Therapeutic resolution of BMPR2-mediated signalling defects in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)

About the project

About the Project Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an incurable and devastating disease and death occurs within 2.5 years of diagnosis. Sustained elevation of the pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) above 25mm Hg at rest or 30mm Hg during exercise with a normal pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (≤15mm Hg) in the absence of underlying heart, lung or thrombo-occlusive disorders is clinically known as PAH. At present, there is no cure for this disorder. Current therapies for PAH are very costly with an estimated annual treatment and care expenditure for each PAH patient varying substantially between medications, with £39,000 for iloprost, £23,500 for bosentan, £6,000 for sildenafil and £120,000 for treprostinil with combination therapy potentially reaching an average of a £200-300,000 per year. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop effective medicines to treat PAH. We have showed that mutations in a specific gene (called BMPR2) can increase a person's risk of getting PAH and identified factors that regulate the BMPRII-mediated signalling defects in PAH. In this project we will investigate the underlying mechanisms of disease pathogenesis and identify novel therapies for PAH. How to apply Formal applications can be submitted through the University of Bradford web site ; applicants will need to register an account, select 'Postgraduate Research' as the type of course and then use the keyword 'pharmacy'. Applicants should then specify the project title in the 'Research Proposal' section. About the University of Bradford Bradford is a research-active University supporting the highest-quality research. We excel in applying our research to benefit our stakeholders by working with employers and organisations world-wide across the private, public, voluntary and community sectors and actively encourage and support our postgraduate researchers to engage in research and business development activities. Positive Action Statement At the University of Bradford our vision is a world of inclusion and equality of opportunity, where people want to, and can, make a difference. We place equality and diversity, inclusion, and a commitment to social mobility at the centre of our mission and ethos. In working to make a difference we are committed to addressing systemic inequality and disadvantages experienced by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff and students. Under sections 158-159 of the Equality Act 2010, positive action can be taken where protected group members are under-represented. At Bradford, our data show that people from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic groups who are UK nationals are significantly under-represented at the postgraduate researcher level. These are lawful measures designed to address systemic and structural issues which result in the under-representation of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic students in PGR studies.

Research areas