Stop disease by going straight into the source: invent brand-new vaccines and treatments
Doctors treat individual patients. But what if you want to treat a whole population at once? If you want to improve human health, science can take you there. At Adelaide’s Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, scientists are finding new ways to beat pathogens like viruses, bacteria and parasites. They’re using cutting-edge technologies to target microbes and make more efficient medicines and vaccines.
Students at Adelaide can build vital skills in medical science and lab work as they study, and gain real-world experience through lab placements.
Gene detectives
Pathogens have weak spots, but finding them is tricky! Adelaide University researchers are using CRISPR gene editing techniques to find new targets for treatments by hunting for vulnerable genes.
Boosting crop resilience
Biotechnologists at Adelaide University are using tools like synthetic biology and genetic engineering to understand how plants respond to changes like droughts and extreme weather events. They are even working with NASA to grow plants in space!
Watching evolving threats
Adelaide University researchers understand that knowing how a pathogen evolves, can better prepare us to defend against it. Experts in biotechnology and molecular science are studying this to make stronger vaccines and better antiviral drugs.
Bacterial factories
Did you know that bacteria are used to make mRNA vaccines? They can be genetically modified to grow medicine and other useful materials. Researchers at Adelaide University are even working on engineering gut bacteria that could travel to cancer cells in the body and release treatments directly onto them.
Skills boost
You’ll become a pro in these areas:
- Research & experimentation
- Understanding human biology
- Translating science into healthcare
- Collaboration across teams
Employment opportunities
- Medical researcher
- Public health advisor
- Health informatics coordinator
- Laboratory research assistant
- Toxicologist
- Medicinal chemist
Show me the money
- Toxicologist: $105K–120K
- Laboratory research assistant: $85K–$95K
- Medical scientist: $80K–$100K
Salaries according to seek.com.au
Try it while you study
Major in Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, Genetics, Immunology and Microbiology
All science students at Adelaide University can get real-world experience with work placements. For Chanelle Lai, a placement in one of the university’s labs set her on the path to becoming a malaria-busting researcher.
“I had enjoyed my time so much during the placement that I’ve decided to further my studies here!” she says.
Chanelle is now studying a PhD at the university. She grows malaria parasites, looking for weak spots on their surface that new vaccines could target.
She says her favourite part of the PhD is finding new ways to set up her lab experiments.
“I spend most of my time in the lab performing experiments for my project.”
Chanelle’s path
- Bachelor of Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide
- Bachelor of Science (Honours), University of Adelaide
- Research intern, South Australian Museum and other labs across South Australia
- Research assistant, University of Adelaide
- Practical demonstrator, University of Adelaide
This article first appeared in the Careers with STEM: Study Science at Adelaide University
