Phd Studentship: Creating Advanced Simulations of Scenarios Where Older Adults Often Fall: Paving the Way for a Step Change in Falls Prevention Strategies

Supervisors

Dr Genevieve Williams (primary supervisory)

Dr William Young (primary supervisor)

Prof. Sallie Lamb (senior supervisor)

*Please note that supervision will not be limited to persons named.

Project description:

Falls can be devastating at any point in life, but especially in later life when they are more likely to result in serious injury. Falls are more common in later life as balance and mobility can become less adaptable.  

These PhD studentships will offer the opportunity to join a world-leading falls prevention research team on a prestigious European Advanced Grant project called STEPPING OUT, led by Prof. Sallie Lamb and working with experimental psychologists, biomechanists, physiotherapists and mathematicians within the National Institute of Health and Care Research Exeter Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR Exeter BRC). The successful studentships will also be part of the Dunhill Medical Trust Doctoral Training Programme for Ageing Research, providing additional opportunities for training and development. The projects will be focused on understanding and identifying high risk situations (behaviours and intentions) that can lead to falls, and the strategies (cognitive and motor responses) that older people can implement to correct or avoid those situations (and hence avoid falls).  We will use the findings to develop a new generation of fall prevention interventions. The study involves collaboration with the University of Heidelberg and Bologna. The base will be the University of Exeter.

We anticipate that the PhD content will lead to a career in academia, public sector or industries to improve movement through the application and development of Virtual Reality or sensor feedback technologies.

As such, we are looking to recruit up to two PhD candidates with a keen interest in human movement science.

We are seeking candidates with a strong academic background and specialist skills and interest in:

1. Biomechanics, biomedical engineering, or similar. For example, those with experience in biomechanics (including analysis of kinematics, kinetics and muscle activity with strong numerical skills).
2. Experimental psychology, sensory processing/integration. For example, eye tracking techniques, virtual reality, manipulation of sensory information (ideally in context of balance/gait), measures of physiological arousal such as galvanic skin response.
3. Ability to communicate well with other team members and members of the public; and able to deal with people with different conditions in an experimental setting.

The aims of these PhDs will be to:-

1. Review of the state of the art and evidence relevant to fall prevention in your specialist area.
2. Develop and pilot simulations of scenarios that represent situations where older adults often fall. These will primarily take place in our globally unique VSimulators facility and have a particular focus on creating mechanical perturbations.
3. Design experimental protocols that scrutinise factors that contribute to loss of balance in simulated adaptive balance/gait tasks
4. Develop and evaluate fall risk prevention or identification strategies based on experimental findings
5. University of Exeter Commitment 

This studentship will provide the opportunity to work with world-leading researchers and have access to state-of-the-art facilities. The University of Exeter is committed to developing and nurturing a diverse and rich pipeline of talented researchers by equipping them with the knowledge and skills to excel and contribute significantly to the local and national economy via the delivery of high-quality and impactful translational research. Expertise will be harnessed from across the institution to deliver the best possible training and career development opportunities.

Advert information