Raushan Lala

Raushan Lala is a second-year medical student undertaking a concurrent Master of Philosophy.  He is a recent graduate of the University of Queensland, holding a Bachelor of Science completed in 2018.  Raushan developed an interest in research following an undergraduate Summer Research Project at the Institute for Molecular Biosciences.  By undertaking an MD-MPhil Raushan hopes to further pursue the clinician scientist pathway, with particular interest in trauma surgery and critical care. 

Project Title: Studies of Microcirculatory Change in Haemorrhage and Resuscitation  

Haemorrhage is a leading cause of death following traumatic injury, typically due to uncontrolled bleeding and exsanguination.  Later stage disease processes, including multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), may develop which is associated with increased mortality in the intensive care unit.  Clinical evidence suggests that hypoperfusion at the microvascular level underlies this pathophysiology. 

Raushan’s project aims firstly to characterise an animal model of the human microcirculation.  Real time video microscopy will be used to study microvascular change in response to haemorrhagic shock and various resuscitation manoeuvres in terms of functional anatomy, endothelial surface molecules and blood rheology. 

Temporal microvascular change in humans following trauma and resuscitation remains poorly characterised.  Therefore, following animal studies, translational work involving critical care patients at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital will further the clinical significance of this project. 

Both Raushan and his advisory team are excited that this will be useful work and contribute novel understanding to trauma and critical care medicine.   

Supervision

Professor Mark Midwinter (Principal Advisor)

Professor of Clinical Anatomy

School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine

Dr Wendy Goodwin (Associate Advisor)

Clinical Anaesthetist

School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science

Associate Professor Ben Ahern (Associate Advisor)

Equine Surgeon

School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science

Professor Jeffrey Lipman (Associate Advisor)

Executive Director of the Burns Trauma & Critical Care Research Centre

Director of Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital

Professor of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care

Royal Brisbane Clinical Unit, Faculty of Medicine