PHD FELLOWSHIP IN HEALTH SCIENCES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND 2023-
2026
Applications are invited for a three-year PhD position within the WITS/MRC Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit (DPHRU), in collaboration with the South African Medical Research Council for a project entitled: “Omics Approach for Personalized Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus for African and European Populations”.
The research project will form part of the longitudinal follow-up (6 years) of the Middle-Aged Soweto Cohort (MASC), comprising ~1000 men and women from Soweto who completed baseline testing in 2017/8. The project will explore the determinants of type 2 diabetes in this cohort, including lifestyle factors (physical activity, dietary intake), body composition and fat distribution, biomarkers (proteomics and metabolomics) and sociocultural factors.
Duties:
As part of the fellowship, the student will be required to assist with collecting lifestyle and healthrelated information on the MASC at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto. They will be required to analyse data, complete statistical analysis, and write up manuscripts relating to the project.
The successful candidate will be required to register for their PhD at the University of the Witwatersrand, but will form part of a collaborative research team, including researchers from the WITS/MRC Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, the South African Medical Research Council
Eligibility:
Candidates must have a Masters degree or equivalent thereof in the health and biological sciences.
Skills advantageous to the position:
Prior experience in studies involving human participants, clinical skills, nutrition, laboratory skills, bioinformatics, statistical knowledge and skills Value of fellowship: The value of the Fellowship is R200 000/annum (tax free), which is renewable annually for a period of 3 years dependant on the progress of the candidate.
Applicants are requested to submit the following:
1. A covering letter indicating your suitability for the position;
2. Curriculum vitae, including references;
3. Copy of your ID book;
4. Certified copies of your qualifications.
Only applications that include the above requirements will be considered.
Please submit all required documentation to Prof Julia Goedecke (julia.goedecke@mrc.ac.za)
Start date: August 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter.