Rough Draft Application Materials Submitted ForResearch Interest At Oxford Medical: PhilD. Programme-MD not Required At Time of Application-Could Not Submit My Transcripts To Complete Application.

Ph. D. Application: Clinical Medicine, Fall 2010 : Bayo Elizabeth Cary: Statement of Purpose/Doctoral Research Projects

Statement of Purpose:

   

     I, Bayo Elizabeth Cary, am applying for a position in the Oxford University Clinical Medicine Ph.D. program.  It is my intention, upon acceptance, to participate in medical training, in the Ph.D. Clinical Medicine Program at Oxford University.  It is my intention to train in the field of medicine, in order to prepare to: research, publish, teach, and practice, medicine and to uphold all ethical and legal obligations related to the medical field and medical practice.  In addition, it is my intention, to increase my understanding of: medicine, pharmaceuticals, and the treatment of various morbidities, through the study of medicine in the Oxford University Ph.D. Clinical Medicine Program.  I have perused the various doctoral research projects which are currently offered as possible student research opportunities.  I am particularly interested in the following three doctoral research projects:

Doctoral Research Projects:

1) “Internet Methods for Dietary Assessment in the U.K. Biobank Study”

Primary Supervisor: Dr. Robert Clarke

Secondary Supervisor: Dr. Elizabeth Spencer

Reference Number: 152

    It is my understanding that, Dr. Robert Clarke’s doctoral research proposal hypothesis is that: the risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) may be mitigated/increased by the adoption by an individual of a: Mediterranean or vegetarian diet.  In addition, it is my understanding, that the numbers of individual’s included in previous studies, related to CHD and diet, have been insufficient to adequately establish/refute more than a weak correlation between “diet” and CHD.  Additionally, it is my understanding that: Dr. Clarke’s study seeks to understand how the two specific diets: Mediterranean and vegetarian, and an individual’s genes, interact.  Finally, it is my understanding that: Dr. Clarke seeks to discover whether an individual who eats a: Mediterranean or vegetarian diet, has lower/higher blood lipid levels, and therefore, a lower/higher risk of developing CHD.

      I am familiar with the Longley and Singleton G.I.S. studies, which have been conducted in England, to determine the rates of digital exclusion in England.  I wrote a Master’s thesis on the “digital divide” (U.K. digital exclusion).  My thesis was a comparative analysis of the digital divide in the United States to that in Great Britain.  I believe that Dr. Clarke could utilize similar G.I.S. studies, possibly the studies done by Longley and Singleton, to gain additional access to more study participants, who already have access to the Internet.  The G.I.S. studies done by Longley and Singleton provide information regarding who has access to the Internet in England based on: location (by neighborhood in some cases), by individual (family), by socio-economic status, and other various demographic factors.  Longley, has conducted additional G.I.S. studies and can be located rather easily online.

     It is my understanding of research methods and statistics, that for a study to be truly experimental, and therefore, generalisable to an entire population, the largest breadth (diverse population sample) of individual’s should be included in the study.  Although, there are still a considerable number of individual’s in Great Britain, who do not have Internet access, London, and the surrounding communities are rather well connected, according the research that I engaged in on digital exclusion in Great Britain (2009-2010). Through access to more demographic/Internet access information, Dr. Clarke, could potentially involve a larger more diverse population sample in his study and research.  A larger population sample size, of a more diverse population, would give Dr. Clarke’s study more applicability, to a greater number of individual’s.  I think, based on Dr. Clarke’s critique of previous CDH/diet related studies, that he may be interested in increasing his population sample size, and possibly the diversity of his sample size as well.

Works Cited: According to Purdue Owl Online (A.P.A. Format) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/10/

Clarke, Dr. R..  (n. d.). Internet Methods for Dietary Assessment in the U.K. Biobank Study. Retrieved from http://www.ndm.ox.ac.uk/doctoral-projects/project/internet-methods-for-dietary-assessment-in-the-uk-biobank-study

Longley, P. A.., & Singelton,  A. D..  (2009).  Linking Social Deprivation and Digital Exclusion in England. Urban Studies, 46. doi:10.1177/0042098009104566

Purdue University, the Writing Lab, and the Owl at Purdue. (n. d.). Purdue Owl online Reference and Citation Resources. Purdue Owl online (Reference Resources and Citations). Retrieved from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/10/

*Note:  I  located this article on a Florida State University Library Online Database by way of  the Florida State University College of Medicine Online Database on September 12, 2009.

(Urban Studies: http://usj.sagepub.com)

2) “Epidemiological Research of Vegetarians: Nutritional Status and Long-Term Health”

Primary Supervisor: Professor Tim Key

Reference Number: 225

     It is my understanding that Professor Key’s doctoral research project is a study of various types of diets, traditional (meat included) and non-traditional (vegetarian and vegan), and the types of nutrients that the three different diets provide.  In addition, it is my understanding from Professor Key’s explanations, in his doctoral research project description which is available online, that blood samples have been taken from the study’s participants.  Finally, it is my understanding that it is Professor Key’s intention to compare:

1)      the constituents of the blood samples taken from the study’s participants;

2)      the study participant’s diets (self-reported); and

3)      the study participant’s over-all health outcomes, i.e., morbidity and mortality rates.

It is my understanding of nutrition, that an individual’s diet can be easily be supplemented by multi-vitamins.  It is also my understanding, in relation to nutrition, that many of the nutrients that are available in meat such as iron and protein, can be gained through other foods such as raisins (iron) and cheese (protein).  I agree with the empirical evidence sited by Professor Key’s in his doctoral research project description, that over-all, individual’s who eat less meat (and other animal products) tend to be thinner and healthier. 

         However, it is my opinion, that it is also possible for individuals,’ who choose a vegetarian or vegan diet, to still have health risks. In my opinion, it is quite possible for individuals who eat a vegetarian or vegan diet, to have poor health outcomes due to a dearth of knowledge, regarding how to supplement nutrients, which may be low, or missing entirely, from their vegetarian or vegan diets.

Works Cited: According to Purdue Owl Online (A.P.A. Format) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/10/

Key, Professor T.. (n. d.). Epidemiological Research of Vegetarians: Nutritional Status and Long-Term Health. Retrieved from http://www.ndm.ox.ac.uk/doctoral-projects/project/epidemiological-research-on-vegetarians-nutritional-status-and-long-term-health

Purdue University, the Writing Lab, and the Owl at Purdue. (n. d.). Purdue Owl online Reference and Citation Resources. Purdue Owl online (Reference Resources and Citations). Retrieved from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/10/

3) “Molecular Biology of Iron Metabolism”

Primary Supervisor: Professor Alain Townsend F.R.S.

Reference Number: 94

3) “Molecular Biology of Iron Metabolism”

        It is my understanding that Dr. Alain Townsend is presently conducting studies on how the element of iron is metabolized by the human body.  In addition, it is my understanding that, at present, research being conducted on the element of iron and its metabolism by the human body, has focused primarily on the interaction between an individual’s genes and: either iron saturation or anemia.  Additionally, Professor Townsend’s most recent studies, regarding the metabolism of iron by the human body, according to Professor Townsend’s doctoral research project description, which is available online: the research conducted has revealed that, ferroportin, which has been a randomly altered (mutated), change the way in which iron uptake occurs on a cellular level.  Furthermore, it is my understanding, based on the recent research conducted by Professor Townsend of mutated ferroportin, that:  mutated ferroportin causes a cell to react to iron uptake in one of two negative ways:

1)      Cellular death:  Macrophages become saturated with dead cells that contain iron. The macrophages, thereby, become saturated with iron, resulting in iron saturation and misplacement of the iron element into organ tissue (Paranchymal, n. d.).

2)      The newly discovered hormone “hepcidin” (Hepcidin, n. d.), is unable to prevent the iron that the cell has taken-up and is presently carrying, from departing from the cell (Hepicidin, n. d.).  “Hepcidin directly inhibits ferroportin, a protein that transports iron out of cells that store it.  Thus, it maintains iron homeostasis” (Hepcidin, n. d.). 

3)      Therefore, due to the effects of the mutated ferroportin, the “hepcidin,” is unable to prevent the ferroportin, from moving iron out of cells (Hepcidin, n. d.).  In my opinion, this situation could result in anemia, if all the body’s red blood cells are affected.

Therefore, it is my understanding, based on Professor Townsend’s most recent studies on the human body’s metabolism of the element of iron, that: mutated ferroportin, has a negative impact on an individual’s “iron homeostasis”(Hepcidin, n. d.).  In summary, my understanding of Professor Townsend’s most recent research on the metabolism of the element of iron by the human body is that:  if mutated ferroportin is present in an individual’s system, then an individual’s body will have difficulty maintaining a salubrious balance of iron (Hepcidin, n. d.). 

Works Cited: According to Purdue Owl Online (A.P.A. Format) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/10/

Hepcidin. (n. d.). The Free Dictionary By Farlex. Retrieved from http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Hepcidin

Paranchymal. (n. d.). The Free Dictionary By Farlex. Retrieved from

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Paranchymal+cells

Purdue University, the Writing Lab, and the Owl at Purdue. (n. d.). Purdue Owl online Reference and Citation Resources. Purdue Owl online (Reference Resources and Citations). Retrieved from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/10/

Townsend, Professor A.. (n. d.). Molecular Biology of Iron Metabolism. Retrieved from http://www.ndm.ox.ac.uk/doctoral-projects/project/molecular-biology-of-iron-metabolism

(*Note: The above information provided above has been referenced and cited to the best of my present abilities and my present resources available. Purdue Owl online reference resources were utilized to reference and cite the material presented above.  Online information changes frequently and web pages are update continuously in many cases.  The information presented above was accurate on the date and time that this document was initially prepared.)