My expertise is in mathematical statistics, statistical computing, and bioinformatics and my lab is based at the Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI). The WEHI provides an exciting and supportive environment for students.
My Lab develops computational and statistical methods for analysing genomic and proteomics data, especially data from RNA-seq, mass spectrometry and related technologies. My work focuses particularly on gene expression, identifying patterns of gene expression that can characterize biological processes or diseases, and on the regularly mechanisms that control gene expression. Projects might include the analysis of single cell RNA-seq, or detection of splice variants, or the analysis of higher order expression signatures representing biological pathways or cell fates, or integrative analyses combining information from a number of different technologies. Projects may also include the analysis of data from emerging technologies. Projects will involve collaborations with biomedical researchers in other laboratories working on cancer or immunological diseases.
My Lab focuses on methods development. I only accept students with strong backgrounds in mathematics, statistics, computer science or genetics equivalent to an undergraduate major in one of those subjects. Students don't necessarily need to have any prior knowledge of biology or medicine, but they should be highly motivated to apply their mathematical and computations skills to medical problems. I don't accept students from more generic backgrounds in bioinformatics or biology or technology. A list of my current and past research students is given at https://gksmyth.github.io/students.html.
The novel mathematical, statistical, and computational methods developed by my Lab are made publicly available through high-quality open-source software using the R programming environment, often with backends written in the C language. Reproducible programming and long term software maintenance is a priority for my Lab. Our novel methodology is implemented in R packages that are part of the Bioconductor project and which, in some cases, have become international standards. My Lab has a Claude AI Team license and integration with agentic AI environments is a part of our future vision, however, I expect my students to be able to understand and maintain the final version of any code base independently of the AI tools.
I am primarily available for PhD project supervision. I only accept masters or honours students in special circumstances, usually where I have worked with the student previously. Sorry, I am not generally able to accept vacaation or internship students.
All PhD students need to win a PhD scholarship, usually through the University of Melbourne. For more details about scholarships and about being a student at the WEHI, see https://www.wehi.edu.au/education.