Available
Project number:
2025_12
Start date:
October 2025
Project themes:
Main supervisor:
Professor of Global Women's Health
Co-supervisor:
Professor Laura Magee
Additional Information:
Pulse oximetry in pregnancy
Background
Pulse oximetry measures oxygen saturation (SpO2) in arterial blood, usually on a finger or toe, and occasionally, earlobe. The raw signal processed to derive the SpO2 value is called the photoplethysmogram (PPG). Preliminary analyses of PPG signals in pregnancy have shown that PPG parameters change during pregnancy and differ when women have complicated pregnancies. We have >22,000 PPG records from women with well-characterised normal and complicated pregnancies in 5 low- and middle-income countries (The Gambia, India, Kenya, Mozambique, Pakistan, South Africa).
Novelty & Importance
There is no equivalent dataset, and no prior informative study. PPG parameters could improve the prediction and time-of-disease management of pregnancy complications.
Aims & Objectives
The co-primary aims will be (i) to characterise the PPG signal in both normal and complicated pregnancies; and (ii) to determine what PPG variables are predictive of adverse pregnancy event and postnatal health trajectories.
There will be four distinct objective:
1. Characterising the PPG waveform signal in normal and complicated pregnancies
2. Do any of these PPG parameters differ between women who later develop hypertension (high blood pressure) in pregnancy or other placental complications of pregnancy (i.e., fetal growth restriction, stillbirth, and preterm birth)?
3. Amongst hypertensive pregnant women, do any of these PPG parameters identify those women and fetuses at incrementally-increased risks?
4. Do any of these PPG parameters predict longitudinal health trajectories for women and their infants?
We are now accepting applications for 1 October 2025
How to apply
Candidates should possess or be expected to achieve a 1st or upper 2nd class degree in a relevant subject including the biosciences, computer science, mathematics, statistics, data science, chemistry, physics, and be enthusiastic about combining their expertise with other disciplines in the field of healthcare.
Important information for International Students:
It is the responsibility of the student to apply for their Student Visa. Please note that the EPSRC DRIVE-Health studentship does not cover the visa application fees or the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) required for access to the National Health Service. The IHS is mandatory for anyone entering the UK on a Student Visa and is currently £776 per year for each year of study. Further detail can be found under the International Students tab below.
Next Steps
- Applications submitted by the closing date of Thursday 30 January 2025 will be considered by the CDT. We will contact shortlisted applicants with information about this part of the recruitment process.
- Candidates will be invited to attend an interview. Interviews are projected to take place in March 2025.
- Project selection will be through a panel interview chaired by either Professor Richard Dobson and Professor Vasa Curcin (CDT Directors) followed by informal discussion with prospective supervisors.
- If you have any questions related to the specific project you are applying for, please contact the main supervisor of the project directly.
For any other questions about the recruitment process, please email us at
