My research focuses on people who have suffered a stroke due to bleeding in the brain (intracerebral haemorrhage, or ICH). During my 3-year British Heart Foundation sponsored PhD, I am investigating the importance of blood pressure control for those who survive ICH.

Blood pressure variability is a term to describe fluctuations in a person's blood pressure.  These fluctuations might increase the chances of future strokes, heart disease or even death for ICH survivors. At the present time, doctors focus on a person's 'average' or 'mean' blood pressure when they prescribe treatments for patients after ICH, but they don't measure fluctuations.  Are these fluctuations important? And if so, how do we detect and treat them in ICH patients? I aim to find out!

In parallel with my PhD project I will be working with leaders in the field, helping with the running of large research trials that aim to improve the lives of stroke survivors. In doing so, I'll be training to be a research leader of the future.