Sedatives and analgesics

A domestic PhD scholarship is available at The University of Queensland for a motivated and independent healthcare practitioner to improve dosing of sedatives and analgesics for patients that receive a form of therapeutic support for heart and/or lung failure, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The scholarship is funded by a NHMRC-funded Centre for Research Excellence, ACTIONS. Due to novelty of ECMO and the new equipment used to deliver this intervention to patients, little is known of its effect of drug dosing requirements. For sedatives and analgesics, the use of maximally effective therapy is very important to improve patient comfort and outcomes. This PhD will seek to innovate dosing of sedatives and analgesics in these patients using data collected from ongoing pharmacokinetic studies and will provide the opportunity for the student to learn advanced pharmacokinetic modelling skills as well as develop skills in project design, management and statistical analysis. Ideally the applicant should hold an Honours or Masters degree, but this is not essential if sufficient research experience can be demonstrated. The projects would be conducted at The Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane, Australia.