Atherosclerotic diseases, such as heart attack and stroke, remain a major cause of death and disability in Australia and internationally. Despite advances in preventative and therapeutic strategies, atherosclerosis is still common and occurs at a high rate. Atherosclerosis begins at a young age, and the chance of developing serious atherosclerosis with reduced or blocked blood supply to the heart or to the brain increases with age. As Australian life expectancy increases, the number of people being diagnosed and treated for atherosclerotic diseases has significantly increased.
The project aims to develop a new, safe and effective nanotherapy for atherosclerosis treatment. The approach this study takes is to use an injectable nanoparticle carrier to deliver drugs and siRNA specifically to the atherosclerosis lesion, enhancing therapeutic efficacy and reducing adverse effects. To establish this novel nanotherapy, Dr Gu and her team will fabricate the drug/siRNA-loaded nanohybrid and then evaluate therapeutic effects and biological behaviours. Given the proved safety of the nanoparticle and well-designed project, they envisage the nanotherapy will be translated to clinical trials and commercialised. This will eventually benefit patients with cardiovascular diseases.
How to Apply
Express your interest in this project by emailing Dr Zi (Sophia) Gu. Include a copy of your CV and your academic transcript(s).
School / Research Area
Chemical Engineering
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