Short Placement Award for Research Collaboration (SPARC) (Cohort 12)

Dear CHAIN member,

We would like to draw your attention to the following funding opportunity offered by NIHR. Please pass on the information as appropriate. Thank you.

‘Short Placement Award for Research Collaboration (SPARC) (Cohort 12)

This award offers a unique opportunity to design and undertake a short, bespoke placement within a part of the NIHR. Tailored to your individual research training needs and background, the award aims to enhance your research career, skills, and professional network.

What are the priority themes for an NIHR SPARC?

• Multiple Long Term Conditions - Morbidity (MLTC-M)

The NIHR SPARC welcomes applications centred around making connections important to your research and work, that may spark innovative new ways of working across MLTC research.

• Links to industry and the commercial sectors

One of the aims of the NIHR is to increase the number of researchers equipped with the skills to work at the interfaces between:

• academia
• the NHS
• wider health, public health and social care
• industry

We work with a diverse range of industry sectors. The NIHR SPARC welcomes applications that undertake placements in other parts of the organisation that have developed partnerships and collaborations with industry partners. This opportunity should develop your skills and experience to have a successful working relationship with industry (including the life-sciences, med-tech, SMEs and the food industry) and encourage entrepreneurship.

Please note applicants wishing to plan and undertake placements that meet their own research training and career development needs will continue to be encouraged and welcomed; however for Cohort 12 of the NIHR SPARC we are particularly encouraging applicants to consider placements in the two areas outlined above.

Closing date: 20 November 2025 at 1:00 pm'

Find out more at: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/short-placement-award-research-collaboration-sparc-cohort-12/2025334?source=chainmail

Kind regards,

Wendy Zhou
CHAIN Manager

 

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See also: 'long term' : 'academia' : 'interfaces' : 'industry' : 'social care'

Paper: Human social genomics i

Abstract

'The exciting field of human social genomics provides an evolutionarily informed, multilevel framework for understanding how positive and negative social–environmental experiences affect the genome to impact lifelong health, well-being, behavior, and longevity. In this review, we first summarize common patterns of socially influenced changes in the expression of pro-inflammatory and antiviral immune response genes (e.g., the Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity), and the multilevel psychological, neural, and cell signaling pathways by which social factors regulate human gene expression. Second, we examine how these effects are moderated by genetic polymorphisms and the specific types of social–environmental experiences that most strongly affect gene expression and health. Third, we identify positive psychosocial experiences and interventions that have been found to impact gene expression. Finally, we discuss promising opportunities for future research on this topic and how health care providers can use this information to improve patient health and well-being.'

Slavich GM, Mengelkoch S, Cole SW. Human social genomics: Concepts, mechanisms, and implications for health. Lifestyle Med. 2023; 4:e75. https://doi.org/10.1002/lim2.75
 

Lifestyle Medicine

For ongoing study of Hodges' model this is an interesting paper, especially in seeking to bridge the humanistic and mechanistic axis, and the social (soft) sciences and (hard) sciences. In trying to view Hodges' model as a mathematical object (categories, objects, relations ..) and extend the bio-psycho-social model (as needed urgently) of medicine (health and social care) the focus of this paper can help us explore the determinants.

It may be possible using Hodges' model, to identity (isolate) some specific ways in which conceptual models are idealised. They can reveal the nature and extent of situations - compositions, formulations and relationships (scope of practice?), but in practice of course we cannot set a situation* in aspic.


This may be important (essential) when we consider the determinants of health globally (across all the domains of Hodges' model).

Individual

|

      INTERPERSONAL    :     SCIENCES               

HUMANISTIC  --------------------------------------  MECHANISTIC      

 SOCIOLOGY  :    POLITICAL 

|

Group

	Genomics
Social Genomics

*Hodges' model is situated.

To revisit ..

Master Philosophy in Biology and Medicine (for Sept 1, 2025)

The Master Philosophy in Biology and Medicine at Bordeaux is looking for interested candidates for the next academic year (starting September 1, 2025).

This program (presented here: www.philinbiomed.org/teaching) is aimed at philosophy students who have a strong interest in working with scientists, or scientists who have a strong interest in working with philosophers, especially - but not exclusively - in the fields of cancer, immunology, microbiota, systems biology, nutrition, neuroscience and aging. Students will have the opportunity to be involved in research in scientific labs and to be integrated into a very dynamic international community of philosophers and scientists.

Please keep in mind that the Master's program is exceptionally inexpensive but very competitive (as we only recruit 5 students per year). The program is 100% in English.

A letter of motivation, CV, and a writing sample (~10 pages) concerning a relevant topic should be sent to mael.lemoine AT u-bordeaux.fr by March 24, 2025. Late applications may be accepted but will not be eligible for regular consideration.

Shortlisted candidates will be offered Zoom interviews during the month after the deadline.

Candidates will be informed of their acceptance by May 28th 2025 at the latest.

Interested students can contact us from now on or at their earliest convenience, using the following address: mael.lemoine AT u-bordeaux.fr.

Thanks for forwarding this information to anyone you think might be interested, and thanks again to those who have already done so!

Best wishes,

Fridolin GROSS
fridolin.gross AT u-bordeaux.fr
Maître de conférences (associate professor)
Laboratoire IMMUNOCONCEPT
Bâtiment Bordeaux Biologie Santé
2, Rue Dr Hoffmann Martinot

https://www.u-bordeaux.fr

My source:
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