Available

Project number:

2025_21

Start date:

October 2025

Project themes:

EHRs, NLP, and LLMs, AI, Machine Learning, and Multimodal Data

Main supervisor:

Clinical Senior Lecturer

Co-supervisor:

Professor Lucilla Poston

Additional Information:

Evaluating pharmacological approaches to management of pregnancy complications using the ‘Born in South 

London’ (eLIXIR) data linkage; a study of metformin treatment

Background. Metformin is a commonly used drug for pregnancy hyperglycemia. Metformin also increases

synthesis of the protein GD15 (Growth Differentiation Factor 15), recently implicated in severe vomiting in

pregnancy (hyperemesis gravidarum; HV). The PhD student will investigate a reported association between

metformin in pregnancy and increased adiposity in the child. Using an existing linkage of routine maternity

electronic health records (Born in South London, eLIXIR), these relationships will be explored in a cohort of

>50,000 pregnant women. Using the same linkage the student will address the potential of metformin to prevent

HV.

Novelty and Importance.  The PhD is novel because a) the proposed relationship between metformin treatment

and child obesity is equivocal has not been evaluated in a real-life data and b) the relationship between metformin

treatment and HV has not been explored. Both have important implications for metformin in patient

management.

Aims and Objectives

Study 1. To explore the relationship between maternal metformin treatment and infant/childhood adiposity.

Objectives

• To identify a cohort of women with T2DM, PCOS or GDM treated with metformin in the Born in South

London maternal-child data linkage (2018-2025), and matched controls (2:1).

Version Date: August 2024

• To explore relationships between metformin treatment and anthropometric measures.

Study 2. To explore the relationship between maternal metformin treatment and hyperemesis gravidarum.

• To identify a cohort of women with T2DM, PCOS or GDM treated with Metformin pre-pregnancy and the

first and second trimester of pregnancy, and matched controls (2:1).

• To explore relationships between metformin treatment, timing, and the incidence and severity of HV.

References

1: Tarry-Adkins JL, Aiken CE, Ozanne SE. Comparative impact of pharmacological treatments for gestational diabetes on neonatal

anthropometry independent of maternal glycaemic control: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Med. 2020 May

22;17(5):e1003126. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003126. PMID: 32442232; PMCID: PMC7244100.

2: Tarry-Adkins JL, Aiken CE, Ozanne SE. Neonatal, infant, and childhood growth following metformin versus insulin treatment for

gestational diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Med. 2019 Aug 6;16(8):e1002848. doi:

10.1371/journal.pmed.1002848. PMID: 31386659; PMCID: PMC6684046.

3. Dutta D, Sharma M, Nagendra L, Bhattacharya S, Mohindra R, Yajnik CS. Long- Term Impact on Offspring (5 to 11 Years of Age) of

Metformin Use in Pregnancy in Mothers With Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Endocr Pract. 2024 Sep;30(9):854-

862. doi: 10.1016/j.eprac.2024.05.017. Epub 2024 Jun 12. PMID: 38876183.

4. Feig DS, Sanchez JJ, Murphy KE, Asztalos E, Zinman B, Simmons D, Haqq AM, Fantus IG, Lipscombe L, Armson A, Barrett J,

Donovan L, Karanicolas P, Tobin S, Mangoff K, Klein G, Jiang Y, Tomlinson G, Hamilton J; MiTy Kids Collaborative Group. Outcomes in

children of women with type 2 diabetes exposed to metformin versus placebo during pregnancy (MiTy Kids): a 24-month follow-up of

the MiTy randomised controlled trial. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2023 Mar;11(3):191-202. doi: 10.1016/S2213-8587(23)00004-9.

Epub 2023 Feb 3. PMID: 36746160.

5, Fejzo M, Rocha N, Cimino I, Lockhart SM, Petry CJ, Kay RG, Burling K, et al GDF15 linked to maternal risk of nausea and vomiting

during pregnancy. Nature. 2024 Jan;625(7996):760-767. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06921-9. Epub 2023 Dec 13. PMID: 38092039;

PMCID: PMC10808057.

6. Klein AB, Nicolaisen TS, Johann K, Fritzen AM, Mathiesen CV, Gil C, Pilmark NS, Karstoft K, Blond MB, Quist JS, Seeley RJ, Færch K,

Lund J, Kleinert M, Clemmensen C. The GDF15-GFRAL pathway is dispensable for the effects of metformin on energy balance. Cell

Rep. 2022 Aug 23;40(8):111258. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111258. PMID: 36001956.

 

We are now accepting applications for 1 October 2025

How to apply

Candidates should possess or be expected to achieve a 1st or upper 2nd class degree in a relevant subject including the biosciences, computer science, mathematics, statistics, data science, chemistry, physics, and be enthusiastic about combining their expertise with other disciplines in the field of healthcare.


Important information for International Students:

It is the responsibility of the student to apply for their Student Visa. Please note that the EPSRC DRIVE-Health studentship does not cover the visa application fees or the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) required for access to the National Health Service. The IHS is mandatory for anyone entering the UK on a Student Visa and is currently £776 per year for each year of study. Further detail can be found under the International Students tab below.


Closing date: 30 January 2025 (23:59 hrs BST)

Create an account with King’s Apply.


Apply to the EPSRC DRIVE-Health: Centre for Doctoral Training in Data-Driven Health MPhil/PhD (Full-time).


Please ensure you read the full information required on our Apply page, particularly relating to Personal Statement and Supporting Information. 


Complete the following sections of the application with all the relevant information.


A PDF copy of your CV should be uploaded to the Employment History section.

A 500-word personal statement outlining your motivation for undertaking postgraduate research with the CDT should be uploaded to the Supporting Statement section.

Funding:

Please choose Option 5 "I am applying for a funding award or scholarship administered by King’s College London" in the funding section.

Under "Award Scheme Code or Name" enter "EPSRC DRIVE-Health 2025".

Failing to include one of these codes might result in you not being considered for funding.

Questions marked * are mandatory and you will not be able to submit without answering.


Non-EU international applicants are advised that ATAS may be required. While there is no charge to apply for ATAS, processing can take up to 3 months. Please read the Important Information for International Students.

Apply Now

Enhanced Studentships to Attract Top Talent

Each studentship is fully funded for 4 years.


This includes tuition fees, a stipend and a generous allowance for project consumables.


Tuition Fees: these will be covered for both Home and International students.


Stipend: students will receive a tax-free living allowance of £23,814 per year (current projection for Academic Year 2025/26).


Research Training Support Grant (RTSG): up to £20,000 over 4 years for research consumables and attending national and international conferences.

Important Information for International Students

It is the responsibility of the student to apply for their Student Visa.


Please note that the EPSRC DRIVE-Health studentship does not cover the visa application fees or the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) required for access to the National Health Service. The IHS is mandatory for anyone entering the UK on a Student Visa and is currently £776 per year for each year of study.

 

Additionally, depending on your chosen project, some nationals may need to apply for an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate prior to applying for a visa. The ATAS application process can take up to 3 months and so it is essential that you apply for this early. Please note the following:

 

• If you need to apply for a student visa, you cannot submit your visa application until your ATAS certificate has been issued.

• If you are applying for any other visa, you cannot enrol at King’s and start your programme unless your ATAS certificate has been issued.

• If you apply late, you may not be able to join on the expected entry point and your registration may be postponed

 

Please review the following article for further information on the ATAS certificate and how to apply: label="" type="url" target="_blank" href="https://self-service.kcl.ac.uk/article/KA-01847/en-us" data-runtime-url="https://self-service.kcl.ac.uk/article/KA-01847/en-us">Do I need ATAS clearance before I start my course at King's? 

 

For further advice, please contact the Visas & International Student Advice as soon as possible.


Academic Requirements and Eligibility

We welcome eligible Home and International applicants from any personal background who are pleased to join diverse and friendly research groups.

Open to Home and International applicants.

Applicable level of study: Postgraduate research.

English Language Requirements (Band D)

Based on the IELTS test scoring system, this programme requires that successful candidates achieve the following level of English before enrolling. Successful applicants’ offer letters will include information about when they must have achieved this standard.

Overall: 6.5

Listening: 6 

Speaking: 6 

Reading: 6 

Writing: 6


Visit our admissions webpages to view our English language entry requirements.

Next Steps


  1. Applications submitted by the closing date of Thursday 30 January 2025 will be considered by the CDT. We will contact shortlisted applicants with information about this part of the recruitment process.
  2. Candidates will be invited to attend an interview. Interviews are projected to take place in March 2025.
  3. Project selection will be through a panel interview chaired by either Professor Richard Dobson and Professor Vasa Curcin (CDT Directors) followed by informal discussion with prospective supervisors.
  4. If you have any questions related to the specific project you are applying for, please contact the main supervisor of the project directly.


For any other questions about the recruitment process, please email us at

 drive-health-cdt@kcl.ac.uk.



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