As part of the Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre’s aim to support the next generation of scientists in children’s respiratory research, a competitive scholarship program was introduced this year.
Congratulations to the successful candidates, Michael Beaven (pictured right) and Sourav Shyam (pictured left), each of whom will receive three years of funding to support their PhD completion.
Michael was successful in receiving a full scholarship from Curtin University, and was therefore eligible for a prestigious top-up award. Sourav, an international student studying at the University of Western Australia, was awarded a full scholarship.
Michael, who commenced with the Centre in February, has joined the Children’s Lung Health team.
Michael’s PhD is focussed on understanding how the body of an adult who was born preterm (at least two months premature) responds to incremental exercise, and how this response changes over time compared to adults who were born at term.
“Recent evidence suggests that adults who were born preterm experience worsening lung function and potentially poorer heart function at rest, but little evidence has looked into how this may relate to how these individuals respond to exercise,” Michael said.
How much exercise we’re able to do may be linked to how much physical activity we do in our lives, so also understanding factors that affect how much exercise we can or should do will open up the opportunity to help people who suffer with ongoing breathing issues.
Michael said the Wal-yan Centre Scholarship provides him with the support he needs to contribute to the Centre as a dedicated student, researcher, and team member.
“Before commencing this PhD, one of my biggest fears was significant financial hardship, especially in the move from full-time work to full-time study. I’m grateful for this opportunity and for the support from my new team, and look forward to contributing to the global vision of improving lung health in children.”
Sourav was welcomed to the Airway Epithelial Research team in June.
Sourav’s PhD is focussed on whether therapeutics and drugs can improve lung health. If the answer to this is yes, Sourav’s study aims to streamline what drugs and therapies would help improve patients’ airways.
By the end of my research I hope to have a better understanding of the use of therapeutics to lessen chronic inflammation of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell that acts as the immune system’s first line of defense) in patients suffering from respiratory disease.
To Sourav, the Wal-yan Centre Scholarship ‘means the world’.
“It was a dream come true to get selected for such a prestigious scholarship. The Kids Research Institute Australia is one of the best places to start your research career as there is always a welcoming smile trying to assist you, or an incredibly patient person trying to train you,” Sourav said.
Around one million Australian children live with serious respiratory diseases.
Michael and Sourav have joined around 140 Wal-yan Centre researchers who are working on more than 100 research projects to make a significant impact on this health challenge.