Projects will focus on the development and mechanisms of cardiovascular disease and underlying metabolic conditions. A range of topic areas will be offered based within Biological Sciences, Pharmacy, Nutrition and Psychology and students selected through a competitive process will chose the project in which they are most interested. UROP students will take part in all research group activities.
Department: Biomedical Sciences
Supervised by: Prof Jon Gibbins
Cardiovascular diseases, and the underlying metabolic conditions from which these develop, represent a 21st Century healthcare crisis. These account for the greatest cause of death in the developed world, and increasingly so in developing countries that have very high population levels. The causes of cardiovascular diseases are complex, involving our physiology, our genetic makeup, and also lifestyle choices such as diet and environmental factors. Complex questions have complex solutions. Scientists within the ICMR therefore use multi-disciplinary approaches to understand the basis of disease development to determine how this may be prevented or treated. This involves interactions between researchers across the Life Sciences at Reading. One studentship will be offered in each of the following fields of research: (1) haemostasis and thrombosis, (2) diet, genes and vascular health, and (3) cardiovascular cell biology and physiology. Specific project titles or topic areas are available on the UROP website which will allow applicants to approach a diverse range of biomedical questions and address these using state-of-the-art facilities, supported by expert researchers. This will allow us to ask how and why does cardiovascular and metabolic disease develop, can we use this knowledge to prevent this, or develop more effective treatments? Successful candidates will chose the topic that interests them and with their supervisor develop their research plans. Studentships will provide training in a range of research skills including cell and molecular biology, physiology, disease development and analysis, and human intervention studies, and experience of the skills required to design, analyse and interpret their experiments.
The specifics of each project will depend on the interests of successful candidates which will be developed in collaboration with the chosen supervisor. The techniques will therefore vary between specific projects. These will span the spectrum of ICMR research roles and techniques to study cell biology, physiological, cell signalling, disease development and progressions, animal models of disease, and studies of cardiovascular health in human subjects.
Students from all areas of life sciences will be welcome to apply. The project is likely to be of most interest to students currently studying biomedical subjects in SBS, Pharmacy, Nutrition and psychology.
As described above the project will enable the development of generic and specialist research skills particularly in the area cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. Understanding of the integrated skills that a research scientist has to use will be developed, including the need for organisation and planning, in addition to experience of working in a team and independent research. Communicating their science will be important, and this will be developed through presenting to members of their research group and/or the ICMR.
his will depend on the specific project. Potential locations include the following buildings: Health and Life Sciences, Harry Nursten, Hopkins and Harry Pitt. Please note that dates will be flexible, agreed with the chosen supervisor.
37.5
Monday 04 July 2022 - Friday 12 August 2022
The post will be advertised centrally on the UROP website between 21st February and 4th April 2022. Applicants will submit their CV along with a cover letter indicating the reasons for application, their motivations, aspirations, career plans or options, and an account of why a UROP project within the ICMR will be important for them. Short listing will be performed for placements- Applications will be reviewed and assessed by members of ICMR management group and selected students invited to discuss their interests and preferred potential research topic areas. Send applications to icmr@reading.ac.uk