PhD Scholarship Opportunity: Mechanistic Effects of Intensive Blood Pressure Control on Brain Micro-Circulation (via UNSW Scientia Scholarship Scheme)
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An opportunity for a prestigious UNSW Scientia PhD scholarships in public health research at The George Institute for Global Health, comprising:
• $40,000 per annum stipend for four years (tax free)
• Tuition fees covered for the full 4-year period (for international and local students)
• Coaching and mentoring as part of your highly personalized career and leadership development plan
• Up to $10,000 each year to build your career and support your international research collaborations.
We're seeking a suitable student to work on the research ' Mechanistic Effects of Intensive Blood Pressure Control on Brain Micro-Circulation'. Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), due to chronically elevated blood pressure (BP) and other vascular risk factors, is the leading cause of acute intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH), ischaemic stroke, and vascular dementia worldwide. CSVD has various manifestations, including discrete regions of lacunar infarction, atrophy, micro-bleeds, and diffuse ischaemic changes in the periventricular and deep white matter regions that appear as white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on T2-weighted MRI. However, there is much uncertainty over the balance of benefits and risks of more intensive long-term BP control in high-risk patients with CSVD. Specifically, whether overzealous control of BP fails to modify progression of CSVD but instead has adverse consequences from cerebral hypoperfusion which enhances brain injury. This PhD project will involve a doctor with stroke/neurology/imaging experience, to examine the relationship of BP control and SCVD progression in an MRI brain imaging mechanistic sub-study in 600 patients from Australia, Japan, UK, and several European countries, who are participating in an NHMRC-funded multi-centre, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. This trial, called TRIDENT, aims to determine the effects of more intensive BP control using a fixed low-dose combination BP lowering 'Triple Pill' strategy on top of standard of care, on prevention of recurrent strokes in 4200 patients with a previous ICH.
The supervisory team is Professor Craig Anderson, The George Institute for Global Health (UNSW), and Professor Bruce Neal, The George Institute for Global Health (UNSW).
Please submit your applications via the UNSW website:
The UNSW Scientia PhD Scholarship Scheme is part of UNSW’s dedication to harnessing our cutting-edge research to solve complex problems and improve the lives of people in local and global communities. Scientia scholars will have a strong commitment to making a difference in the world with demonstrated potential for contributing to the social engagement and/or global impact pillars of the UNSW 2025 Strategy. The Scientia Scheme is targeted in that applicants apply to a specific research area with an identified supervisory team and application is by nomination. To learn more about the Scientia PhD scholarship, click here: http://www.2025.unsw.edu.au/apply/?interest=scholarships
