Marie Curie Early Stage Researcher / PhD studentship (ESR2)

Fixed term for a period of 18 months

Salary which will be subject to UK taxation will be at the EU Marie Curie rate of £30,790 per annum. This will be a fixed salary with no increments or pay awards for the duration of the post

Title: Assessing the impact of physical activity in ageing with a chair-based intervention in populations with differing pre-existing frailty and independence.

Supervisors: Dr Anna C. Phillips & Prof Janet Lord.

Current demographic trends indicate that life expectancy is increasing by 2 years per decade, but the period of life spent in good health is not keeping pace and most Europeans spend their last decade in poor health, meaning it is vital to develop effective interventions.

The objectives of this PhD are to examine the impact of physical activity in older adults with pre-existing frailty and limited mobility and independence levels. It will involve recruitment of semi-dependent older adults to a research-evidence based seated physical activity intervention suitable for older adults, Move It Or Lose It.  The intervention is established as effective at improving mobility and strength.  This study will include pre- and post-intervention assessment of biomarkers of health and wellbeing including markers of endocrine function and inflammation status, muscle function and body composition. The project will also assess the feasibility of and validate an adapted version of the intervention in more frail individuals living in residential care.

Candidates should have a strong undergraduate or Masters Degree in the life sciences e.g., Health Psychology, Biomedical Sciences, Sport and Exercise Sciences, Physiology, and an interest in developing skills within a multi-disciplinary approach to healthy ageing research. There are 11 available PhD studentships in the PANINI network.  For details see: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/generic/panini/index.aspx  

All candidates are advised to visit the following website to obtain further details of eligibility requirements for Marie Curie initiatives http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/fp7/98272/fp7-mga-annex3intramulti_en.pdf 

To download the details and submit an electronic application online please click on the Apply Online button below; please quote Job Reference in all enquiries. Alternatively information can be obtained from 0121 415 9000 or visit www.hr.bham.ac.uk/jobs

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