Nigel Groome Studentship: Supporting Women’s Health and Wellbeing After Gynaecological Cancer Treatment: Adaptation of the EMPOWER-SMS Text Messaging Lifestyle Intervention

3 Year, full-time funded PhD Studentship  

Eligibility: Home UK/EU

Bursary p.a.: Bursary equivalent to UKRI national minimum stipend plus fees (2025/26 bursary rate is £20,780)

Fees and Bench fees: will be met by the University for the 3 years of the funded Studentship.

Closing date: Thursday 27 March 2025

Start Date: September / October 2025

Requirements:

Applicants should have a first or upper second-class honours degree from a Higher Education Institution in the UK or acceptable equivalent qualification. EU Applicants must have a valid IELTS Academic test certificate (or equivalent) with an overall minimum score of 6.5 to 7.0 and no score below 6.0 issued in the last 2 years by an approved test centre.

The studentship requires you to undertake the equivalent of up to 6 hrs teaching per week on average, during semester time, and to include preparation and marking (but no more than 20 hrs per week), and to participate in a teaching skills course without further remuneration.

Project Description:

This is a fully funded 3-year PhD project, ideal for an individual with an interest or experience in cancer care, women’s health, and/or behavioural science. 

Digital methods are increasingly used to deliver interventions that promote behavioural change and improve health outcomes. This PhD offers an opportunity to adapt an existing text messaging behaviour change intervention (EMPOWER-SMS), aimed at increasing positive health and lifestyle behaviours (e.g. exercise, nutrition, sleep) and promote wellbeing in UK patients with gynaecological cancers, a previously under researched group. This exciting project will involve expert supervision and international collaboration with psychosocial oncology/cancer care and intervention development academics. The PhD will:

1) explore lifestyle-related needs of people treated for gynaecological cancers, 2) adapt the intervention for UK patients treated for gynaecological cancers, 3) explore intervention acceptability in a pilot study.

The study will involve undertaking a systematic review, and conducting qualitative (interviews, surveys) and quantitative methods (surveys) with patient and healthcare professionals, for which the student will receive appropriate support and training.

The student will be based within the thriving Supportive Cancer Care Research group, which sits within the Oxford Institute for Applied Health Research, a multidisciplinary community of applied health researchers dedicated to producing world-class research.

The ideal candidate will have a degree in a field related to Psychology, Nursing, Allied Healthcare Professionals or a related subject. Further study such as a Master’s would be advantageous.

Project contact: Dr Lauren Matheson (l.matheson@brookes.ac.uk).

To apply, contact hls-applications@brookes.ac.uk for details.

Applications should include a project proposal (max 1000 words) including background, aims and an outline methodology. Applicants can liaise with the named supervisor when developing their proposal

Co-Directors of Studies: Dr Lauren Matheson; Professor Eila Watson (Oxford Institute for Applied Health Research)

Supervisors/Advisors: Dr Georgia Cook). Clinical Advisor: Dr Amanda Horne (Consultant in clinical oncology at Oxford University Hospitals Foundation Trust). PhD advisors (original developers of the EMPOWER-SMS intervention): Dr Anna Singleton, (The Daffodil centre, University of Sydney, Australia), Professor Julie Redfern (Bond University, Australia).

Project Contact: Dr Lauren Matheson (l.matheson@brookes.ac.uk)

Part time MPhil/PhD study will be exceptionally considered.

Advertised on a competitive basis.

Interviews anticipated online, early May 2025. 

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