Supervisors

Professor Beverley Shields, University of Exeter
Professor Angus Jones, University of Exeter
Professor Mia Crampin, Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit and University of Glasgow
Dr Anxious Niwaha, MRC/LSHTM/UVRI Uganda Research Unit

About the Award

NIHR Global Health Research programmes aim to improve health outcomes for the most vulnerable people in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).  This 4-year collaborative project brings together researchers from five institutions in the UK and sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to improve outcomes for people with type 2 diabetes. It aims to understand how local factors contribute to increased risk of Type 2 diabetes and identify the best ways to prevent and manage this condition.

Location: University of Exeter Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, RILD Building, Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Exeter, UK

The University of Exeter’s Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences is inviting applications for a PhD studentship fully funded by NIHR to commence on 1st November 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter.  For eligible students the studentship will cover international tuition fees plus an annual tax-free stipend of at least £19,237 for 3 years full-time. 

The student will be based in the University of Exeter Medical School and will be expected to spend time undertaking training and research at the MRC/UVRI/LSHTM research unit in Uganda and/or the Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit and/or University of Yaoundé, Cameroon. Applications will be assessed on merit, and we will endeavour to adapt travel requirements to meet the needs of the successful applicant where, for example, an applicant has caring responsibilities which limit travel.

This is a 3- year PhD studentship funded by the NIHR Global Health Project “Improving outcomes for people with type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa”.

Project Description:

This PhD offers the opportunity to work with leading Clinicians and Scientists in the UK and Sub-Saharan Africa to improve diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and develop advanced skills in clinical research and data analysis.
Over 20 million people live with type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This number will increase 134% by 2045, the largest expected increase of all regions in the world. A key challenge for managing type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa is lack of local data to inform appropriate diagnosis and management. Increasing evidence shows that diabetes presents differently compared to high-income countries. One important difference is that those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are often young and lean, in stark contrast to its classical presentation in the old and obese in high income countries. This presents a challenge for diagnosing this condition, as it is predominantly those with classical risk factors such as obesity that are tested for diabetes. Combining with limited resources for diagnostic tests this means that type 2 diabetes is often diagnosed late, when complications have already developed.

In this studentship the successful applicant will work with leading Clinicians and Data Scientists in the UK and Sub-Saharan Africa to understand the optimal approach to identifying diabetes in the African setting. They will analyse data from large existing studies from Uganda, Malawi, South Africa and the UK to identify the features that are most helpful in identifying type 2 diabetes in Sub-Saharan Africa and determine whether different risk factors are associated with lean type 2 diabetes. They will assess the performance of existing tools to aid diagnosis and determine whether they can be adapted for the Sub -Saharan African setting, and (if needed) contribute to development of new tools to identify those at risk. The successful applicant will work with a large multinational project funded by the UK National Institute of Health and Social Care Research, which brings together researchers from the UK, Uganda, Cameroon, Malawi and South Africa.
The successful applicant will develop extensive skills in biomedical research and data analysis, will answer questions directly relevant to patient care, and aim to publish findings in high quality peer reviewed journals during the studentship. We will offer an intensive program of training and support in the UK and African partner institutions. The standard of training and support is evidenced by the success of our previous NIHR group PhD fellows, all of whom completed their degrees within the funded time, published widely and have gone on to postdoctoral posts, including NIHR and Welcome trust funded fellowships.

This award provides annual funding to cover tuition fees and a tax-free stipend. The award will cover the tuition fees in full, plus at least £19,237 per year tax-free stipend.  The studentship will be awarded on the basis of merit for 3 years of full-time study.

Entry requirements

To be eligible for this studentship, applicants must be nationals of LMIC countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Applicants for this studentship must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a medical degree or a First Class Honours BSc or a Masters degree at Merit or Distinction level (or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK) in epidemiology, data science or a related area.

If English is not your first language you will need to meet the required level as per our guidance at https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/englishlanguagerequirements/profile-b2/

How to apply

Apply now

In the application process you will be asked to upload several documents. 
• CV
• Letter of application (outlining your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake the project).
• Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained (this should be an interim transcript if you are still studying)
• Names of two referees familiar with your academic work. 
• If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit evidence of your proficiency in English or be able to provide one shortly after selection.

The closing date for applications is midnight on 8th September 2024.  Interviews will be held virtually in the weeks commencing 15th / 23rd September.

If you have any general enquiries about the application process please email PGRApplicants@exeter.ac.uk or phone 0300 555 60 60 (UK callers) +44 (0) 1392 723044 (EU/International callers)  Project-specific queries should be directed to the main supervisor.

Summary