PhD studentship: Cardiometabolic phenotyping and bone health in midlife and older age: A comparison across ethnic groups (1062818AF)

Main Supervisor:  Dr Kate Ward

Other members of the supervisory team: Prof Elaine Dennison, Prof Cyrus Cooper

Duration of the award: 36 months, full time

Project description: 

Ethnicity is a risk factor for osteoporosis and cardiometabolic disease. Whilst individuals of European descent have the highest risk for fracture, they have lower risk of Type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Well-described differences in body composition are likely to be contributing factors to these ethnic differences. Much less is known about sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass and function) risk and ethnicity.  Some studies report ethnic differences in physical capability and muscle strength both important components of sarcopenia. Also, intramuscular fat depots are a feature of ageing muscle and insulin resistance and are related to poorer function, though risk factors for increases in intramuscular fat are not fully understood. Given the contribution of body composition to sarcopenia risk, and relationships between muscle, fat and bone important to understand whether these ethnic differences in body composition are related to differences in bone health, and whether they identify groups, otherwise thought to be at lower risk of fracture, at risk of poor musculoskeletal health.

The overarching hypothesis is that cardiovascular and metabolic health markers at baseline are predictive of bone and muscle health at later follow-ups. The main aim of this PhD is to determine how cardiometabolic health relates to bone and muscle outcomes in three ethnic groups in the UK, in an existing longitudinal cohort study, South Acton and Brent Revisited Study (SABRE). 

The project will provide training in epidemiology, physiological measurements, imaging and image analysis, nutrition. The focus will be on training in epidemiological methods and data analysis. Training will be given in the acquisition of all of the data used in the project, either in on-going SABRE or in other studies of musculoskeletal ageing MRC LEU are running, for example the Hertfordshire Cohort Study follow-ups. There is a methodological sub-project of image analysis, analysing vertebral scans from dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and in assessing appropriateness of sarcopenia definitions in the cohort. There will also opportunity to apply the research questions to other cohorts, for example Hertfordshire Cohort, National Survey for Health and Development, the Gambian Bone Ageing Study 

Please contact:  Kate Ward, kw@mrc.soton.ac.uk

Person Specification: See below

Funding information: 

NIHR BRC Funded. This is a fully funded PhD for 3 years project covering fees and stipend for EU/UK applicants.
 1. Stipend to a maximum of £14,777 per annum
 2. Maximum of £4,260 per annum for PhD fees
 3. Maximum of £1,000 per annum for consumables and training

 Administrative contact and how to apply:

Please complete the University's online application form, which you can find at 

https://studentrecords.soton.ac.uk/BNNRPROD/bzsksrch.P_Login?pos=7209&majr=7209&term=201819

You should enter Kat Ward as your proposed supervisor. To support your application provide an academic CV (including contact details of two referees), official academic transcripts and a personal statement (outlining your suitability for the studentship, what you hope to achieve from the PhD and your research experience to date).

Informal enquiries relating to the project or candidate suitability should be directed to Kate Ward (kw@mrc.soton.ac.uk).

Closing date:10 October, 2018

Interview date:  25th October, 2018

Closing Date: 10 Oct 2018
Post Type: PhD Studentship (Funded)