Faculty/School

Faculty of Health

School of Biomedical Sciences

Topic status

We're looking for students to study this topic.

Research centre

Centre for Immunology and Infection Control

Primary Supervisor

Associate Professor Francesca Frentiu
Position
Associate Professor
Division / Faculty
Faculty of Health

Other QUT supervisors

Dr Alison Carey
Position
Senior Lecturer
Division / Faculty
Faculty of Health

Overview

The project aims to understand whether key bacterial species are present in local populations of a mosquito that transmits Japanese encephalitis virus to humans and livestock.  These bacteria can modulate the mosquito's ability to transmit viruses and also have potential biocontrol applications.  The project sits at the interfaces of microbiology, medical entomology and virology.  Funding is available for the molecular work in this project through an NHMRC Ideas grant to the principal supervisor.

Research engagement

Literature review, wet-lab based work

Research activities

The student will be based in the Centre for Immunology and Infection Control (CIIC) in laboratories located at QIMR Berghofer, Herston.  The student will be developing a study protocol and test for symbiotic bacterial species in Brisbane populations of the major mosquito vector of Japanese encephalitis virus in Australia.  Symbiotic bacterial species play an important role in determining how well mosquitoes transmit viruses to humans or other animals.  The student will test if several key bacterial species are present in the mosquito using molecular methods.  Samples that are positive for the bacteria will be submitted for sequencing to confirm bacterial species identity, and phylogenetic analyses will be undertaken to determine relationships among different microbial groups.

Research skills

1. Review of relevant literature in the field. 2. Developing an experimental protocol to address the question.  3. Wet lab skill such as primer design, DNA extractions, quantifications and qPCR. 4. Data analysis and communication skills.

Outcomes

Results from this project will help us better understand the microbial diversity in medically important mosquitoes and pave the way for development of a new biocontrol based on symbiotic bacteria.

Skills and experience

Ideally the student would have undertaken at least one of the second-year microbiology units, such as LQB362 or LQB462 or LQB494.

Start date

15 November, 2026

End date

19 February, 2027

Location

QUT Laboratories at QIMR Berghofer, Herston, Brisbane, Australia.

Keywords

Contact

Francesca Frentiu, Associate Professor and Director, Centre for Immunology and Infection Control

(07) 31386185

francesca.frentiu@qut.edu.au