Role of IL-36 in mediating microcirculatory disturbances in the young and aged heart after myocardial infarction

Requirements: Applications are invited from recent graduates or final year undergraduates who are UK/EU residents. Applicants should hold or expect to gain a first or upper second class honours degree. Experience in thrombo-inflammation, experimental models of myocardial infarction, ageing or the interleukin-1 superfamily would be advantageous.

We are offering an opportunity for an excellent candidate to apply for a fully funded 3 year BHF PhD studentship. During myocardial infarction (MI) / heart attack the coronary microcirculation becomes dysfunctional and contributes to muscle damage and heart failure. Since MI occurs predominantly in older people, we believe this is due to ‘old’ microvessels being more susceptible to injury than ‘younger’ microvessels. We have developed a state-of-the-art intravital imaging technique that allows us to look directly at coronary microvessels within the beating heart and quantitate thromboinflammation and changes in vascular integrity and perfusion. This method will be used to characterise and compare the detrimental effects of MI on young and aged coronary microcirculation and flow. The inflammatory protein interleukin-36, which we believe plays an important role in mediating the damage to coronary microvessels, will also be investigated. This studentship will be the first to explore the role of this novel inflammatory cytokine pathway in mediating microcirculatory disturbances in young and aged hearts post-injury. Understanding these processes and identifying mechanisms contributing to them is essential if we are to devise and optimise therapies that will be effective in an age-related myocardial pathology.

Keywords: Myocardial infarction, ischaemia-reperfusion injury, cardiovascular research, coronary microcirculation, platelets, neutrophils, thrombo-inflammation, ageing, intravital microscopy.

This project would be of interest to a biomedical scientist wishing to explore novel mechanisms governing coronary microcirculatory disturbances in ischaemic heart diseases. It offers an opportunity to study in an excellent research environment and in an institute with world class facilities and resources devoted to understanding the mechanisms of cardiovascular disease and driving new translational therapies for patients. You will work as part of the Microcirculation Research Group (MRG) and will gain experience in a number of state-of-the-art techniques. Further information on the MRG and the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences (ICVS) can be found at:
MRG: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/activity/cardiovascular-sciences/research/microcirculation/index.aspx
ICVS: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/activity/cardiovascular-sciences/index.aspx

To find out more about studying for a PhD at the University of Birmingham, including full details of the research undertaken in each school, the funding opportunities for each subject, and guidance on making your application, you can now order your copy of the new Doctoral Research Prospectus, at:
http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/students/drp.aspx

To apply, please submit your CV and a covering email/letter for consideration by Dr Kalia to [Email Address Removed]