Determining the Value of Approaches to Myeloma Prevention

This is an exciting opportunity to undertake an applied PhD in the area of health economics and decision modelling in the Academic Unit of Health Economics (AUHE) within the Leeds Institute of Health Sciences (LIHS) at the University of Leeds.<br /> <br /> This PhD is part of a Cancer Research UK (CRUK) funded programme award: ‘Prevention not cure: An interdisciplinary approach to preventing Myeloma’. As part of this project, you will be part of a national collaboration of researchers including clinical leaders in Myeloma research, health economists, clinical trial specialists, and patient and public involvement (PPI) collaborators. You will also be part of an active and supportive network of students and researchers in the AUHE and LIHS at the University of Leeds, and through your supervisors at the University of Leeds you will benefit from access to a network of specialists in the assessment of medical technologies (MedTech) via the Leeds NIHR HealthTech Research Centre (HRC). <br /> <br /> For more information about the CRUK programme award, see: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2024/new-research-will-target-earliest-stages-of-bone-marrow-cancer. Information about AUHE (https://medicinehealth.leeds.ac.uk/health-economics) and LIHS (https://medicinehealth.leeds.ac.uk/homepage/146/leeds-institute-of-health-science) can be found via the University of Leeds website links. More information about the Leeds NIHR HTC can be found at: https://hrc-surgical.nihr.ac.uk/. <br /> <br /> <br /> This prestigious award is an excellent opportunity for a candidate wanting to undertake a PhD in health economics – particularly those with an interest in health economic decision modelling.

<p> </p> <h2><strong>Research Project:</strong></h2> <p><br /> The PhD will focus on evaluating strategies for the early detection and prevention of multiple myeloma (MM). <br /> Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a type of cancer that forms in plasma cells in the blood, leading to cancerous plasma cells accumulating in the bone marrow disrupting normal blood cell production and leading to various health issues. There is currently no cure for MM, and 5-year survival in the UK is around 50% with over 3,000 MM annual deaths (https://hmrn.org/ and CRUK statistics). Whilst it is known that MM is proceeded by a condition called MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance), which can be easily diagnosed, issues remain around identifying those patients most at risk of developing MM and finding effective drugs to eliminate MGUS in those patients. Currently MM is predominantly diagnosed late, with emergency presentation being the most common route to diagnosis leading to poor outcomes for patients (Howell 2017, Yong 2016, Gregersen 2017, Elliss-Brookes 2012). MM prevention strategies are urgently required. To that end, as part of a CRUK programme award, scientists are working on developing biomarkers to distinguish high-risk vs. low-risk MGUS, and to identify drug targets for the effective treatment of high-risk MGUS. Alongside this research, evidence demonstrating the potential cost-effectiveness of different screening and monitoring strategies is required, to support the appropriate research initiatives and implementation of tests and treatments into clinical practice in the NHS. </p> <p><br /> Objectives: This PhD studentship will develop an early health economic decision model to assess the potential impact of alternative targeted MGUS screening and early intervention approaches, based on cutting edge clinical research conducted within the wider CRUK programme grant. The model will be used to explore the cost-effectiveness and health care capacity implications of a range of scenarios including: (i) the development of a biomarker(s) to identify high-risk MGUS, (ii) less resource and time-consuming monitoring of individuals with low-risk MGUS, and (iii) the development of a treatment for prevention. This will enable identification of tipping points at which combinations of MGUS screening and targeted prevention strategies would become feasible and cost-effective. Value of Information analysis will be utilised to inform future research priorities and effective future research design. The analyses will be informed by several datasets including a unique dataset from Iceland generated as part of the iSTOPMM project (https://istopmm.com/). A research visit to Iceland to meet the team and understand the data will be encouraged and supported. <br /> Requirements: This project focuses on developing health economic evidence to support efficient research pathways for the implementation of screening and targeted intervention services. It is particularly suited to those with training in health economics (or a related discipline), and an interest in decision analytic modelling. </p> <p> </p> <h2><strong>References:</strong></h2> <p><br /> Howell D, Smith A, Appleton S, Bagguley T, Macleod U, Cook G, Patmore R, Roman E. Multiple myeloma: routes to diagnosis, clinical characteristics and survival - findings from a UK population-based study. Br J Haematol. 2017;177(1):67-71. </p> <p><br /> Yong K, Delforge M, Driessen C, Fink L, Flinois A, Gonzalez-McQuire S, Safaei R, Karlin L, Mateos MV, Raab MS, Schoen P, Cavo M. Multiple myeloma: patient outcomes in real-world practice. Br J Haematol. 2016;175(2):252- 64. </p> <p><br /> Gregersen H, Vangsted AJ, Abildgaard N, Andersen NF, Pedersen RS, Frolund UC, Helleberg C, Broch B, Pedersen PT, Gimsing P, Klausen TW. The impact of comorbidity on mortality in multiple myeloma: a Danish nationwide population-based study. Cancer Med. 2017;6(7):1807-16. </p> <p><br /> Elliss-Brookes L, McPhail S, Ives A, Greenslade M, Shelton J, Hiom S, Richards M. Routes to diagnosis for cancer - determining the patient journey using multiple routine data sets. Br J Cancer. 2012;107(8):1220-6</p> <h2><br /> <strong>Environment:</strong></h2> <p><br /> You will be working with Professor David Meads (Director of AUHE and Professor in Health Economics, University of Leeds), Dr Alison Smith (Lecturer in Health Economics at AUHE, University of Leeds) and Professor Chris Bunce (Professor of Translational Cancer Biology and School of Biosciences University of Birmingham). The successful applicant will benefit from the support of collaborators on the wider CRUK programme award (including leading scientists and clinicians in the field), as well as the community of researchers at the AUHE and LIHS at the University of Leeds. The University of Leeds, a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities, is one of the top 10 Universities in the UK and is ranked in the top 100 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2019. The CRUK programme is a collaboration with the Icelandic iStopMM trial (https://istopmm.com/). iSTOPMM is the world’s largest trial involving screening for MGUS and is the largest scientific study ever conducted in Iceland.<br />  </p>

<p>Formal applications for research degree study should be made online through the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-applying/doc/applying-research-degrees">University's website</a> and send this alongside a full academic CV, degree transcripts (or marks so far if still studying) and degree certificates to the Faculty Graduate School fmhgrad@leeds.ac.uk.<br />  </p> <p>We also require 2 academic references to support your application. Please ask your referees to send these references on your behalf, directly to fmhgrad@leeds.ac.uk by no later than 12/08/2025.</p> <p><br /> Any queries regarding the application process should be directed to fmhgrad@leeds.ac.uk<br />  </p> <p>There is flexibility with the start date which we anticipate being between September and December 2025.</p>

We are looking for candidates with the following qualifications and experience: <br /> <br /> Required:<br /> <br /> •    A degree equivalent to at least a UK upper second-class (2:1) honours degree, in a subject with a significant quantitative component (e.g. economics, statistics, mathematics, operational research, epidemiology).<br /> •    The ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of people.<br /> •    Excellent oral and written communication skills. <br /> <br /> Desirable:<br /> <br /> •    A postgraduate degree (e.g. MSc) in a relevant subject (health economics, statistics, mathematics, operational research or epidemiology). <br /> •    Knowledge of or experience of health economics. <br /> •    Knowledge of or experience of decision analytic modelling.<br /> •    An understanding of healthcare services and/or health technology assessment (HTA).<br /> <br /> Desirable:<br /> <br /> • A postgraduate degree (e.g. MSc) in a relevant subject (health economics, statistics, mathematics, operational research or epidemiology). <br /> • Knowledge of or experience of health economics. <br /> • Knowledge of or experience of decision analytic modelling.<br /> • An understanding of healthcare services and/or health technology assessment (HTA).<br />

Candidates whose first language is not English must provide evidence that their English language is sufficient to meet the specific demands of their study. The Faculty minimum requirements are:<br /> <br /> <br /> • British Council IELTS – score of 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid. Some schools and faculties have a higher requirement.<br /> <br /> • TOEFL iBT – overall score of 92 with the listening and reading element no less than 21, writing element no less than 22 and the speaking element no less than 23.

<p>The Studentship will provide an annual tax-free stipend of £20,780 for up to 4 years (funding available until 31st August 2029), increasing in line with UKRI guidelines each year (subject to satisfactory progress). Student academic fees will also be covered, at the UK fee rate, and additional funds to cover running expenses will be available.</p>

<p>For further information please contact the Graduate School Office<br /> e: <a href="mailto:EMAIL@leeds.ac.uk">fmhpgradmissions@leeds.ac.uk</a></p>