Bloody Flow Dynamics and Lung Endocrine Function, Honours Project with CCRG’s STARLab.

CCRG is looking to appoint a Honours Student to a sub-study of our ex-vivo blood loop, investigating how pulsatile, or heartbeat-like, flow affects signalling from lung cells.

Please ensure you have read the CCRG Research Prospectus and understand the Metro North External Researcher Policy before applying.

Project Aim: To understand how the type of blood flow during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) influences the way lung cells behave and communicate, and to explore whether restoring a pulse to the circuit could help protect the lung during critical illness.

Background: Blood flow patterns strongly influence vascular and lung cell behaviour. ECMO, continuous flow is widely used but may impair endothelial integrity and contribute to complications such as bleeding or pulmonary dysfunction. Pulsatile flow may preserve lung cell health and modulate secretion of hormones and peptides involved in pulmonary hypertension, vascular remodelling, and fibrosis. This project will use in vitro blood perfusion models to compare cell responses under pulsatile and continuous conditions.

Suitable for: Biomedical Science Honours students with an interest in:

  • cellular physiology

  • critical care medicine

  • cardiovascular or respiratory biology, and/or

  • bench-to-bedside translational research

Suggested Duration: 1 year (Honours program).

 

Apply here:

Please ensure you read the CCRG Research Prospectus and understand the Metro North External Researcher Policy before applying.