PhD Studentship - In-depth Profiling for Precision Treatment in Patients with Diabetic Foot Ulcers

About this Project:

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) affect 25% of people with diabetes and are often hard to heal, with more than 50% complicated by ischaemia and infection. Improved treatment for DFU are a national patient research priority, Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is an evolving new intervention to promote healing through angiogenesis and tissue regeneration.

This interdisciplinary project will involve working collaboratively with the Academic Vascular Surgical Unit (AVSU), the Hull York Medical School (HYMS) Biomedical Institute for Multimorbidity (BIM) and teams within Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTH) Diabetes team. The project will involve analysis of swabs and biopsies taken from DFU (neuropathic and neuroischaemic) treated with ESWT (100 pulses/cm2 or 500 pulses/cm2) or sham ESWT (0 pulses/cm2). Samples taken before the intervention, after the intervention and at 6, 12 and 24 weeks will be analysed to compare changes in biomarkers of healing and microbiome. Biochemical markers will be correlated with clinical outcomes. This data will be used to identify which patients with DFU will benefit from ESWT.

By undertaking this PhD, the candidate will play an instrumental role in helping to influence guidance over the role of ESWT in routine DFU care, supplementing the rigorous assessment of ESWT to reduce the burden of DFUs to patients, healthcare and society.

Informal enquires

Vascular Research Manager - Judith Long: Judith.long3@nhs.net

Supervisors:

• Professor Matthew Hardman, Director of Research, Chair in Wound Healing
• Dr Holly Wilkinson, Lecturer in wound Healing
• Ms Louise Hitchman, NIHR Doctoral Research Fellow, Vascular Surger

Funding:

• The successful applicant will receive a fee waiver and a maintenance grant / stipend for three years (full-time) or six years (part-time), which covers the research period of the PhD. The fee waiver for 23/24 is £4,712 (Home fee) and the maintenance grant is £18,622 per annum. This rises each year in line with the UKRI’s recommended stipend allowance.

• If you move into a fourth year (full time) or seventh year (part-time) to complete your thesis, please note that you will not receive a tuition fee waiver or maintenance grant during this period and you will be required to pay a continuation fee.

Eligibility

Applicants should have a minimum 2:1 degree in a related subject. A taught MSc or Masters by Research in a relevant subject would be an advantage.

For more details on our entry requirements please visit the postgraduate admissions webpage.

This scholarship is available for full-time and part-time study.

International applicants:

This opportunity comes with a Home fee waiver only, which will not cover the full International fee. You will therefore need to pay the difference between the Home fee and the International fee and will need to provide evidence that you have sufficient funds to cover this.

How to apply:

You will need to supply a personal statement when applying for this scholarship position. Find out more about writing a personal statement.

Apply Here

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