PhD Scholarship Opportunity

Identifying pathways for new treatment strategies for children with primary snoring

The Opportunity:

The Infant and Child Health Theme within the Ritchie Centre is offering a full-time PhD scholarship, tenable from July 2015.

This scholarship is being offered as part of a Sleep Research Society Foundation (USA) Early Career Development Research Award investigating learning potential in children with sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and further exploring the mechanisms involved in nocturnal respiratory disturbance and daytime functioning in children. The research will include:

·         monitoring of regular sleep/wake patterns via actigraphy,

·         conducting ambulatory overnight sleep studies in the child’s home,

·         administration of validated psychometric testing including the Weschler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence and the Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning

·         assessment of validated parent-reported behavioural questionnaires such as the Child Behavior
Checklist

Department and Faculty:     Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University

Location:                                The Ritchie Centre, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria

Supervisors:                          Dr Sarah Biggs, Professor Rosemary Horne

Remuneration:                      AUD $26,000 per annum for living expenses, tax exempt for up to three and a half years

The aim of this project is to, for the first time, separate out the behavioural influence on cognitive potential in children with primary snoring (PS) by examining the independent effect of SDB-related sleep disturbance on learning ability. This study will also provide novel data which may identify sleep-related brain activity as an underlying mechanism linking SDB with daytime neurocognitive and behavioural deficits in children with PS and obstructive sleep apnoea. Children with PS represent the greatest proportion of children with SDB and are often untreated, leaving them at risk of continued or even increasing cognitive and behavioural deficit.  An understanding of the mechanisms of the association between behaviour and learning will provide vital information regarding potential new, non-surgical treatment strategies.

As a member of the Ritchie Centre, the candidate will benefit from the academic and clinical excellence of Monash University, the Hudson Institute of Medical Research and Monash Health. The Infant and Child Theme within the Ritchie Centre is undoubtedly the most productive and internationally recognised group of paediatric sleep researchers in Australia. The group has had continuous NHMRC funding since its establishment in 2004 and has published more than 70 refereed scientific journal articles in the past 5 years, most in the top ranked paediatric and sleep journals. We have a proven track record of successful on time PhD completions with our students taking out both national and international awards for their research.

Candidate Requirements

·         Candidates must be eligible to enrol for a PhD at Monash University

·         Australian citizen or permanent resident

·         A First Class or High Second Class Honours degree or equivalent

·         Evidence of research experience

·         Evidence of an interest in paediatric health

·         Some statistical experience

·         Sleep or field research experience is desirable but not essential

Remuneration

AUD $26,000 per annum for living expenses, tax exempt for up to three and a half years. The successful applicant will be encouraged to apply for an APA, NHMRC, or other scholarship during their candidature. Top-up support will be available if awarded one of these scholarships.

Enquiries and Expressions of Interest

Please direct enquiries and expressions of interest to Dr Sarah Biggs (sarah.biggs@monash.edu)

All expressions of interest must include an up-to-date CV and a cover letter outlining the applicant’s research interest.

Closing Date

Tuesday 30 June, 2015