Supervisor: Dr Angelica Ronald (Bbk)
Co-Supervisor: Professor Tony Charman (IoE)
The Department of Psychological Sciences, The Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College and the Centre for Research in Autism and Education, the Department of Psychology and Human Development at the Institute of Education are looking for a PhD candidate for a 3-year Bloomsbury Colleges collaborative PhD.
The student will gain an interdisciplinary training as a result of this collaborative Bloomsbury studentship. They will gain expertise in both behaviour genetics and cognitive neuropsychology of ASD, making them highly employable in a future research or clinical career. Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) frequently show additional mental health problems, such as anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Simonoff et al., 2008). This PhD project will take two streams of enquiry.
1. A behavioural genetic approach using a classic twin design to explore the degree to which behaviours characteristic of autism, ADHD and anxiety have shared genetic and environmental influences in adolescence.
2. A cognitive development neuroscience approach to explore the cognitive underpinnings of comorbidity in autism by studying a clinical sample of adolescents diagnosed with ASD.
Birkbeck's Department of Psychological Sciences ranked 5th in the recent RAE results for Psychology departments in the UK. Research at the CBCD, which forms part of the Department, is intrinsically multidisciplinary and involves behavioural testing, ERP, fMRI, NIRS, computational modelling and genetics with typically and atypically developing children. Research at the CBCD has a strong focus on ASD, being home to "The Autism Baby Sibs Project". It therefore provides an excellent interdisciplinary training environment for PhD students researching autism spectrum disorders.
The Institute of Education is both the largest and the leading research and teaching institution into education theory and practice in the UK. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) it was ranked as the top education department/institute in the UK.
Opportunities for Research/Training
Birkbeck offers support for MPhil and PhD students at four levels:
through the Supervisor
in the academic department and faculty
in the College-wide research training programme
between yourself and your fellow students.
As a MPhil or PhD student at the College, you will follow a programme of study under the guidance of an appointed supervisor and an advisory panel. At the Start of your programme you will draw up a plan for your research in consultation with your supervisor for completion of your thesis within the period of registration for the degree.
You will be able to meet and discuss your work with students and staff from other academic schools and research units and learn more about the personal and funded research taking place at the College.
The student on this project will benefit from specialist inter-disciplinary training in behaviour genetics, developmental cognitive neuropsychology and psychiatric measurement. There may be opportunities to receive specialist training in a laboratory collaborating with the joint supervisors.
Key References
Hallett, V., Ronald, A., & Happé, F. (2009). Investigating the association between autistic-like traits and internalizing traits in a community-based twin sample. Journal of the American Academicy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 48, 618-27.
Ronald, A., Simonoff, E., Kuntsi, J., Asherson, P. & Plomin, R. (2008). Evidence for Overlapping Genetic Influences on Autitstic and ADHD Behaviours in a Community Twin Sample. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 49, 535-42.
Simonoff, E., Pickles, A., Charman, T., Chandler, S., Loucas, T., Baird, G. (2008). Psychiatric disorders in children with autism spectrum disorders: prevalence, comorbidity, and associated factors in a population-derived sample. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 47, 921-9.
Further details about the project may be obtained from:
Supervisor: Dr Angelica Ronald, a.ronald@bbk.ac.uk
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/psyc/staff/academic/angelicaronald/index_html/printable
Co-Supervisor: Professor Tony Charman, t.charman@ioe.ac.uk
http://www.ioe.ac.uk/staff/PHDT/PHDT_12.html
Further information about PhDs at Birkbeck College is available from:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/psyc/prospective/pgresearch/phd_research
Application form and details about how to apply are available from:
Mr James Vallerine
Postgraduate Administrator
Tel: 00 44 (0) 20 7631 6535
E-mail: j.vallerine@psychology.bbk.ac.uk
Dr Michael Thomas
Postgraduate Tutor
Tel: 00 44 (0) 20 7631 6386
E-mail: m.thomas@bbk.ac.uk
To apply for the PhD, please download an application form from the website:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/study/pgform.pdf
Additional Information
Candidates must supply full transcripts of their qualifications and the following:
1. A statement of not more than 500 words indicating what skills, academic and professional experience you bring to this project and why you consider you would be the best person to undertake this research. If possible, this should include evidence of your knowledge of the relevant literature in the field.
2. A piece of your academic writing which may be from your previous degree studies or an academic publication for which you were responsible. This should show your skills of critical analysis and your clarity, focus and fluency in the organisation and presentation of your arguments.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview
Closing date for applications: 1st March 2010