Title of Phd Project: Interventions to Reduce Sitting Time in Older Adults Pre-Surgery

Title of PhD project: Interventions to reduce sitting time in older adults pre-surgery

Host Institution and Supervisor: University of Birmingham, UK: Dr Carolyn Greig

Description:There is accumulating evidence supporting the adverse health effects of prolonged bouts of sedentary behaviour (sitting time). The design of evidence-based interventions to reduce sitting time (as opposed to increasing activity), therefore represents a crucial strategy for the maintenance of physical independence/ rehabilitative practice in older adults, but information is limited.This project aims to use a mixed methods approach to design and conduct an intervention to reduce sitting time in older patients awaiting elective surgery. The project will involve(i) a systematic review of the evidence for interventions to reduce sitting time and to use these data in combination with those obtained from our current studies to inform (ii) a feasibility/ scoping study using prospectively collected data from an older patient group to design a protocol for (iii) an exploratory trial of an intervention to reduce sitting time and improve selected outcomes in a cohort of older patients awaiting elective cardiac surgery. Primary, secondary and exploratory outcomes will be informed by (i) and (ii) but could include length of hospital stay, musculoskeletal function, functional ability, objective measurement of physical activity/ sedentary patterns at various time points after surgery/ discharge, cognitive function, quality of life, salivary cortisol: DHEA (stress) and serum inflammatory markers as well as contributing samples for analysis of changes in metabolomics/ epigenetic markers. We hypothesise that an intervention to reduce sitting time in patients awaiting elective cardiac surgery will improve outcomes after surgery. We also expect that our results will be translatable to a number of different older pre-surgery patient groups. This PhD fellowship is part of a Marie Sklodowska Curie Innovative Training Network – PANINI (Physical Activity and Nutrition INfluences In ageing).

Candidates should have a strong Bachelors(2i or equivalent GPA score) or Masters Degree in the life sciences e.g., Biomedical Sciences, Sport and Exercise Sciences, Physiology, and an interest in developing skills within a multi-disciplinary approach to healthy ageing research.

Notes:

•There are 11 available PhD studentships in the PANINI network. For details see:

•To apply for this particular PhD, see: quote Job Reference 51820

•This studentship is part of an international training network – Physical Activity and Nutrition INfluences In ageing (PANINI) including cross-Europe training and secondments.

•Living allowance: 3110Euro per month multiplied by country coefficient for host (120.3% for the UK). Mobility allowance:600 Euro per month. Family Allowance: if applicable 500 Euro per month.

•This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No [675003].

Eligibility rules:

•The candidate must not have lived in host country for more than 12 months in previous 3 years to appointment.

•The candidate must be in first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of research career at time of recruitment (1st day of post). Research career dates from date of degree which entitles person to start on PhD degree (e.g. BSc, MSc).

•The PhD student will be recruited as an Early Stage Researcher (ESR) so will be a member of staff, with salary subject to national tax and social security deductions and benefits.