EPSRC DTP studentship in The Neuromechanics of Human Balance and Walking

EPSRC DTP studentship – 3.5 years full time starting 1st October 2024

Project summary

The School of Healthcare Sciences at Cardiff University are delighted to offer a fully funded EPSRC studentship starting in October 2024. Applications are invited for a highly ambitious and motivated individual with interests that cross biomechanics and neurophysiology to study the neuromechanics of human balance and walking.

Neuromechanics considers how the nervous and musculoskeletal systems interact to plan and perform body movements. You will have access to a range of worldclass facilities that, when combined, provide a globally unique environment in which to probe neuromechanics during movement.

The facilities include transcranial magnetic stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulation that can be delivered during movement and are integrated with a virtual reality environment, a high-performance dual-belt instrumented treadmill that can move in pitch and sway, a full-body optoelectronic motion capture system, and conventional and high-density surface electromyography. All equipment is integrated into a real-time feedback loop allowing application of perturbations (visual or physical) and stimulation (transcranial, peripheral) according to ongoing movement parameters in real time.

You will be supported to codevelop your own research questions to apply these highly novel, internationally unique capabilities to probe the neuromechanics of human balance and walking. The project focus can be aligned to your own interests and expertise, and may include the effects of the physical or visual environment on neuromechanics (such as walking on unstable ground, or while distracted) and/or using blind source separation and deep learning methods to decompose high-density surface electromyography signals into individual neurone firing trains and studying the neural control of movement at the level of the spinal motor neurone.

Research Environment

This project is highly interdisciplinary. You will be supervised by Dr Jennifer Davies in the School of Healthcare Sciences and co-supervised by Professor Cathy Holt and Dr David Williams in the School of Engineering. Both Schools received outstanding results for research environment and research excellence in REF2021. You will perform work in the Research Centre for Clinical Kinesiology and be linked with the Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Research Facility, and will join a supportive and forward-looking supervisory team and PGR community.

Training and Development Opportunities

You will be trained across disciplines in cutting-edge research techniques including biomechanics, neuroscience, and signal processing. You will develop transferrable skills of data analysis and programming (including interfacing with specialised equipment), as well as become skilled working with human participants. You will be part of a network of academics and clinicians working towards understanding the neuromechanics of human balance and walking and encouraged to think about the potential clinical and industrial applications of your work.

An opportunity for a period of study in an external institution based outside of Cardiff University, which could be within or outside of the UK, may be considered.

Criteria

Applicants must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a first or upper-second-class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualification gained outside the UK, in human movement science, kinesiology, engineering or other relevant area. Applicants with a lower second class will only be considered if they also have a Master’s degree. Academic qualifications are considered alongside significant relevant non-academic experience.

Applicants must have excellent organisational, communication and research skills, an ability to handle quantitative data, and an ability to work successfully as part of a cross-disciplinary research team. Applicants will have a good knowledge of human biomechanics and/or neurophysiology. Previous laboratory experience, MATLAB/Python/R coding and an interest in applying this technology to the field of neuromechanics is desirable. Experience or understanding of open research practices would be advantageous.

You will need to meet the English language requirements of Cardiff University by the start of the programme.

How to apply

Applications should be received no later than 19th June 2024. You should apply for a PhD in Healthcare Studies with a start date of October 2024 via the School of Healthcare Sciences webpage at this link. Select Doctor of Philosophy, Full-time, 1 October 2024 and then click “Apply now”. In the research proposal section of your application, please specify the project title and supervisors of this project and copy the project description in the text box provided. In the funding section, please select ‘I will be applying for a scholarship/grant’ and specify that you are applying for advertised funding from EPSRC DTP.

Eligibility

EPSRC DTP studentships are available to home and international students. Up to 30% of our cohort can comprise international students, once the limit has been reached we are unable to make offers to international students. We are still accepting applications from international applicants.

International students will not be charged the fee difference between the UK and international rate. Applicants should satisfy the UKRI eligibility requirements. 

Cardiff University is committed to support students from a range of backgrounds and circumstances. Where needed, we will work with you to take into consideration reasonable project adaptations (for example to support caring responsibilities, disabilities, other significant personal circumstances) as well as flexible working and part‐time study requests, to enable greater access to a PhD. All our supervisors support us with this aim, so please feel comfortable in discussing further with the listed PhD project supervisor to see what is feasible.

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive environment for all. We welcome applications from all members of the global community irrespective of age, disability, sex, gender identity, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

We welcome applications for both full and part-time study and from candidates with non-traditional academic backgrounds. For further information about modes of study, please contact us.

Assessment

Applicants are reminded to submit all relevant documents (transcripts, supporting statement, etc) by the deadline. Due to the volume of applications received, incomplete applications will not be considered.

Short-listed applicants will be invited to interview. Interviews are expected to take place remotely via Zoom/Teams interview 4^th July. Applicants can expect to hear the outcome of their interview within 1 week.