PhD Study : Utilising multiple European patient biobanks to develop prognostic biomarkers for acute coronary syndrome

Summary

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide and across the EU, accounting for 32% and 37% of all deaths, respectively.  The number of CVD associated deaths is growing and has risen by 25% worldwide since the year 2000.  Each day in the UK, 180 people die from coronary heart disease. Two European research networks have been launched to expand the resources available to CVD researchers and to improve our ability to detect new predictive multi-‘omics biomarkers.  These networks will bring together large cohort studies of CVD patients from across Europe, exploiting their combined power to enable new questions to be asked about the causes of CVD.

The researcher will:

1)  Review the patient biobanks available at the Personalised Medicine Centre (Ulster University), Clinical Center Dragisa Misevic (Belgrade) and Multimedica SpA (Milan) along with other national/regional biobanks available throughout Europe

2)  Determine the commonalities between biobanks and from this identify the questions that can be asked to inform our understanding of for STEMI, NSTEMI and unstable angina pectoris acute coronary syndrome.

3)  Determine the appropriate structures for discovery and validation within large datasets and undertake machine learning/AI studies to determine and validate diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, drawing on existing local infrastructure, including training courses and high performance computing clusters.

4)  Identify any systematic bias/discrimination in the biomarkers identified and undertake explainable AI analysis of the biomarkers.

The proposed project will be based at the Personalised Medicine Centre within the School of Medicine at Ulster University. It will complement two new European projects comprising a multidisciplinary team of computational and biomedical scientists, and consultant cardiologists.  There will be significant opportunity for European travel and to development international and local research networks.  The supervision team together have successfully supervised several PhD students in recent years.

AccessNI clearance required

Please note, the successful candidate will be required to obtain AccessNI clearance prior to registration due to the nature of the project.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

• Sound understanding of subject area as evidenced by a comprehensive research proposal
• A comprehensive and articulate personal statement
• Research proposal of 1500 words detailing aims, objectives, milestones and methodology of the project
• A demonstrable interest in the research area associated with the studentship

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

• First Class Honours (1st) Degree
• Masters at 70%
• Research project completion within taught Masters degree or MRES
• Experience using research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain
• Publications - peer-reviewed
• Publications record appropriate to career stage
• Experience of presentation of research findings

Funding and eligibility

The University offers the following levels of support:

Vice Chancellors Research Studentship (VCRS)

The following scholarship options are available to applicants worldwide:

• Full Award: (full-time tuition fees + £19,000 (tbc))
• Part Award: (full-time tuition fees + £9,500)
• Fees Only Award: (full-time tuition fees)

These scholarships will cover full-time PhD tuition fees for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance) and will provide a £900 per annum research training support grant (RTSG) to help support the PhD researcher.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Please note: you will automatically be entered into the competition for the Full Award, unless you state otherwise in your application.

Department for the Economy (DFE)

The scholarship will cover tuition fees at the Home rate and a maintenance allowance of £19,000 (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).

This scholarship also comes with £900 per annum for three years as a research training support grant (RTSG) allocation to help support the PhD researcher.

• Candidates with pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, who also satisfy a three year residency requirement in the UK prior to the start of the course for which a Studentship is held MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance.
• Republic of Ireland (ROI) nationals who satisfy three years’ residency in the UK prior to the start of the course MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance (ROI nationals don’t need to have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to qualify).
• Other non-ROI EU applicants are ‘International’ are not eligible for this source of funding.
• Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies. Further information on cost of living