Geriatric Medicine Registrar Dr Jonny Bunn awarded BGS Research Funding

Dr Jonny Bunn has successfully been awarded £7,700 research funding from the British Geriatrics Society to investigate the relationship between skeletal muscle and gut bacteria (the microbiome) in participants of the MASS_Lifecourse Study.

Earlier this year Jonny joined the AGE research group for a 4-month research fellowship, funded by the NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre and supervised by Dr Richard Dodds. During this time Jonny had the opportunity to learn more about research methodology whilst working on his own research ideas.

This protected research time with no clinical commitments allowed Jonny to develop his interest in stroke research. He undertook work with the VOICE Network to explore early research ideas around the theme of patients who have experienced stroke as part of multiple long-term conditions. Working with the ADMISSION Collaborative, he spent time looking at emergency hospital admissions data in UK Biobank for those with multiple long-term conditions.

Jonny comments “As a geriatric medicine registrar, the opportunity to have a funded period of research by the BRC has been a fantastic chance to explore the potential career option of a ‘clinical academic’. It has shown the potential opportunities that exist for geriatric medicine trainees in Newcastle, looking to gain an experience of research and life as a clinical academic, and a potential route to engage with these opportunities.”

Jonny also had the opportunity to develop his experience in “-omics” research, leading him to successfully apply for funding from the British Geriatrics Society to undertake analysis of the gut bacteria (also known as the microbiome) present in participants of the MASS_Lifecourse study in collaboration with Dr Christopher Stewart’s laboratory. This work has the potential to improve our understanding of how gut bacteria might affect the health of our muscles as we age.

Last modified: Tue, 22 Mar 2022 14:16:38 GMT