Research Associate/ Fellow (Fixed Term) at University of Nottingham

This is an exciting opportunity for a Research Associate/Fellow with a relevant PhD (or close to completion) to work on an intradisciplinary project funded by Diabetes UK to develop an understanding of sweet sensing mechanisms in type 2 diabetes (T2D) and non-diabetes participants. 

The role is focused on assessing alterations in oral sweet taste sensitivity and sweet liking/preference/craving among T2D and non-diabetes individuals. This post is part of a large grant identifying the mechanism of the gut-brain axis to sweet sensing using neuroimaging techniques in T2D and non-diabetes participants. Therefore, the successful applicant will have the opportunity to work in an intradisciplinary team involving imaging and diabetes healthcare specialists. The applicant will be primarily responsible for recruiting and screening a large number of participants in terms of their taste sensitivity and food preferences and habits. The screened participants will then be invited to attend further studies utilising functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques to investigate whether diabetes status modulates activation of taste and gut-brain signalling to sweet sensing, which will be led by imaging specialist at the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre. 

Applicants must be highly motivated and self-driven, with a PhD (or close to completion) in Sensory Science, Psychology, Eating Behaviour or similar discipline. The successful candidate should have considerable experience in quantitative or qualitative research methods, statistical analysis, and working with human participants to collect sensory or eating behaviour data. A track record of publishing research is essential. 

The post is offered on a fixed term contract for two years and is available from 1 April 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter. Hours of work are full time (36.25 hours per week). Job share arrangements may be considered. 

For informal enquiries please contact Qian Yang (Qian.Yang@nottingham.ac.uk) or Sally Eldeghaidy (Sally.eldeghaidy@nottingham.ac.uk). Please note that applications sent directly to these emails’ addresses will not be accepted.

Further details:

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