Harnessing structural insights into bacterial zinc efflux for new human therapeutics

This project aims to define the structure and mechanism of the S.pneumoniae transporter system that confers resistance to host antimicrobial metals, with the goal of developing a novel antimicrobial therapeutic strategy to block this pathway and thus treat human disease.

The project involves chemical synthesis, protein synthesis with nonconical amino acids, innovative biochemistry, advanced spectroscopy, and high-performance computing.

Key objectives encompass
1. Chemical synthesis and development of new biochemistry technologies, for example, site-specific tagging of proteins with non-canonical amino acids

2. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) combined with e.g. NMR and CryoEM to determine structure of the target biomolecules

3. Development of Molecular Dynamics simulations to determine structure/function aided by experimental constraints from objective 2.

You may work on one or more of the above objectives depending on your background.

The Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) and the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences (SCMB) provide a world-class research environment with state-of-the-art facilities for biotechnology and biomedical research including wet labs and an array of advanced characterisation techniques.

You will benefit from access to cutting-edge EPR  infrastructure for DEER spectroscopy, the largest facility in the southern hemisphere, and powerful UQ supercomputing capabilities for Molecular Dynamics simulations.

The project is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and involves collaboration with The University of Melbourne.

This project is supported by the Research project scholarship.

Learn more about the Research project scholarship.

Your application will be assessed on a competitive basis.

We take into account your:

• previous academic record
• publication record
• honours and awards
• employment history.

A working knowledge of biology, chemistry, physics, or mathematics would be of benefit to someone working on this project.

You will demonstrate academic achievement in the fields of biochemistry or biophysics and the potential for scholastic success.

A background or knowledge of one of the following - chemical synthesis, NMR or EPR spectroscopy, or molecular dynamics simulations - is highly desirable.

You must submit an expression of interest (EOI) by 20 November, 2026 20 November, 2026.

Before you apply

1. Check your eligibility for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
2. Prepare your documentation.
3. If you have any questions about whether the project is suitable for your research interests, contact Associate Professor Jeffrey Harmer (jeffrey.harmer@cai.uq.edu.au).

When you apply

To apply, submit an expression of interest (EOI) for the program. You don't need to apply separately for the project or scholarship. How to submit an EOI

In your EOI, complete the ‘Scholarship/Sponsorship’ section with the following details:

1. Are you applying for an advertised project: 'Yes'
2. Project: 'Research project scholarship'
3. Scholarship Code Listed in the Advertisement: EFFLUX-HARMER
4. Link to Scholarship Advertisement: https://study.uq.edu.au/study-options/phd-mphil-professional-doctorate/projects/harnessing-structural-insights-bacterial-zinc-efflux-new-human-therapeutics-0

Submit an EOI