Australia-International Postgraduate Scholarships in Indoor Air Pollution and Childhood Asthma

The University of Western Australia, Australia

An ad-hoc scholarships (APA rates) is being offered for a suitable candidate to undertake a PhD or Masters by Research project to investigate the impact of indoor air pollution on symptoms in children with asthma. This study is being conducted through the UWA School of Paediatrics and Child Health, PMH Respiratory Medicine Department and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Research on Children’s Environmental Health. Suitable applicants will have an Honours degree in Health or Environmental Sciences and some understanding of epidemiology and/or biostatistics.

Study Details
Title: Daily exposure to indoor air pollution and respiratory symptoms in asthmatic children

Background & aim: Children spend most of their time indoors at home but there is very little known about the impact of indoor air pollutants in homes on asthma in children. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of indoor air pollution on day to day symptoms of asthmatic children (7 to 14 years old).

Brief description: 80 – 100 asthmatic children will be recruited over a 2-year period (40 – 50/yr). Homes of the children will be monitored for indoor air pollutants for 8 weeks over a 1 year period. During the sampling periods children will be asked to record respiratory symptoms on a diary and measure lung function in the morning and evening.

Funding: The study is funded by an ARC-linkage grant.

The project involves ongoing contact with subjects and their families and includes home visits. It is necessary, therefore, for applicants to have a good command of English and a current Australian driver’s licence.

Scholarships: An Ad-Hoc scholarships is being offered at current APA PhD scholarship rates ($20,007 for 2008). The scholarship is available for 3 years. However, the successful applicant will be encouraged to apply for other scholarships (eg. NHMRC, APA) at the next available round.

Application Deadline:  March 31,2008

For further information please contact:

Dr Peter Franklin (Research Fellow)
Phone: (08) 9346 7949
Email: Peter.Franklin@uwa.edu.au
Address:
The University of Western Australia
MBDP: M503
35 Stirling Highway
CRAWLEY
WA, Australia
6009