Zinkernagel Medical PhD Scholarship Announcement

The John Curtin School of Medical Research, ANU, Canberra

The Centre for Personalised Medicine is proud to announce the launch of the Zinkernagel Medical PhD Scholarship, generously funded by Nobel Laureate Professor Rolf Zinkernagel.

The prestigious award is designed to support the next generation of clinician-scientists by funding a junior clinician to undertake a PhD in immunology at The John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR). Professor Zinkernagel shared the 1996 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Professor Peter Doherty for their discoveries of the specificity of cellular immune defence. Their discovery of the major histocompatibility complex is critical to numerous domains including virology, cancer biology, transplantation and autoimmunity. Professor Zinkernagel donated this scholarship to honour his formative time spent as a clinician undertaking fundamental scientific research at JCSMR.

Valued at $70,000 per annum for up to 4 years, the scholarship aims to bridge the gap between laboratory research and clinical application. The successful candidate will join the Centre for Personalised Medicine, led by Associate Professor Simon Jiang, where they will focus on clinically oriented immunology research and the translation of modern research techniques into everyday clinical practice.

Scholarship Details and Eligibility

The Zinkernagel Medical PhD Scholarship provides a highly competitive tax-free stipend of $70,000 per annum, paid fortnightly.

To be eligible , applicants must:

• Be a practicing clinician holding, or eligible for, AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) registration.

• Be a domestic candidate capable of studying full-time.

• Have a demonstrated interest in immunology-based research.

How to Apply

Eligible clinicians are invited to apply by submitting their CV and an Expression of Interest detailing their motivation to become a clinician-scientist. Applications and inquiries should be directed via email to info.cpm@anu.edu.au - Applications close 30 June 2026, however, they will be considered on a rolling basis, so we encourage early applications.

For further details regarding the Zinkernagel Medical PhD scholarship, please visit the ANU website.

“This generous gift from Professor Zinkernagel highlights a profound commitment to investing in the future of medical research. Rolf believes the biggest breakthroughs come from clinicians trained in research, those ready to do more than just practice medicine. At the Centre for Personalised Medicine, we work where discovery meets the clinic, empowering the next clinician-scientist to turn innovative science into better patient care." - Associate Professor Simon Jiang