Postgraduate Studentship Investigation of factors associated with diabetesin people with severe mental illness

Institute of Health & Social Care Research Peninsula Postgraduate Health Institute

Applications are invited from suitably qualified graduates for a full-timePhD studentship. The studentship will cover a stipend of £15732 pa andtuition fees at the home rate for a 3-year period. Candidates from countriesoutside the European Union will be liable for the difference between ‘homestudent fees’ and ‘foreign student fees’.

Peninsula Postgraduate Health Institute (PPHI) hosts a world-class group ofresearchers on diabetes (see website). It is well known that people withschizophrenia and other forms of severe mental illness (SMI) are at highrisk of developing diabetes, but current data are confounded by the absenceof robust diagnosis, both of the psychiatric condition and the subtype ofdiabetes present. Effects of the emerging genetic factors for diabetes arelargely unknown in this client group.

This study will employ both quantitative and qualitative methodologies andwill involve:
a) using a research diagnostic instrument to identify and diagnose a sampleof mental health service users with various forms of SMI;
b) developing a practical and user-friendly method of obtaining a fastingblood sample from this population, thus generating a service model forannual physical health checks;
c) collecting data on the subtypes of diabetes present;
d) exploring the attitudes of clients and carers towards diet, weightcontrol, physical health and other risk factors;
e) seeking consent to retain blood samples for future genetic analysis.

Students should hold, or expect to obtain, a minimum of an upper-secondclass degree in a relevant health related subject. Relevant disciplinesinclude psychology, psychiatry and epidemiology.

The student will be based in the Mental Health Research Group. Supervisionwill be provided jointly by Dr Peter Aitken, (Mental Health), and ProfessorDavid Melzer, (Epidemiology & Public Health), and the work will be supportedby the PMS Molecular Medicine Research Group.

For an informal discussion, please contact Dr Peter Aitken on 01392 403462or email Peter.Aitken@DevonPtnrs.nhs.uk or Professor David Melzer on emaildavid.melzer@pms.ac.uk although applications must be made in accordance withthe details shown below.

For an application pack, please contact:
The PostgraduateOffice
Peninsula Medical School
JohnBullBuilding
TamarSciencePark
Plymouth
PL6 8BU

CLOSING DATE: 12 NOON, WEDNESDAY 31 MAY 2006