Higher Degree by Research Application Portal

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is defined as an obstructive atherosclerotic disease of the arteries from the aorta to the foot with clinical signs or abnormalities on non-invasive or invasive vascular assessment, resulting in disturbed or impaired circulation in one or more extremities. PAD is highly prevalent worldwide and in Australia (Si et al 2019), and is more prevalent with increasing age (Golomb et al 2006) and in those with diabetes (Hirsch et al 2006). PAD affects around 30% of people with diabetes and is associated with a greater likelihood of diabetes-related foot ulceration, gangrene and amputation (Hinchliffe et al 2020). The mortality rate for people who undergo an amputation due to a diabetic foot ulcer, more than half of people with a major amputation will be dead within 5 years (Armstrong et al 2017). Despite PAD having a major negative impact on quality of life by limiting mobility (Golomb et al 2006) and being associated with a greatly increased risk of major cardiovascular events and death, PAD is under-diagnosed and under-treated (Si et al 2019). The factors contributing to underdiagnosis include a lack of awareness of the disease and limited health services allocated to the screening and diagnosis of PAD(Si et al 2019). Therefore, a greater focus on early identification and management of this disease is required.

In this project, you will dedicate yourself to full-time study of the development of novel ocular biomarkers of PAD, which is a silent and deadly disease. You will have a background in ocular imaging, image analysis or a clinical background in orthoptics, optometry, ophthalmology or podiatry. This project requires a high level of communication and writing skills, stakeholder engagement and presenting reports in local and international conferences. 

The Australian Government’s Research Training Program (RTP) provides funding to support both domestic and international students undertaking Research Doctorate and Research Master’s degrees. At UWA, RTP funding is used to support eligible students through the following types of scholarships:

Domestic RTP Tuition Fees Offset Scholarships - automatically provided to all domestic HDR students, without the need for a competitive application process.

International RTP Tuition Fees Offset Scholarships - awarded to a limited number of international students, via a competitive selection process.

RTP Stipend Scholarships (living allowance) - awarded to a limited number of domestic and international students, via a competitive selection process. The current value in 2025 is $37,000 per annum.

RTP Allowances - awarded to assist students with ancillary costs of Higher Degree by Research, such as relocation expenses.

For the latest information, visit 

https://www.uwa.edu.au/study/scholarships-and-fees/scholarships/hdr-... 

Dr Jeremiah Lim - jeremiah.lim@uwa.edu.au

Dr Danka Sampson - danuta.sampson@uwa.edu.au

Dr Kate Carter - kate.carter@uwa.edu.au

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is a program of independent, supervised research that is assessed solely on the basis of a thesis, sometimes including a creative work component, that is examined externally. The work presented for a PhD must be a substantial and original contribution to scholarship, demonstrating mastery of the subject of interest as well as an advance in that field of knowledge. 

Visit the course webpage for full details of this course including admission requirements, course rules and the relevant CRICOS code/s.