Bendigo-made expert breaks ground with the Brisbane Broncos

The second day of graduation ceremonies included a range of health degrees, including degrees in biomedical sciences, allied health, oral health and dentistry.

"It's a really exciting event in the university calendar. It's where we celebrate the success of our students in the company of their friends and family," said La Trobe University Vice Chancellor, Professor Theo Farrell.

Jacob Jennings is the first student to graduate from the Bendigo from La Trobe's Bendigo campus with an industry-PhD.

He has spent the last four years embedded within the Bendigo Pioneers AFL club, using the data collected there to write his thesis.

"The opportunity to work embedded within the Bendigo Pioneers was something that really appealed to me," Dr Jennings said.

Dr Jennings' research will help coaches to identify what their players need to be able to do from a physical and technical standpoint if they want to be recruited at a professional level.

It will also help recruitment staff in the AFL to draft the best players.

Dr Jennings worked for the Brisbane Broncos as a sports scientist for the last year of his PhD, and will continue there now he has graduated.

He said he would also have a hand in Bendigo Pioneer research, which will be continued on by a new PhD student.

Santosh Rama Bhadra Rao Tata, who graduated today with a PhD in biomedical science, said he has been waiting for this day after four years of hard work.

Dr Tata's research focuses on serotonin receptors and how they affect the human brain, especially happiness.

After completing his master's degree in India, Dr Tata reached out to La Trobe's Professor Helen Irving because of her renown in the area of biomedical sciences.

He acknowledged that choosing to do a PhD is a big decision, but encouraged anyone who was looking into it to choose Bendigo as their base.

"The city is so welcoming and people are so nice, especially the local people," Dr Tata said.

Dr Tata hopes to continue his research from Bendigo, and has already written a handful of project proposals on cancer immunology.