
Project Title: Haematological observation study
Name of supervisor: Dr Tim Chevassut
Email of supervisor(s): T.Chevassut@bsms.ac.uk
Research site: https://www.bsms.ac.uk/about/Contact-us/Staff/Dr-Timothy Chevassut.aspx
Project description:
An observational study: To assess responses of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia to new targeted therapies (Ibrutinib, Idelalisib and Venetoclax).
This would be primarily a computer based project that should take two months at two hours a week.
Projects
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Listed below are projects and research experiences available to BSMS students!
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If a project or research experience interests you, please email the supervisor directly to discuss it further. If you receive no reply from the supervisor within 2 weeks, please send an email to l.isaacs1@bsms.ac.uk.
When this opportunity has been filled, the box will turn grey, indicating that the project is no longer available.
Project Title: Facilitating primary care non-antiretroviral drug prescribing, and adherence in older people living with HIV
Name of supervisor: Jaime Vera
Email of supervisor: j.vera@bsms.ac.uk
Research site: https://www.bsms.ac.uk/about/contact-us/staff/dr-jaime-h-vera-rojas.aspx
Project description:
The aim of this project is to determine the type of support health care professionals in the community would like from specialist HIV pharmacists regarding adherence, and safe prescribing of non-HIV medications in older PLWH. To develop innovative strategies to support health care professionals in the community prescribing non-antiretroviral medications in older PLWH, and to implement and evaluate those strategies
in community settings (GP practices, community pharmacies) that attend to a significant number of older PLWH in Brighton.
The student is expected to contribute to aim 1, by developing and delivering surveys to determine the type of support that GPs and other healthcare professionals in the community might need from HIV specialist pharmacist.
The expected out comes are abstract submission and publication once the project is complete.
The project has been funded by MSD.


Project Title: Evaluation of a combine HIV and Elderly medicine clinic: The Silver Clinic
Name of supervisors: Jaime Vera, Juliet Wright
Email of supervisor(s) j.vera@bsms.ac.uk
Research site: https://www.bsms.ac.uk/about/contact-us/staff/dr-jaime-h-vera-rojas.aspx
Project description:
The aim of the project is to evaluate the combine HIV Elderly medicine clinic.
The student is expected to collect, and perform analysis on an existing database.
The expected outcomes for this project is an abstract submission (for this autum European HIV conference) and a manuscript.
Support from the HIV service will be provided.

Experience Offered: Laboratory experience
Name of supervisor: Lisa Mullen
Email of supervisor: L.Mullen@bsms.ac.uk
Research site https://www.bsms.ac.uk/about/Contact-us/Staff/Dr-Lisa-Mullen.aspx
Experience description:
Lisa is offering to mentor any student in innate immunity, cytokines, immune cells, recombinant protein therapeutics, drug delivery, oxidative stress. This will include laboratory experience, and could lay the foundation for a potential IRP subject.
Experience Full
Experience Offered: Mentoring in health research using big data, social & digital media, or support to complete a research project in mental health
Name of supervisor: Dr Elizabeth Ford
Email of supervisor: E.M.Ford@bsms.ac.uk
Research site https://www.bsms.ac.uk/about/contact-us/staff/dr-elizabeth-ford.aspx
Experience description:
Dr Ford is looking for students who are interested in “big data”, programming/coding, statistics, & health research using social media/ internet/ digital media.
Additionally she can identify projects for students who want to do something around mental health (depression, anxiety, maternal/postnatal mental health) and dementia, and health help-seeking, especially qualitative projects.

Project Title: Review of liver biopsies in people living with HIV
Name of supervisor: Yvonne Gilleece
Email of supervisor: Yvonne.gilleece@bsuh.nhs.uk
Project description:
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Background-
With the increasing use of Fibroscan for assessment of the severity of liver disease, liver biopsies are relatively rarely performed in people living with HIV (PLWH). However, they are likely to continue to be a key investigation for PLWH with liver disease, especially where the underlying diagnosis is unclear or the severity of the disease cannot be accurately determined by Fibroscan.
Method-
We plan to carry out a retrospective notes review for PLWH at BSUH who have undergone a liver biopsy to ascertain the diagnosis and the consequent change in management, as well as the correlation with the Fibroscan result (where available).
What is required of the student-
A list has already been compiled of 84 PLWH who have undergone a liver biopsy (2004-2016). The student will be responsible for assisting with designing and populating the data collection spreadsheet, analysing the results and presenting both locally in the HIV and hepatology departments, and at a national HIV meeting (eg BHIVA).

Project Title: To develop an interactive anatomy quiz & gain an abstract in a recognised journal!
Name of supervisor- Dr Claire Smith
Email of supervisor- C.Smith@bsms.ac.uk
Research site- https://www.bsms.ac.uk/about/Contact-us/Staff/Dr-Claire-Smith.aspx
Project description:
Anatomy has had a proposal accepted for the British Science Festival to showcase ‘inside the body’. We will do this with live ultrasound and lecture. We were hoping to make the event as interactive as possible. The opportunity is for a student to develop and design a quiz that participants could take part in (aligned to current research on public knowledge of anatomy) it would be great for this to be designed with interactive voting software. The plan would be to then analyse and disseminate this at a conference which publishes its abstracts in a journal and hence gaining a DOI. The person would have to be keen, independent and able to also assist in the event.

Experience Full
Project Title: Pressure sores study
Name of supervisor: Dr Christopher Ranns
Email of supervisor: ranns@doctors.org.uk
Project description:
An exciting project to help understand how the NHS can reduce pressure sores (which cost the NHS £2 billion per year!!).
Dr Ranns needs someone to help recruit volunteers to lie on different hospital surfaces (hospital trolley, bed, immobilisation scoop, theatre table) and recording their pressure distributions using a special pressure sensing mattress system. You can also be a volunteer yourself!
If you’d like to take part please contact Dr Ranns – best of luck!

Experience Full
Experience Full
Project Title: Using ultrasound to screen for foetal alcohol exposure
Name of supervisor: Dr Neil Aiton
Email of supervisor: Please email Lewis Isaacs (L.Isaacs1@uni.bsms.ac.uk)
Project description:
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Dr Neil Aiton (Consultant Neonatologist) is leading the research project, assisted by Lewis Isaacs
(medical student), and Oliver Davis (medical student). We are investigating a mechanism of
screening for foetal alcohol exposure, using ultrasound scanning to measure the splenium angle
in the corpus callosum of neonates (1-17 weeks old) across both children exposed to alcohol and
not exposed to alcohol in utero.
We're looking for someone to be able to take part in ultrasound scanning neonates over the
course of the 2017/18 academic year at the RSCH, analysing the data, and (optionally)
contributing to the write-up of the research paper.
This is a great project for anyone interested in paediatrics/neonatology, looking to develop their
technical skills (you will be trained to ultrasound by Dr Aiton!), getting experience of organising &
completing a research project, and ultimately having their name on a published research paper.