iEAT – Individual differences in food pleasure – the role of anhedonic traits for human appetite and eating behaviour

Job title:

iEAT – Individual differences in food pleasure – the role of anhedonic traits for human appetite and eating behaviour

Company:

Aarhus Universitet

Job description

Applicants are invited for a PhD fellowship/scholarship at Graduate School of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark, within the Food Science programme. The position is available from 01 July 2024 or later. You can submit your application via the link under ‘how to apply’.Title
iEAT – Individual differences in food pleasure – the role of anhedonic traits for human appetite and eating behaviourResearch area and project description
The PhD project takes its basis in the pivotal role of hedonia, understood as the ability to feel pleasure, for human appetite and food choices.
There is a growing evidence that the ability to perceive pleasure and the aspects driving pleasure varies across segments of consumers and plays a crucial role in human food choice and intake behaviours.The human reward system can be qualitatively and quantitatively disturbed, resulting in altered food preferences and food seeking behaviour underpinning unhealthy lifestyles. As food is an inexpensive resource for providing reward, palatable food consumption can serve as a feed-forward mechanism, where food is (subconsciously) chosen as relief from discomfort, bringing pleasure and increasing sensitization of reward pathways, which in turn influences future food preferences and intake.The anhedonic (inability to feel pleasure) elements underlying food behavioural changes may contribute to unhealthy eating and obesity, and needs to be understood better both due to the theoretical interpretation of the mechanisms involved, and for the prediction of the harmful effects of anhedonia on health.The current PhD will explore individual differences in (an)hedonic traits, the translation into pleasure from eating-related experiences, and the role of (an)hedonia in food choice, appetite and eating-related well-being.
Studies will be conducted among undiagnosed and diagnosed populations, to clarify normal occurring differences in pleasure perceptions, the link between anhedonia, pleasure from eating and food behaviour.The project is expected to bring new fundamental knowledge on eating-related pleasure, build-on and advance the current understanding of the role of (an)hedonia and pleasure in human appetite and eating behaviour.
Project description. For technical reasons, you must upload a project description. Please simply copy the project description above and upload it as a PDF in the application.Qualifications and specific competences
Applicants to the PhD position must have a relevant Master’s degree in food science, sensory science, consumer science, nutritional science or equivalent.
Competencies in sensory and consumer analyses, food science, food and health research, cross-cultural research, nutritional science and knowledge about food perception in cross disciplinary contexts would be an advantage.Candidates must demonstrate evidence of creativity, independent learning, and a willingness to embrace an interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving.Place of employment and place of work
The place of employment is Aarhus University, and the place of work Agrofood park 48, 8200 Aarhus N.Please be aware, that the PhD project involves funding from Sino Danish Center/SDC, and it is therefore required that:

• the PhD student must spend time in a Chinese research environment. The specific period depends on the funding model.
• PhD students funded by the Danish SDC office are expected to contribute to the educational activities on the SDC Master’s programmes in Beijing during their stay in China.

See the SDC’s website on the specific requirements: . Please note that it is not possible to get exemption from these conditions.Contacts
Applicants seeking further information are invited to contact:

• Professor and Science Team Leader Derek V. Byrne,

(main supervisor)
How to apply
Please follow to submit your application.Application deadline is 18 April 2024 at 23:59 CEST.Preferred starting date is 01 July 2024.For information about application requirements and mandatory attachments, please see our .Please note:

• Only documents received prior to the application deadline will be evaluated. Thus, documents sent after deadline will not be taken into account.
• The programme committee may request further information or invite the applicant to attend an interview.
• Shortlisting will be used, which means that the evaluation committee only will evaluate the most relevant applications.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply, regardless of their personal background. Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with applicable collective agreement.

Expected salary

Location

Aarhus, Midtjylland

Job date

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 22:50:31 GMT

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