Subject: PhD Studentship in ocular biostatistics (full time, 3 years) – University of Liverpool

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Dear All,

Applications are invited for a PhD studentship in ocular biostatistics at the University of Liverpool. 

Duration of studentship: 3 years
Institution: University of Liverpool, Department of Biostatistics
Stipend:  £13,726 pa plus tuition fees at UK/EU rate

Closing date: 9th September 2013

Student eligibility: Candidates are required to have an excellent Master degree (or equivalent) in quantitative areas, preferably in Statistics, however candidates with Mathematics, Computer Science or Bioinformatics degree with a proven record of statistical training are also welcome. 

How to apply: Please contact Dr. Gabriela Czanner, Department of Biostatistics, via email [log in to unmask]

PhD Project Title: Development of multivariate statistical models for understanding of ageing and diabetic changes in eye’s function and structure. 

PhD Supervisors: Dr. G. Czanner , Prof. S. Harding and Dr. Marta García-Fiñana

Project summary: 
Over the last ten years we have witnessed a rapid development or refinement of optical, electrophysiological and imaging recording technologies, thus opening new research possibilities to understand the function and structure of the eye. A typical pre-clinical study collects multivariate information from someone’s eye repeatedly over time: e.g. age, visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, diabetes status, functional measurements (e.g. multifocal electroretinography, mfERG) and images (e.g. optical coherence tomography, OCT). A common challenge of such studies is the lack of appropriate data analysis methods that best utilize the measured multivariate information. The main challenges are that ophthalmic data are multivariate (i.e. data are measured in both eyes and repeatedly over time or space). Hence data are naturally correlated so classical data analysis methods can give misleading or limited conclusions. The aims of the proposed PhD project: 1) to derive a procedure to measure inter and intra-rater agreement for new recording technologies of structural data; 2) to develop and implement tools for evaluation of signal content in multivariate data; 3) to build optimal strategies of multivariate longitudinal linear mixed models for structural and functional changes in eye, in aging or diabetic subjects.

The PhD student’s primary department will be the Department of Biostatistics where he/she will gain training in advanced multivariate data analysis methods (such as principal component analysis, cluster analysis and classification methods), in validation of new recording techniques (intra and inter-rater agreement), in longitudinal linear mixed models (modelling, estimation, validation, prediction) and in development and implementation of new data analysis methods into software (optimally in R). Furthermore the student will be expected to collaborate closely with Department of Eye and Vision where she/he will gain training in biology of the eye, in principles of eye’s image analysis, and experience with ophthalmic research studies. Generic skills training will be provided through..

For more information about the departments: 
http://www.liv.ac.uk/translational-medicine/research/departmentsandgroups/biostatistics/about/ 
http://www.liv.ac.uk/ageing-and-chronic-disease/research-departments/eye-and-vision-science/about/

For further information: please contact [log in to unmask]


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