PhD position: Funded PhD position on Context-specific factors that drive HIV transmission among men who have sex with men: Modelling the role of behaviours, social and legal factors.

Closing date: 5pm on Monday, 23rd November 2020. 

This Infectious Disease modelling PhD Studentship is via the GW4 BioMed MRC Doctoral Training Programme.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at high risk of HIV infection. Behavioural, legal and social factors all contribute to this heightened risk. Epidemiological analysis and modelling will be used to explore the role of context-specific factors (e.g. chemsex in UK, stigma and criminalisation in Africa) in elevating HIV transmission among MSM. We propose to:
1. Utilise data from systematic reviews of how chemsex is associated with HIV transmission and related risk behaviours, to undertake modelling of the potential contribution of chemsex to HIV transmission in a range of HIV epidemics.
2. For contrasting global settings, utilise available epidemiological data to develop and parameterise HIV transmission models to investigate the role of context-specific factors (including chemsex, stigma, history of arrest) in driving HIV transmission among MSM, incorporating their effects on risk behaviours and uptake of prevention and treatment services.
3. Through modelling, assess the impact of different HIV prevention and treatment interventions or structural interventions that may reduce the harms modelled in 2.

Further details on the project and how to apply can be found at: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/context-specific-factors-that-drive-hiv-transmission-among-men-who-have-sex-with-men-modelling-the-role-of-behavioural-social-and-legal-factors/?p124092

For any questions contact Peter Vickerman (peter.vickerman@bristol.ac.uk) or Jack Stone (jack.stone@bristol.ac.uk) 

Student applications can be made via the GW4 BioMed website: https://www.gw4biomed.ac.uk.