Bursaries
Cardiology Division Mphil and PhD programmes.
Mphil and PhD bursary schemes
The SUNHEART mission statement lies at the heart of the extensive bursary scheme offered by the centre: “SUNHEART is a centre of the Stellenbosch University, seated within the Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, and generates funds to be utilized to promote cardiology training and research and to extend cardiac services to previously disadvantaged communities".
The cardiology training program of the Division could potentially be hampered by only having access to 3 funded cardiology training posts provided by the hospital. The MPhil bursaries offered by SUNHEART has allowed the division to optimize its training program and to fully utilize the 8 training posts the division is currently staffed for, the bursaries needed to utilize the 5 unfunded posts being provided by SUNHEART. Similarly, the division's exciting PhD program is made possible by the PhD bursaries the centre offers.
Colleagues who would like to be considered as candidates for the SUNHEART MPhil and PhD bursaries can contact the HOD, Prof Alfonso Pecoraro ([email protected]) or the PhD program director, Prof Anton Doubell ([email protected]). Mphil and Phd posts are available.
List of recently completed and current PhD studies:
Ganya W. Characterising the Role of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in the Pathogenesis of Lupus Myocarditis: A Multimodal Imaging and Multi-Omics Approach (current).
Sibeko S. Pre-eclampsia with severe features: a multimodality assessment of its cardiovascular manifestations (current).
Giliomee, LJ. Tuberculous pericarditis: The inflammatory hypothesis and its correlation with pericardial constriction and fibrosis. A multimodal cohort study utilising advanced imaging and biomarkers (current).
Rajah M. Investigating the patterns and pathophysiology of left ventricular remodeling in high-gradient, severe aortic stenosis (current)
Talle M. Myocardial tissue characterization using cardiac magnetic resonance in patients with acute hypertensive crisis, raised cardiac troponin and normal or unobstructed epicardial coronary arteries (2023).
Weich HSVH. Development of an improved approach to trans-catheter valve replacement in younger patients (2024).
Hassan K. Acute Myocarditis – Clinical presentation, aetiology and short-to-medium term outcomes in a single centre in South Africa. (2022).
Robbertse PS. Prospective evaluation of the presence, profile, and evolution of asymptomatic cardiovascular disease in treatment naïve, HIV-infected patients using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging after initiation on antiretroviral therapy (2022).
Pecoraro AJK. Diagnosis and clinical outcomes of patients with infective endocarditis in a population with a high prevalence of rheumatic heart disease, utilizing an endocarditis team approach to minimize blood culture negative infective endocarditis and promote valve repair at surgery (2021).
Hunter L. Echocardiographic screening for subclinical rheumatic heart disease: Improving screening through simplification of the criteria. (2020).
Du Toit R. Lupus myocarditis: diagnostic characteristics and outcome of myocardial dysfunction (2020).