PhD Global Excellence and Mobility Scholarship (GEMS 2026). Research Project: AI of Neural Connectivity for Biomarker and Treatment-Response Discovery

About the Project

Using the Project-1 hiPSC platform, this project builds AI pipelines to learn disease-relevant representations from cellular images, fused with multi-omics. Models will classify diagnosis and predict treatment response with strict donor-level splits, cross-regional external validation, and fairness audits (sex/ethnicity stratification). Interpretable AI (e.g., attribution maps, SHAP) will nominate mechanism-anchored biomarkers and candidate interventions. Tooling will be containerised and open to support reproducibility and clinical translation. Outputs include validated models, ranked biomarkers, and decision support for dosing/regimen choices that directly guide Project-3 therapeutic testing.

This project is part of Monash University Malaysia’s Graduate Research Thematic Cluster, MAP-Neuro: Diverse hiPSC Models, AI Analytics & Mechanism-Guided Therapeutics

Preferred candidates for having prior experience in AI model development, biomedical image analysis, or multi-omics integration, with strong competence in deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch/TensorFlow) and data engineering for reproducible research. Familiarity with cloud/HPC workflows, containerisation (Docker), and basic bioinformatics pipelines will be preferred. Cross-disciplinary training and co-supervision with computational and neuroscience partners under GEMS 2026 will be provided.

For enquiries, please contact Assoc. Professor Ting Chee Ming

For more information about this project, please visit our GEMS website.

How to Apply

It is suggested that you first contact the main supervisor and provide them with your academic background and achievements to determine whether you are a 'fit' for this research topic.

If you feel you are a good fit, submit your application here and ensure that you enter the same GEMS research topic as advertised on this webpage. To review the application requirements, please refer to our application submission guide. When submitting your application, please select the Global Excellence and Mobility Scholarship (GEMS). More information about GEMS is available here.

Funding Notes

The Global Excellence and Mobility Scholarship (GEMS), funded by Monash University Malaysia, features regional mobility and is awarded to highly qualified students seeking to work on projects of regional and global relevance.

Recipients of GEMS will be funded for an immersive year in either Monash University Australia, Monash University Indonesia, or the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay of up to 9 months and have access to Monash University’s global network of research expertise and infrastructure during their candidature period.

Eligibility

To be eligible for GEMS, you must possess a minimum academic qualification of First Class Honours (H1) or its equivalence (H1E) recognised by Monash University Malaysia and satisfy the English language requirements.