Our aim is to be the world-leading centre for public research and education, working to improve health and wellbeing through understanding how disease occurs across populations and evaluating the effectiveness of population health interventions.

OVERVIEW

Public Health research plays a vital role in understanding the impact of biological, social, behavioural, economic, cultural and environmental factors on our health. Our interests span medical, environmental and social sciences and offer students an opportunity to train in a unique interdisciplinary culture and environment.

The advent of large scale data sets from health services, the environment, public services and the private sector is heralding something of a revolution in approaches to public health. For the first time, we are potentially able to see both how people’s health is created, maintained or damaged over time, but also the impact of interventions and policies aimed at improving and protecting health.

PGR students in public health can access the researcher training programmes in the Colleges of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences (MVLS) and the College of Social Science (CoSS). This ensures that PGR students graduate with robust, transferable skills that are relevant to future employment in academia and public, private and third sector organisations.

Our research objectives are to:

• understand the natural course and impact of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases
• contribute to service developments to improve cancer survival
• contribute to a healthier population and environment through policy-related research
• reduce health inequalities of the working age population through cutting-edge, policy informing research.

Individual research projects are tailored around the expertise of principal investigators within public health and the Institute of Health and Wellbeing. Our supervisors use a variety of approaches to understand complex problems including complex statistical analysis, data linkage, longitudinal epidemiological and advanced meta-analysis, but also in depth qualitative techniques and the analysis of new media and policy documentation. We have excellent engagement with the government, the NHS and local authorities, other statutory public organisations and third sector organisations.

Specific areas of interest include:

• the potential for different aspects of environment to positively influence population health and reduce health inequalities
• the differences between chronological and biological ageing and its influence on coronary arterial disease
• evaluating the effects of legislation on population health, such as smoke free legislation
• understanding the interaction of genetic and non-genetic risk factors on population health
• the evaluation of complex public health interventions
• the impact on health of supporting disadvantaged groups into employment

Studying for a PhD in a vibrant, interdisciplinary environment will equip you with transferable research skills that are relevant to a range of career options in the public, private and charitable sectors. Many students find employment in the University sector after completing their studies or choose to pursue careers in health services, government or NGOs with a focus on global health improvement.