PhD Studentship - Identifying the Efficacy of Medical Dermatology Therapies using Artificial Intelligence. National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Patient Safety Research Collaborative (PSRC)

Award summary

To deliver real and meaningful changes in patient safety for those with Multiple Long-Term Conditions (MLTCs). Read more.

100% of home tuition fees paid and an annual stipend of £19,237.

This studentship is open to Home students only.

Overview

This studentship will be based in The Newcastle NIHR Patient Safety Research Collaborative (PSRC), this research theme embraces the exceptional capacity of artificial intelligence (AI) to spot patterns in vast collections of electronic health records (http://ai-multiply.co.uk/). Our primary objective is discerning risk patterns at both population and individual patient levels, providing a new lens to view and understand patient health. Key areas of focus will include understanding the trajectories and care pathways of MLTCs in Medical Dermatology.

Four of the most common Medical Dermatology diseases are eczema, psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa and acne. We have developed standard ways to treat these conditions but not all patients respond, and some patients develop side effects. If we could identify which patients respond well to certain therapies, and which patients develop side effects with therapies, we could improve the quality of care by providing optimal treatment choices with the lowest risk of side effects (SE). Better knowledge of treatment responses and SE may also allow us to reduce unnecessary clinic visits and tests, thereby improving the efficiency of the NHS.

We will investigate whether we can predict which patients are more likely to respond to therapy or develop SE using AI. A range of AI models will be tested. Additionally, we recognise the importance of “explainable AI”, which helps us understand the “inner workings” of such models. We will therefore determine which patient factors contribute to making these predictions.

This studentship will provide unparalleled opportunities for post-graduate training and interdisciplinary working.

Number of awards: 1

Start date: 6^th January 2025

Award duration: 3 years

Sponsor: NIHR, NuTH and Newcastle University

Supervisors:

Professor Nick Reynolds
Dr Philip Hampton

Eligibility criteria:

A 2:1 honours degree, or international equivalent, in a relevant subject (e.g. computer science, health sciences, epidemiology, statistics, psychology, maths, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, midwifery, allied health). A Masters with strong research training element would be highly advantageous.

If your first language is not English you need an overall IELTS score of 6.5 (at least 5.5 in all sub-skills) or equivalent language qualification.

How to apply:

• You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal. Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’.
• Select 2024 as the ‘Year of entry’ for a January 2025 start date
• Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study:
• Search for the ‘Course Title’ use the programme code: 8317F
• Research Area: Leave Blank
• Select ‘PhD Pharmacy (PHS) (FT) - September 2024 ’. NB: Reference to Pharmacy is for administrative purposes only. Our PG Admissions staff will change the start date to January 2025 after you've applied.

You then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Questions’ section:

• A ‘Personal Statement’ (mandatory field) - upload document or write statement directly into the application form
• The studentship code PH055 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field
• When prompted regarding your research proposal - select ‘Write Proposal’. Use the project title from this advert. You do not need to upload a research proposal.

Contact details: PSRC@ncl.ac.uk

Advert information