• Alexandra David

    How does the vaginal microbiome vary among women in the general British population by sociodemographic, behavioural, and clinical characteristics and...

    Alexandra David

    How does the vaginal microbiome vary among women in the general British population by sociodemographic, behavioural, and clinical characteristics and how does this inform interventions to address poor sexual health?

    Microbes inhabit our bodies and play an important role in our health and disease. There is increasing evidence that the collection of microbes and their genetic material (the microbiome) in the female genital tract has an impact on sexual and reproductive health, including risk of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Using Natsal-4 data, my research aims to 1) explore and map out the variation of the vaginal microbiome in the British population, 2) understand factors associated with vaginal microbiome disturbances, and 3) explore how a range of sexual health outcomes vary by microbiome patterns. I hope that findings may inform clinical guidelines and new therapeutic interventions that address imbalances in the vaginal microbiome, with the aim, ultimately, of lowering the burden of poor sexual health. 

  • Emily Dema

    Investigating the impact of Britain’s human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme to inform national public health interventions in the next...

    Emily Dema

    Investigating the impact of Britain’s human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme to inform national public health interventions in the next decade

    Emily’s PhD aims to determine the impact of HPV vaccination on cervical cancer prevention in Britain. Using Natsal-4 data on HPV vaccination status and HPV infection status, she will calculate vaccine effectiveness among eligible women in the British general population. She will also explore inequalities in vaccination and cervical cancer screening uptake to inform cervical cancer elimination goals in the UK. Her PhD is funded through the UCL-Birkbeck MRC Doctoral Training Programme.

  • Raquel Bosó Pérez

    Understanding Young People’s Sexual Wellbeing

    Raquel Bosó Pérez

    Understanding Young People’s Sexual Wellbeing

    Sexual wellbeing is integral to psychological wellness and good sexual health. It concerns sexual emotions and cognitions that include feeling safe, respected, comfortable, confident, autonomous, secure, and able to work through change, challenge and past trauma. Priorities for sexual wellbeing differ across the life-course. Young people (16-24) face unique developmental tasks in relation to their sexuality. In this PhD Raquel draws on a qualitative multi-modal approach involving a qualitative evidence synthesis, repeat interviews and diary methods to explore youth sexual wellbeing. Raquel considers how sexual wellbeing is shaped by formative experiences, and how these influence future expectations of sexual wellbeing.

  • Zohar Preminger

    From metagenomics to metadata: understanding the social context of vaginal microbiome health at different stages in the reproductive life course

    Zohar Preminger

    From metagenomics to metadata: understanding the social context of vaginal microbiome health at different stages in the reproductive life course

    Zohar’s PhD, which is funded by the ESRC Soc-B Centre for Doctoral Training, aims to connect the context of individuals’ lives with the ecosystem inside their bodies. Zohar’s PhD will focus on the composition of the vaginal microbiome in women in the UK at different life stages, and how contraception and sexual behaviour may be associated with the vaginal microbiome. Zohar plans to share findings from her research with the public in a co-produced project (more to come soon!), and hopes that highlighting the importance of considering contextual social and behavioural factors will help encourage other researchers to take these factors into account. Zohar also hopes that her findings using Natsal’s data will contribute to the body of evidence clinicians can draw from when counseling patients about their vaginal health.