PhD Studentships in Genomic and Environmental Medicine

Three-year PhD studentships jointly funded by the Medical Research Council Centre for Environment and Health (MRC-CEH) and the National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI)

We invite applications for three-year PhD studentships based within Genomic and Environmental Medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI), Imperial College. These are jointly funded by the Medical Research Council Centre for Environment and Health (MRC-CEH) and NHLI.

The MRC-CEH trains and develops the next generation of academic and policy leaders in the field of environment and health research. These PhDs in addition will focus on development of knowledge /skills within the field of respiratory health. Successful candidates will be supported by a training programme within the MRC-CEH and within Imperial College.

The NHLI-based group utilises large scale population/occupational-based epidemiological studies and ‘big data’ (eg: primary care electronic health records). Research includes:

• occupational causes of respiratory disease, work-related respiratory disability; laboratory-based investigations of occupational allergy/immunology
• national and international (including low and middle income countries) cross-sectional/cohort studies of asthma, allergy and COPD
• role of indoor/outdoor pollutants and vegetation (pollen, green spaces) on respiratory disease
• investigation of genetic risk factors for respiratory disease

We seek outstanding candidates with an interest in environmental research as related to respiratory health with experience in, at least one of, the following research areas

• Observational epidemiology
• Medical/bio statistics, statistical
• Epidemiology of occupational lung disease
• Non-communicable respiratory disease and global health
• Molecular signatures of exposures and disease pathways

Eligibility

Candidates should hold, or achieve by the start of the programme, a Master's degree in addition to a Bachelor's degree with a UK First- or Upper Second-Class honours grade or equivalent in a relevant life science or quantitative science subject. Candidates must have strong statistical/computational skills.

Candidates MUST start the PhD by 1st October 2022 at the latest.

Applications from unsuccessful candidates in previous recruitment rounds for MRC-CEH studentships will not be considered.

Funding notes

Studentships include funding for Home tuition fees plus stipend (£17,609 per annum).

• UK/EU/International candidates may apply.
• Successful non-UK candidates must pay the difference between Home and International tuition fees (this difference was £34,300 per year for the 3 years of study 2021/2).

Sample projects are described below. Applicants with relevant knowledge, skills and ambition outside the scope of the projects listed are encouraged to apply (relevant projects will be identified following successful interview).

How to Apply

Please complete the application form and email to Dr Andre Amaral a.amaral@imperial.ac.uk. Queries to Professor Deborah Jarvis d.jarvis@imperial.ac.uk.

Download the Application Form here

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Closing date - July 18^th 2022.

Applicants unable to attend interview in person will undergo an online interview and be invited for a second face-to-face meeting before confirmation of offer.

The MRC-CEH Centre and NHLI are committed to equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination and to creating an inclusive working environment.

Sample projects

Chronic lung disease in low and middle-income countries– longitudinal study of lung function in adults living in 41 sites across several world regions to investigate risk factors and evolution of low lung function and COPD.

Pollen, air pollution and respiratory health–link between pollen, and pollution exposures and asthma using epidemiological data from surveys, and hospital admissions and primary care consultations

The East Anglian Respiratory Health Survey– follow-up of a cohort of adults first studied 30 years ago and who have extensive information on environmental and lifestyle risk factors relevant for lung disease