Assoc Prof Jonathan Mynard
Applications accepted all year round
About the Project
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally and there is growing evidence that the precursors of adult heart disease start to form in childhood. Some individuals, including many children with repaired congenital heart disease, develop cardiovascular problems at a relatively young age. However, there are many unanswered questions regarding the optimal ways to identify at-risk individuals and how to prevent and treat certain conditions. Cardiovascular modelling is a powerful tool for investigating both normal physiology and complex pathological dynamics, and for facilitating the development of new diagnostic or therapeutic techniques with minimal cost. Our group is at the forefront of cardiovascular modelling internationally.
A PhD position is available for an outstanding student to work on the next major advancement in cardiovascular modelling. Students will be enrolled through the University of Melbourne and will work within the Heart Research group at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute. The project will involve designing models of normal cardiovascular development throughout childhood (birth to young adult) and throughout normal cardiovascular aging (young adult to old age), as well as creating ‘virtual patient cohorts’ that will contribute to a new research framework for studying cardiovascular disease physiology and therapy. Clinical applications will be explored within the Department of Cardiology at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne and in collaboration with nearby health institutes within the Parkville Research Precinct.
A PhD scholarship of $26,300 per annum for 3 years is available for the successful candidate. The Institute also offers extensive student support, including travel and top-up scholarships that can be applied for internally. Candidates will be expected to apply for other competitive external scholarships.
Who can apply? Applications are welcome from applicants who meet the following criteria:
• An Australian citizen, New Zealand citizen or Australian permanent resident.
• International students are welcome to apply but must obtain a Graduate Research Scholarship (https://studenteforms.app.unimelb.edu.au/apex/f?p=153:2:0:::2:P2_ID:641) from the University of Melbourne or be able to self-fund tuition fees.
• Meet the entry criteria for a Doctoral (Research) degree at the University of Melbourne (http://mdhs-study.unimelb.edu.au/degrees/doctor-of-philosophy/entry-requirements#entry-requirements)
• Hold qualifications in engineering, mathematics or physics (preferably with a biomedical major). Experience with computer programming (e.g. Matlab, python), physiological modelling and numerical methods is preferred. Excellent written communication skills are required.
To apply, please email Dr Jonathan Mynard and attach your CV, academic transcript(s), and evidence of research experience if available, such as publications or reports.
For more information about our Cardiovascular Bioengineering team, see www.cvbmcri.com/