Treating high blood pressure in pregnancy with non-invasive neuromodulation

Project ID: 2531bd1692

(You will need this ID for your application)

Research Area(s): engineering
physics
chemistry

UCL Lead department: Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering

Project Summary:

The aim of this research is to develop and test a transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) system to treat maternal hypertension by modulating central brain activity.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension, affect over 18 million women each year. They cause significant illness in mothers and babies, including increasing the risk of preterm birth. There is not enough evidence that antihypertensive drugs are safe to use during pregnancy, and some have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. In contrast, our recent findings show that blood pressure can be reduced with FUS neuromodulation.

The PhD candidate will investigate transcranial FUS as a drug-free, non-invasive technique to reduce hypertension in a preclinical model of pre-eclampsia by modulating central brain activity. (1) They will characterise and calibrate the ultrasound pressure field generated in a rodent brain from an ultrasound source, and explore the differences in skull transmission loss between male, female, pregnant and non-pregnant rodents. (2) They will test whether ultrasound neuromodulation is effective in lowering blood pressure in a rodent model of pre-eclampsia. (3) They will develop biomarker, imaging and behavioural assays to test the safety and efficacy of the treatment, including long-term maternal and fetal outcomes.

The candidate will work across three UCL sites: the Biomedical Ultrasound Group at Malet Place, the Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, and the Fetal and Placental Physiology group at the EGA Institute for Women’s Health. Hands-on training will be provided in ultrasound metrology, transcranial FUS, analytical chemistry, tissue dissection, and statistics. This project epitomises interdisciplinary research and is an exciting springboard for a motivated PhD candidate to work at the forefront of neuromodulation technology, including exposure to the global ultrasound community by attending an international conference. The work will lead to novel treatments that benefit the health of pregnant women and babies.