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PhD Project Title: Ethnic differences in prescribing and both short- and long-term effectiveness of medication for Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and lipid-lowering.
Supervisors: Professor Nish Chaturvedi and Dr Krishnan Bhaskaran
Lay summary:
Type 2 diabetes is twice as common in people of South Asian and African Caribbean origin, compared to those of European (white) ethnicity. Their diabetes is less well-controlled and results in more complications, but we know little about ethnic differences in treatment and outcomes. In 2017, I was awarded the Diabetes UK Sir George Alberti Fellowship to study medication use and effectiveness for people with diabetes from these three ethnic groups, using linked electronic primary care records from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink and the UK Biobank study.
My Background
Having worked as a GP in areas with large ethnic minority populations, I have witnessed startling disparities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes for people of South Asian and African Caribbean origin, compared with the white European-origin population. This has spurred my overarching career aim to make a noteworthy contribution to public health by reducing ethnic inequalities in CVD management. I have jointly worked in academia since 2009, completing an MSc in epidemiology in 2012. Prior to starting my PhD, I worked on the SABRE study (Southall And Brent REvisited, PI: Professor Nishi Chaturvedi, UCL), a multi-ethnic population-based cohort study. My research focussed on ethnic differences in risk factor-disease associations and the findings were published in high-ranking journals and presented at international conferences.
Qualifications
- MSc in Epidemiology; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 2012
- MRCGP; Royal College of General Practitioners, 2008
- DFSRH; Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2008
- DRCOG; Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 2006
- MBChB; Honours in Paediatrics, University of Birmingham 2003
- BMedSci; Public Health, Honours Class II (division I), University of Birmingham 2002
Awards
- Diabetes UK Sir George Alberti Training Fellowship, £304,585, September 2017.
- Medical Research Council (MRC) studentship: for undertaking MSc in epidemiology; course fees of £6000, living stipend of £16,000, September 2012
- Scientific Foundation Board of the Royal College of General Practitioners: Screening for cardiovascular disease in ethnic minority groups in faith-based and community settings, £3494, reference number: SFB 2009-18, Dec 2009
Appointments
- Sept 2017 Diabetes UK Sir George Alberti Fellow, Institute of Cardiovascular Science, UCL
- Oct 2013 Clinical research fellow, Institute of Cardiovascular Science, UCL
- Sept 2012 Clinical research fellow, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London
- Jan 2009 Clinical associate, Research department of primary care and population health, UCL
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