Academic year 2019 / 2020

Catriona Stewart - BSc(Hons) Neuroscience, University of Edinburgh

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I have recently graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a first-class degree in Neuroscience BSc (Hons). My project dissertation, supervised by Dr Michael Stringer, was entitled ‘Associations between white matter hyperintensity burden, cerebral blood flow and arterial transit time in small vessel disease’. I worked on this project from the 13th of January until the 8th of May 2020. I thoroughly enjoyed working on this project as I have an interest in cerebrovascular disease and stroke research. The primary objective of my project dissertation was to update a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating cerebral blood flow in small vessel disease (Shi et al. 2016). The secondary objective was to investigate cerebral blood flow and arterial transit time variability according to white matter hyperintensity burden in patients recruited as part of the ongoing Mild Stroke Study 3.

Prior to starting the project, I had work experience shadowing neurology and stroke clinics at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. This was an excellent opportunity to gain a better understanding of the neuropathological processes which underpin stroke and how this presents in patients. I also had the opportunity to present a poster on the work carried out for my dissertation at the 2020 SINAPSE (Scottish Imaging Network: A Platform for Scientific Excellence) meeting, held virtually. This was a fantastic event for networking, learning about medical imaging research and experience in presenting.

My experience of working with the University of Edinburgh small vessel disease research team has inspired me to pursue further study, and hopefully eventually a clinical research career, within this field. I have accepted an offer from University College London to study MSc Clinical Neuroscience: Stroke Medicine, starting September 2020. I am certain that the experience and skills I have gained from my project dissertation will put me in a good position to adapt to the challenges which will be presented while studying for this MSc degree.

Associated publication

Title: "Associations Between White Matter Hyperintensity Burden, Cerebral Blood Flow and Transit Time in Small Vessel Disease: An Updated Meta-Analysis"

Journal: Frontiers in Neurology

Publication link

Title: "Associations Between White Matter Hyperintensity Burden, Cerebral Blood Flow and Transit Time in Small Vessel Disease: An Updated Meta-Analysis"

Journal: MedRvix

Publication link

Svenja Harvey – intercalating BSc(Hons) student, University of Edinburgh MB ChB

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I recently received a first-class BMedSci in Pharmacology (Hons) from the University of Edinburgh during my intercalated year of Medicine. As part of this I completed a 4-month research project, from February 2020 - May 2020, entitled “Retinal Fluid in Mild Stroke: Development of a Hyporeflectivity Rating Scale and Relationships with Neuroimaging Markers of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease”. This was supervised by Dr Stewart Wiseman, Dr Maria Valdes-Hernandez and Professor Joanna Wardlaw and was carried out at Chancellors Building at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

The primary objective of my project was to investigate the relationship between retinal fluid and two markers of cerebral small vessel disease, namely perivascular spaces (volume and count) and T2-hyperintense lesions (volume). This was carried out in participants of the Mild Stroke Study-3. My secondary objective was to develop a retinal fluid rating scale which captured the severity and range of fluid observed in these patients and to trial this scale in assessing said fluid. The retinal fluid rating scale was successfully piloted and it was found that retinal fluid was significantly positively correlated with perivascular space volume in the central semiovale.

I thoroughly enjoyed the project and it has been a very memorable part of my degree. It gave me first-hand experience into life in academia and I learned a lot about the workings of the world of research, something I had not previously been exposed to much in Medicine. Working with and being able to present my work to top-class scientists was a very memorable experience and has definitely cemented my interest in carrying out research as a doctor, specifically research in stroke. I also learned a lot about how cerebral small vessel disease can present in the eye, something I hadn’t previously fully appreciated and is knowledge I can apply in future clinical years. Furthermore, statistics was something I had previously always felt out my depth with but now feel a lot more confident in carrying out, thanks to teaching I received during my project.

I was awarded the prize for ‘Best Clinical Student’ in Pharmacology and my project definitely played a big role in this. Moreover, the work carried out during my project is due to be included in a paper investigating retinal fluid in cerebral small vessel disease, something I never imagined achieving until after I graduate. My experience and the skills I learned throughout my project can certainly be applied not only to life as a doctor but also to life as a future academic, something I very much look forward to.

Jiaming Liu - MBChB medical student, The University of Edinburgh

I am an undergraduate University of Edinburgh fourth year MBChB student. As a part of my third year intercalation degree in Health Sciences, I engaged in a research project under the supervisions of Dr Gordon Blair and Dr Fergus Doubal. The project started in December 2019 and finished in May 2020 approximately. The title of the project was 'A systematic review and meta-analysis of dynamic retinal vessel functions'. With the increasing emphasis on dynamic retinal imaging, especially in the context cerebral small vessel disease research, the project aimed at providing a clearer summary of the existing evidence on dynamic retinal vessel parameter measurements in healthy populations and different patient cohorts. The project was an enriching experience that provided me with both the insight into a relatively new field of research and the opportunity to develop a wide range of fundamental and transferrable research skills.