PhD scholarship NIISQ New approach methodologies for modelling traumatic brain injury

The NIISQ PhD scholarship is a prestigious scholarship supported by the National Injury Insurance Scheme Queensland and is part of a large program of research to develop treatment options for treating traumatic brain injury (TBI).

We are looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate to pioneer the development of novel clinically relevant models of traumatic brain injury.

The position is part of the Cure Traumatic Brain Injury project which focuses on identifying and testing therapeutic cellular and subcellular products suitable for translation to the clinic. The team has the ambitious aim of driving products into clinical trial within five years.

The primary focus of this PhD position is to i) systematically develop three-dimensional cellular models to recapitulate the complexity of the brain ii) subject cell models to controlled TBI in vitro iii) characterise the response to injury and benchmark data from the model against existing human clinical data.

Success in this role requires i) an innovative entrepreneurial attitude with a passion to deliver products to market (ii) a focus on consumer involvement (iii) ability to work with clinicians (iv) aptitude to work both autonomously and co-operatively within a large team (v) drive and imagination to contribute to science.

Qualifications :

The selection of applicants for the award of higher degree research scholarships at Griffith University involves consideration of your academic merit and research background. To be successful within this role a scientific background in neuroscience and cell biology is desirable. You will have evidence of a passion for conducting basic and translational research with a strong desire to undertake research in neural repair.

• Expressions of interest are welcome from domestic applicants and from international applicants who have a reasonable expectation of being able to obtain a student visa for study in Australia.
• Applicants must have completed or expect to complete a bachelors degree with honours equivalent to Second class (2A) honours or a Masters degree incorporating a significant research component of a standard comparable to a bachelor honours degree or be regarded by Griffith University as having an equivalent level of attainment. For further information on the eligibility requirements for the program refer here.
• Applicants are expected to commence in either 2026 or 2027.

Additional Information :

About the scholarship
The NIISQ scholarship has an annual stipend of $50000 for a period of up to three years of full-time study.

What Griffith offers
As a scholarship holder you will study with a University that ranks among the top 2% worldwide and spans across campuses in South East Queensland. At Griffith University weve worked hard to create a culture that will challenge you to be curious creative and courageous. We also support the professional and personal development of all our HDR candidates and invest in the skills of our people. Griffith University values diversity inclusion and flexibility and we encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and people of all backgrounds to apply. Griffiths strategic goals are to also increase the proportion of women in senior academic and administrative roles and in Science Technology Engineering Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM).

EOI Process
Please do not select the APPLY button. All expressions of interest must be submitted to Dr Mariyam Murtaza at containing:

• Statement addressing your suitability for the project/scholarship
• Evidence that you have completed a program with the required grades as detailed in the about you section
• A curriculum vitae (CV)
• Names of two referees

Closing date for expressions of interest is: Friday the 5th of June 2026 5pm AEST

The preferred applicant will then be invited to apply for the program and scholarship on-line

For project related enquiries please contact:
Dr Mariyam Murtaza
Email: 

For administration enquiries please contact:
Griffith Graduate Research School
Email: 

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time