[ad_1] The hepatic circulation is unique among vascular beds. It is a high-volume, low-pressure system receiving appropriately 25% of
[ad_1]
The hepatic circulation is unique among vascular beds. It is a high-volume, low-pressure system receiving appropriately 25% of cardiac output. Blood flow is highly regulated within the hepatic circulation, with dysfunction leading to disorders including portal hypertension and ischaemic hepatitis. The autonomic nervous system is known to be an important regulator of hepatic blood flow, yet the mechanisms of this are poorly defined. This project will investigate autonomic and sensory nerve innervation of the hepatic artery and portal vein and determine the functional role of neurotransmitters in regulating vascular tone. This will include bioimaging and pharmacological approaches to identify receptors and signal transduction pathways mediating the effects of neurotransmitters.
This PhD studentship will involve training in wire myography, electrophysiology, confocal microscopy and pharmacology to understand the contribution of nerves and neurotransmitters in controlling hepatic blood flow. The project will use transgenic mouse models. Outcomes from this project may lead to the identification of novel druggable targets within the hepatic circulation.
This PhD studentship is supervised by Professor Samuel Fountain, and is suitable for candidates with an interest in neuroscience, pharmacology and cardiovascular science. The successful candidate will join a lively and internationally recognise research group based within the Biomedical Research Centre located on the University of East Anglia main campus. We are generously funded by UKRI, industrial partners and British Heart Foundation.
This PhD project is in a competition for a Faculty of Science funded studentship. Funding is available to UK applicants only and comprises ‘home’ tuition fees and an annual stipend of £18,622 (for a maximum of 3 years).
Primary Supervisor: Samuel Fountain
Start Date: October 2024
For more information on this project, please visit https://www.uea.ac.uk/search/courses/
[ad_2]
Source link
COMMENTS