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Dr M. O'Flaherty
Prof S Capewell
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
We are seeking an exceptional self-motivated individual who wishes to develop their research skills and build a career in public health, epidemiology and health informatics, who will make an active contribution to the research programmes of the host institutions.
Cardiovascular diseases and some cancers share four common determinants and are therefore targeted by common preventative strategies. The aims of this studentship are to quantify the impact of a wide range of preventative interventions on cardiovascular and related cancer outcomes, and on socioeconomic inequalities.
Our modelling work has been focused mainly in cardiovascular disease and we have developed a suite of public health models using a variety of approaches. Collaborating in a multidisciplinary team that includes clinical epidemiologists, economist, statisticians, software engineers and modellers, the successful student will be able to develop a research programme to innovate in the range of diseases, outcomes and interventions modelled.
This studentship will include training in epidemiology, public health modelling and software development. The final objectives chosen will depend on negotiation and discussion with the supervisors. Proposals could include several of the following key topics: developing a CVD & cancer outcomes model, evaluating interventions aimed at specific groups and at different life stages, modelling different perspectives (healthcare, societal) and incorporating a quantitative socioeconomic inequalities component.
Required Skills:
• Relevant undergraduate degree (e.g.,Health Sciences, Epidemiology, Statistics, )
• Ideally Master’s Degree and/or at least two years professional work experience in epidemiology or Public Health
• Experience of statistical or modelling methods highly desirable
Cardiovascular diseases and some cancers share four common determinants and are therefore targeted by common preventative strategies. The aims of this studentship are to quantify the impact of a wide range of preventative interventions on cardiovascular and related cancer outcomes, and on socioeconomic inequalities.
Our modelling work has been focused mainly in cardiovascular disease and we have developed a suite of public health models using a variety of approaches. Collaborating in a multidisciplinary team that includes clinical epidemiologists, economist, statisticians, software engineers and modellers, the successful student will be able to develop a research programme to innovate in the range of diseases, outcomes and interventions modelled.
This studentship will include training in epidemiology, public health modelling and software development. The final objectives chosen will depend on negotiation and discussion with the supervisors. Proposals could include several of the following key topics: developing a CVD & cancer outcomes model, evaluating interventions aimed at specific groups and at different life stages, modelling different perspectives (healthcare, societal) and incorporating a quantitative socioeconomic inequalities component.
Required Skills:
• Relevant undergraduate degree (e.g.,Health Sciences, Epidemiology, Statistics, )
• Ideally Master’s Degree and/or at least two years professional work experience in epidemiology or Public Health
• Experience of statistical or modelling methods highly desirable
Funding Notes
Stipendium: £22,619 per annum. The award will cover tuition and bench fees at the UK/EU level
References
Key Publications:
Simon Capewell, Iain Buchan. Why Have Sustained Increases In Obesity And Type 2 Diabetes Not Offset Declines In Cardiovascular Mortality Over Recent Decades In Western Countries? Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2012 Apr;22(4):307-11.
Bajekal M, Scholes S, Love H, Hawkins N, O’Flaherty M, Raine R, Capewell S Analysing recent socioeconomic trends in coronary heart disease mortality in England, 2000-2007: a population modelling study. PLoS Medicine 2012; 9(6): e1001237
O’Flaherty M; Buchan I; Capewell S Contributions of treatments and lifestyle to declining CVD mortality: Why have CVD mortality rates declined so much since the 1960’s? Heart 2012 99(3):159-62
O’Flaherty M, Capewell. New perspectives on cardiovascular risk in individuals and populations. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2012 doi:10.1136/jech-2012-201409
Ainsworth J; Carruthers E, Couch P, Green N; O'Flaherty M; Sperrin M; Williams R; Asghar Z; Capewel, S; Buchan I. IMPACT: A generic tool for modelling and simulating public health policy. Methods of Information in Medicine 2011 50(5):454-63
Simon Capewell, Iain Buchan. Why Have Sustained Increases In Obesity And Type 2 Diabetes Not Offset Declines In Cardiovascular Mortality Over Recent Decades In Western Countries? Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2012 Apr;22(4):307-11.
Bajekal M, Scholes S, Love H, Hawkins N, O’Flaherty M, Raine R, Capewell S Analysing recent socioeconomic trends in coronary heart disease mortality in England, 2000-2007: a population modelling study. PLoS Medicine 2012; 9(6): e1001237
O’Flaherty M; Buchan I; Capewell S Contributions of treatments and lifestyle to declining CVD mortality: Why have CVD mortality rates declined so much since the 1960’s? Heart 2012 99(3):159-62
O’Flaherty M, Capewell. New perspectives on cardiovascular risk in individuals and populations. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2012 doi:10.1136/jech-2012-201409
Ainsworth J; Carruthers E, Couch P, Green N; O'Flaherty M; Sperrin M; Williams R; Asghar Z; Capewel, S; Buchan I. IMPACT: A generic tool for modelling and simulating public health policy. Methods of Information in Medicine 2011 50(5):454-63
Project supervisors
Career overview
Professor Martin O''Flaherty is a Professor in Epidemiology and the Head of the Department of Public Health and Policy at the University of Liverpool. He trained as a physician in a large tertiary academic hospital, where he became frustrated by the recurring appearance of the same patients, which led to his growing interest in Public Health and Epidemiology. This interest developed significantly later in his career. His focus on trend analyses of mortality rates has contributed to the development of the concept of rapid changes in cardiovascular mortality rates, which has implications for prevention and public health. His PhD, awarded in 2012, was based on this novel work regarding the dynamics of coronary heart disease epidemics, resulting in key publications in prestigious journals such as The Lancet, Circulation, and the BMJ. Professor O''Flaherty leads the Modelling Group in the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Prevention and Food Policy Research Team, where he translates complex methodological and computational concepts for colleagues in multidisciplinary research programmes. His collaborations have led to significant contributions to local and national policies in cardiovascular disease prevention. He has worked with international colleagues to explain trends in coronary heart disease mortality across various countries, highlighting the impact of population-level risk factor changes on cardiovascular disease burden. He is a member of several prominent organisations, including the UK National Cardiovascular Disease Prevention System Leadership Forum and the American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention. He has also contributed to key chapters in influential cardiovascular epidemiology texts.
Research interests
Professor O''Flaherty''s research aims to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in populations by addressing their structural drivers. He focuses on understanding current trends and their drivers, as well as modelling future impacts, particularly concerning cardiovascular disease (CVD). His work has led to the development of the concept of rapid changes in cardiovascular mortality rates, which has significant implications for prevention and public health. This research formed the basis of his PhD awarded in 2012 and has resulted in key publications in prominent journals such as The Lancet, Circulation, and BMJ. He leads the Modelling Group in the NCD Prevention and Food Policy Research Team at the University of Liverpool, where he translates complex methodological and computational concepts for colleagues across various disciplines. His collaborative efforts have fostered productive research partnerships that contribute to local and national policies in CVD prevention. Notable collaborations include explaining trends in coronary heart disease mortality across different countries, highlighting the influence of population-level risk factor changes on cardiovascular disease burden. Professor O''Flaherty is involved with several professional organisations, including the UK National Cardiovascular Disease Prevention System Leadership Forum and the American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention. He has also contributed to significant publications and chapters on coronary heart disease epidemiology and preventive cardiology.
Career overview
Em P Simon Capewell qualified from Newcastle University and subsequently trained in clinical medicine, specialising in general, respiratory, and cardiovascular medicine in Oxford, Cardiff, and Edinburgh, where he discovered Public Health. He later moved to Glasgow University before being appointed as the first Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Liverpool in 1999. His research programme has primarily focused on the epidemiology and prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly cardiovascular and heart disease, diabetes, and common cancers. His studies address key NCD drivers, including inequalities, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and poor dietary habits, such as obesity, sugar intake, salt consumption, saturated fats, trans fats, and inadequate fruit and vegetable intake. He has a strong interest in mentoring colleagues, facilitating multidisciplinary research teams, and writing papers and grant applications. Simon Capewell has authored over 400 publications and has secured approximately £30 million in total funding, with over £5 million as Principal Investigator. His recent research, funded by various organisations including NIH, NIHR, EU, MRC, BHF, and WHO, has concentrated on developing effective, equitable, and cost-saving NCD prevention strategies at regional, national, and international levels, particularly focusing on healthy food and tobacco policies. He has demonstrated that population-wide NCD prevention policies prioritising healthy food and tobacco control can be powerful, rapid, equitable, and cost-saving. Additionally, he has worked on an IMPACT Model programme to explain the factors driving the significant declines in cardiovascular disease mortality rates in high-income countries and the rising rates in low and middle-income countries, highlighting that changes in population-wide risk factors driven by harmful commodities have a more substantial impact on disease trends than modern treatments. Simon Capewell is recognised as a public health ''generalist,'' with expertise spanning policy, population health, health services, and clinical aspects of health and disease prevention. He has contributed to policy development, service work, and advocacy at local, national, and international levels, holding various leadership roles in committees such as the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, Action on Sugar, American Heart Association, ASH Scotland, Consensus Action on Salt, European Society of Cardiology, Health Equalities Group, NICE, Obesity Health Alliance, Obesity Action Scotland, Society for Social Medicine, UK Faculty of Public Health, UK Health Forum, and the World Health Organisation.
Research interests
Em P Simon Capewell''s research focuses on the epidemiology and prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and common cancers. Key research topics include the drivers of NCDs such as inequalities, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and poor diet (including obesity, sugar, salt, saturated fats, trans fats, and inadequate fruit and vegetable intake). His recent work, funded by various organisations including NIH, NIHR, EU, MRC, BHF, and WHO, has concentrated on developing effective, equitable, and cost-saving NCD prevention strategies at regional, national, and international levels, with an emphasis on healthy food and tobacco policies. Additionally, he has worked on the IMPACT Model programme, which explains the factors contributing to changes in cardiovascular disease mortality rates in high-income countries and the rising rates in low and middle-income countries. Capewell has published over 400 papers and has secured approximately £30 million in funding, with over £5 million as Principal Investigator. He has been involved in various public health committees and advocacy groups, contributing to policy development and health service improvements.
Public Health
Clinical Epidemiology
Non-Communicable Diseases
Cardiovascular Disease
Diabetes
Cancer
Health Inequalities
Tobacco Control
Alcohol Consumption
Physical Inactivity
Dietary Habits
Obesity
Sugar
Salt
Saturated Fats
Trans Fats
Fruit and Vegetables
Disease Prevention Strategies
Computational Modelling
Policy Appraisals
Empirical Analyses
Cardiovascular Disease Mortality
Socio-Economic Gradients
Health Policy
Population Health
Health Services
Clinical Aspects
Advocacy
Multidisciplinary Research
Grant Applications
Mentorship.
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