Research profile
The overall aim of the Ageing Studies theme is to advance our knowledge and understanding of how to improve the health and quality of life of older people. We bring a range of disciplinary perspectives to addressing our key research challenges: maximising the ability of people to age well, mapping the diverse and dynamic ways that people age, and contributing to the development and evaluation of health and social care interventions that optimise the potential for ageing well. Our theme, which has 40 members, embraces the four key disciplinary perspectives that underpin the understanding of ageing well: social and behavioural sciences, biology, clinical and health sciences, and arts, humanities, policy and politics. In the main, however, our research focuses on three key areas of activity.
The three main clusters of research cut across areas of Biological, Social and Psychological Ageing and include experts in:
- rehabilitation after cancer and stroke,
- incontinence,
- biomechanics and falls,
- cellular and molecular biology of ageing,
- sociology and psychology of loneliness,
- financial and elder abuse,
- ageing with alcohol,
- ethnic ageing and driving cessation,
- dementia,
- midlife risk factors for cognitive decline in old age, and
- posterior cortical atrophy.
Find out about the exciting research we do in this area. Browse profiles of our experts, discover the research groups and their inspirational research activities you too could be part of. We’ve also made available extensive reading materials published by our academics and PhD students.
Learn more about research in this area.
Browse the work of subject-relevant research groups
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Find a supervisor
Our researchers create knowledge and advance understanding, and equip versatile doctoral researchers with the confidence to apply what they have learnt for the benefit of society. Find out more about working with the Supervisory Team.
You are welcome to approach your potential supervisor directly to discuss your research interests. Search for expert supervisors for your chosen field of research.
While we welcome all multidisciplinary topics in the area of Ageing Studies, here is a list of potential research areas we would like to supervise:
- Successful ageing: learning from the very active
- Reactivating senescent cells through epigenetic mechanisms
- Ageing in minority communities
- Loneliness
- Ageing with a disability
- Ageing without children
- Financial gerontology and elder abuse
- Literary, cultural and social narratives of old age
- Fear of falling and mobility
- Design interventions and assistive technologies
- The association between muscle strength, muscle quality, sedentary behaviour and disability in adults with cerebral palsy
- Activity and participation in adults with multiple sclerosis
- Identifying genes that affect ageing in a Drosophila model of Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome.
PhD topics
While we welcome applications from students with a clear direction for their research, we are providing you with some ideas for your chosen field of research:
- Antimicrobial resistance in marine mammals (seals) from polluted waters, supervised by Gera Troisi and Ashley Houlden
- Machine learning approaches in health data science for risk prediction of cardiovascular diseases, supervised by Raha Pazoki
- Sustainable products & processes - help industry ditch the plastic and toxic chemicals!, supervised by Gera Troisi
- Testing the efficacy of virtual reality and action simulation training for improving balance in children/young adults with movement coordination difficulties, supervised by Adam Bruton, Carla Harkness-Armstrong, Aliah Shaheen and Rebecca Hings
- The impact of heat stress on human health, performance, and function across the lifecourse, supervised by Oliver Gibson
- The role of PE/PPE proteins in tuberculosis, supervised by Anthony Tsolaki
- Understanding the mechanisms behind age-related balance and movement change, and/or exploring strategies to improve balance, function, and wellbeing in the older adult population, supervised by Daniel Low
Research journey
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Find out about what progress might look like at each stage of study here: Research degree progress structure.
Research support
Careers and your future
You will receive tailored careers support during your PhD and for up to three years after you complete your research at Brunel. We encourage you to actively engage in career planning and managing your personal development right from the start of your research, even (or perhaps especially) if you don't yet have a career path in mind. Our careers provision includes online information and advice, one-to-one consultations and a range of events and workshops. The Professional Development Centre runs a varied programme of careers events throughout the academic year. These include industry insight sessions, recruitment fairs, employer pop-ups and skills workshops.
In addition, where available, you may be able to undertake some paid work as we recognise that teaching and learning support duties represent an important professional and career development opportunity.
UK entry requirements
The general University entrance requirement for registration for a research degree is normally a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree (1st or 2:1).
An interview will be required as part of the admissions process and will be conducted by at least two academic staff members remotely via MS Teams, Zoom, or face to face.
Applicants will be required to submit a personal statement and a research statement.
Please contact your proposed supervisor, where possible, to receive feedback and guidance on your research statement before submitting it. Learn how to prepare a research statement here.
EU and International entry requirements
If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list. This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.
English language requirements
- IELTS: 7 (min 6 in all areas)
- Pearson: 64 (59 in all subscores)
- BrunELT: 68% (58% in all areas)
- TOEFL: 98 overall (min 20)
You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our English Language Requirements page.
Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our Brunel Language Centre.
Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.
Fees and funding
2024/5 entry
International
£23,615 full-time
£11,805 part-time
UK
£4,786 full-time
£2,393 part-time
Fees quoted are per year and are subject to an annual increase.
Some courses incur additional course related costs. You can also check our on-campus accommodation costs for more information on living expenses.
Brunel offers a number of funding options to research students that help cover the cost of their tuition fees, contribute to living expenses or both. Recently the UK Government made available the Doctoral Student Loans of up to £25,000 for UK and EU students and there is some funding available through the Research Councils. Many of our international students benefit from funding provided by their governments or employers. Brunel alumni enjoy tuition fee discounts of 15%.
PhD studentships
- Fully funded Ph.D. Studentship in the Department of Health Sciences, Brunel University London to co-design and test an intervention to increase referral and uptake rates for pulmonary rehabilitation amongst people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- Sustainable management of community sport organisations