Cardiovascular Research

Unit Code

01572

Department/Institution Offering Unit

Departments of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery
Austin Hospital
Studley Road
Heidelberg
Victoria 3084 Australia

Unit Points

Research Points: 100

Coursework Points: 0

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Contacts

Unit Coordinator/s:

Prof David L. Hare
Department of Cardiology
The University of Melbourne
Austin Hospital
Victoria 3084 Australia

email: david.hare@austin.org.au

Alternative Contact:

Dr Anthony Zulli
Department of Cardiology
The University of Melbourne
Austin Hospital
Victoria 3084 Australia

email: azulli@unimelb.edu.au

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Overall Objectives

• provide an introduction on how to initiate a research project, critical summary of previous literature and how to design experiments
• collection and the statistical analysis of experimental data
• achievement of laboratory research skills
• improving oral and written communication skills
• working with, and contributing to, a research team

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Content

Coursework: N/A

Research: Students are allocated to either a laboratory or clinical project. There are generally more of the former than the latter. Lab projects tend to be more circumscribed and result in earlier presentation and publication. Clinical projects tend to be more difficult, requiring more self-motivation and interactions with multiple different people and structures (including human ethics, doctors, nurses, clerical staff). Clinical projects are commonly part of larger projects that might have multiple researchers working over a number of years. Thus publications might not be possible for a couple of years. Students are to undertake a research project under the supervision of a member of staff. Students will be required to complete a literature review based on their topic of research, attend formal departmental seminars, prepare a limited thesis, and to defend their research in an oral defence. This protocol allows the student to understand the clinical relevance of their research topic. The ability of the student to work in a team environment is also important. Even patients undertaking lab projects are expected to attend some clinical meetings and investigations (such as coronary angiography and echocardiography) and interventions (such as cardiac surgery) for their general education.

The topics of research in the department include: improving patient quality of life; depressed mood in cardiac patients; effects of exercise in patients with heart failure; metabolic syndrome and/or diabetes; longevity of different coronary artery bypass grafts; molecular, physiological and structural differences in different coronary grafts; autonomic function (especially in heart failure and sleep apnoea patients); animal models of atherosclerosis and hypertension; myocardial fibrosis and angiogenesis. The laboratory techniques employed in our research include, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, stereological techniques, arterial reactivity (organ bath techniques), immunohistochemistry, molecular biology (including extraction of protein and mRNA), polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridisation. Some clinical projects require statistical methods that will be quite new to the students, such as receiver operating characteristic curves, factor analysis, logistic regression and ANOVA. However, students really will only develop limited understanding of these with supervision given within the department.

Sample Research Topics:

1. Immunohistochemical and physiological studies on human arteries
2. Interventions using a rabbit model of atherosclerosis
3. Effect of muscle strengthening, resistance exercise in diabetic patients
4. Respiratory muscle strength in patients with diastolic heart failure
5. Endothelium dependent relaxation (nitric oxide, endothelin-1, angiotensin converting enzyme)
6. Randomised study of coronary bypass conduit (ITA, SV, RA) patency
7. Depressed mood in heart failure and other cardiac patients
8. Relationship between quality of life and functional capacity (V02 peak) in heart failure patients
9. Validation of tools for screening and measuring depressed mood in cardiac patients
10. Effects of anti-depressant medications on autonomic function in heart failure patients.

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Assessment Breakdown

Research Component: 100 points
Research Report (up to 10,000 words): 70%
Final Oral Presentation: 10%
Intellectual contribution and application to research project: 10%
Involvement in clinical/research meetings: 10%

Coursework Component:
N/A

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Student Numbers

Number of places available: 3