Cell Therapy CRC offering entrepreneurial scholarships to boost business savvy Dr Justin Coombs.and Dr Sherry Kothari from the Cell Manufacturing CRC at Mawson Lakes. SCHOLARSHIPS are being offered for a new entrepreneurial PhD program being run by the CRC for Cell Therapy Manufacturing. Recognising that business building skills are integral to developing successful cell therapy firms, the Entrepreneurial PhD (ePhD) will support the work being done by the CRC at Mawson Lakes. The CRC's main focus is developing and refining cell therapies, which is the use of human cells as therapeutic devices. The CRC also wants to build these processes into viable businesses. CRC chief executive Dr Sherry Kotahri said the Centre wanted to train "industry-ready" PhD students. Success in cell therapies, their new treatments and commercial viability relies on specialised skills, an appreciation of manufacturing and regulatory challenges and an entrepreneurial mindset,"" Dr Kotghari said. "With input from specialists and industry partners, the ePhD Program will deliver tailored modules that address these essential elements to ensure the steady supply of an industry-ready workforce."" Students will participate in four in-residence training segments and a project to be done in the final year. Education Program Leader Dr Monica Kerr said the ePhD Program was a unique professional development initiative. Students acquire highly-specialised research skills, technical knowledge, and extensive academic experience through traditional PhD studies, however, this does not necessarily translate into the transferable skills and broader capabilities that employers are looking for from graduates. The program will help to unlock a range of possible career paths in the biomedical and supporting industries and provide a competitive edge to our graduates when seeking employment."" Scholarships, which are co-sponsored by the Playford Memorial Trust, are now available for exceptional students to pursue their PhD studies with the CRC. The first of four modules for the ePhD Program will be delivered in early 2015 and scholarships are available to pursue research on various topics impacting cell therapies. Current opportunities exist at UniSA, the University of Adelaide and the University of Sydney and can be found through the CRC's website. The website can be accessed here.