phd with only one publication

A PhD by publication or how I got my doctorate and kept my sanity

Associate, Children's Policy Centre, Australian National University, Australian National University

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Doing a PhD is a difficult business. Long hours, personal stress, institutional pressure to complete on time – and all this for what?

Increasingly a PhD alone does not guarantee an academic career. We are expected to publish, teach and contribute to professional development. Oh and did I mention you have to publish, publish, publish?

However there is a way to publish and do a PhD - hopefully without perishing.

I recently completed my PhD by publication, which for me was a way of getting a doctorate while keeping my sanity.

What is a PhD by publication?

A PhD by Publication is just what it sounds like, instead of producing one large monograph, you produce a series of articles to be published in peer reviewed journals or as book chapters.

The normal format is four to five research papers bookended by a substantial introductory chapter and a concluding chapter. The thesis must still read as a cohesive whole and therefore despite the articles being stand alone pieces, they must also relate to each other.

The aim is that when they are read together they become more than just the sum of their parts.

It is a relatively new concept within the social sciences and humanities but has been around for a while in the hard sciences here in Australia. It is much more common in European Universities where it is often the standard approach for doctoral studies.

The advantages

There are many advantages to doing a PhD this way. One of the more self-evident ones is that it allows you to publish and finish a PhD – academically hitting two birds with one stone.

There are many pressures of doing a PhD that are taken away from publishing. PhD by publication focused my writing on achieving output and helped to avoid the trap of always pushing the publications to the side.

A PhD by publication also helps you to develop practical skills. Through my own process, I learnt how to write to journal editors, deal with rejection and pitch articles – all skills that are important for professional academic life.

This method also divides the PhD up into more manageable chunks – sometimes the hardest thing about a PhD is the enormity of the task it presents. But dividing it up into five discrete papers allowed me to see a way ahead making the PhD seem more achievable.

Last but not least, you can get both expert feedback and it can provide that “tick” factor. PhD students were usually high achieving undergraduate students used to receiving recognition and reward for their work. Entering the land of doctoral studies, you don’t get the pay off from your work until the end of many years and lack of recognition can be deeply un-motivating.

But each time something is published is a chance to celebrate and take a deep breath before moving on to the next portion.

The expert feedback you get during this process is also very helpful even it’s not always pleasant (see below). By the time your PhD goes to examiners it has already gone through a rigorous peer review process.

In times of PhD panic, it was comforting to think that my work can’t be that bad if someone had already agreed to publish it.

The disadvantages

Of course, though, there are some disadvantages to electing to do a PhD in this way.

Chief among them is the pressure to start publishing immediately. Publishing is hardly a quick process; it can sometimes take up to two years from submission to a journal long periods of fieldwork may not be compatible.

Therefore candidates taking this route need to start straight away. Aim to have your first paper finished within the first 6 months.

It’s also worth recognising that this is not a format for the faint hearted. Rejections from journals can be brutal. You need to be prepared to take this on the chin and send it out again.

That said, this is a skill you need to develop for academia. Being exposed to it early helped me develop a thick skin and be humble about my work.

With the benefit of feedback, there’s also the downside of extra work. You may often need to rewrite work for journal editors.

After all, editors have their own agenda and interests and in some respect you are writing for them and not for you. However this taught me to stand my ground with editors and defend things I wished to keep as well as framing things for different audiences.

Another thing to be wary of when considering a PhD by publication is that you need to understand that it’s not a professional Doctorate. A Professional Doctorate recognises contribution to a profession and usually doesn’t include the same level of original contribution or indeed a thesis.

PhD by publication is still examined to the same standards as a traditional PhD. However countering this assumption that it is not a “real” PhD is sometimes hard.

Finally, because you’re likely to be treading new ground in your institution, there’s not always a clear path before you.

I did my PhD in a department which was still sorting out its policy towards this format. As a consequence I needed the strong support of your supervisor and head of department to make this work (which I was lucky enough to have). You shouldn’t expect a clear set of instructions here; guidelines and policies seem to vary between departments, disciplines and universities.

The up shot

The biggest advantage is that I have come out of my doctoral studies not only with a PhD but with a healthy publication record. This I hope will assist me when taking the next step in my career.

For me, PhD with publication provided a framework, a way forward from which I could see the path to submission. It provided me with a way to get my doctorate without worrying about the process. It allowed me the opportunity to contribute to debates while developing my ideas.

If academia is to expect Australian candidates to now finish their PhD and publish, then it should promote and encourage alternative formats such as this. It can only be good for both PhD candidates and the profession at large.

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Introduction

Obtaining a PhD by publication is relatively uncommon in higher education. It can, however, be especially useful for established researchers who have published work but don’t yet have a PhD. This article gives information on exactly what a PhD by publication is, how it works and what the advantages and disadvantages are. Read on to learn more.

What is a PhD by Publication?

A PhD by publication is a doctoral degree awarded to a person who has several peer-reviewed publications that have been put together as separate ‘chapters’, contributing to a unified research theme within a specific field.

This format typically consists of a significant introductory chapter, up to 10,000 words, similar to a traditional thesis, followed by around five published research papers and a final chapter to bring things to a conclusion. Although these papers will be separate bodies of work, it’s important that they’re connected along one research theme.

This route to PhD can be attractive to researchers that have published a lot in their academic career but have not followed the traditional PhD path. It helps them gain recognition for their contributions to their research field and recognition that the work they have done has been of a doctoral level without having to write a separate PhD thesis.

A PhD by publication is awarded following a  viva (also known as an oral examination) with examiners, similar to the process of a traditional PhD.

What are the Advantages?

A clear advantage of a PhD by publication is that you’re submitting a portfolio of work that has already gone through extensive peer review. This means that by the time you come to defend your work at a viva, it’s much easier. For example, the questions your examiners may ask you could be very similar to the questions you were asked by your reviewers during your paper publication phase and so you will already have prepared suitable responses to these.

Another advantage of this route is that it’s a much quicker way of obtaining a PhD degree; traditional PhD programmes take between three and four years from registration to completion whereas you can get a PhD by publication within one year of registration with the University, assuming that you enrol on this degree having already published all the papers that you will include in your portfolio of work. The shorter duration means that you often will only have to pay for one year of University fees, meaning that this approach is cheaper than a traditional method. It’s often possible that you can work any part-time job alongside preparing your publication portfolio for viva examination submission.

What are the Disadvantages?

Not all research fields or questions are suitable for a PhD by publication. In some cases, it may be necessary to design, set up and run a new PhD project in the field, recording the generation of further data. Additionally, it may be difficult to expand upon your previous publications and explore different research ideas as you put together your portfolio of papers. As this approach is a relatively uncommon way to get a PhD, some institutions may be unfamiliar or not set up to facilitate a PhD by publication. While the final viva examination will be the same as that in a traditional PhD, there is always the risk that some examiners may not see this publication route as being a ‘real’ PhD.

You’re also likely to miss out on some other aspects of PhD life by going down the publication route, including opportunities to teach or supervise undergraduate students and the experience of working within a research lab alongside other PhD students.

How Long Does a PhD by Publication Take?

You should expect a PhD by publication to take six months to one year to obtain from your point of registration with a UK University. This is on the basis that you have already published work for all the material that you would plan to include within your PhD portfolio, or that it is currently going through the review process. This approach is shorter than pursuing a traditional PhD, which typically takes between three and four years as a full-time student.

What is the Application Process?

You apply using the standard process required by the university to enrol, in the same way as the traditional route of a PhD. In addition, however, you will be asked to submit a portfolio of your prior publication track record and a supporting statement outlining the work of these existing publications, detailing how they tell a coherent story with the relevant subject area you’re applying to. You won’t need to submit a formal PhD research proposal as most, if not all, of the research should already have been completed.

Do you have Supervision?

Yes, in the same way that a traditional PhD student will have a primary supervisor to oversee your project. The role of the supervisor will be to help you establish a clear narrative for the theme you’re putting together of your publications, offering critical appraisal where necessary.

He or she will advise you on how to structure the introductory and concluding bodies of work that are required before you submit your portfolio for external examination and viva. Remember that the supervisor is there to advise and not tell you how to structure your dissertation; this is the same for any research student doing a standard PhD.

With this researcher-supervisor relationship, your options may be open in terms of whether you need to be based at the University in person or if you choose to work remotely as a distance learning student, communicating with your supervisor over email or video calls.

How does Assessment Work?

The body of work that you submit will be read and assessed by two examiners that are experts within your subject area of research. This will be followed by the viva examination with the two examiners, in line with the conventional PhD approach. To be awarded this research degree you will need to demonstrate that your work has made an original contribution to furthering the subject knowledge within your field.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

How Much Does It Cost?

As a PhD by publication usually takes about a year to complete, most universities typically charge a fee equivalent to one year of PhD study. The exact amount will vary depending on the University, but usually, the tuition fee will be around  £4,500  for one year for UK and EU students, and considerably more if you are an international student. It’s challenging to secure funding for these types of PhD degrees and you will find that you’re unlikely to be eligible for financial support from research councils or other routes of funding.

What Kind of Publications Can I use in my Portfolio?

Universities will have specific guidance about factors such as how many publications you can include in your portfolio and there may be some restrictions on when they should have been published. Typically, you will include 5 publications in your submission to your PhD examiners, but this can in some circumstances be as low as 3 or 4 or as high as 10 separate papers. Most often these will be in the form of  journal articles accepted by peer reviewed journals but can also include published book chapters, scientific or technical reports that have been published or other forms of publication that have gone through a level of peer review.

A PhD by publication is a good way for you to graduate with a doctorate if you enter this research programme having already published several academic papers on a single research theme. You need to demonstrate that you have made a significant contribution to your field through previous research. At this stage it is likely to be the cheapest and fastest route to gaining a PhD. However, applicants should be mindful when they apply that it may be challenging to secure funding for this.

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Lynn Nygaard

Kristin solli, june 29th, 2023, what exactly is a phd by publication.

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Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

A PhD by publication, that is, a PhD submitted in the form of a dossier of published papers with varying degrees of connective writing, has become an increasingly common thesis format. However, as Lynn P. Nygaard and Kristin Solli point out, there are significant variations in how these pieces are put together. Outlining these differences and providing a checklist, they show the key questions students should ask when looking to undertake this kind of PhD.

The PhD by publication is becoming an increasingly popular choice in the social sciences , especially in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Scandinavia, but also in other countries. This kind of thesis is no longer “new” in the places where it has taken hold, yet it remains an unsettled genre with striking variations across geographical regions, disciplines, and institutions. For example, there is no agreement on what to call it (thesis by publication? article-based thesis? compilation thesis? something else?) – let alone  on what it should look like. Institutional guidelines that explain to the doctoral candidates (as well as those supervising or evaluating the thesis) are not always easy to find. If you feel like you are left on your own to figure it out, you are not alone. Investigating “what is expected of me?” will always be time well spent. But first you need to know what questions to ask.

Sandwich or two-part model?

A PhD by publication consists of a series of standalone articles plus some sort of narrative (also called a synthesis, integrative chapter , or many, many other things). But it is not always obvious how these two parts fit together. For example, in the “sandwich model”, which is common in Australia and New Zealand, the articles are treated like chapters and are “sandwiched” between two narrative chapters (normally an introduction and a conclusion) that attempt to tie the various threads together. Considerable effort is made by doctoral candidates to ensure flow between the chapters (including perhaps adding additional narrative text between the article chapters) so that it reads like a book (that is, a traditional monograph). This model is perhaps more attractive in contexts where there is still a certain amount of skepticism to the PhD by publication.

In Scandinavia, where the “article-based thesis” is the default format in most social science contexts, we use a two-part model. Here, the narrative is separate from the articles, and written with its own beginning, middle, and end. The articles themselves appear as a distinct second part of the thesis – similar to appendices in the sense that they are separate both from the first part and from each other. While the candidate must demonstrate strong thematic connections between the articles, there is no expectation that the text itself should read as a coherent whole.

What kinds of articles?

The publications are the backbone of the thesis by publication, and there are huge differences between institutions when it comes to what constitutes a “publication” and how many are required. The key idea is that the publication should be aimed at academics (who are not on your committee). This naturally rules out blogposts and coursework (so, no, you cannot submit the literature review you produced in one of your classes unless you have reworked it completely to be ready for submission to a journal). Journal articles are the gold standard here, but book chapters and conference proceedings are also permissible in some contexts.

But how many do you need? Do they all have to be published? Are co-authored articles acceptable? What happens if an article gets rejected? These are all reasonable questions , and the answers to these questions depend very much on where you are located.

In Scandinavia, three solo-authored articles can be considered a basic point of departure. If you include co-authored papers (whether they are co-authored with a supervisor or someone else), then sometimes more papers are expected, or there are restrictions on the number of co-authors.

In many places, there is an expectation that most (and sometimes all) papers need to be published before thesis submission. In other contexts, it is common for only one (or even none) to be published or accepted for publication. Instead, the papers must be deemed “publishable” as judged by your supervisor or PhD program. In effect, it is possible in some places to submit a thesis by publication without any published papers. When the emphasis is on “of publishable quality” and not the status of being published, a rejection by a journal is of little consequence because the paper will simply be classified as “not yet published”.

Expectations for the narrative?

Apart from the basic distinction between the sandwich model and the two-part model, there are huge local variations in what is expected for the narrative. In some departments, we have noticed a move towards minimalism, where the articles are supposed to speak for themselves, and the narrative is becoming shorter and shorter, (5000-7000 words in some PhD programs in Economics for example). On average, however, about 20,000-25,000 words seems to be expected.

Sometimes, the narrative is little more than a cover letter that summarises the articles. In our work, we argue that the narrative should go beyond summarising your articles and draw out the main themes at a higher level of abstraction, aiming to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts. This is because the narrative serves to demonstrate various aspects of your “doctorateness” that may not be visible in the articles written for an audience that is not interested in your candidacy. It allows you to show how your different articles are connected to form a coherent whole, how (if you have co-authored with others) you were able to exercise good judgment and independent thinking, and how (if you have drawn from different disciplines) the work you have produced reflects the values of the academic community that will be granting your degree. And if you have faced specific challenges in your doctoral journey – for example, having to change your research design half-way through because the pandemic made in-person interviews impossible – the narrative allows you to show how you adapted to your situation.

Your unique situation

Writing a good thesis by publication means thinking through how to best meet the expectations of your department given the unique thesis you have written: the breadth and depth of the articles, how much you co-authored or drew from other disciplines, and the changes in your project you might have made throughout the journey.

Fig.1: What are the requirements for a thesis by publication in my PhD program? A checklist

The specific guidelines, or tacit expectations, in your institutions are not random. They usually reflect the way research is normally carried out and evaluated in that context. However, when you are new to an institution, it might not always be easy to know how to find out what “normal” is because these practices and ideas are taken for granted by those who are already insiders in that context. If your department does not provide you with clear guidelines, we hope this blogpost has given you an idea about the kinds of things you should ask about, we have also included the checklist above, which you can use as a starting point. The more you understand what is expected (and why) in the institution you are part of, the more likely you will be able to write a successful thesis by publication.

Lynn Nygaard and Kristin Solli are the authors of Strategies for writing a thesis by publication in the social sciences and humanities .

The content generated on this blog is for information purposes only. This Article gives the views and opinions of the authors and does not reflect the views and opinions of the Impact of Social Science blog (the blog), nor of the London School of Economics and Political Science.  Please review our  comments policy  if you have any concerns on posting a comment below.

Image Credit: LSE Impact Blog via Canva. 

About the author

Lynn P. Nygaard, EdD, special advisor at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), provides writing support to doctoral students and researchers. She holds seminars on writing for publication, supervising the writing process, and writing the narrative for the PhD by publication not only in Norway, but also internationally.

Kristin Solli, PhD, Associate Professor at the Unit for English for Academic Purposes at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University in Norway, teaches academic writing to students and researchers. Her research interests include doctoral education, doctoral writing, multilingual writing practices, and time and temporality in educational practices.

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The PhD by Publication is an accelerated, part-time PhD award intended for those who have carried out extensive research over a significant period of time and have a number of publications arising from this work which have already been published in high-quality journals.

This should not be confused with the standard PhD (3-4 years full-time).

If you have any questions about the PhD by Publication degree which are not answered on this page, please email us  or call us .

What should the word length of the submitted publications be?

Where written publications are being submitted as evidence in the application for admission to the PhD by Publication, the total word length of publications when combined with the critical analysis (15,000 words) should be broadly comparable to that of a submission for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, which is typically between 80,000 and 100,000 words. The quality of the journals within which publications have been published will be assessed as part of the application procedure.

Can only standard academic publications be considered?

As well as standard academic or creative publications, for Schools in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, ‘published work’ may include performance, exhibition, installation, media of various kinds as defined in the University’s Award Regulations, provided that it is made available in an appropriate digital or other recorded format.

How is the PhD by Publication assessed?

As well as submitting the published work, candidates for the PhD by Publication need to prepare a critical analysis of around 15,000 words and to undertake an oral examination (viva) on the critical analysis and the published work. The University provides supervisory support for this.

Can it be done in every subject?

UEA currently offer the PhD by Publication within all Schools and Institutes, except for the following:

• The School of Education and Lifelong Learning only accept PhD by Publication applications from current members of UEA staff subject also to further conditions listed on the Course Catalogue  page, in the Entry Requirements section.
• The School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing is not currently accepting any PhD by Publication applications.

How long does it take?

The period of study is six months part-time (0.5FTE), extendable at the discretion of the School or Institute to a maximum of twelve months part-time study.

Who is the PhD by Publication suitable for?

The PhD by Publication may be appropriate for you if:

You have been carrying out research over a long period of time (at least seven years)

This work is already published in high-quality journals (or equivalent as above), forms a coherent programme of research and represents a significant contribution to understanding

You want to seek academic recognition for this work by a doctoral award.

What are the academic requirements of the programme?

The minimum University academic requirement for a PhD by Publication degree is the same as that required for a PhD: you need the equivalent of a 2:1 in a UK Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s degree in a relevant field of study. However, depending on which School you are studying in, some may set a higher or more specific entry requirement. If English is not your first language, you may also be asked to provide evidence of proficiency in English language. This will be listed as a condition on your offer letter.

What should I do if I want to apply?

To apply for a PhD by Publication degree, we advise that you take a look at the research areas UEA offers  and then contact at least one potential academic supervisor you would be interested in working with, stating your interest. At this point it would be a good idea to read up on your potential supervisor’s research papers that are related to your interests. You will then be able to fill in an application form which needs to contain your formal research proposal. Take a look at our guidance on how to write a research degree proposal .

PhD by publication

PhD awards for published researchers

Explore how you can turn your existing peer reviewed research publications into a PhD qualification

What is a PhD by publication?

A PhD by publication is a postgraduate research degree that's based on research you've already undertaken and had published (excluding self-publishing) before registering with us.

Depending on the subject area, peer reviewed  academic papers, complete books, chapters in anthologies, or equivalent materials accepted for publication, exhibited or performed  may be  eligibl e. You'll have to submit these materials for examination between 6–12 months after registering with us.

These materials will be accompanied by a commentary of 5,000–10,000 words, which outlines your work's coherence, significance and contribution to knowledge, and you'll be examined through an oral defence of your research, known as a viva voce. Applicants must have held a first or higher degree from a UK higher education institute – or a recognised equivalent non-UK degree of the same standard – for at least 5 years.

Once you've been awarded a PhD by publication, you'll be in a great position to move onto further research or to use your new postgraduate qualification to progress your career.

The cost of getting a PhD by publication in most of our subject areas is £4,500 for external candidates – check your research subject area page  for more details.

How to apply

To be considered for a PhD by publication, you'll need to have held an undergraduate or postgraduate degree – awarded either by a UK higher education institute or a recognised non-UK equivalent – for at least 5 years.

To apply you'll need:

• A CV and the names of two referees
• A title of the proposed PhD
• A listing of the published work on which the application is based
• A statement of not more than 1000 words setting out your view of the nature and significance of the work submitted

Apply from the relevant subject area page .

If your application is successful, you'll need to submit the already-published materials – those that you wish to be considered as part of your PhD by publication award – between 6–12 months after registering with us.

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• Published: 10 October 2019

Publication should not be a prerequisite to obtaining a PhD

• Sharif Moradi 1  

Nature Human Behaviour volume  3 ,  page 1025 ( 2019 ) Cite this article

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Mandating publications for graduation places a poor metric on PhD students’ skills and has detrimental effects on PhD training, argues Sharif Moradi, an Assistant Professor at the Royan Institute in Tehran; committees and future employers should focus on the many other skills that PhD students master.

Despite many differences, universities and research institutes appear to have one thing in common: publish or perish. Publishing has benefits for many, including PhD students, as it increases the likelihood of finding academic positions. However, problems arise when PhD students are required to publish papers as a prerequisite for graduation. PhD students constitute an integral part of academia and are often required to publish one or more articles before submitting their dissertation. This is particularly true in my country, Iran, where students need to have one to three journal articles published or accepted for publication (depending on the university) before graduation.

There are several arguments, including among PhD students themselves, both for and against the publishing requirement for doctoral students. Although the publication requirement ensures that PhD projects are externally peer-reviewed, it may not necessarily enhance the quality of the work due to potential reviewer bias or ineffective peer review. This requirement may also call into question the reliability of the thesis reviewing committee if their evaluation is considered valuable only when the work has already been peer-reviewed (and published).

Due to their massive workloads, PhD students are under considerable stress and mental pressure, and publishing requirements can worsen this situation. Some students may be under financial pressure if they are underpaid—or worse, not paid at all—especially when they have to delay receiving their doctorates because of delays in getting published. As something that I personally experienced and think is globally true, many doctoral students live on earnings from teaching courses, translating texts from one language to another, or other low-paying jobs. Supervisors may be opposed to this, since it distracts students from working on their thesis and increases the pressure they’re under. Students may end up publishing a low-quality paper in a low-profile journal, or even in fake and predatory journals which publish papers for a fee without rigorous peer review.

PhD mentors often have other priorities and concerns—such as finding funding, securing a permanent position, and coping with excessive administrative burdens—so often they cannot allocate enough time to their PhD students. Mentors may even engage PhD students in side projects to accelerate those projects, thereby delaying their graduation. Therefore, PhD students need to learn to say no to whatever distracts them from their thesis, although this might be sometimes difficult because PhD students are much more vulnerable than their supervisors to the consequences of potential conflicts. I believe PhD studentship is exactly the time during which people should learn how to maintain a healthy work–life balance, because this skill is more difficult to learn later.

PhD students should be encouraged to publish their PhD work after graduation (if it is not feasible to publish before graduation) because this indicates that they are able to take a project from beginning to completion and to advance their field of research. However, other criteria should be taken into consideration when assessing PhD students for their graduation, such as the ability to effectively defend their results before an unbiased, knowledgeable committee of referees or developing a product or service from their PhD project. There may be mitigating factors: for example, the PhD work needs more time to complete, is scooped by publications from other groups, turns out to be less relevant than initially thought or cannot be published due to intellectual property reasons. Therefore, it makes no sense to make graduation dependent on journal publication.

Both students wishing to remain in academia and students aiming for industrial careers need to learn many skills. Obviously, for students who want to work in industry, published papers are not crucial. But I think the same should be true for students who want to pursue academic careers. They, too, need to learn many skills, which they can demonstrate with or without publications to those in hiring positions. In assessing a postdoctoral applicant for a role in my lab, I would examine the tone and content of their application email, what achievements are listed on their CV (e.g., awards, grants and publications) and check in personally with their referees. Key questions to referees would be whether the applicant is passionate, detail-oriented, motivated, innovative, a team player and committed. What is the applicant’s personality and attitude? This is important as it is something that is hard to change. At interview, I would ask the applicant to give a chalk talk (or slide presentation) to analyse, in addition to their presentation skills, the strength of the applicant’s scientific reasoning and how he or she deals with criticism. The applicant should be familiar with management (time, budgets and projects) and communication skills (writing, speaking and networking). Applicants that have international experience and know how to organize meetings and symposia would be more interesting to me. Only after all these assessments would I question why an applicant has not yet published any papers from their thesis.

In situations where publishing a paper is still mandatory, I recommend that PhD projects be designed strongly, assigned to a team of researchers instead of a single person, quickly modified or changed if they appear not to be working, and effectively supervised by mentors. I would certainly encourage PhD students to get published, but think the disadvantages of a publication mandate for graduation of PhD students far outweigh its advantages. I would never assess a PhD student solely on the basis of their publications, or lack thereof.

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Moradi, S. Publication should not be a prerequisite to obtaining a PhD. Nat Hum Behav 3 , 1025 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-019-0690-7

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Altering cellular interactions around amyloid plaques may offer novel Alzheimer’s treatment strategies

Innovative research from Mount Sinai also identifies new pathways for research

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Icahn Mount Sinai researchers find  PLXNB1 , a hub gene predicted to drive a gene subnetwork causally linked to human AD, is upregulated in reactive astrocytes surrounding amyloid plaques.

Credit: Bin Zhang, PhD, Icahn Mount Sinai

New York City, [May 27, 2024] – Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have made a significant breakthrough in Alzheimer’s disease research by identifying a novel way to potentially slow down or even halt disease progression. The study, which focuses on the role of reactive astrocytes and the plexin-B1 protein in Alzheimer's pathophysiology, provides crucial insights into brain cell communication and opens the door to innovative treatment strategies. It was published in  Nature Neuroscience  (DOI 10.1038/s41593-024-01664-w) on May 27. 

This groundbreaking work is centered on the manipulation of the plexin-B1 protein to enhance the brain's ability to clear amyloid plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Reactive astrocytes, a type of brain cell that becomes activated in response to injury or disease, were found to play a crucial role in this process. They help control the spacing around amyloid plaques, affecting how other brain cells can access and clear these harmful deposits. “Our findings offer a promising path for developing new treatments by improving how cells interact with these harmful plaques,” said Roland Friedel, PhD, Associate Professor of Neuroscience, and Neurosurgery, at Icahn Mount Sinai and a senior author of the study. The research was driven by the analysis of complex data comparing healthy individuals to those with Alzheimer’s, aiming to understand the disease's molecular and cellular foundations.

Hongyan Zou, PhD, Professor of Neurosurgery, and Neuroscience, at Icahn Mount Sinai and one of the study’s lead authors, highlighted the broader implications of their findings: “Our study opens new pathways for Alzheimer’s research, emphasizing the importance of cellular interactions in developing neurodegenerative disease treatments.”

One of the study’s most significant achievements is its validation of multiscale gene network models of Alzheimer’s disease. “This study not only confirms one of the most important predictions from our gene network models but also significantly advances our understanding of Alzheimer’s. It lays a solid foundation for developing novel therapeutics targeting such highly predictive network models,” said Bin Zhang, PhD, Willard T.C. Johnson Research Professor of Neurogenetics at Icahn Mount Sinai and one of the study’s lead authors. By demonstrating the critical role of plexin-B1 in Alzheimer's disease, the research underscores the potential of targeted therapies to disrupt the disease's progression.

The research team emphasizes that while their findings mark a significant advance in the fight against Alzheimer’s, more research is needed to translate these discoveries into treatments for human patients.

“Our ultimate goal is to develop treatments that can prevent or slow down Alzheimer’s progression,” Dr. Zhang added, outlining the team’s commitment to further exploring the therapeutic potential of plexin-B1.

This study is supported by the NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA) grants U01AG046170 and RF1AG057440 and is part of the NIA-led  Accelerating Medicines Partnership - Alzheimer's Disease  (AMP-AD) Target Discovery and Preclinical Validation program. This public private partnership aims to shorten the time between the discovery of potential drug targets and the development of new drugs for Alzheimer’s disease treatment and prevention.

The paper is titled “Regulation of cell distancing in peri-plaque glial nets by Plexin-B1 affects glial activation and amyloid compaction in Alzheimer’s disease.” 

About the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is internationally renowned for its outstanding research, educational, and clinical care programs. It is the sole academic partner for the eight- member hospitals* of the Mount Sinai Health System, one of the largest academic health systems in the United States, providing care to a large and diverse patient population.  

Ranked 13th nationwide in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding and among the 99th percentile in research dollars per investigator according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, Icahn Mount Sinai has a talented, productive, and successful faculty. More than 3,000 full-time scientists, educators, and clinicians work within and across 44 academic departments and 36 multidisciplinary institutes, a structure that facilitates tremendous collaboration and synergy. Our emphasis on translational research and therapeutics is evident in such diverse areas as genomics/big data, virology, neuroscience, cardiology, geriatrics, as well as gastrointestinal and liver diseases. 

Icahn Mount Sinai offers highly competitive MD, PhD, and Master’s degree programs, with current enrollment of approximately 1,300 students. It has the largest graduate medical education program in the country, with more than 2,000 clinical residents and fellows training throughout the Health System. In addition, more than 550 postdoctoral research fellows are in training within the Health System. 

A culture of innovation and discovery permeates every Icahn Mount Sinai program. Mount Sinai’s technology transfer office, one of the largest in the country, partners with faculty and trainees to pursue optimal commercialization of intellectual property to ensure that Mount Sinai discoveries and innovations translate into healthcare products and services that benefit the public. 

Icahn Mount Sinai’s commitment to breakthrough science and clinical care is enhanced by academic affiliations that supplement and complement the School’s programs. 

Through the Mount Sinai Innovation Partners (MSIP), the Health System facilitates the real-world application and commercialization of medical breakthroughs made at Mount Sinai. Additionally, MSIP develops research partnerships with industry leaders such as Merck & Co., AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk, and others. 

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is located in New York City on the border between the Upper East Side and East Harlem, and classroom teaching takes place on a campus facing Central Park. Icahn Mount Sinai’s location offers many opportunities to interact with and care for diverse communities. Learning extends well beyond the borders of our physical campus, to the eight hospitals of the Mount Sinai Health System, our academic affiliates, and globally. 

------------------------------------------------------- 

*  Mount Sinai Health System member hospitals: The Mount Sinai Hospital; Mount Sinai Beth Israel; Mount Sinai Brooklyn; Mount Sinai Morningside; Mount Sinai Queens; Mount Sinai South Nassau; Mount Sinai West; and New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. 

Nature Neuroscience

10.1038/s41593-024-01664-w

Article Title

Regulation of cell distancing in peri-plaque glial nets by Plexin-B1 affects glial activation and amyloid compaction in Alzheimer’s disease

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Retrospective PhD by Publication in the UK: A Rapid Review on Educational Research Commentaries

• First Online: 28 September 2022

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• Sin Wang Chong   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4519-0544 3  

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As a form of alternative PhD, Retrospective PhD by Publication has been gaining popularity in UK universities, especially among experienced higher education practitioners who have substantial teaching and research experiences. Researchers have argued that a Retrospective PhD by Publication prepares candidates to excel in academia in terms of research capacity although some underscore the lack of support for candidates pursuing this doctoral route. Adopting a case study approach focusing on the discipline of Education, this chapter presents a genre analysis of six Retrospective PhD by Publication theses, focusing on their commentary component. Employing a recently developed policy-based structural framework of written commentary for a Retrospective PhD by Publication (Chong, 2021), a total of 61 structural moves were identified from these commentaries. Findings suggest that there are great variations in terms of the number of structural moves employed in the six commentaries, exhibiting individual approaches to structuring Retrospective PhD by Publication commentaries even within a small sample in a single academic discipline. Implications related to institutional policies and professional development of supervisors are discussed, as well as future research directions.

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To focus the analysis on the commentary and to count the number of words, the pdf file needs to be extracted and converted into Word document using Adobe Pro DC. However, one of the theses is protected so extraction and conversion could not be performed.

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Acknowledgement

Table 4.4 is based on my publication in Innovations in Education and Teaching International published by Taylor & Francis:

Chong, S. W. ( 2021 ). Demystifying commentary guidelines of PhD by published work in the UK: Insights from genre analysis. Innovations in Education and Teaching International . Advanced online publication.

Since this chapter is a continuation of Chong ( 2021 ), the brief description of methodology in section “ Methodology ” would resemble that of (but not a direct copy of) Chong ( 2021 ).

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Chong, S.W. (2022). Retrospective PhD by Publication in the UK: A Rapid Review on Educational Research Commentaries. In: Chong, S.W., Johnson, N. (eds) Landscapes and Narratives of PhD by Publication. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04895-1_4

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Amazon Go is a new kind of corner store

Stop by to grab a freshly-brewed coffee, pick up breakfast or lunch, browse a selection of snacks, alcohol, and local baked goods, or return an Amazon package. Plus, with Just Walk Out shopping you can get in and out quickly without scanning any items or waiting in a checkout line.

How to enjoy Just Walk Out shopping

1. Enter at gate Use the Amazon app , a credit card, or Amazon One at select locations to open an entry gate and start shopping.

2. Shop Pick up and put back items as you please. You can use your own bag, or one of ours, as you shop.

3. Walk out When you’re finished, walk through an exit gate. You’ll only be charged for what you take.

For more information about entry or payment options see FAQs or a store employee.

Find a location near you

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How is shopping at Amazon Go different than other stores?

One of the ways Amazon Go is different is that it's powered by Amazon's Just Walk Out shopping. Just Walk Out shopping lets you skip a traditional checkout when you pay with your Amazon app (or through a payment method that's already tied to your account). Once inside the store, shop like normal. Anything you take off the shelf is automatically added to your virtual cart and anything you put back on the shelf is removed from your virtual cart. When you’re done shopping, simply leave the store and the technology will automatically charge you for only the items you take with you. The charges will go to the payment method saved to your Amazon.com account, or your credit card. Learn more about Just Walk Out shopping . 2. Do I have to use Just Walk Out shopping at Amazon Go?

No, although we do think it offers the best customer experience, you're welcome to use a traditional check out process. Just let a store employee know when you enter the store and they can open a gate for you. 3. What other payment options are available?

Payment methods may vary by individual store. Some of the payment methods you may find available at different stores include:

Amazon App To use this method open the Amazon app on your phone, and look for text reading “In-Store Code” beneath the app search bar (you may need to scroll over to find it). Once clicked, a QR code will appear on your phone. Check that the payment method displayed is the one you’d like to use, then head to the gate and place your phone screen, with the code, over the gate scanner to enter.

Credit Card To shop with a credit card, simply insert it into the credit card reader at the gate.

Amazon One Amazon One is a fast, contactless way to pay using your palm. If you’re already signed up, simply hold your palm over the gate scanner. If you would like to sign up, look for an Amazon One kiosk in the store lobby, or ask a store employee.

Alternate Methods If you’d like to pay with another method like cash or SNAP/EBT, a store employee will be able to assist you. 4. Do I have to be a Prime member to shop at Amazon Go?

No. Everyone is welcome to shop at Amazon Go, even if you’re not a Prime member or don't have an Amazon account. 5. How do I find my receipt?

If you shopped with your Amazon app, or a credit card saved to an Amazon account, you'll get a notification via email when your receipt is ready.

If you shopped with a credit card, you can look up your receipt at amazon.com/receipts . 6. Can I shop with my family and friends?

Yes. If you’d like to shop together, scan or swipe in once, then enter the gate together. Any items grabbed by you or someone you entered with will be charged to the payment source used to open the gate. 7. Can I make an Amazon return in Go stores?

You can return most new (opened or unopened) items sold and fulfilled by Amazon within 30 days of delivery. Learn more about how it works on our dedicated Amazon Go returns page. 8. How can I take advantage of a promotion in the store?

Most promotions will apply automatically at checkout, although some require adding the promotion to your Amazon Go In-Store Promo Wallet via a promo code or QR code. You can learn more about the promo wallet on the In-Store Promo Wallet page .

It's important to read the promotion's terms and conditions, which are provided alongside the marketing message you see (either by "clicking" an online campaign, or reading information on our posters in-store). If you're not sure what to do, ask a store employee for help. 9. Are there any Amazon team members who work in the store?

Yes. Our team of store employees is an important part of the experience at Amazon Go. You’ll see employees greeting shoppers at the door, restocking shelves, answering questions, helping with Amazon Online Returns, and making product recommendations. 10. How do I contact customer service?

Get started on our customer service page .

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• Sport and fitness

Dr Mark Elliott MEng, PhD, FIMA, FHEA

School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences Associate Professor of Human Movement Analytics

Contact details

Dr Elliott’s research is centred on data-driven and digital health focussed approaches to infer people’s health and behaviour, through the measure of human movement and physiology. He applies state-of-the-art methods to monitor, measure and model movement and physiology using data from wearable sensors, motion capture systems and smartphones. He has particular interests in using technologies to capture objective measures of physical function, detect early onset of osteoarthritis and analyse physical activity related behaviour.

Qualifications

MEng Electronic Systems Engineering (Aston University)

PhD Biomedical Engineering (Aston University)

Before completing his PhD, Mark qualified with an MEng in Electronic Systems Engineering (Aston University) and worked for 3 years as a Design Engineer in the telecommunications industry. He completed his PhD at Aston University, developing machine learning methods to discriminate between different walking patterns. He subsequently went on to complete two post-doctoral Research Fellow positions in the Sensory Motor Neuroscience (SyMoN) lab at the University of Birmingham, modelling the timing of human movement. He gained the post of Assistant Professor and subsequently, Associate Professor at the Institute of Digital Healthcare, WMG, University of Warwick in 2015, establishing his current research interests combining digital health and human movement analysis. He took up his current post in the School of Sport Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences in 2024.

Postgraduate supervision

Dr Elliott is interested in supervising Masters and PhD students in the following areas:

• Early detection of osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions using objective measures of movement, physiology and other variables.
• Modelling and predicting health outcomes using smartphone/wearable based measures of physical activity, sleep and other variables.
• Technologies to support self-management of physiotherapy (inc. virtual/augmented realities, smartphone apps)
• Integration and standardisation of large human movement datasets.
• Investigating the role of incentives for increasing physical activity using digital platforms.
• Applying analysis, modelling and machine learning methods to movement and physiology data to infer health and behaviour.
• Developing and applying technology to support and monitor self-management of musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions.
• Evaluation and validation of novel sensor technologies for quantifying movement related behaviour.
• Investigating the role of digital incentives platforms for increasing physical activity.
• Understanding the barriers to health technology adoption and health inequalities in MSK medicine.

Other activities

Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (FIMA)

Topic Driver for the AI 4 MSK Medicine Topic Group (TG-MSK), part of the WHO/ITU AI4Health Global Initiative.

Publications

Recent publications.

Clohessy, S , Arvanitis, TN , Rashid, U, Craddock, C, Evans, M, Toro, CT & Elliott, MT 2024, ' Using digital tools in clinical, health and social care research: a mixed-methods study of UK stakeholders ', BMJ open , vol. 14, no. 4, e076613. https://doi.org/ 10.1136/ bmjopen-2023-076613

Simpson, O , Elliott, M , Muller, C, Jones, T, Hentsch, P , Rooney, D , Cowell, N , Bloss, W & Bartington, S 2022, ' Evaluating actions to improve air quality at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust ', Sustainability , vol. 14, no. 18, 11128. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/ su141811128

Elliott, M , Chua, WL & Wing, A 2016, ' Modelling single-person and multi-person event-based synchronisation ', Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences , vol. 8, pp. 167-174. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/ j.cobeha.2016.01.015

View all publications in research portal