Obesity affects 1 in 4 people and associated with suffering for the individual and high costs to the healthcare system and society. Yet, it remains one of the least researched fields of medicine, with numerous unanswered questions. Three of these questions are:
(i) what are the biological causes of obesity
(ii) how do treatments work
(iii) which patient characteristics predict response to a specific treatment.
Through an international collaboration with University College Dublin, University of Santiago, University of Zurich and a major European IMI funded grant on personalised medicine in obesity, we have collected a wealth of clinical and biochemical data. Patient samples have already been collected from patients with obesity and patients having treatments including medication and bariatric surgery. The samples have been analysed in the laboratory for metabolic markers that can now be analysed with advanced statistical methods to make them meaningful,
This large dataset will provide some key answers to all 3 questions in order to improve our understanding of the causes of obesity, mechanisms of action of intervention and choose the right treatment for the right patient.
The student will be supervised by academic doctors in the field of obesity, and expert scientists in large data statistical analyses. Upon completion the student would have acquired advanced skills in these complex scientific methodologies, presented their findings in international meetings and published them in prestigious journals. This experience will increase the chances of further post-doctoral funding and academic independence.
Please note, the successful candidate will be required to obtain AccessNI clearance prior to registration due to the nature of the project.
Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.
We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.
In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.
If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.
The University offers the following levels of support:
The following scholarship options are available to applicants worldwide:
These scholarships will cover full-time PhD tuition fees for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance) and will provide a £900 per annum research training support grant (RTSG) to help support the PhD researcher.
Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.
Please note: you will automatically be entered into the competition for the Full Award, unless you state otherwise in your application.
The scholarship will cover tuition fees at the Home rate and a maintenance allowance of £19,000 (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).
This scholarship also comes with £900 per annum for three years as a research training support grant (RTSG) allocation to help support the PhD researcher.
Due consideration should be given to financing your studies. Further information on cost of living
Mechanisms of Weight Loss After Obesity Surgery. Akalestou E, Miras AD, Rutter GA, le Roux CW. Endocr Rev. 2022 Jan 12;43(1):19-34. doi: 10.1210/endrev/bnab022
Early metabolomic, lipid and lipoprotein changes in response to medical and surgical therapeutic approaches to obesity. Angelidi AM, Kokkinos A, Sanoudou D, Connelly MA, Alexandrou A, Mingrone G, Mantzoros CS. Metabolism. 2022 Nov 11:155346. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2022.155346. Online ahead of print.
The impact of the interplay of the intestinal microbiome and diet on the metabolomic and health outcomes of bariatric surgery. Mika A, Janczy A, Waleron K, Szymanski M, Kaska L, Sledzinski T. Obes Rev. 2022 Aug;23(8):e13455. doi: 10.1111/obr.13455. Epub 2022 Apr 8
Metabolomic signatures after bariatric surgery - a systematic review. Vaz M, Pereira SS, Monteiro MP. Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2022 Jun;23(3):503-519. doi: 10.1007/s11154-021-09695-5. Epub 2021 Dec 2
Submission deadline
Monday 6 February 2023
04:00PM
Interview Date
Week commencing 13 March 2023
Preferred student start date
18 September 2023
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