Hydrogel-Enabled Capture of Latent DNA and Biomarkers from Touch and Trace Evidence
Not stated
- Funding
- Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
- Application deadline
- 30 October 2026
About the project
About the Project Trace biological residues from casual contact, such as sweat and epithelial cells, contain valuable DNA and molecular biomarkers for forensic investigations. However, conventional collection methods like swabbing often show low recovery efficiency and may cause degradation or contamination of minimal samples. This project aims to develop biodegradable polymer-based hydrogels for efficient capture and preservation of latent DNA and trace biomarkers from touch evidence. Using biopolymers such as carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and chitosan, the study will design tunable hydrogel systems with enhanced adsorption capacity and biomolecule stability. By integrating polymer chemistry and forensic science, the project seeks to improve trace evidence recovery and provide a novel, non-destructive forensic sampling technology. Main Supervisor: Associate Professor Pushpamalar Janarthanan , Monash University Associate Supervisors: Dr. Ang Chee Wei , Professor Wu Ta Yeong --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How to Apply It is suggested that you first contact the main supervisor and provide them with your academic background and achievements to determine whether you are a 'fit' for this research topic. If you feel you are a good fit, submit your application here and ensure that you enter the same research topic as advertised on this webpage. To review the application requirements, please refer to our application submission guide . More information about the scholarships and the course application process is available here .