James Ball awarded PhD

His PhD, part of the VESPAR project, focused on assessing cerebral haemodynamics, brain blood flow, and how it responds to brain activity in stroke patients and related conditions. 

Key findings from his research include:

• A review of methods to measure brain blood flow responses in healthy adults, identifying best practices like using seated posture and longer baselines for more reliable results to support future patient studies.​
• Evidence that posture and age affect brain blood flow during attention and visual tasks, with older adults showing different patterns that may help explain age-related brain changes.
• Analysis showing frequent blood pressure checks are needed after stroke to catch sudden changes accurately, guiding better remote monitoring systems.

Reflecting on his research journey, Dr Ball said: “My PhD was an invaluable opportunity to develop advanced research skills while contributing work that can support future improvements in stroke assessment and care.”

For further details on this research, click below:

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39113406/ 
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39218618/ 
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39570715/

Congratulations, James, on this outstanding PhD achievement. We are proud to have supported you on your research journey.