Joseph's research focus is on PAD, predominately complications arising from lower limb atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysm. Upon joining JCU, he was surprised to learn how common PAD is within the general population. Approximately one quarter of the adult population will develop PAD and this significantly increases the risk of suffering major cardiovascular events (such as heart attack) and increases the rate of functional decline. Despite this, there are no effective drugs to treat patients, many of whom will ultimately require invasive surgery to treat their condition. Joseph's research primarily focuses on identifying novel drug or diagnostic targets for PAD with a specific emphasis on translating findings from the laboratory to the patient.