PhD in Public Health

Project Supervisors:/nDr. Rob Brooks/nDr. Ellen Da Silva/nDr. Eleanor Bryant/nInterview dates:/n25th or 26th March 2026/nProject description:/nLoneliness, described as a global public health concern, has been shown to increase the risk of depression, anxiety, reduced physical activity and poorer sleep (Alon et al., 2024; Orben et al., 2020). Despite growing concern, there is a need of a clear understanding of how loneliness interacts with lifestyle behaviours (such as sleep, physical activity, diet, and digital engagement) and how these patterns shape mental health across different contexts./nThis PhD project will address this gap using large-scale international and UK cohort datasets. Through this project, the student will work to:/nIdentify clusters of loneliness, lifestyle behaviours, and associations with mental health/nExamine how socioeconomic factors and wider societal contexts shape these clusters/nAnalyse how young people transition between profiles over time/nThe research sits at the intersection of adolescent mental health, social inequalities, epidemiology, and data science. The student will be embedded within a vibrant interdisciplinary research environment at the University of Bradford, working closely with and being co-supervised by experts in young people’s mental health at The Bradford Mental Health Research Centre and School of Allied Health Professions, Midwifery and Social Work./nIn addition, the PhD includes a compulsory placement with Born in Bradford and the Bradford Centre for Health Data Science, at Bradford Institute for Health Research (BIHR). BIHR provides a dynamic and highly collaborative research environment, with strong links to the NHS, local authorities, and community partners. During the placement, the student will engage with rich cohort data, and learn about the design, implementation, and evaluation of trials and interventions through the Adolescent Interventions for Mental Health in Bradford (AIM Bradford) programme (www.aimbradford.nhs.uk)./nLocation: Bradford.