PhD in Cardiovascular - Ageing and The Cardiopulmonary System

A research degree in the Faculty of Biological Sciences is an opportunity to gain and develop skills as an independent researcher in your chosen field. Under the supervision of your lead supervisor and one or more co-supervisors, you will get the chance to carry out cutting-edge research on a particular biological problem and to become part of a large research community using multi-disciplinary approaches to tackle today’s important research questions. Throughout your PhD you will not only strengthen your research skills and knowledge within your research area but also develop skills through our training programmes as well as through attendance as seminars and conferences.Age is a major risk factor for the majority of cardiovascular complications. In part this is because many cardiovascular diseases are progressive. However, even healthy ageing is associated with a reduction in blood vessel and cardiac function, with a sharp decline in maximal cardiac output and aerobic capacity as people advance into their 70s and beyond. Our ultimate goal is to reduce the incidence and severity of cardiovascular disease and to improve quality of life in older adults. We adopt an integrative approach to our research that spans from measurements of electrical activity in single cardiac cells through to in vivo measurements of cardiovascular function. We aim to identify the key parameters that change with healthy ageing or associated progressive cardiovascular disease and develop strategies which ameliorate functional deficits promoting healthy successful ageing. We use animal models and human participants for our research in this area, complemented by multi-scale in silico modelling.

For most postgraduate research programs, a first-class or good upper second-class undergraduate degree (or equivalent) is often expected. Additionally, candidates may need to hold a British Master's degree or an equivalent professional qualification.