Accepting PhD Students

PhD projects

https://supervisorconnect.med.monash.edu/projects/non-invasive-brain-stimulation-treatment-chronic-unexplained-cough

20122024

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Biography

Dr Aung Aung Kywe Moe is a neuroscientist and a teaching and research academic at the Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, Monash University. Dr Moe has a background in neuropharmacology, brain development, vagal neurobiology and the brain processing of sensory stimuli and a strong interest in advanced neuroscience techniques and their applications in neuroscience research.

Dr Moe completed his training in medicine at the University of Medicine, Magway, Myanmar (Burma), with an award of Excellence in Physiology and distinctions in physiology, anatomy, pharmacology and medicine. Driven by his interests in advanced biomedical instruments, Dr Moe completed his master’s degree in biomedical engineering at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, with the Certificate of Excellence. Dr Moe continued to work as a research officer at National University of Singapore and Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School. Next, to pursue his  interest in the nervous system and the advanced neuroscience techniques, Dr Moe continued his PhD studies in neuroscience at the Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Australia where he was awarded a highly competitive UQ International Scholarship with living allowances. During his PhD, he investigated how early adolescent exposure to antipsychotic drugs could alter maturation processes of the adolescent brain, using behavioural assessments, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) techniques and neurochemical assays.

After completion of his PhD in 2016, Dr Moe trained as a postdoctoral research fellow under Professor Stuart Mazzone, where he investigated vagal sensory pathways, neural mechanism of cough and sensory roles of the cerebellum in preclinical and clinical studies utilising advanced techniques such as optogenetics, 3D tissue clearing and lightsheet microscopy, functional MRI and magnetoencephalography. Dr Moe has been awarded with highly competitive early career researcher (ECR) project grants and travel awards.

Dr Moe joined Monash University as a teaching and research academic on a part-time basis from 2022 and full time from 2023. Dr Moe has ongoing collaborations with researchers and scientists from Monash University, University of Melbourne, University of Queensland and Swinburne University. 

Research interests

Dr Moe is interested in the neural control of behaviour and sensation, respiratory sensory neurobiology, vagal stimulation and its applications in neurological disorders, neuropharmacology, roles of dopaminergic and serotonergic systems in behaviour and neuropsychiatric disorders and use of state-of-the-art functional assay techniques. He is using advanced neuroscience techniques such as optogenetics, functional MRI and magnetoencephalography. Dr Moe is currently investigating vagal sensory neural pathways, central processing of respiratory sensory information, neural mechanisms of cough, sensory roles of the cerebellum and effect of perinatal cannabinoid exposure in both preclinical and clinical studies.

Monash teaching commitment

Dr Moe is teaching the following units as of 2023. 

  1. RAD4503: Physical foundations of magnetic resonance imaging
  2. RAD3004: Neuroimaging for neuroscience research
  3. RAD2002: Medical imaging anatomy
  4. RAD3042: Medical imaging science and practice 2: Statistics workshops
  5. RAD2092: Radiologic biology 4 and sectional anatomy: Tutorials

Community service

Referee for Journals: iScience, Journal of Neuroimmunology, European Respiratory Journal Open Research, Journal of Neurochemistry

University Service

Departmental coordinator for higher degree by research (HDR) 

Deparmental chair of examiner for HDR thesis

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being

Education/Academic qualification

Neuroscience, PhD, University of Queensland

Award Date: 21 Dec 2016

Biomedical Engineering, MSc, Nanyang Technological University (NTU)

Award Date: 8 Nov 2009

Medicine, MBBS, University of Medicine, Magway

Award Date: 3 Nov 2007

External positions

Adjunct research fellow, University of Melbourne

Research area keywords

  • Neuroimaging
  • Vagal neurobiology
  • Brain development
  • Neuropharmacology
  • Cough
  • Brainstem
  • Sensory processing

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or