How do science and society shape each other? An analysis of the choreography and consequences of engagements between research and advocacy in the case of MND

How do patient organisations and their advocacy work inform the research of scientists? We know from the literature that this occurs in various ways depending on the disease in question, and with an assortment of effects (including the direct funding of patient organisation-defined research projects). However, there is a deficit of understanding of how MND advocacy and engagements with scientists inform research in this area, particular in an age of social media. Indeed, there is a striking dearth of literature on patient experiences of MND more broadly. Further, while the impact of environmental and global health findings on the activities of NGOs has been well-characterised, little research exists on how various forms of advocacy are informed by biomedical findings in the area of neurological disease. The proposed PhD research will examine how the activities of Scottish MND scientists and patient groups (and other advocates, such as carers) impact each other, and with what scientific, clinical, and societal consequences. Qualitative semi-structured interviews will be carried out with relevant stake-holders, with data subjected to inductive thematic analysis. Pickersgill sits on the BBSRC Bioscience for Society Strategy Panel, which has considerable interests in this area; hence, there is the potential for the PhD student to inform the work of the Panel.

Prerequisites
The student must have a degree in social science (e.g. sociology, science and technology studies, or anthropology), preferably at MSc/MA level. Candidates with an undergraduate degree in biology/neuroscience and a postgraduate degree in social science are especially welcome.
Please contact your intended supervisor to discuss the project and your suitability for it before submitting your application.



The project is a part of SPRINT-MND/MS, a new Scotland-wide PhD scheme for research into motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis. Projects, encompassing a wide range of topics including laboratory, clinical, and social sciences, are available at Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews Universities. This exciting initiative provides a great opportunity for budding researchers in any field related to MND or MS to join Scotland’s network of world-leading scientists and health professionals. Find more information here: http://www.edneurophd.ed.ac.uk/sprint-mndms-phd-programme