About the project
This PhD project builds on a newly funded NIHR research aiming at predicting response to methylphenidate (the most common medication for ADHD), based on pre-treatment clinical, cognitive, and physiological characteristics. Ultimately, this will help tailor treatment options and thus improve patients’ outcomes.
This project aims at testing a new method to select medication for children and adults with ADHD. You will work within a team and will be responsible for the recruitment of children and adolescents from the existing waiting lists of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS Healthcare Foundation Trust.
You will test participants twice in a week, once under a single dose of methylphenidate and once under a single dose of placebo, double blind. Tests will be conducted at the University of Southampton and include clinical scales, computer-based cognitive tests, and non-invasive monitoring of physiological parameters (e.g. pulse). You will monitor blood pressure and pulse. Participants will then start standard treatment and you will repeat tests at two months. During this time, you will check in with participants. You will repeat some clinical scales at the remote 6-month follow-up. You will be provided training on how to administer the tests and in data analysis.
You will have the opportunity to lead and contribute to publications related to this research (e.g. systematic reviews and empirical results). You will join a vibrant and inclusive research community, and benefit from our extensive collaborations and dissemination opportunities. Ultimately, your work will directly inform clinical practice, optimising treatment selection approaches and healthcare efficiency globally.
