The Gözükara Foundation, Türkiye - Imperial College London Medical Undergraduate Research Awards
For MBBS Phase 1c and visiting Turkish medical students
The Kemal Gözükara Education and Culture Foundation, in partnership with Imperial’s Faculty of Medicine, are delighted to fund four research awards for undergraduate medical students from Imperial College London and qualifying Turkish medical universities to undertake a research project, eight weeks in duration, in summer 2025.
Each research placement will run for eight weeks (July-August 2025). Three awards will be open to medical students who successfully complete Phase 1c (Year 3) of the MBBS programme by June 2025. One award will be open to a visiting Turkish medical student.
- Award amount: £3,000 for travel and living expenses while on the programme.
- £500 available for supervisors to cover the cost of consumables.
Participants will be required to provide a detailed report at the end of the placement with a summary of the research undertaken.
Eligible students are invited to apply for one of the five projects on offer below, and details for how to apply can be found below the project information.
Projects available for 2025
| Project Supervisors and Location |
Project Details |
|
Dr Diana Toderita and Professor Anthony Bull,
Centre for Injury Studies
|
Understanding the post-injury musculoskeletal function of lower limb traumatic amputees
The post-amputation musculoskeletal function is disrupted as the loss of joints, muscle volume and physiological muscle attachments lead to muscular adaptations required for successful task completion. Such strategies may lead to regional muscle atrophy and hypertrophy through chronic under or overuse of muscles compared to able-bodied individuals. Detrimental loading of the joints and muscles often lead to musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis and low back pain. There is currently limited knowledge of the muscle adaptations to amputation and loading profiles of the lower limb amputee musculoskeletal system. The aim of this project is to quantify muscle and joint parameters of persons with lower limb amputations using high-resolution MRI scans. The developed anatomical datasets will be then used to understand the muscle and joint loading of lower limb amputees through musculoskeletal modelling, thus enabling the development of strategies that promote and enhance functional capability and joint health of persons with limb loss.
|
Professor Ferdinando Rodriguez y Baena and the academic team,
Hamlyn Centre |
Project on imaging, sensing, and robotics in medical engineering
Applications are invited for a research placement focused on imaging, sensing, and robotics in medical engineering. Students will engage with pioneering research in areas including neurosurgery, cancer therapy, lower GI endoscopy, and orthopaedics. The specific project focus will be developed in partnership with each student, aligning their skills, ambitions, and the Centre’s research priorities to ensure a maximally impactful eight-week experience. This unique opportunity offers hands-on experience in transformative healthcare technologies and the chance to contribute meaningfully to projects at the cutting edge of medical innovation.
|
Dr Carl Jenkinson and Dr Shauna O'Brian,
MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences |
Measurements of circulating vitamin D catabolites by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for their exploration as physiological biomarkers
Vitamin D2 is sourced through the diet, or by conversion of the precursor metabolite 7-dehydrocholesterol to vitamin D3 by ultraviolet B exposure. Vitamin D itself is not considered biologically active, and is initially converted to the major circulating form 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in the liver, which is the current established biomarker for vitamin D status.
Aside from this well-established classical pathway, the metabolism of vitamin D also incorporates several other metabolic pathways, including metabolites formed beyond 25OHD and 1,25(OH)2D that could have an impact on vitamin D physiology.
This project will explore the CYP24A1 catabolites of 25(OH)D3 and 1,25(OH)2D3 as potential physiological biomarkers by developing a LC-MS/MS method for the measurement of these metabolites in human serum.
|
Professor Alison McGregor and Dr David Salman,
Centre for Injury Studies |
Understanding barriers to active transport
We are developing a programme of research focusing on physical activities and active transport. This project will focus on active transport and will review the literature initially on injury rates, and barriers to cycling in the UK. We also aim to work with local authority data and hospital data in relation to injuries and near-misses related to cycling, and to initiate an observational study of high risk traffic incident zones related to cycling in our local boroughs, working in collaboration with Hammersmith and Fulham Council and colleagues in primary care. |
|
Professor Anna Randi,
National Heart and Lung Institute
|
National Heart and Lung Institute - Vascular Diseases
Professor Anna Randi, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and Head of Vascular Science, invites applications for research placements at her laboratory based at the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London.
The laboratory investigates the molecular pathways that regulate endothelial homeostasis, angiogenesis and vascular stability. The Randi lab is particularly interested in the transcriptional and epigenetic pathways which control endothelial homeostasis and how these are disrupted in disease, to develop novel strategies to prevent or treat vascular diseases. This unique opportunity will provide an insightful and hands-on eight-week experience working alongside Professor Randi and her team.
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How to apply
In order to apply for one of the awards, please complete this form.
The deadline for applications is 23.59 (UK time), Friday 28 February 2025. Please ensure your application is submitted in advance of this to ensure it can be considered for this cycle. All applications will be reviewed after the deadline has passed.
If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Dr Katerina Koutsantoni, Head of Programmes Management, School of Medicine.