Multimodal phenotyping of people with obesity and diabetes to predict response to a weight loss intervention

Summary

Amongst the 3.1 million people on the Island of Ireland living with overweight or obesity, it is obesity complicated by type 2 diabetes (OBDM) that has a particularly negative impact in terms of multimorbidity, polypharmacy and cost. Intensive management of obesity in this specific subpopulation of patients, improves quality of life, reduces morbidity and mortality, and maximises health economic benefits.

PEACETIME is a €9.8M EU PEACEPLUS funded cross-border project, led by Ulster University, which seeks to implement and deliver specialist multidisciplinary obesity care to 9000 people living with OBDM in the rural and urban communities of Northwest Ireland. People with OBDM will undergo a 12-month intervention for weight loss using an innovative disruptive primary care and community-based approach.

The PhD researcher appointed to this project will have the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of the PEACETIME intervention, benefiting from the built-in expertise and gaining invaluable first-hand insights into this innovative approach. In turn the researcher will bring additional value by investigating response to the intervention at an individual level.

The main objectives of this PhD research will include to:

a) Systematically review the evidence on individual and operational variables which impact on success during obesity treatment; and,

Within the PEACETIME intervention;

b) Use an unsupervised clustering approach to identify subgroups of patients more and less likely to respond to the obesity treatment intervention and to consider how this differs depending on the outcome used to determine success;

c) Identify phenotypic, biological and psychological predictors of compliance and response to obesity treatments

d) Use machine learning to seek to develop algorithms which can predict response to treatment;

e) Identify modifiable operational variables within the intervention which improves compliance within subgroups

Important Information: Applications for more than one PhD studentship are welcome, however if you apply for more than one PhD project within Medicine, your first application on the system will be deemed your first-choice preference and further applications will be ordered based on the sequential time of submission. If you are successfully shortlisted, you will be interviewed only on your first-choice application and ranked accordingly. Those ranked highest will be offered a PhD studentship. In the situation where you are ranked highly and your first-choice project is already allocated to someone who was ranked higher than you, you may be offered your 2nd or 3rd choice project depending on the availability of this project.

AccessNI clearance required

Please note, the successful candidate will be required to obtain AccessNI clearance prior to registration due to the nature of the project.

Essential criteria

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.

• Experience using research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain
• Sound understanding of subject area as evidenced by a comprehensive research proposal
• A comprehensive and articulate personal statement
• Research proposal of 1500 words detailing aims, objectives, milestones and methodology of the project

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

• First Class Honours (1st) Degree
• Masters at 70%
• Research project completion within taught Masters degree or MRES
• Experience using research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain
• Publications record appropriate to career stage
• Experience of presentation of research findings

Equal Opportunities

The University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community, particularly from those with disabilities.

Appointment will be made on merit.

Funding and eligibility

This project is funded by:

• Department for the Economy (DfE)

These scholarships will cover tuition fees and provide a maintenance allowance of £19,237 (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).  A Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of £900 per annum is also available.

To be eligible for these scholarships, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be a UK National, or

• Have settled status, or

• Have pre-settled status, or

• Have indefinite leave to remain or enter, or

• be an Irish National

Applicants should also meet the residency criteria which requires that they have lived in the EEA, Switzerland, the UK or Gibraltar for at least the three years preceding the start date of the research degree programme.

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.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies.