Grant winners – 8 June 2017

Medical Research Council

Research grants

• Award winner: Rupert Quinnell
• Institution: University of Leeds
• Value: £498,116

Developing a strategy for cysticercosis control in Rwanda, to reduce the burden of epilepsy

• Award winner: Roberto La Ragione
• Institution: University of Surrey
• Value: £404,291

The impact of host restriction of Escherichia coli on transmission dynamics and spread of anti­microbial resistance

• Award winner: Rashida Ferrand
• Institution: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London
• Value: £526,953

Improving HIV testing and care for adolescents in Zimbabwe: a targeted, community-based approach

National Institute for Health Research

Public Health Research programme

• Award winner: Graham Moore
• Institution: Cardiff University
• Value: £434,309

Impacts of e-cigarette regulation via the EU Tobacco Products Directive on young people’s use of e-cigarettes: a natural experiment

• Award winner: Penny Cook
• Institution: University of Salford
• Value: £773,500

Communities in charge of alcohol (CICA) programme: evaluation of an alcohol health champions programme in Greater Manchester

• Award winner: Ruth Jepson
• Institution: University of Edinburgh
• Value: £880,443

Is 20 plenty for health? Evaluation of the 20mph speed limit networks in Edinburgh and Belfast on a range of public health outcomes

Economic and Social Research Council

Research grants

• Award winner: Matthew Williams
• Institution: Cardiff University
• Value: £197,664

Centre for Cyberhate Research and Policy: real-time scalable methods and infrastructure for modelling the spread of cyberhate on social media

• Award winner: Eirini Flouri
• Institution: University College London
• Value: £161,295

Adverse life events, inflammation and trajectories of emotional and behavioural problems in childhood

In detail

Award winner: Nigel Rice
Institution: University of York
Value: £158,811

Does commuting affect health and well-being: if so for whom?

Commuting places constraints on an individual’s use of time, and it has been taking up larger parts of people’s days – a trend not exclusive to the UK. Consequently, there is concern that commuting may have a detrimental effect on the health and well-being of commuters. This can be viewed alongside general concern over levels of stress and psycho­logical problems among the working population, which appear to arise from ever-increasing demands on time and issues of maintaining an appropriate work-life balance. The unpredictability of commuting makes it stressful, and this perceived loss of control can lead to anxiety, raised blood pressure and musculoskeletal problems. It can also induce boredom and social isolation. However, some people believe that there are potential positive aspects of commuting: it provides alone time for work, reading or thinking, or may simply be viewed as a period to unwind after work. What effect all this might have a commuter will often depend on their mode of transport, how much control they have over the journey and the duration of their trip. This project aims to understand whether commuting does affect health and well-being, and which types of individuals are affected by it.