The Centre for Biostatistics and the Centre for Musculoskeletal Research at The University of Manchester have a fully funded PhD studentship available, to start in October 2014.

Project title:
The use of Mendelian randomisation for the analysis of genetic variants to establish causal effects of vitamin D on related clinical outcomes in a European wide population cohort.

Project details:
The potential influence of vitamin D on a wide range of health outcomes has become apparent. Specifically, the European male aging study (EMAS), comprising 3,369 men aged 40-79 years, recruited from population-registers in eight European centres, has reported significant variation in vitamin D levels with multiple clinical outcomes(1-4). At the same time, a number of genes have been found to influence the concentration of circulating vitamin D. The actual causal relationship between vitamin D and the multiple clinical outcomes, however, has yet to be established.

Mendelian randomisation can estimate causal effects, even in the presence of unmeasured factors influencing both vitamin D and outcome, by using these genes as instrumental variables. However, the statistical methodology underpinning Mendelian randomisation is in its infancy, and there is substantial scope for further development. This project will involve genotyping the EMAS cohort for the four validated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) known to influence circulating vitamin D levels and examining the causal relationship between vitamin D and diabetes, obesity, arthritis and cognition, using Mendelian randomisation based approaches.

The project will provide training in molecular genetics, data management and the development of the statistical methodology related to Mendelian randomisation analyses. The student will make significant contributions to clinical and genetic epidemiology, and causal inference literature in biostatistics.

Supervisors: Dr Richard Emsley, Dr Rachelle Donn, Professor Fred Wu, Professor Terry O'Neill

Further information:
This project forms part of The University of Manchester's 2014 MRC Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP). Due to commence October 2014, the studentship provides full support for tuition fees and a tax-free annual stipend at Research Council rates (currently £13, 726).  This project is open to UK/EU nationals only due to the nature of the funding.

Deadline for applications: Tuesday 6 December 5pm.

Interviews for shortlisted candidates: 13/14 January 2014.

Manchester Centre for Biostatistics: http://www.population-health.manchester.ac.uk/biostatistics/aboutus/vacancies/

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