounds and bioactivities in the leaves and stems of the plant the stability of these compounds when plant extracts are formulated as a skin cream will also be examined.
The primary objectives are:
– examining the impact of harvesting and regrowth and fire regrowth on the bioactive clerodane diterpenoid compounds found in the leaves and stems of the Uncha plant on the Kuuku I’yu homelands;
– examining the impact of post-harvest treatment of plant materials (including drying and storage) on the bioactive compounds in the plant;
– understanding the other factors that influence the quantities of the bioactive compounds in the Uncha plant and extracts of the plant such as season, time and location of harvest, plant maturity, whether plants bear male or female flowers and herbivory by insects;
– stability of clerodane diterpenoid bioactive compounds when plant extracts are formulated into a skin cream and;
– characterisation of other minor compounds in the plant extracts that may also have bioactivities.
This project is funded for reasonable living expenses and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants will be eligible to receive an increased stipend rate of $50,291 per annum. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included.
Scholarship details
Application dates
How to apply
Externally managed. Apply at https://unisa.edu.au/research/degrees/bioactivities-and-components-of-kuuku-iyu-med
Share
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for this grant, you must:
– meet all the eligibility criteria for entrance for a PhD at the University of South Australia;
– have an Honours or Masters by Research in Natural Products chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Science or a related discipline and;
– be able to demonstrate experience in, and an understanding of, chromatographic separation techniques such as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), intermediate understanding of mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Applicants who can demonstrate the following will be highly regarded:
– experience in any of the following areas: field studies involving plant collection, work with Aboriginal communities or organisations, pharmacological assay techniques including cell-based assays and/or antioxidant assays and/or plant ecology and;
– Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants are highly encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
Please apply directly on the UniSA Scholarship page.