Makurata Zaninka
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About
Research Topic:
INVESTIGATING HYPERTENSION: NEUROIMMUNE INTERACTIONS AND PAIN
Qualifications:
| MSc in Biomedicine (Merit)-University of Kent-2023
BSc(Hons) in Pharmacology(First Class )-London Metropolitan University -2019 |
Research interests
Ageing is associated with a higher risk of developing multiple chronic conditions (multimorbidity) leading to the use of many drugs (polypharmacy) to control a range of symptoms. Overmedication especially in the elderly is a considerable healthcare problem worldwide, increasing side effects and reducing quality of life. Hypertension (High blood pressure) is prevalent in the ageing population and a common key modifiable risk factor in individuals with osteoarthritis and cardiovascular pathologies. Hypertension is linked to hypoalgesia (decreased pain sensitivity), however the exact mechanisms of how pain sensation is altered in individuals with hypertension is not fully understood. An increased understanding of the pain pathways involved will enable us to better control these symptoms in individuals with multi-morbidities.
Using in-vivo (spontaneously hypertensive rats) and in-vitro (cell culture) models, my project aims to assess the neuro-immune interactions that underpin the central and peripheral mechanisms of pain in hypertension.
Supervision
Supervisors: Dr Sadaf Ashraf and Dr Stella Koutsikou
Collaborator: Dr Jasenka Zubcevic
Research Group: Neuroscience (Biological Sciences)