Project title:
1. Perinatal factors predicting neonatal acidosis at birth
2. Risk of emergency caesarean section for fetal compromise
following spontaneous labour
Project duration:
4-8 weeks
Description:
Globally, intrapartum (childbirth) complications are a major
contributor to adverse perinatal outcomes, including intrapartum
stillbirth, adverse neonatal outcomes including hypoxic-ischaemic
brain injury and subsequent longer term disability. Why some babies
are more prone to intra-partum compromise is not entirely clear. If not
delivered rapidly enough, these babies are at risk of hypoxic brain
injury and subsequent disability with hypoxic ischaemic
encephalopathy being the strongest and most consistent risk factor for
cerebral palsy in term infants. The psychological and emotional
impact and financial consequences of injury at birth are enormous
and have devastating and lasting effects on affected individuals, their
families and also their care providers. Based on the best available
evidence from Cochrane systematic reviews there is currently no
reliable test for intrapartum fetal compromise and further research is
urgently needed.
The aims of this study are to:
1. Characterise maternal, fetal and intrapartum variables that are
predictive of neonatal acidosis at birth
2. Determine factors that predispose to an increased risk of
operative delivery for intrapartum fetal compromise
Expected
outcomes and
deliverables:
Students will gain experience in data analysis using a large perinatal
data collection from the Mater Clinical Data Research Repository
(almost 92,000 births). Assistance from the Mater Research
biostatistics and epidemiology team will be provided. HREC approval
has already been granted for these studies.
Students will be expected to generate publications from the data
analyses as well as present their findings at local, national and if
appropriate international meetings.
Suitable for:
This project will be suitable for undergraduate or postgraduate
students with a background in biostatistics, epidemiology or public
health with a strong interest in perinatal epidemiology.
Primary
Professor Sailesh Kumar
Supervisor:
Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland
Further info:
Professor Sailesh Kumar
Email: sailesh.kumar@mater.uq.edu.au
Please contact Professor Kumar for an informal discussion before you
submit an application.
UQ Summer or Winter Research Project Description
Please use this template to create a description of each research project, eligibility
requirements and expected deliverables. Project details can then be uploaded to each
faculty, school, institute, and centre webpage prior to the launch of the program.
Project title:
Co-production - Maximising self-esteem, self-worth, and autonomy
Project duration:
8 weeks @29 hours/week
Description:
Micah Projects have facilitated and run a social group called
“Campbell’s Club” weekly for many years at Trinity Place in
Woolloongabba. It is regularly attended by between 50 and 80 people
who live in vulnerable circumstances. Many of the attendees have
intellectual disability, and battle multiple physical and mental comorbidities compounded by their vulnerable circumstances and
complex social histories.
“Healthy Living at Campbell’s Club” is a collaborative initiative
between Queensland Health, Micah Projects and QCIDD. “Healthy
Living” is an unfunded project, but we are committed to providing high
quality, accessible and relevant health information weekly for the
attendees. For the past two years this information has been provided
on a volunteer basis by multi-disciplinary expert speakers, support
workers, and students. The attendees have provided teaching sessions
themselves, most recently to paramedic students about their
experiences with the ambulance service.
Following feedback from attendees and speakers it has been identified
that to ensure relevance and positive outcomes for individuals, more
responsibility for the planning, development, and delivery of the
“Healthy Living” sessions may be taken up by the attendees. The
concept of co-production in health and social care delivery has the
potential to optimise quality, relevance, accessibility and ensures
maximum benefit for the individuals and communities who access the
service. The concept of co-production is value driven and built on the
central ethos that those who use a service are best placed to help
design it.
We are undertaking a qualitative study exploring the participants,
support workers and facilitators experiences, perceptions, and
observations of the effectiveness of “Healthy Living” at Campbell’s
Club” as an example of co-production in action.
Expected
outcomes and
deliverables:
The opportunity to be part of qualitative research project, and to be
involved in a subsequent publication.
Suitable for:
Students enrolled in health related courses e.g. social work, medicine,
nursing and other allied health professions.
Students with experience in qualitative research and/ or research
involving people with intellectual disability preferred.
Primary
Supervisor:
Lyn McPherson
Further info:
Please contact Lyn if you would like to know more about this project
before applying
Telephone: 07 3163 8267
Email: l.mcpherson@uq.edu.au
Queensland Centre for Intellectual and Developmental Disability QCIDD Level 2 Aubigny Place
Mater Hospital, South Brisbane
UQ Summer or Winter Research Project Description
Please use this template to create a description of each research project, eligibility
requirements and expected deliverables. Project details can then be uploaded to each
faculty, school, institute, and centre webpage prior to the launch of the program.
Project title:
Implementing evidence into practice for maternal and fetal health
Project duration:
Approximately 10 weeks – negotiable and flexible
Location
PROSPER team (Prevention of stillbirth and adverse perinatal outcomes
through excellence in research)
Mater Research Institute – The University of Queensland (MRI-UQ)
Aubigny Place, Mater Health Services, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane
Stillbirth (>20 weeks gestation) occurs in 1 in every 130 pregnancies, and is a
devastating event for families, with long-term social and psychological
consequences. The PROSPER team at MRI-UQ conducts a suite of research
projects and initiatives to generate evidence and to implement evidence into
practice to improve the health of pregnant women and their babies. These
projects include but are not limited to:
- The My Babies’ Movements Trial: A trial of a mobile phone app and
SMS program to increase pregnant women’s awareness of fetal
movements and support timely reporting of decreased fetal
movements;
- Developing a tool for assessing stillbirth risk: Analysis of stillbirth risk
factors to develop an algorithm that can assess the risk of a woman
having a stillborn baby based on information collected during her
routine antenatal visits;
- E-learning portal for obstetricians and midwives: A suite of online
education programs to enhance optimal care for women during
pregnancy, labour and birth, as well as the management of perinatal
deaths.
Scholars may gain skills in data collection and analysis, as well as experience
working in a multidisciplinary team of obstetricians, neonatologists,
midwives, epidemiologists, psychologists, researchers and others. Scholars
will have the opportunity to generate publications from their research.
Description:
Expected
outcomes and
deliverables:
Suitable for:
Senior undergraduate students (years 3 or 4) or postgraduate students with a
background in Medicine, Public Health, Heath Psychology, or Science and
who wish to gain research experience to pursue work at least partially or
fully in an academic setting.
Proficiency in Word and Excel and experience with Endnote is required.
Primary Supervisor:
A/Prof Vicki Flenady
Further info:
Please email Vicki Flenady (vicki.flenady@mater.uq.edu.au) or Aleena
Wojcieszek (aleena.wojcieszek@mater.uq.edu.au) to discuss the position
further before applying.