CONSCIOUS: COGNITIVE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS

(ref. BAP-2025-171)
Laatst aangepast: 14/03/25
The Department of Movement Sciences (KU Leuven) is looking for an enthusiastic and motivated PhD candidate with a strong interest in the role of active living for healthy ageing, more specifically for the project ‘CONSCIOUS: COgnitive aNd phySical aCtivity In Older adUltS’. CONSCIOUS starts with a more fundamental lab-based study, followed by a study in which a combined physical and cognitive activity intervention to improve cognitive functioning in adults aged 65+ years will be developed and examined.
The research team of Prof. van Uffelen houses within the interdisciplinary Physical Activity, Sports and Health Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences at KU Leuven. The team focuses on observational and interventional research examining the role of lifestyle, and lifestyle interventions, for promoting active and healthy ageing with a focus on cognitive function. CONSCIOUS is a joint project with Prof van Uffelen (KU Leuven) and Prof Cardon (UGent, Department of Movement and Sports Sciences), which builds on their previous project ‘Take your brain for a walk’.
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• Perform scientific research as part of a PhD thesis (see project), in collaboration with a postdoc based at UGent and under the joint supervision of Profs van Uffelen and Cardon.
• Design and implement experimental and intervention studies, recruit participants, collect and analyze data, write manuscripts and publish findings in high-quality scientific journals.
• Collaborate with stakeholders and end-users to co-develop an innovative intervention tailored to the participants’ needs.
• Supervise/ assist with supervision of Master’s theses within the research domain.
• Provide teaching assistance in the KU Leuven Department of Movement Sciences.
• Work closely with an interdisciplinary team, including experts in physical activity, cognitive health, psychology, and public health.
• Actively engage in scientific dissemination, including presenting at international conferences, stakeholders and translating findings into practical guidelines for implementation