Medicine
| Location: | UK Other |
| Closing Date: | Thursday 31 August 2023 |
| Reference: | MED1952 |
Supervisor 1: Dr Magdalena Sereda (Magdalena.Sereda@nottingham.ac.uk)
Supervisor 2: Professor Marcus Kaiser (Marcus.Kaiser@nottingham.ac.uk)
Supervisor 3: Dr Derek Hoare (Derek.Hoare@nottingham.ac.uk)
Supervisor 4: Dr Lauren Gascoyne (Lauren.Gascoyne@nottingham.ac.uk)
University of Nottingham, School of Medicine
Location: NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Ropewalk House, Nottingham
Funding status: This studentship is funded by the NIHR (National Institute of Health and Care Research) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre. The studentship will cover home University rates which includes a stipend of £18,622 per annum and tuition fees. UK/Home students only.
Studentship start date: 1st October 2023/2nd February 2024. Duration is 36 months full time.
Tinnitus is the perception or sensation of sound in the absence of an external physical stimulus, thought to affect around 15% of adults in the UK. People can experience problems with hearing, concentration, social life, anxiety, depression, stress and sleep. Currently there is no effective treatment for tinnitus.
A new treatment approach for tinnitus, transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), is a non-invasive neurostimulation technique in which small currents (1-2mAs) are delivered to the brain, depolarising or hyperpolarising neurons within the desired region of the cortex. Typically, tDCS studies use a fixed-dose approach, where all patients receive the same stimulation protocol. However, such an approach does not account for inter-individual differences in anatomy, which can result in variable amounts of current reaching the brain in different patients. This may lead to a variable therapeutic effect for tinnitus.
The aim of the project is to develop an individualised tDCS protocol for people with tinnitus and explore acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy of individualised stimulation for tinnitus. The successful candidate will be involved in modelling tDCS-induced electric field using specialised software and computational modelling, administration of the tDCS in patients with tinnitus, and different neuroimaging methods (structural MRI, resting-state fMRI, and diffusion imaging).
You should have or expect to obtain a first class or upper second class undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent), or an MSc/MA, in neuroscience, psychology, audiology or other relevant scientific discipline. Research experience in auditory research will be an advantage. You will have excellent communication and team-working skills, be self-driven and highly motivated. You should also be eligible to apply for relevant research clearances that will be required including a check with the Disclosure and Barring Service.
The successful applicant will join a large and vibrant research department and benefit from strong supervisory and peer support, as well as structured training and development.
Informal enquiries may be addressed to Dr Magdalena Sereda Magdalena.Sereda@nottingham.ac.uk
How to apply:
Please email MS-HS-BRCadmin@exmail.nottingham.ac.uk with the following documents and put “Dr Magdalena Sereda advertised NIHR Nottingham BRC PhD studentship” in the title.
· A maximum of a 2-page C.V.
· Degree certificate and transcript (if already graduated) or a recent transcript.
· 800 words personal statement (maximum but excludes references) about why you are interested in doing this PhD, how the ideas outlined align with your interests and experiences and any specific ideas you have for research projects you have in this area.
· Either two references (in a non-editable format, on headed paper and signed by the referee) or the details of two referees that we can contact. One of the references must be academic.