MRC Epidemiology UnitProspective students are very welcome to formulate a PhD topic of their own choice, as long as it is coherent with the overall goal of the Unit, and with the interests of at least one Unit programme; see Research Areas.
Alternatively, students may choose from one of the projects listed below:
Theme: Aetiological studies
Investigating cross-cohort associations of objectively measured sedentary behaviour and physical activity with cardio-metabolic disease
Supervisors: Soren Brage
Programme(s): Physical Activity Epidemiology
More details about this PhD project.
Physical Behaviour Mapping Project
Supervisors: Soren Brage, Matt Pearce
Programme(s): Physical Activity Epidemiology
More details about this PhD project.
Understanding the role of DNA damage response in health and disease
Supervisors: John Perry, Ken Ong
Programme(s): Early Life Aetiology and Mechanisms of Diabetes and Related Metabolic Disorders
More details about this PhD project.
How do early life exposures influence risk of disease decades later?
Supervisors: John Perry, Ken Ong
Programme(s): Early Life Aetiology and Mechanisms of Diabetes and Related Metabolic Disorders
More details about this PhD project.
Theme: Prevention and Public Health
Understanding and changing family physical activity and sedentary behaviour
Supervisor(s): Esther van Sluijs
Programme(s): Behavioural Epidemiology and Interventions in Young People
More details about this PhD project.
Understanding the impact of physical activity, dietary behaviour, and/or sleep on young people’s mental health, wellbeing, and academic outcomes
Supervisor(s): Esther van Sluijs
Programme(s): Behavioural Epidemiology and Interventions in Young People
Family car ownership/use and children’s physical activity, understanding the association, driving factors, and consequences and identifying solutions
Supervisor(s): Esther van Sluijs
Programme(s): Behavioural Epidemiology and Interventions in Young People
Understanding inequalities in engagement with and effectiveness of school-based physical activity promotion
Supervisor(s): Esther van Sluijs
Programme(s): Behavioural Epidemiology and Interventions in Young People
Risky play and health behaviours across childhood
Supervisor(s): Andrea Smith
Programme(s): Behavioural Epidemiology and Interventions in Young People
More details about this PhD project.
Reducing risk of obesity and supporting adolescent well-being (online): Understanding and mitigating unintended consequences of social media use and public health interventions in school-settings
Supervisor(s): Andrea Smith, Amy Ahern, Esther van Sluijs
Programme(s): Behavioural Epidemiology and Interventions in Young People, Prevention of Diabetes and Related Metabolic Disorders in High Risk Groups
More details about this PhD project.
Rapid grocery delivery and prepared meal services: public health threat or public health intervention?
Supervisor(s): Jean Adams
Programme(s): Population Health Interventions
More details about this PhD project.
Increasing access to hand prepared food – exploring the potential of home cooked meal marketplaces
Supervisor(s): Jean Adams
Programme(s): Population Health Interventions
More details about this PhD project.
Mechanisms for population strategies to prevent diet- and activity-related chronic disease
Supervisor(s): Jean Adams, Louise Foley, David Ogilvie, Jenna Panter
Programme(s): Population Health Interventions
More details about this PhD project.
Understanding the physical activity and health impacts of changes in the built and natural environment
Supervisor(s): Jenna Panter, David Ogilvie
Programme(s): Population Health Interventions
More details about this PhD project.
Understanding joint impacts of environment for dietary public health and physical activity
Supervisor(s): Jenna Panter, Jean Adams, David Ogilvie, Thomas Burgoine
Programme(s): Population Health Interventions
More details about this PhD project.
Understanding the determinants of the initiation and maintenance of behaviour change
Supervisor(s): Amy Ahern, Simon Griffin
Programme(s): Prevention of Diabetes and Related Metabolic Disorders in High Risk Groups
More details about this PhD project.
Supporting weight loss maintenance following use of obesity medications
Supervisor(s): Amy Ahern
Programme(s): Prevention of Diabetes and Related Metabolic Disorders in High Risk Groups
More details about this PhD project.
Mental health and diabetes self-management behaviour
Supervisor(s): Julia Muller, Amy Ahern, Felix Naughton
Programme(s): Prevention of Diabetes and Related Metabolic Disorders in High Risk Groups
More details about this PhD project.
Longitudinal microsimulation modelling of disease, well-being, activity participation
Supervisor(s): James Woodcock, Belen Zapata-Diomedi
Programme(s): Public Health Modelling
More details about this PhD project.
Behavioural modelling of the built environment determinants of active travel and vehicle ownership
Supervisor(s): James Woodcock, Jenna Panter
Programme(s): Public Health Modelling, Population Health Interventions
More details about this PhD project.
Economic integrated microsimulation modelling of household expenditure on transport, diet, housing, and tax and benefits in the context of Net Zero and cost of living crises
Supervisor(s): James Woodcock, Jean Adams, Petra Meier
Programme(s): Public Health Modelling, Population Health Interventions
More details about this PhD project.
Association of the built environment with behaviour and health in different global contexts
Supervisor(s): Tolullah Oni
Programme(s): Global Diet and Physical Activity Research Group
Understanding the factors that shape travel behaviour across different global contexts’
Supervisor(s): Tolullah Oni
Programme(s): Global Diet and Physical Activity Research Group
Developing a global policy evaluation framework at the intersection of health, urban and climate
Supervisor(s): Tolullah Oni
Programme(s): Global Diet and Physical Activity Research Group
Investigating dynamically changing urban health/climate risks by integrating static and dynamic air quality data with lived experiences to inform prioritisation of urban built environment interventions and support inclusive urban governance for healthy climate-resilient cities in West Africa
Supervisor(s): Tolullah Oni
Programme(s): Global Diet and Physical Activity Research Group