Project Listing Will Be Updated Accordingly - We Recommend Bookmarking This Webpage and Keep Checking for Updates
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2017/2018 SUMMER STUDENTSHIP PROGRAMME PPRROOJJEECCTT LLIISSTT These are the Projects available this year; some project adverts will have an early deadline. As projects are filled the online table and the pdf project listing will be updated accordingly - We recommend bookmarking this webpage and keep checking for updates. Who can apply for the Summer Studentship programme? The Summer Studentship is open to any undergraduate student who is currently enrolled at the University of Otago and at any NZ Universities. The purpose of the studentship is to encourage undergraduate students into research careers and therefore is NOT designed for those with PhD's, Masters, who have already graduated or set to graduate later in the year. How to apply for a summer project? Students should select which project/s they are interested in applying for and send a brief one page CV to the contact email address of the supervisor listed on the project. If a supervisor has listed more than one project, it would be helpful to include the project reference # Students are asked to provide the name of a referee (Supervisor or Dean of School) if they are not currently studying with the University of Otago. You need to read the student handbook before applying NB: At this present time, the Research Office is in the process of securing funding for some projects. Once funding is secured and you have been selected, both the student and supervisor will be notified. As projects are filled, the online table will be updated immediately. (sometimes the online pdf version will take at least 48hours to be uploaded) Students need to note that until funding is successfully secured there will be a possibility some projects will not go ahead. The deadline for project funding and placement is 1st October. List updated 17/08/2017 1:14 p.m. PROJECT TABLE Primary Supervisor Project # Project Title Dr. Brian Corley 17-47 Chages in Resting Energy Expenditure with Different Schedules of Caloric Restriction: The CREEDS Study Dr. Stephen Inns 17-49 The effect of the gastrointestinal microflora on diabetes Prof. Sarah Romans 17-50 Bariatric surgery in the Seriously Mentally Ill Dr. Patricia Whitfield 17-52 Preventing the Progression from Pre-Diabetes to Type 2 Diabetes in New Zealanders Dr. Richard Carroll 17-54 Comparison of outcomes with differing follow up strategies in the management of Graves' disease: A retrospective observational study. Dr. Richard Carroll 17-55 A pilot study to assess the feasibility of a regional familial endocrinopathy registry Dr. Rosemary Hall 17-56 Management of osteoporosis with upper limb osteoporotic fractures Dr. Rosemary Hall 17-57 Diabetes in pregnancy effects on subsequent generations Dr. Carol Johnson 17-58 10 yr Audit of Adjuvant Vaginal Vault Brachytherapy Dr. Mickey Fan 17-59 Cold exposure and energy expenditure Dr. Mickey Fan 17-60 Cerebral blood flow regulation: understanding the role of pH balance and kidney function on cerebral perfusion Dr. Nanette Schleich 17-62 Study into the preservation of mouse brains through plastination for use in micro-CT imaging Prof. Michael Baker 17-63 Health hazards: Perception and reality Dr. Tim Blackmore 17-64 Testing Patterns in Primary Care for the Diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infection Dr. Lynn McBain 17-65 Early Learnings from Health Care Homes in CCDHB region Dr. Max Berry 17-67 Preserving life and limb: large animal models of critical care interventions Dr. Max Berry 17-68 Effect of early life environment on maternal-pup interactions Dr. Max Berry 17-69 Size matters: experimentally induced fetal growth restriction in guinea pigs Prof. Sue Pullon 17-70 Dispelling common nutritional myths Prof. Sue Pullon 17-71 Pick the winners – predicting lifestyle change success Dr John Wyeth 17-73 Equity of access for exceptional circumstances (NPPA) applications Dr. Lynn McBain 17-74 Evaluation of progress in Choosing Wisely in CCH DHB Dr. Lynn McBain 17-75 Evaluation of progress in Choosing Wisely in Hutt Valley Health DHB PAGE 2 project reference ##1177--4477 Project Title: 17-47 Chages in Resting Energy Expenditure with Different Schedules of Caloric Restriction: The CREEDS Study Primary Supervisor Dr. Brian Corley Email [email protected] Co-Supervisors Dr Rosemary Hall, Assoc Prof Jeremy Krebs Funding: The Research Office is still seeking funding opportunies for this project Ethics Ethics Required,to be determined once funding is secured Project Description: AIM To determine if the schedule of two calorie restricted diets, daily continuous restriction versus intermittent very low calorie diet, influences the acute metabolic responses to a hypocaloric diet. METHOD This is a prospective randomised controlled study of intermittent very low calorie diet in individuals exposed to an intermittent very low calorie diet (30%) 2 days per week compared with daily caloric restriction (80%) over a 6-week intervention period. The study will be conducted in a cohort of 36 non-smoking obese adult men in the Wellington region. SIGNIFICANCE The prevalence of obesity and its complications have reached epidemic proportions in New Zealand. In 2015/2016, 31.6% of all individuals over the age of 15 years were obese, compared to 26.5% only 5 years previously, while 66.8% of all individuals were classed as either overweight or obese. Sadly, many efforts to induce & maintain weight loss have proved disappointing, reflecting our incomplete understanding of the physiology of weight loss in the obese. The CREEDS study will add to our understanding of what works to reverse established weight gain by continuing to refine our understanding of energy balance and weight loss interventions in the obese. In addition, the methods used for approaching energy expenditure analysis in this study are expected to have implications for other research domains that require accurate & novel analysis of resting energy expenditure measurements. STUDENT ROLE The student will assist the primary researchers with measurements of energy expenditure using indirect calorimetry, phlebotomy, body composition scanning (observation due to licensing requirements), data entry, administration of validated questionnaires, data cleaning & data analysis, calibration of study devices. With the exception of DEXA scanning the student will be expected by the end of the studentship to be performing all measurements and procedures independently EXPOSURE TO The student will be involved in measurements of energy expenditure using indirect calorimetry, SCIENTIFIC METHOD phlebotomy, body composition scanning (observation due to licensing requirements), data entry, administration of validated questionnaires, data cleaning & data analysis, calibration of study devices. The study is currently running but the summer studentship will coincide with the last few study visits and allow the students to be involved in conduct of the study visits as well as data analysis and interpretation. This will maximize the student’s exposure to different aspects of the scientific method in the context of a program that is already up and running. STUDENT Medical Student or Science Student PREREQUISITES PAGE 3 project reference ##1177--4499 Project Title: 17-49 The effect of the gastrointestinal microflora on diabetes Primary Supervisor Dr. Stephen Inns Email [email protected] Co-Supervisors Dr. Rosemary Hall Funding: The Research Office is still seeking funding opportunies for this project Ethics Ethics Required,to be determined once funding is secured Project Description: AIM The aims of this study are to: 1) estimate the proportion of patients with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes who have Helicobacter pylori and 2) measure the medication tolerability, gastrointestinal symptomatology and diabetes control in H. pylori infected vs. uninfected patients with pre-diabetes and T2DM. METHOD This case control study will compare patients with known T2DM with age, gender and ethnicity matched control subjects for the presence of H pylori colonisation, gastrointestinal symptoms, and faecal microbiota. Subjects will complete questionnaires regarding past and current medical comorbidities, gastrointestinal symptomatology and, in the case group, complications of T2DM and its management. All subjects will supply blood and stool samples for diagnostic testing for T2DM and H pylori colonisation as well as T2DM control and faecal microbial composition. SIGNIFICANCE Both T2DM and H. pylori are significant public health issues in New Zealand, particularly in Maori and Pacific people. Identifying an association between the presence of H. pylori and T2DM could inform public health strategies to identify and treat H. pylori in specific ethnic groups in New Zealand. Timely treatment of H. pylori may lead to improved diabetes control, with subsequent reductions in morbidity and financial cost of diabetes related complications. Moreover, clarifying this modifiable risk factor could lead to greater understanding of the disproportionately high rates of diabetes in Māori and Pacific people and identify methods to reduce inequalities. Overall the findings of this study will have significant public health implications and influence future service planning for patients with diabetes. This study is funded by the Health Research Council and would be appropriate for ongoing involvement for a student interested in continuing to Masters or BMedSci in 2018. STUDENT ROLE The successful applicant would be responsible for all aspects of the study including patient recruitment, sample collection, processing and data