Download the current BABS Honours Booklet (linked above) for full information about BABS supervisors and honours projects.
Honours projects in BABS are aligned across three discipline areas:
- microbiology and microbiomes
- genomics and bioinformatics
- molecular cell biology.
There is a wide scope of projects to interest honours students, with research spanning human bacterial pathogens, functional genomics, genetics, viruses, cancer, cell biology, bioinformatics, extremophiles and more.
The work spans from hypothesis-driven ‘blue sky’ research that advances human knowledge, to application-focused research that has potential medical and industrial benefits for society.
Our honours students benefit greatly from world-class facilities that include the , which houses next-generation genomic sequencing technology.
Honours projects
Genomics and bioinformaticsÂ
Genomics and bioinformatics is an invaluable hybrid of science, concerning the structure and function of genomes and the use of computational technology to capture and interpret biological data. While scientists previously focused on singular cells, the enormous development in bioinformatics over the past decade has enabled us to study cells on a mass scale.Â
We are focused on enabling medical breakthroughs and clinical application with our access to cutting-edge computational biology. UNSW Biotechnology & Biomedical Sciences houses the Ramaciotti Centre for Genomics, the largest and most comprehensive genomics facility at any Australian University with an extensive suite of bioinformatics tools and next-generation sequencing.
Cluster strengths:
- gene regulation
- systems biology
- neurogenomics.
Microbiology and microbiomesÂ
Microbes are invisible companions that intertwine our biology and support our biological and geological systems. They are big players in infectious diseases but are also fundamental to producing nutrients for plants to grow and the dynamic transformation of matter. We aim to unravel the mechanisms behind these ubiquitous microbes and their vital function in every life process. Our research in microbiology and microbiomes explores the importance of microbes in the environment and microbial contributions to health and disease.
Our students are encouraged to use their critical and analytical aptitude and exercise a range of genomic tools to address global topics such as archaea, climate change and food production. We endeavour to translate our research into effective methods for the control and treatment of conditions like autism, cancer and diabetes. Driven by improvements in technology and the imaginations of our researchers, we aspire to unravel the many secrets of the microbial world.
Cluster strengths:
- microbes in health and disease
- microbes in the environment.
Molecular and cell biology
Since traditional biology focuses on living organisms as a whole, molecular and cell biology explores the components and interactions that make up a cell. This gives us a deeper understanding of cell function and why diseases and disorders happen on a molecular level.
Molecular and cell biology has been pivotal in a wide range of fields and revolutionised the ability to manipulate cells and tissues for medical and therapeutic purposes such as vaccinations. Other developments have included DNA fingerprinting in forensics and pioneering crop modifications in agriculture. Our research centres on the areas of synthetic biology and metabolism and molecular cell biology. We incorporate molecular genetics, stem cell biology, microscopy, computer science and epidemiology to answer unsolved biological questions and train the next generation of life scientists.
Cluster strengths:
- metabolism and metabolic disorders
- structural and synthetic biology.