Project Title:
Intelligent monitoring of symptoms to improve self-care and guided-care
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Dept/School:
School of Medicine | University of Manchester
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Research Group:
Health Sciences
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Project Supervisor(s):
Prof I Buchan
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Funding Availability:
Directly Funded Project (European Students Only)<javascript:__doPostBack('lbFundingDesc','')>
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Application Deadline:
10 June 2011
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The North West Institute for Bio-Health Informatics (NIBHI) invites applications for a 3-year full-time PhD studentship seeking to develop models for the intelligent monitoring of symptoms via mobile phone applications to improve self-care and professionally guided care.
Funding provides full support for tuition fees, associated research costs and an annual tax-free stipend of £13, 590 (aligned with Research Council rates). The project is due to commence in October 2011 and is open to UK/EU nationals only due to the nature of the funding.
The aim is to improve the quality and reduce the costs of care for people with long-term conditions. The main objective is to discover methods for adapting and personalising interaction with patients in their daily lives in ways that maximise concordance with treatment and promote self-care or guided-care.
The World Health Organisation estimates that only 50% of people with long term conditions follow the treatments that health professionals recommend to them. In many conditions intervening early in response to deterioration can prevent risky and costly admissions to hospital. There is substantial evidence that patients may be able to monitor their own conditions in ways that detect deterioration more quickly than conventional clinical review. As 90% of the population owns a mobile phone there is an opportunity to connect patients, clinicians and algorithms in an 'intelligent complex' for efficient and effective monitoring.
In some situations a loop of communication between patient, algorithm and clinician may support not only monitoring conditions but also treating them. The research will take place alongside leading psychologists and mental health researchers in order fully to explore the cognitive models relating the human computer interaction to healthcare.
The central informatics challenge is to model the adaptivity and personalisation required to engage users in monitoring their symptoms, signs or health status. The secondary challenge is to fit those models into clinical workflows, striking an appropriate balance between self-care and guided-care. The work will employ methods from machine learning, biostatistics and cognitive science to explore this.
The project would suit individuals with a strong aptitude for computational thinking, creative forms of human-computer interaction, and the ability to apply themselves to complex clinical problems through statistical modelling.
Upon completion, progression to post-doctoral research posts in health informatics, or a related career path in industry or public services, would be anticipated.
Applicants should hold a minimum upper-second honours degree (or equivalent) in computer science, informatics, mathematics or a related area. Previous experience of machine learning, health informatics and software development would be an advantage.
Please direct applications in the following format to [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> :
* Academic CV
* Official academic transcripts
* Contact details for two suitable referees
* A personal statement (750 words maximum) outlining your suitability for the study, what you hope to achieve from the PhD and your research experience to date.
Any enquiries relating to the project and/or suitability should be directed to Professor Iain Buchan at [log in to unmask] Applications are invited up to and including Friday 10 June 2011.
https://www.nibhi.org.uk
https://www.nibhi.org.uk/mi/research/Projects/m-Health.aspx
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www.euhma.com<http://www.euhma.com>
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