PhD Studentship: Impact of nutrition on cognition in healthy aging and at-risk dementia

Start Date: 01/07/2016

Closes: 01/04/2016

Supervisor: Prof Michael Hornberger

Project description:

We are looking for a PhD student to spearhead a novel collaboration between Prof. Michael Hornberger (Chair of Dementia Research) and Prof. Anne Marie Minihane (Chair of Nutrigenetics) to investigate the relationship of omega-3 levels on spatial orientation, one of earliest and most specific symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

The project will investigate this aim in healthy elderly as well as in at-genetic-risk people of developing Alzheimer’s disease from a multi-disciplinary angle by combining state-of-the-art nutrition and virtual reality cognitive tests. In addition, the successful candidate will have the chance to learn exploring the neural correlates of these changes via structural and functional brain imaging data. This exciting project will not only allow to determine how omega-3 impacts on healthy aging and genetic risks of Alzheimer’s disease, but also to develop novel spatial orientation diagnostic and treatment outcome markers for pre-symptomatic dementia.

Due to the multi-disciplinary nature of the project we will consider candidates from different backgrounds, including but not limited to nutrition research, psychology and medicine, as long as there is a willingness to work multi-disciplinary. Overall, the project will allow the candidate to pioneer work in a research area with great potential for dementia prevention and treatment in the future.

Person specification:

Applicants should hold at least a 2:1 degree in any subject.

Funding notes:

Amount of funding

(i) Fees £4052

(2014/14 Home/EU £3,996 pa, Overseas Non Lab based £12,900, Lab based £15,900 pa)

(ii) Stipend (per annum) £14057

(2014/15 RCUK Stipend £13,863 pa)

(iii) RTSG/Bench fees £1,000 pa