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.
Nutritional Epidemiology
Supervisors: Fumiaki Imamura, Nita Forouhi
Programme(s): Nutritional Epidemiology
More details about this PhD project.
Population-level impact of lifestyle behavioural and weight characteristics on the incidence of type 2 diabetes
Supervisors: Fumiaki Imamura, Nita Forouhi
Programme(s): Nutritional Epidemiology
More details about this PhD project.
Fish consumption and its association with the human metabolome and risks of cardiometabolic diseases
Supervisors: Fumiaki Imamura, Nita Forouhi
Programme(s): Nutritional Epidemiology
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.
The influence of the changing neighbourhood food environment on the diet of young adults
Supervisor(s): Eleanor Winpenny, Tom Burgoine
Programme(s): Behavioural Epidemiology and Interventions in Young People, Population Health Interventions
More details about this PhD project.
No time for a healthy diet? How time use and perceptions of time scarcity influence diet through adolescence and early adulthood
Supervisor(s): Eleanor Winpenny
Programme(s): Behavioural Epidemiology and Interventions in Young People
More details about this PhD project.
Modelling lifecourse trajectories of health-related behaviours
Supervisor(s): Jessica Barrett (MRC Biostatistics Unit), Eleanor Winpenny (MRC Epidemiology Unit)
Programme(s): Behavioural Epidemiology and Interventions in Young People
More details about this PhD project.
Parity and women’s longer-term cardiovascular health
Supervisor(s): Kathryn Hesketh
Programme(s): Behavioural Epidemiology and Interventions in Young People
More details about this PhD project.
Risky play and health behaviours across childhood
Supervisor(s): Kathryn Hesketh, 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.
What is the scope for closer alignment of food industry and public health goals?
Supervisor(s): Martin White
Programme(s): Population Health Interventions
More details about this PhD project.
Exploring potential dietary public health policy responses to ultra-processed foods
Supervisor(s): Jean Adams, Martin White
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.
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.
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