PhD Studentship: Digital Inclusion in the E-IMMUNE Digital Care Pathway Study

The School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations at the University of Sheffield is pleased to offer a PhD studentship exploring digital inequalities, funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research Pioneers Fund, as part of the E-IMMUNE research program. 

E-IMMUNE is a multi-institution interdisciplinary study focused on empowerment of patients and clinicians in the management of immunotherapy toxicity through a new digital care pathway using Itecho Health's Ascelus platform. Immunotherapy has improved survival from many common cancers by giving drugs which enable the patient’s own immune system to destroy cancer cells. Thousands of people embark on immunotherapy treatment pathways each year. However, whilst this has improved survival from many cancers, many patients experience side-effects. We need new ways of managing these side-effects safely, to improve patients' lives, reduce the burden on patients (and their carers/supporters) of repeated hospital visits, and reduce demand on hospital services. E-IMMUNE will find out if these needs can be met by a new approach where patients will use an app to see test results, report symptoms, self-monitor, and be monitored by hospital staff. E-IMMUNE will carry out trials of this new approach in Sheffield and Leeds. If successful it will be rolled out across Yorkshire and throughout the UK. 

This studentship focuses on how inequalities manifest in the above study. Existing scholarship demonstrates that people may decline to participate in digital health initiatives through lack of effective access, or because of the emotional/practical burdens of doing so, and that when they do engage this might involve a wider care network of people/technologies. 

The student will investigate why patients decline to participate in or drop out of the immunotherapy digital pathway study, how these patients currently access and interact with digital technologies/platforms and what steps can be taken to ameliorate or accommodate patient concerns by considering novel ways of enabling access and engagement. This PhD will use mixed qualitative methods, for example interviews supplemented by creative material methods to explore both people’s thoughts about and practices with technologies in their everyday lives. 

The student will be supervised by sociologists Kate Weiner, Ros Williams, and academic General Practitioner Caroline Mitchell, within a multidisciplinary qualitative research group including Oncology and immunotherapy nurse specialist and qualitative researcher Jo Bird and a Research Associate yet to be recruited. 

The studentship is offered on a 3.5 year basis, beginning October 2025 on a full-time basis. The studentship includes a stipend based on UKRI studentship rates, and full tuition fees at the home rate (international students would need to cover the fee difference). Applicants are expected to have a strong first degree in a relevant social science and have completed or be in the process of completing a Masters degree with a significant social sciences research methods training component, or have equivalent professional training.  

Enquiries should be made to Kate Weiner (k.weiner@sheffield.ac.uk) or Ros Williams (r.g.williams@sheffield.ac.uk). Applications should be made through the Postgraduate Online Application Form via the 'Apply' button above. Applicants should provide a one-page proposal of how they would approach the studentship, and a one-page personal statement explaining how their skills, interests and career plans make them a suitable candidate, and a CV. Please cite the title of this studentship in your application. 

The deadline for applications is Friday 28th February 2025. The likely interview date for shortlisted candidates is April 3rd 2025. 

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