The requirements for the position are:
1. Obtained a first class Master in a relevant field, e.g. biomedical engineering or mathematical engineering
2. Good understanding of statistics and machine/deep learning algorithms.
3. Interest in Biomedical data science.
4. Excellent programming skills in Python
5. Proficient English, both oral and written.
6. Enthusiasm about research and medical applications of AI.
7. Aptitude to work independently, lead project deliverables and meet deadlines.
8. Good team spirit and participation to the lab’s scientific life.
9. Aptitude to collaborate with local and international project partners (including technical and clinical collaborators).
Lung Function Trajectory Analysis for Early Detection and Follow-up of Respiratory Diseases
Pulmonary function testing, including spirometry, body plethysmography and diffusion capacity, are key tools to diagnose and assess disease severity for patients suffering from a chronic respiratory disease. The diagnosis is based on cross-sectional pulmonary function testing. Yet, the applicability of serial lung function trends and longitudinal lung function trajectories to evaluate and understand disease progression are currently underutilized.
To adequately follow-up respiratory patients, information on the predicted longitudinal trajectory is needed, allowing to observe (positive or negative) deviations from this prediction.
This project aims to accurately model individualized lung function trajectory, enabling earlier identification of prognostic and treatable traits in an individual patient with respiratory disease. A better understanding of serial lung function measurements will ultimately improve prognosis and disease course.We are offering an exciting PhD position at the KU Leuven, within a collaboration between the Biomed lab (https://biomed-kuleuven.web.app/research) and the BREATHE lab (https://gbiomed.kuleuven.be/english/research/50000625/pne), to develop new trustworthy AI algorithms for longitudinal tracking of respiratory data. Particularly relevant is experience with spirometry data and/or with tools for modeling longitudinal changes over time.The project will be supervised by KU Leuven professor Maarten De Vos (Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT) & Department of Development and regeneration) and professor Wim Janssens (UZ Leuven, BREATHE research group, department of Chronic diseases and Metabolism, KU Leuven). The successful candidate will closely collaborate with other PhD candidates working on the same project and on related projects (involving individual treatment estimation and cardiopulmonary exercise testing). The research is embedded in a stimulating interdisciplinary environment with state-of-the-art analysis expertise and with ample opportunities for interaction with clinicians and AI experts. Who are we? The STADIUS-BIOMED research group at the Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT) of KU Leuven is one of the world-leading groups developing and validating AI approaches in Healthcare, with applications covering various clinical disciplines. The group is a friendly, close-knit collaborative team focused on delivering novel innovations into healthcare practice. We closely collaborate with medical colleagues in UZ Leuven and with various industry partners, and have prior expertise in deploying methodology in clinical applications.(https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=nl&user=xTjDXdQAAAAJ) URL: https://biomed-kuleuven.web.app/research The Laboratory for Respiratory Diseases and Thoracic Surgery -BREATHE- aims to unravel pathophysiological mechanisms in a broad range of respiratory and thoracic diseases. By providing new insights in key mechanisms, we develop and explore new preventive and therapeutic strategies for human lung and thorax diseases. The research activity of the laboratory is closely linked to different high-quality clinical care programs in respiratory medicine and thoracic surgery at the University Hospitals of Leuven, offering the unique potential of direct validation in large patient cohorts. By continuous interaction between clinical/ basic researchers and a broad international collaborative network, a unique environment is provided for frontline translational research in respiratory diseases. URL: https://gbiomed.kuleuven.be/english/research/50000625Concretely, we offer:
10. A PhD position
11. Research experience within a prestigious university (most innovative university in Europe).
12. Cutting-edge research in AI for healthcare in one of the most dynamic research groups in Europe.
13. An international research environment by joining a multi-cultural team representing all continents.
14. Opportunities to collaborate with international and inter-disciplinary collaborators as part of the European projects.
15. Travelling opportunities to scientific events, project meetings and international stays.
16. Freedom to independently conduct research and contribute with own ideas.
17. Flexible working hours, with possibility to telework.
18. Competitive salary