Ciência sem Fronteiras (Science Without Borders)
PhD Project Template:
PI name & contact details:
Department
Professor Phil Jakeman
phil.jakeman@ul.ie
+353(0)61202800
Physical Education and Sport Sciences
Faculty of Education and Health Sciences
Has project been agreed with head (or
nominee) of proposed registration school?
Research Centre / group affiliation:
Research group / centre website:
Human Science Research Unit
Centre for Intervention in Infection, Inflammation and
Immunity
www.ul.ie/4i and www.ul.ie/bodycompositionstudy
PI website / link to CV:
http://www.ul.ie/4i/content/prof-philip-jakeman
Brief summary of PI research / research group / centre activity (2 or 3 lines max):
The UL Body Composition Study Research Group (www.ul.ie/bodycompositionstudy) seek to
define and modify the anthropometric phenotype throughout the lifespan. Led by 3 PIs, 4 student
researchers currently are undertaking health-related interventions to modify bone, fat and lean
tissue mass measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), ultrasonography (US) and
bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA).
Title & brief description of PhD project (suitable for publication on web):
Title: The interaction of diet and physical activity in the regulation of visceral adiposity and
metabolic health.
Brief Description: Visceral adiposity (VAT) varies among the population and is directly related to
metabolic health. Based on a sample population of >2000 adult men and women The UL Body
Composition study has modelled the relationship between total, regional and visceral fat mass by
age and sex. This project seeks to undertake a large scale intervention in subjects with high
visceral adiposity and poor metabolic health. Subjects are recruited specifically by VAT are
selected to undertake controlled dietary (novel bioactive supplement), physical activity (specific
to fat oxidation) or dietary+physical activity intervention. Total energy expenditure and substrate
utilisation is measured by doubly-labelled water and stable isotope metabolism and change in
whole body and visceral adiposity by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. The ability to oxidise fat
as a substrate, circulating hormones and inflammatory cytokines combined with an oral glucose
tolerance test is used to measure metabolic health.
Unique selling points of PhD project in UL:
Structured PhD Programme.
Critical Mass of PIs and Interdisciplinary Researchers with recurrent Funded Research Grant
Programme and Publication Output.
Excellent Resources.
Superb campus environment.
Name & contact details for project queries, if different from PI named above:
Please indicate the graduates of which disciplines that should apply:
Biological Sciences, Physiology, Biochemistry, Life Sciences, Dietetics and Nutrition
Please indicate whether students can apply for:
Sandwich programme only
Full PhD programme only
√
Either of the above
Ciência sem Fronteiras / Science Without Borders Priority Area:
Please indicate the specific programme priority area under which the proposed PhD project fits- choose only
one (tick box):
Engineering and other technological areas
Pure and Natural Sciences (e.g. mathematics, physics, chemistry)
Health and Biomedical Sciences
√
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)
Aerospace
Pharmaceuticals
Oil, Gas and Coal
Renewable Energy
Minerals
Biotechnology
Nanotechnology and New Materials
Technology of prevention and remediation of natural disasters
Biodiversity and Bioprospection
Marine Sciences
Creative Industry
New technologies in constructive engineering