Payment of Home/EU Fees and a stipend of £17,500 approx per annum for 3 years

Applications are invited for a 3-year PhD studentship to work in the Academic Child Psychiatry Research Group within the Faculty of Medicine of Imperial College London. 

We are seeking a highly motivated student to work on a project to examine the impact of maternal antenatal stress and depression on very early child development.

Depression and anxiety in the antenatal period are known to be associated with an increased risk of behavioural, emotional and cognitive problems in children as they develop. The mechanisms underlying this increased risk are complex, and multiple processes during pregnancy and infancy, including hormonal, psychosocial and epigenetic, are implicated. We are using a number of focussed research methods, including detailed laboratory assessments, and large scale epidemiological approaches (in the UK and South Africa), to investigate these mechanisms, with the aim of identifying key targets for new treatment interventions. This represents an opportunity to study some of the earliest and most fascinating processes in developmental psychology and psychiatry. More information about the groups work can be found here: www.ppod.org.uk

There are a range of potential research approaches to take as part of a doctoral degree, and we would be interested in hearing from applicants with a strong academic background, interested in either neuroscience or more clinical approaches within this field.

Further reading

1. Talge NM et al. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2007 48(3-4):245-61.

2. Ramchandani PG et al. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2010 49(3):239-47.

The academic supervisor is Dr Paul Ramchandani, who is shortly moving from the University of Oxford to take up the position of Reader in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Imperial College. Applicants must have a first or upper second class degree from a UK University or the overseas equivalent in psychology, neuroscience or a closely related subject. In addition a Masters degree is preferable but not essential. Applicants must also meet Imperial College’s English language requirements – details at www3.imperial.ac.uk/registry/admissions/pgenglish

This studentship is open to both home/EU and overseas students. It includes payment of home/EU fees and an annual stipend of approximately £17,500. Overseas students should be able to demonstrate adequate financial support to cover the difference between the home/EU fee and the overseas fee.

Enquiries and full applications, consisting of a full CV, supporting letter and the contact details of two academic referees, should be sent to Dr Paul Ramchandani, paul.ramchandani [at] psych.ox.ac [dot] uk.

Closing Date: 18.03.2012

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