Bright Futures

PhD scholarships often fall below the minimum wage, contributing to a nearly 10% decline in Australian PhD enrolments over the past decade. Skyrocketing living costs also deter potential candidates, nearly 60% of whom are women.

Despite challenges, our students dedicate themselves to transformative work. But without further support, many may struggle to continue, with some leaving research altogether, or seeking opportunities overseas – a loss for both WEHI and Australia’s scientific strength.

WEHI has a longstanding commitment to nurturing talented students because they drive discoveries through their unrelenting curiosity and innovative thinking.

For example, former PhD student David Vaux, discovered a protein that stops cancer cells from dying. This sparked a revolution in cancer research, leading to a new treatment that has saved millions of lives.

Investing in students lays the foundation for discoveries that will transform the future of healthcare.

Your support impacts the entire medical science ecosystem at WEHI, and beyond.

Our scientists collaborate closely, sharing expertise, knowledge and new techniques.

This approach means new insights in one field often benefit others, advancing research in multiple disease areas. Our collaborative ethos accelerates students’ learning and discoveries.

By supporting Bright Futures, you’re empowering talented students and fostering the next generation of collaborative medical researchers.

Bright Futures provides dedicated students with extra scholarship support at a critical stage in their research careers. This vital support enables them to fully focus on their important research.

By pooling supporters’ gifts, Bright Futures increases the effectiveness of donations of all sizes, achieving significant outcomes and creating efficiencies.

Students are key contributors to a dynamic research ecosystem in which techniques and insights are regularly shared among all researchers, amplifying research impact across many diseases.