4-year (funded) PhD Demonstrator Studentship: Brain trajectories and psychotic-like experiences: uncovering neurodevelopmental pathways to risk

The overarching aim of the project is to understand how early neurodevelopmental risk factors disrupt brain maturation and contribute to psychosis vulnerability across development.

This PhD project will investigate how perinatal risk factors such as preterm birth shape neurodevelopmental pathways associated with psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) across childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. The student will leverage several existing large-scale, longitudinal neuroimaging datasets to examine how changes in brain connectivity may underpin the emergence of PLEs, and how this relates to a range of cognitive features.

The project offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to understanding the early origins of psychosis, and to inform future strategies for early identification and prevention.

PhD Demonstrator’s role:

In addition to meeting the requirements of a PhD research student, demonstrators will be expected to spend a minimum of 144 hours per year to education activities commensurate with the Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) role (e.g., leading seminars and practicals, assessment of student work and giving feedback). Hours are calculated according to the IoPPN Undergraduate Programmes GTA tariff and include preparation and related professional development. PhD Demonstrators exceed the minimum 144 hours per annum, and, indeed, are encouraged to do so if this suits their professional development and career goals. Hours worked on education activities beyond 144 hours in an academic year are paid according to KCL’s standard rates for GTA teaching. We recommend demonstrators spend up to 20% of their time on teaching/related professional development. Teaching duties will be agreed annually with Programme Directors and tailored to the demonstrator’s expertise and career goals. Applicants will be assessed at interview on their teaching skills.

Applicants must complete and submit an online admissions application, via the admissions portal by midnight (23:59 GMT), 19 August 2025.

On the ‘Choosing a programme’ page, please select (Neuroimaging) Research MPhil/PhD (Full-time).

More information on the department and the programme is available at the departmental prospectus page here:

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/neuroscience/about/departments/neuroimaging

In your application, you will be asked to include:

• Academic Transcripts - where applicable, academic transcripts must be submitted with the online admissions application
• Details of your qualifications - you will need to attach copies
• Details of previous employment - please include your CV
• A personal statement describing your interests and why you wish to apply for this project. Please also outline your teaching skills. Please include this as an attachment rather than using the text box.
• Academic References – all admissions applications require one supporting reference. If the applicant is relying on their referees to submit a reference directly to the College after they have submitted their admissions application, then the applicant must ensure that (1) their chosen referee is made aware of the funding deadline (i.e. 7 days from application deadline) and (2) that the reference needs to be sent from an institutional email address.

In the Funding section, please tick box 5 and include the following reference: (LV-Neurohyp-2025)

Please note there is no need to complete the Research Proposal section in your application as the project has already been set.

You are welcome to email Dr. Lucy Vanes (lucy.vanes@kcl.ac.uk) for more information regarding the project and studentship.

If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the Education support team at ioppn.pgr@kcl.ac.uk.

References must be received by the deadline for the applicant to be eligible. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

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