Beta-lactam antibiotic dose optimisation in critically ill patients

A domestic PhD scholarship is available from the NHMRC-funded Centre of Research Excellence in Redefining Antimicrobial Use to Reduce Resistance - CRE REDUCE - at The University of Queensland for a motivated and independent healthcare practitioner to investigate sophisticated approaches for optimising dosing for critically ill patients. Critically ill patients have high morbidity and mortality rates associated with severe infections and a contributing factor to this is considered to be suboptimal antibiotic dosing. Beta-lactam therapeutic drug monitoring supportive by Bayesian forecasting software is a dosing intervention highly likely to improve the accuracy of drug dosing in these patients, but is yet to be systematically evaluated. This PhD will seek to measure the effectiveness of these dose optimisation interventions and will provide the opportunity for the student to learn advanced pharmacokinetic modelling and dose optimisation skills as well as develop skills in project design, project management and statistical analysis. Ideally the applicant should hold an Honours or Master’s degree with adequate previous research experience. The projects would be conducted at The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in Brisbane, Australia.