Millisecond pulsar timing and gravitational wave searches with the MeerKAT radio telescope

Gravitational-wave observations have transformed the way astronomers study compact objects such as neutron stars and black holes. Current detectors can only observe the mergers of objects on the order of a few to hundreds of solar masses. To observe more massive mergers, a different type of detector is required. By monitoring the emission from an ensemble of pulsars in a pulsar timing array, a Galactic-scale detector can be formed to detect these. This thesis explores the first efforts to detect gravitational waves with a new, highly sensitive pulsar timing array: the MeerKAT Pulsar Timing Array.