Author: CSANZ Admin

Position : Exciting PhD or Masters Opportunity at The University of Sydney and Westmead Hospital for 2024

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD) is increasingly recognised as an important cause of myocardial infarction (MI). Global estimates suggest SCAD is the most common cause of MI in women under the age of 50. Yet very little is known about the best way to prevent, diagnose and treat SCAD. The Australian New Zealand SCAD (ANZ-SCAD) Registry is being led by Associate Professor Sarah Zaman out of the Westmead Applied Research Centre (WARC) at the University of Sydney and Westmead Hospital. This national effort will recruit patients with SCAD from more than 22 hospitals across Australia and New Zealand. Data pooling with national and international SCAD cohorts will enable important research questions to be answered.

Applications are open for a PhD candidate to join the team of SCAD researchers, under the supervision of A/Prof Sarah Zaman. They will be joining the academic team at WARC, led by Director Professor Clara Chow. The research team has extensive experience in leading grants, publications, and supporting students to win awards and scholarships. Ideal applicants will have a medical degree and clinical cardiology training. To apply (or for further details), please send your CV to [email protected]. An ideal candidate would have experience in coronary angiography interpretation. To determine your eligibility for a PhD or Masters at the Faculty of Medicine and Health please visit this link.

To learn more about our centre at WARC, visit this link.

Position : PhD or Masters Opportunity in Myocardial Infarction in the Young

Myocardial infarction (MI) in young people (< age 50 years) is a devastating event that can have significant mortality, morbidity, psychological and financial effects for the individual and their families. Applications are open for a PhD or Masters candidate to join Associate Professor Sarah Zaman, and the team to research heart attacks in the young. A Young MI Registry has already begun (ethics and governance approval in place) at Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney, NSW, recruiting patients both historically and prospectively. Biomarkers, such as lipids, diabetic markers, lipoprotein(a) and high sensitivity CRP are collected. Dietary and exercise surveys are completed by prospectively consented participants. Research will focus on the different presentation features, outcomes and medical therapy as well as sex and ethnic differences and gaps in care, between young and older people with MI. Opportunity may arise to conduct prospectively clinical trials in consented participants and their families.

A PhD or master student would be joining the academic team at the Westmead Applied Research Centre, an Impact Centre of the Faculty of Medicine and Health, at the University of Sydney, under the directorship of Director Professor Clara Chow. The research team has extensive experience in leading grants, publications, and supporting students to win awards and scholarships. Ideal applicants will have clinical experience in cardiovascular disease. To apply (or for further details), please send your CV to [email protected]. Please first determine your eligibility for a PhD or Masters at the Faculty of Medicine and Health please visit this link.

To learn more about our centre at WARC, visit this link.

Position : PhD or Masters Opportunity in Diet and Heart Failure

Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction is the leading cause of hospitalisation worldwide and affects ~64 million people globally. The failing heart has been found to use ketone bodies as a significant source of energy, resulting in improvements in heart function. This has led to a theoretical basis for a benefit of ketosis in heart failure, yet clinical research in this area (such as application of a ketogenic diet) is lacking. In fact, there are incredibly few dietary trials of any kind specific to patients with heart failure, despite diet being a cornerstone of heart disease prevention and treatment.

Applications are open for a PhD or Masters candidate to join the team to research dietary interventions in treatment of patients with heart failure, under the supervision of A/Prof Sarah Zaman. They will be joining the academic team at the Westmead Applied Research Centre, an Impact Centre of the Faculty of Medicine and Health, at the University of Sydney, led by Director Professor Clara Chow. Research projects will focus on diet and heart failure, including utilisation of available longitudinal data, systematic reviews and involvement in a grant-funded prospective clinical trial of a dietary intervention in patients with heart failure. The research team has extensive experience in leading grants, publications, and supporting students to win awards and scholarships. Ideal applicants will have clinical experience in heart failure and/or in application of diet to prevent chronic disease. To apply (or for further details), please send your CV to [email protected]. To determine your eligibility for a PhD or Masters at the Faculty of Medicine and Health please visit this link.

To learn more about our centre at WARC, visit this link.