Designing Intelligent Health Technologies for Trust, Understanding, and Self-Management in Parkinson's Disease.

About the Project

Are you interested in designing intelligent technologies that genuinely improve people’s lives? This PhD offers an opportunity to work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, and digital health to address one of the most pressing challenges in neurological care.

Parkinson’s disease affects millions of people worldwide and requires continuous management of symptoms, medication, and daily activities. While digital health technologies such as wearable sensors, remote monitoring systems, and AI-enabled health tools are rapidly emerging, many fail to achieve sustained use in real-world settings. Often, people simply do not understand what these systems are telling them, do not trust their recommendations, or struggle to integrate them into everyday life.

This project asks a fundamental question: how should intelligent health technologies be designed so that patients and caregivers can understand them, trust them, and use them effectively to manage their health?

During this PhD, you will design and develop intelligent health technologies for people living with Parkinson’s disease and their caregivers. You will explore how explainable AI, adaptive interfaces, and shared digital tools can help people make sense of health data, build appropriate trust in intelligent systems, and support meaningful behaviour change over time.

You will work within an interdisciplinary supervisory team with expertise spanning human-centred AI design, machine learning, computational modelling, and participatory health research. The project will involve analysing real-world health datasets, designing and prototyping intelligent systems, and evaluating them with patients and caregivers.

You will be based within Newcastle University’s vibrant research environment, collaborating with researchers in digital health, artificial intelligence, and biomedical data science. The project will provide training in human-centred design methods, explainable AI, computational health data analysis, and digital health innovation.

This PhD is ideal for candidates with backgrounds in computer science, artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, design, or related disciplines who are interested in applying technology to solve complex real-world problems in healthcare.

By the end of the project, you will have developed the skills to contribute to the next generation of human-centred AI systems for healthcare.

Funding

Students who have, or are expecting to attain, at least an upper second-class honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject, are invited to apply. Funding is available for Home (UK) students to cover tuition fees, a tax-free stipend at the UKRI rate (indicative amount in year 1 in 2026-27, £21,805) and research costs, for four years. Applicants normally required to cover International fees will have to cover the difference between the Home and the International tuition fee rates. There is no additional funding available to cover NHS Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) costs, visa costs, flights etc.

Funding for this studentship is awarded on a competitive basis and is not guaranteed; availability will depend on the outcome of the selection process and subject to final approval by the University.