Fulbright scholarship opens doors for Monash BDI student
A Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) PhD candidate who has won a prestigious Fulbright scholarship will be able to further her research into jaw repair by gaining access to state-of-the-art technology and world-renowned expertise in the field.
Ms Hyab Mehari Abraha has been awarded a Fulbright Future Scholarship, a new category of Fulbright prize that gives awardees funding for visiting researcher expenses at an institution of their choice in the United States of America, as well as travel and living costs.
Hyab will work for six months with her PhD co-supervisor, Professor Callum Ross, at the University of Chicago. Together with support from her Monash BDI primary supervisor, Dr Olga Panagiotopoulou, Hyab will test how jaw fracture repair techniques affect the mechanics of chewing. The research will deepen understanding of jaw fracture mechanics and potentially help clinicians to minimise post-operative complications in the future.
“There’s a lack of consensus among surgeons about the most appropriate technique,” Hyab said.
“Essentially, we are examining how the plates and screws surgeons use to repair lower jaw fracture affect chewing mechanics, and whether we can optimise these techniques to maximise patient outcomes,” she said.
Hyab remarked that Professor Ross had a unique combination of a bi-planar fluoroscopy facility (to collect 3D kinematic data of the jaw) and experimental setup for in vivo bone strain observation. His collaborator Professor Russell Reid (Head of the Plastic and Reconstructive Unit at the University of Chicago Medical Hospital) will be instrumental conducting experiments, and the expertise of Dr Panagiotopoulou will be invaluable to building the computer simulations that will follow the experiments, she said.
“This team represents a massive leap in the field in terms of expertise and infrastructure. I am very excited about the work we will be able to do and its potential impact on surgeons and patients,” Hyab said.
“I was really grateful and happy to be granted this opportunity,” Hyab said.
“I am excited for the knowledge and expertise I will gain personally, and for the chance to further the work in my field,” she said.
Hyab said she missed out on a Fulbright scholarship last year and is glad she persevered. “I’d like to encourage other Monash BDI students to apply,” she said.
“Given how much support we get in grant writing at Monash and from our colleagues and supervisors, I think a lot of my peers would’ve been very competitive.”
“I can’t speak enough about how helpful the Monash BDI and department was when I started applying and received the interview offer. They put together a mock interview at short notice, which made the actual one a lot less intimidating. I also can’t speak enough about support from my main supervisor Dr Olga Panagiotopoulou and co-supervisors. They meticulously edited many drafts and offered effective feedback.”
To find out about the scholarship on the Fulbright website.
The Fulbright Program is the flagship foreign exchange scholarship program of the US, aimed at increasing binational research collaboration, cultural understanding, and the exchange of ideas. Since it started in Australia in 1949, the Fulbright Commission has awarded over 5,000 scholarships.
About the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute
Committed to making the discoveries that will relieve the future burden of disease, the newly established Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute at Monash University brings together more than 120 internationally-renowned research teams. Our researchers are supported by world-class technology and infrastructure, and partner with industry, clinicians and researchers internationally to enhance lives through discovery.