Next-Generation Farrington Model for Infection Prevention and Control: A Farrington Algorithm with Spatiotemporal and Adaptive Baseline Capabilities

The project focuses on developing new statistical methods for detecting unusual patterns in healthcare-associated infections. <br /> <br /> Infection Prevention and Control teams monitor infection numbers every day, but the tools they currently use were designed for older and simpler systems. One well-known example is the Farrington Flexible model, which is widely used in surveillance. It works well in many situations, but it can struggle with modern challenges such as changes in diagnostics and differences between hospital sites. This PhD aims to create the next generation of outbreak-detection tools that can handle these issues more reliably.<br /> <br /> The student will build on the classical Farrington model used in surveillance and develop methods that are more flexible and more realistic. They will apply the new models to real data (e.g., provided by the Public Health Agency Northern Ireland or open-access data) and assess their performance using both simulations and historical outbreak information. The work combines methodological development with practical application in a real surveillance environment.<br /> <br /> We are looking for a student with a strong background in mathematics, statistics, medical statistics or a related quantitative area. Good programming skills (e.g. R, Python) are essential. An interest in statistical modelling of infectious disease data and in working with real-world healthcare systems will be helpful.<br /> <br /> This project is well-suited to someone who enjoys developing new statistical ideas and wants their work to have a direct and positive impact on healthcare.

<p>The student will be part of the research community in the School of Mathematics at Leeds and will take part in seminars, reading groups and opportunities to present their work at conferences and publish in peer-reviewed journals. They will work within an active group of statisticians who specialise in applied methodology and healthcare-related problems.</p> <p>The goal is to create tools that help IPC teams detect problems earlier and prevent outbreaks before they escalate.</p>

<p>To apply for this project you will need to make a formal application for research degree study through the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-applying/doc/applying-research-degrees">University website</a>. You will need to create a login ID with a username and PIN. </p> <ul> <li>For <strong>Application type</strong> please select <strong>Research Degrees – Research Postgraduate</strong>. </li> <li>The admission year for this project is <strong>2027/28</strong> Academic Year. </li> <li>You will need to select your <strong>Planned Course of Study</strong> from a drop-down menu. For this project, scroll down and select <strong>PHD Statistics FT</strong><strong>.</strong> </li> <li>The <strong>project start date</strong> for this project is<strong> </strong>from<strong> 1 October 2027</strong>, please use this as your <strong>Proposed Start Date of Research</strong>. </li> <li>Please state clearly in the research information section that the research degree you wish to be considered for is <strong>Next-Generation Farrington Model for Infection Prevention and Control: A Farrington Algorithm with Spatiotemporal and Adaptive Baseline Capabilities</strong> as well as <a href="https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/faculty-engineering-physical-sciences/staff/10654/dr-sofya-titarenko">Dr Sofya Titarenko</a> and <a href="https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/maths/staff/4053/dr-haiyan-liu">Dr Haiyan Liu</a> as your proposed supervisors.</li> </ul> <p>More information on how to apply is available on our website <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-applying/doc/applying-research-degrees">here</a>. You will be required to provide a personal statement which outlines your interest in the project you are applying for, why you have chosen it and how your skills map onto the requirements of the project.</p> <p>We welcome and strongly encourage any potential applicants to contact the supervisor(s) for an informal discussion, prior to applying, and recommend submitting your application early.</p> <p><strong>Please note that you must provide the following documents in support of your application:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Full Transcripts of all degree study or if in final year of study, full transcripts to date including grading scheme</li> <li>Personal Statement outlining your interest in the project</li> <li>CV</li> </ul> <p>If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence that you meet the University's minimum English language requirements below.</p> <p><em>As an international research-intensive university, we welcome students from all walks of life and from across the world. We foster an inclusive environment where all can flourish and prosper, and we are proud of our strong commitment to student education. Across all Faculties we are dedicated to diversifying our community and we welcome the unique contributions that individuals can bring, and particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to Black, Asian, people who belong to a minority ethnic community, people who identify as LGBT+ and people with disabilities. Applicants will always be selected based on merit and ability.</em></p>

Applicants to research degree programmes should normally have at least a first class or an upper second class British Bachelors Honours degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline. The criteria for entry for some research degrees may be higher, for example, several faculties, also require a Masters degree. Applicants are advised to check with the relevant School prior to making an application. Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for a particular research degree are advised to contact the School or Graduate School prior to making an application.

The minimum English language entry requirement for research postgraduate research study is an IELTS of 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 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.

<p>This is a non funded PhD project. Applicants are expected to be self funded or to secure external funding.</p> <p>You can find out more about our Funding Opportunities on our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk/">Postgraduate Research Opportunities</a> website.</p> <p><strong>Important: </strong>Please note that all costs associated with your arrival at Leeds (<a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/international-visas-immigration/doc/applying-student-visa">visa, Immigration Health Surcharge</a>, flights etc) would have to be met by yourself, or you will need to find an alternative funding source. </p>

<p>For further information about your application, including how to apply, please contact PGR Admissions by emailing <a href="mailto:phd@engineeering.leeds.ac.uk">phd@engineeering.leeds.ac.uk</a></p> <p>For further information about this project, please contact Dr Sofya Titarenko by emailing <a href="mailto:S.Titarenko@leeds.ac.uk">S.Titarenko@leeds.ac.uk</a> and Dr Haiyan Liu: <a href="mailto:H.Liu1@leeds.ac.uk ">H.Liu1@leeds.ac.uk </a></p>