PhD Studentship - BBSRC DTP CASE project: Investigating the Relationship of Overall Health with a Focus on Cardiovascular Health, Serum Biomarkers and Vitamin D Levels in the European Chimpanzee Population (MED1565)

Project Description:

In non-human hominids (great apes) and especially in chimpanzees, heart failure is a common cause of death with a high prevalence of idiopathic myocardial fibrosis in captive European chimpanzees, a disease which is also seen in humans with an unknown aetiopathogenesis. 

This idiopathic myocardial fibrosis is a chronic, progressive and degenerative heart disease with its severity linked to low Vitamin D levels similar to what is currently known in humans.

This PhD will explore the overall health of European captive chimps with a special focus on cardiovascular health in correlation to seasonal serum Vitamin D levels and disease-associated serum biomarkers for early ante mortem detection of potential life-threatening cardiovascular disease. Hearts will be extensively phenotyped, macroscopically and histopathologically, and results matched with Vitamin D levels. The student will investigate and validate putative cardiac biomarkers, discovered by previous investigations by using antibody based ELISAs. The data will be analysed in relation to vitamin D status to explore any crossover in vitamin D status and cardiac biomarkers.

The student will also become part of the clinical zoo veterinarian team and learn via health checks, regular behaviour observations and clinical monitoring about the overall health and cardiovascular health of captive chimpanzees at Twycross Zoo. An additional part of the project is to try and identify the ‘normal’ reference interval (RI) of seasonal serum Vitamin D levels and serum biomarkers in healthy and not healthy chimps in their natural habitat in Africa by joining the team of Twycross Zoo vets and investigators supporting and examining sanctuary chimp populations.

The student will have the opportunity to learn and develop a wide variety of skill sets including some clinical work, diagnostic pathology, analysing survey and clinical data as well as proteomic investigations and includes at least one field trip to Africa. 

They will use existing and new clinical research data partly established by the well renowned and successfully ongoing, collaborative Ape Heart Project in the UK. 

Entry Requirement: 

Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent). The project would suit someone with a background in bioscience, medicine or veterinary medicine. The student will join a vibrant and world class interdisciplinary research team, including cardiologists, zoo vets, scientists, and pathologists.

Studentship information:

It is fully funded for four years. The award would be fees (£4409 p.a.) plus an annual stipend (£15,285 p.a. for Oct 2020), set by the Research Councils. A higher rate stipend is available to students with a recognised veterinary degree qualification; for 2020 this is £23,590. 

How to apply:

The start date is 01/10/20. Candidates are encouraged to apply via https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/bbdtp/apply/apply-online.aspx as soon as possible. 

Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact kerstin.baiker@nottingham.ac.uk for more details about the project or visiting https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/bbdtp/case-2020/case-2020.aspx 

Closing date: noon, Tuesday 12 May 2020 

Eligibility: This fully-funded studentship is available to UK students and EU students who have lived in the UK for 3 years prior to the start of their studies. EU students without meeting this criteria are eligible for a fees-only award.

Closing Date: 12 May 2020
Category: Studentships