We are seeking an enthusiastic, intellectually able and motivated candidate for a PhD project on the neural prediction of unhealthy eating in real world contexts. Obesity is at unprecedented levels. Thus, improved understanding of the neural determinants of eating behaviour is a pressing need. The project, supervised by Prof. Andrew Lawrence, Dr Nils Muhlert and Prof. Derek Jones, Cardiff University, UK, will combine multi-modal functional and structural (white matter) imaging with novel ecologically valid behavioural measures, to examine how inter-individual variation in the function and structure of brain reward circuitry predicts food cravings, patterns of unhealthy eating, and subsequent weight change.

For related work from the lab see: Lawrence NS et al. Nucleus accumbens response to food cues predicts subsequent snack consumption in women and increased body mass index in those with reduced self-control. Neuroimage 2012; 63: 415-22.

Funding Notes:

Studentships will commence in October 2015 and will cover your tuition fees as well as a maintenance grant (of £13,863 per annum). Additional funding for research costs and academic conference travel is available. The MRC Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) are currently advertising 13 projects across different Schools, but only 4 studentships will be funded across Cardiff University.

References:

Full awards (fees plus maintenance stipend) are open to UK Nationals, and EU students who can satisfy UK residency requirements. To be eligible for the full award, EU Nationals must have been in the UK for at least 3 years prior to the start of the course for which they are seeking funding, including for the purposes of full-time education.

As only one studentship is available and a very high standard of applications is typically received, the successful applicant is likely to have a very good first degree (a First or Upper Second class BSc Honours or equivalent) and/or be distinguished by having relevant research experience.

Application deadline:

30th January 2015 with interviews (either in person or by Skype) being held on or around 9th February 2015 and decisions being made by Friday 20th February 2015.

General Information:

The School of Psychology is one of the largest and most successful in the UK (http://www.cf.ac.uk/psych/). The School’s excellent standard of research and teaching has been recognised in every Research Assessment Exercise. It has its own brain-imaging centre (http://www.cf.ac.uk/psych/cubric/), enhancing the international-leading research in cognitive and behavioural neuroscience, cognitive ergonomics, forensic, social and developmental psychology.

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Further particulars, including application forms, can be found online at:

​ http://psych.cf.ac.uk/degreeprogrammes/postgraduate/research/specificproject... or here:

http://www.findaphd.com/search/ProjectDetails.aspx?PJID=59865

Andrew Lawrence

Professor Andrew Lawrence PhD School of Psychology Cardiff University Tower Building, 70 Park Place Cardiff CF10 3AT

Email: LawrenceAD@Cardiff.ac.uk

http://psych.cf.ac.uk/ http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/research/neuroscience-mental-health