PhD Studentship: Nature: A Highly Promising But Underdeveloped Health Intervention

This project has a start date of October 2024.

There is a growing body of research describing the benefits of exposure to natural environments for human physiology and psychology. Nature, therefore, has significant potential to enhance population health. However, this promising therapeutic remedy has yet to achieve widespread prescription due to a lack of research considering nature’s influence on varied biological systems and the mechanistic relationships linking nature exposure and human biology.

This Studentship offers an exciting opportunity to investigate the influence of natural environments on human biology, with significant potential to improve human health and understanding of our evolutionary past. The successful candidate will join a vibrant and growing research group, supported internally by Dr Danny Longman and Dr Janine Coates, and externally by Dr Colin Shaw (University of Zurich, Switzerland). This studentship is expected to lead to a series of high impact journal articles and conference presentations and will serve as a springboard for a successful academic career.

More specifically, this interdisciplinary Studentship will:
(a) Provide a multivariate understanding of the influence of natural environments on human biology, and
(b) Take important steps towards a clearer understanding of the mechanistic relationships linking nature exposure and human biology.

The successful candidate will employ a multi-disciplinary approach, rooted in evolutionary mismatch theory, to examine the influence of natural environments on human physiology and psychology. This will include laboratory- and field-based experimental assessment of key biomarkers of stress, mood, the microbiome and key functional systems (e.g., immune, cognitive, reproductive and physical) as well as environmental parameters. Extended periods of fieldwork are anticipated.

Primary supervisor: Dr Danny Longman

Entry requirements:

Essential criteria:

1. Undergraduate honours degree in a related subject area (e.g., Health Sciences, Biological Anthropology) with a minimum classification of a 2:1, or equivalent.
2. Experience, in both laboratory- and field-based experimental projects,

• Working with participants,
• Collecting, processing and analysing human samples,
• Storing and analysing data.

3. A demonstrable enthusiasm for this area of research.
4. The ability to live away from Loughborough for extended periods of time for fieldwork.

Desirable criteria:

1. Master’s degree in a related subject area (e.g., Health Sciences, Biological Anthropology).
2. Laboratory and field-based experience working on projects investigating the influence of natural environments on human biology.

English language requirements:

Applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements. Further details are available on the International website (http://www.lboro.ac.uk/international/applicants/english/).

Funding information:

The studentship is for 3 years and provides a tax-free stipend of £19,237 per annum for the duration of the studentship plus university tuition fees.

Bench fees required: No

How to apply

Apply online via the above ‘Apply’ button. Under programme name, select ‘School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences’. Please quote the advertised reference number: SSEHS/DLJC in your application.

With your application, please submit a 300-word experimental protocol designed to answer the questions (1) how do natural environments affect human biology, and (2) what are the mechanisms linking natural exposure and human biology?

To avoid delays in processing your application, please ensure that you submit the minimum supporting documents.

The following selection criteria will be used by academic schools to help them make a decision on your application: https://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/research-applications/studentship-assessment-criteria/

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