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Special Initiative

Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Cardiovascular Sciences

The British Heart Foundation has provided support to CoMPLEX for the application of mathematical and physical techniques to problems in cardiovascular biomedicine.  Cardiovascular disease is the major killer in the western world and is increasingly a problem as emerging nations adopt western lifestyles and life expectancy rises.  UCL has immense strengths across all areas of cardiovascular biomedicine, from molecules and embryos to population science.  See: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/cardiovascular/research http://www.ucl.ac.uk/slms/research-themes/cardiovascular-medicine There is strong translation of basic research findings into the clinical arena: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/cbrc/themes/CVD

This exciting CoMPLEX initiative allows us to build upon this by bringing together biomedical expertise with physical and mathematical scientists.  Key areas are developing mathematical models of the cardiovascular system (part of the virtual physiological human), examining genetic and other networks, improving imaging and image analysis including genetic reporters and switches, stem cell regenerative therapies, modeling populations, modeling molecules and molecular interactions. The BHF has let it be known that such interdisciplinary working is a strategic priority for them, and there is likely to be continued support via post-doctoral schemes in the future.

The programme will be run as a special subsection of CoMPLEX, students participating in the MRes programme, with guidance on how to supplement this with additional grounding in cardiovascular biology.

Students enrolling on this scheme will progress to pursue interdisciplinary PhD research in cardiovascular science. During the PhD students will be encouraged to attend advanced training courses in the USA and Europe. The BHF funding allows us to provide specific funds for overseas travel where justified.  The stipend will be at the CoMPLEX rate.  In addition, supervisors have access to generous funds for laboratory and other expenses, making these projects particularly attractive to students and supervisors alike. 

Projects will have (at least) one non-life science and one cardiovascular science supervisor. Students apply by the standard procedure, mentioning this scheme in their cover letter.