PhD Studentship: Sleep in Children with Rare Syndromes

Applications are invited for a fully-funded (fees + stipend) PhD in sleep and intellectual disability to begin in October 2025. This PhD is one of three funded PhDs in the Cerebra Network which is a unique collaborative research network that integrates knowledge, expertise, and resources across the University of Birmingham, Aston University, University of Surrey and University of Warwick to deliver greater insight into individuals with rare and complex conditions.

The successful candidate will be supervised by Professor Caroline Richards, Professor Andrew Bagshaw and Dr Rory Devine at the University of Birmingham on research to understand and improve poor sleep in children with rare genetic syndromes associated with intellectual disability. Application will close on 31st March or when sufficient candidates have applied.

Project Description:

Sleep is essential for all aspects of daytime functioning. Poor sleep in typically developing children and adults is associated with poor cognitive functioning, low mood, poorer social functioning and increased problem behaviours. Critically, children with rare genetic syndromes associated with intellectual disability are at heightened risk for poor sleep, and thus sleep represents one potential modifier through which daytime functioning could be improved. The PhD project will explore whether sleep interventions can improve daytime outcomes for children with rare genetic syndrome associated with intellectual disability. The candidate will work closely with parents and carers to co-develop sleep interventions, use actigraphy to measure children’s habitual sleep and deploy subjective and objective measures of daytime functioning and cognition to capture correlates of sleep.

With your application, please provide a two-page project proposal for the PhD, outlining a plan for your PhD research within this area. The project can include a single or multiple rare syndromes associated with intellectual disability. Within the two-page proposal, please include a 250 word lay-summary suitable for families of children with rare genetic syndromes, explaining the purpose and value of the research.

The Candidate:

The successful applicant will use subjective and objective sleep measurement to describe sleep in children with rare genetic syndromes. They will combine sleep measurement with behavioural tasks to evaluate the impact of sleep on children’s daytime functioning. They will collaborate and communicate with families and stakeholders to co-develop and disseminate the work. They will also undertake traditional scientific communication via academic papers and conferences. They will join a team of PhD, Clinical Doctoral, Masters and Undergraduate students investigating clinical outcomes in neurodevelopmental disorders at the Richards Lab https://www.richardslab.org and the Cerebra Network: https://www.cerebranetwork.com/.

Application procedure:

Prospective candidates are required to apply first using the University of Birmingham on-line application system. In order for the application to be processed quickly, candidates should submit the research proposal as outlined above, CV, 2 references, and transcript of grades.

A copy of the on-line application form and guidance notes can be found at the following website: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/research/psych/psychology.aspx?OpenSection=HowToApply 

Please contact Professor Caroline Richards (c.r.richards@bham.ac.uk) for further information and informal enquiries.

For any enquiries about the application process please contact the Graduate School Administrative Officer (Tel: +44(0)121 414 2864/4906; Email: psychology-phd@contacts.bham.ac.uk).

Funding Details

Additional Funding Information

This award provides annual funding to cover UK/EU tuition fees and a tax-free stipend, awarded on the basis of merit for 3 years of full-time study to commence on 1st October 2025. International students from outside the EU may apply, but may be liable for the difference between UK/EU and International (Overseas) tuition fees.

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