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Ph.D. Project Opportunities

Introduction

The UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems (SNMHS) is offering funded scholarships for entry into the PhD programme with registration commencing in September 2025.

We have outlined specific PhD projects, please read the project summaries carefully. Where a project interests you and is related to your area of expertise please apply using the application process outlined on the previous page.

If you have any informal queries in relation to the projects described below, please email the supervisor connected to that project.

Project Title	Co-Designing Gender-Affirming Nursing/Midwifery Education
Supervisor	Dr Sean Kearns
Email address	(opens in a new window)sean.kearns@ucd.ie
Summary	This PhD project will explore and respond to the education needs of nurses and midwives working with transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals. Through collaborative and participatory research approaches, the study will bring together TGD community members, nurses, midwives, and educators to co-design a gender-affirming education resource for use in practice. By identifying barriers and enablers to inclusive care, developing a user-informed prototype, and piloting it in healthcare settings, the research will contribute to health equity and person-centred practice. The project will embed lived experience and practitioner insight into education development and inform future CPD and curricula. This project requires a person with a strong commitment to inclusion, social justice, and co-creating change in healthcare education.
Recommended Reading	Parker, G., Kelly, L., Miller, S., et al. (2023). Taking up the challenge of trans and non-binary inclusion in midwifery education: Reflections from educators in Aotearoa and Ontario Canada. Midwifery, 118, 103605. (opens in a new window)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2023.103605 Sherman, A. D. F., McDowell, A., Clark, K. D., et al. (2021). Transgender and gender diverse health education for future nurses: Students’ knowledge and attitudes. Nurse Education Today, 97, 104690. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104690
Essential Eligibility	General eligibility criteria as outlined here Strong interest in LGBTQ+ health and nursing equity Excellent written and verbal communication skills Experience with or willingness to learn qualitative research methods Commitment to working ethically and respectfully with marginalised populations
Desirable criteria	Experience working with or within trans and gender diverse communities Experience using research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain e.g. participatory or community-based research Familiarity with intersectionality or critical theories in health research Experience with NVivo or other qualitative analysis software Work experience relevant to the proposed project Publications - peer-reviewed Experience of presentation of research findings

Project Title	The role of Brain Health Clinic (BHC) in mitigating risk factors for cognitive decline
Supervisor	Professor Corina Naughton
Email address	(opens in a new window)corina.naughton1@ucd.ie
Summary	There is growing recognition that dementia may be preventable in up to 40% of cases (Lancet 2024). Brain health and manipulation of modifiable risk is an exciting area of clinical practice and research. A new health service innovation is the establishment of Brain Health clinic to support people to reduce modifiable brain health risks (Butters et al 2025). These clinics are at an early phase of development in Ireland and this is an exciting opportunity to influence the clinic model and brain health promotion. The PhD candidate with work with the PI and supervisory team to better understand the role and effect of these clinics. The research questions will include: The research questions: Who attends the Brain Health clinic; and their risk profile What happens to people over time How do people use the information they receive in the clinic?
Recommended Reading	Butters AF, Blackman J, Farouk H, Meky S, A Newson M, Lemke T, Rosewell N, Selwood JA, Turner NL, Coulthard EJ, Archer HA. Brain health clinics - An evolving clinical pathway? J Prev Alzheimers Dis. 2025 Mar;12(3):100051. doi: 10.1016/j.tjpad.2024.100051. Lancet Commission 2024 Dementia prevention, intervention and care, ttps://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01296-0/fulltext
Essential Eligibility	Essential criteria outlined here Experience working with people living with dementia and their families Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Desirable criteria	Experience using research methods (e.g. quantitative analysis ) or other approaches relevant to the subject domain Work experience relevant to the proposed project Publications - peer-reviewed Experience of presentation of research findings

Project Title	Understanding the lived experiences and meaning of virtual wards amongst patients and family carers in Ireland
Supervisor	Dr Andrew Darley
Email address	(opens in a new window)andrew.darley@ucd.ie
Summary	The research project will capture in-depth experiences from patients who have received virtual ward care and family carers who have supported them following an acute health event. The study will explore their psychosocial experiences, identifying both benefits and challenges of virtual wards and what this model of care signified in their experience of illness. The findings will provide valuable evidence-based recommendations for improving virtual ward design, ensuring they are patient-centred, accessible, and supportive for both patients and carers in Ireland. This research has the potential to shape healthcare policy and practice by healthcare professionals and managers, academics, technology developers, policy makers and other key stakeholders about the personal experience and impact of virtual wards. This study will contribute to the growing field of digital health research, ensuring that virtual care models in are developed with a nuanced understanding of patient and family carer needs, both in Ireland and internationally.
Recommended reading	Dainty, K.N., Seaton, M.B., Estacio, A., Hicks, L.K., Jamieson, T., Ward, S., Yu, C.H., Mosko, J.D. and Kassardjian, C.D. (2022) Virtual specialist care during the COVID-19 pandemic: multimethod patient experience study, JMIR medical informatics, 10(6), p.e37196. HSE - National Virtual Ward Programme (opens in a new window)https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/strategic-programmes-office-overview/national-virtual-ward-programme/
Essential Eligibility	Essential criteria outlined here Experience working in clinical or other healthcare settings Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Desirable criteria	Experience using research methods (e.g. using qualitative and/or mixed methods) or other approaches relevant to the subject domain Work experience relevant to the proposed project Publications - peer-reviewed Experience of presentation of research findings

Project Title	Realist Evaluation of the Newborn Screening Programme in Ireland
Supervisor	Associate Professor Hasheem Mannan
Email address	(opens in a new window)hasheem.mannan@ucd.ie
Summary	Newborn screening (NBS) is a critical public health initiative that enables the early detection of rare but serious conditions in newborns (MetaERN, 2025). Conducted within the first days of life, NBS allows for timely diagnosis and intervention, significantly improving health outcomes and quality of life (NNBSP, 2023). In Ireland, the Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme (NNBSP) currently screens for only nine conditions—considerably fewer than the European average of over 20. This gap remains despite advances that allow for broader genetic screening. This PhD project seeks to generate robust evidence to inform the potential expansion of the Irish Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme (NBSP). By conducting a realist evaluation of the existing programme and comparing it with international models, the research will examine what works, for whom, and under which circumstances. The findings aim to contribute to developing a more equitable and effective newborn screening system within Ireland’s health services.
Recommended reading	Loeber, J.G., Platis, D., Zetterström, R.H. et al., (2021) Neonatal screening in Europe revisited: An ISNS perspective on the current state and developments since 2010. International Journal of Neonatal Screening, 7(1), p.15. (opens in a new window)https://doi.org/10.3390/ijns7010015 (opens in a new window)Health Service Executive (HSE), 2023. A practical guide to newborn bloodspot screening in Ireland. Dublin: Health Service Executive.
Essential Eligibility	Essential criteria as outlined here
Desirable criteria	The main skill sets developed during the award are knowledge and skills to carry out a Delphi study Handling, quality control and analysis of whole genome Knowledge of the process of genomic tests used in newborn screening, Knowledge and skills to work with healthcare providers and parents in co-designing. Experience using research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain Work experience relevant to the proposed project Publications - peer-reviewed Experience of presentation of research findings

Project Title	An exploration of self-care strategies utilised by patients receiving immunotherapy for advanced melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
Supervisor	Dr Patricia Fox
Email address	(opens in a new window)patricia.fox@ucd.ie
Summary	Immunotherapy, in the form of checkpoint inhibitors, is increasingly being used to treat various cancer subtypes with usage increasing from 1.5% in 2011 to 43.6% in 2018 (Haslam, Gill, & Prasad, 2020). While patients have reported a better quality of life on immunotherapy than on chemotherapy, some toxicities such as diarrhoea and fatigue persist (Yip et al., 2024). Moreover, some immunotherapy-related toxicities are life-threatening, and fatalities have been reported (Naing et al. 2020). To this end, it is essential to identify the most common immunotherapy-related toxicities experienced by patients receiving immunotherapy for advanced melanoma and advanced NSCLC and the self-care strategies they utilise to manage these toxicities. Self-care has been defined as a cluster of behaviours that focus on the promotion of good health and treatment adherence (self-care maintenance), attentiveness to body and symptom identification (self-care monitoring), and reaction to signs and symptoms when they occur (self-care management) Riegel, Jaarsma, & Stromberg, (2012), Riegel, Jaarsma, Lee, & Stromberg, (2019). Self-care plays a key role in symptom identification and management among people with chronic diseases such as cancer (Magi, C. E. et al., 2024). Currently, there is limited research focusing on self-care among patients receiving immunotherapy for cancer which is the rationale for undertaking this study. The overall aim of this study is to explore the self-care strategies utilised by patients receiving immunotherapy for advanced melanoma and advanced NSCLC.
Recommended reading	Lawless MT, Tieu M, Chan RJ, Hendriks JM, Kitson A. Instruments Measuring Self-Care and Self-Management of Chronic Conditions by Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Scoping Review. J Appl Gerontol. 2023 Jul;42(7):1687-1709. doi: 10.1177/07334648231161929. Epub 2023 Mar 7. PMID: 36880688; PMCID: PMC10262344. Riegel B, Jaarsma T, Strömberg A. A middle-range theory of self-care of chronic illness. ANS Adv Nurs Sci. 2012 Jul-Sep;35(3):194-204. doi: 10.1097/ANS.0b013e318261b1ba. PMID: 22739426. Yip R, Arnolda G, Lamprell K, Nic Giolla Easpaig B, Chittajallu R, Delaney G, Olver I, Liauw W, Braithwaite J. Experience of patients considering or using checkpoint inhibitors in cancer treatment: a systematic review of qualitative research. J Immunother Cancer. 2024 Jan 11;12(1):e007555. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007555. PMID: 38212121; PMCID: PMC10806553.
Essential Eligibility	Essential criteria as outlined here Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Desirable criteria	Experience using research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain Work experience relevant to the proposed project Publications - peer-reviewed Experience of presentation of research findings

Project Title	Understanding the Impact of Family Resilience on Caregiver Burden and Post-Traumatic Growth Among Family Caregivers of Cancer Patients
Supervisor	Associate Professor Sinem Uzar Ozcetin
Email address	(opens in a new window)sinem.uzarozcetin@ucd.ie
Summary	This research project aims to investigate the impact of family resilience on caregiver burden and post-traumatic growth (PTG) among family caregivers of cancer patients. By employing a convergent parallel mixed methods design, we will integrate quantitative and qualitative data to provide a comprehensive analysis of these dynamics. Utilizing validated instruments such as the Family Resilience Assessment Scale (FRAS), Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), we will measure key variables and correlate them with personal experiences gathered through semi-structured interviews. The focus on family resilience as a mediating factor is novel, aiming to uncover mechanisms that can support caregivers more effectively. The findings will inform the development of targeted interventions to enhance family resilience, reduce caregiver burden, and promote PTG, ultimately improving the psychological well-being and quality of life for family caregivers. This participatory research approach ensures that the study is grounded in real-world experiences, making the results highly relevant and impactful for the caregiver community.
Recommended reading	Liu, Y., Li, Y., Chen, L., Li, Y., Qi, W. and Yu, L., 2018. Relationships between family resilience and posttraumatic growth in breast cancer survivors and caregiver burden. Psycho‐oncology , 27 (4), pp.1284-1290. Üzar-Özçeti̇n, Y.S. and Dursun, S.İ., 2020. Quality of life, caregiver burden, and resilience among the family caregivers of cancer survivors. European Journal of Oncology Nursing , 48 , p.101832. Harvey, J. and Berndt, M., 2021. Cancer caregiver reports of post-traumatic growth following spousal hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping , 34 (4), pp.397-410.
Essential Eligibility	Essential criteria as outline here Has demonstrable interest in the topic Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Desirable criteria	Experience using research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain Work experience relevant to the proposed project Publications - peer-reviewed Experience of presentation of research findings

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