PhD: Addicted to Research – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, Chloe Burke and Saba Ishrat introduce you to the basics of Mendelian Randomisation. They talk about how and why Mendelian Randomisation is used in addiction research to look at causal relationships, as well as its limitations.

They speak to two experts in the field. First, Dr Anya Topiwala talks about her experiences of using Mendelian Randomisation, including research assessing the relationship between drinking and telomere length. And second, to Dr Robyn Wootton who talks about using Mendelian Randomisation in studying the relationship between mental health and substance use. The second interview also covers the potential pitfalls of Mendelian Randomisation, and some practical tips to avoid them.

Chloe and Saba have compiled a selection of open-access links below:

• Assessing and addressing collider bias in addiction research: the curious case of smoking and COVID-19. By Harry Tattan-Birch and colleagues. Published in Addiction (2020).
• Assessing causal relationships using genetic proxies for exposures: an introduction to Mendelian randomization. By Srinivasa Vittal Katikireddi and colleagues. Published in Addiction (2017).
• Mendelian randomisation for psychiatry: how does it work, and what can it tell us? By Robyn E. Wootton and colleagues. Published in Molecular Psychiatry (2022).
• Making sense of Mendelian randomisation and its use in health research: A short overview. By Sean Harrison and colleagues. Published by Public Health Wales NHS Trust & Bristol University.
• MR Dictionary. Published by University of Bristol. 

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In this episode of PhD: Addicted to Research, Rachel Coleman and Zoe Swithenbank talk about smoking cessation in drug and alcohol treatment services. Zoe talks about how a day on the Recovery Walk first made her interested in this area. they talk about including smoking in a person’s recovery plan, whilst acknowledging some of the challenges for the workforce referred to in the Dame Carol Black review.

Rachel and Zoe then talk to Dr Tom Ainscough about his research on using contingency management to support engagement with smoking cessation for people who use drugs.

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One of the most important aspects of any PhD is the relationship you have with your supervisors. Having an effective working relationship with all your supervisors can make all the difference to the three (and more) years you will spend on your PhD. In this episode Merve, Carol and Dan talk about their experiences of being supervised, as well as sharing their top tips for 'managing' your supervisors; from effective communication, to how to prompt a busy academic for a reply to an email you sent last week.

Merve talks to Dr Tom Freeman about his experiences supervising PhD students. Dr Freeman gives us the insider view on this central PhD relationship. He also outlines some of the things that students can, and should ask of their supervisors.

Music by George Verrall.

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The first few weeks of your PhD can be confusing. In this podcast, Chloe, Carol and Zoe take you through what to do, where to look and what your priorities should be in those first few weeks. The team talk about the importance of meeting your supervisors, finding a computer that works, and making sure you complete all your inductions (including the ones you don't know about). They work hard to avoid making 'paperwork' a theme for the whole podcast.

Chloe talks to Oli Schofield who is the Doctoral Engagement Manager at Bath University who shares his advice, experiences and top tips for making sure you start your PhD on the right foot.

The team also explore whether or not 'PhDing' is a real word.

Music by George Verrall.

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Together, the SSA's annual PhD symposium and conference showcase some of the most up-to-date research by PhD students and by long-established researchers. In this episode of PhD: Addicted to research, Dan, Jo-Anne and Merve talk about their experiences at this year's conference picking out their highlights (including brain disease models, societal harms, cannabis use disorders, ethnography) and discuss what it is like attending a conference online.

Jo-Anne talks to Dr Inge Kersbergen who has helped to organise the PhD symposium since 2019 about some of the challenges and joys of being involved in such a large-scale event.

Music by George Verrall.

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During your PhD there will be dozens of opportunities to do other things. How can you tell which are worth doing and which will consume all your time for little reward? This week Jo-Anne, Carol and Merve unpick the plethora of options facing PhD students everywhere, from teaching, to conferences and podcasting. They speak to Dr Rachel Orritt who now works at Cancer Research UK about her experiences during and after her PhD, and about which opportunities employers will look for. And which will genuinely look good on your CV.

Music by George Verrall.

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Carol, Jo-Anne and Merve cover everything you need to know about getting funding for your PhD. They cover the many (many) routes to finding and applying for funding, as well as advice on how to make an application, which organisations to approach for funding and how to get used to rejection. The team shares their own experiences along the way.

Merve interviews Professor Matt Hickman who gives his advice for PhD applicants on how to make sure your application is selected, and how to approach an interview for funding.

Here are a few links that the team refer to through the podcast.

• Find A PhD: https://www.findaphd.com/
• Alternative guide to postgraduate funding: https://www.postgraduate-funding.com/
• Society for the Study of Addiction PhD funding: https://www.addiction-ssa.org/funding/phd-studentships/
• UCL Overseas Research Scholarship: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/scholarships/overseas-research-scholarships
• Welcome Trust PhD funding: https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/schemes/doctoral-studentships
• UCL Wellcome Trust PhDs in Mental Health: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/mental-health/study/ucl-wellcome-4-year-phd-mental-health-science
• Research and Innovation updated eligibility criteria: https://www.ukri.org/our-work/developing-people-and-skills/find-studentships-and-doctoral-training/get-a-studentship-to-fund-your-doctorate/    
• Research and Innovation updated eligibility criteria: https://www.ukri.org/our-work/developing-people-and-skills/find-studentships-and-doctoral-training/get-a-studentship-to-fund-your-doctorate/
• National Institute for Health Research: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/
• ESRC https://esrc.ukri.org/funding/
• PhD loans: https://www.gov.uk/doctoral-loan

Music by George Verrall.

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Zoe, Chloe and Dan discuss the first 6 months of a PhD. The team reflect on how they felt when they started and talk about exciting moments and challenges they encountered along the way.

Dan interviews Professor Sally Cutler from the University of East London to get some expert advice on starting out including having realistic expectations, taking things step-by-step and the importance of the supervisory relationship. Listeners may also spot the guest appearance from Sally’s cat!

There are also some tips on organising your project and remembering the happy moments from your PhD.

Music by George Verrall.

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In this episode, Dan, Carol and Zoe cover the why, what and how of academic conferences. From those yearly events that feel like you’re going home, to those that you struggle to make any sense of. Dan interviews Dr Sarah Fox to get a behind-the-scenes view of the Society for the Study of Addiction annual conference.

There are also tips on how to make a prize-winning poster, how to make sure your abstract will be accepted and what to do when you want to see more of a city than the inside of a conference centre. The PhD: Addicted to Research team will give you all the tips you need. 

Music by George Verrall.

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