Uterine cancer is the most common gynecological cancer in the Western world, with over 100,000 new patients annually in Europe alone. Fortunately, the majority of these patients can be cured through surgical removal of the uterus. However, a significant challenge in treatment is the difficulty in predicting which patients would benefit from additional treatments such as radio-, chemo and/or immunotherapy.

A promising new avenue in cancer research involves the use of artificial intelligence for enhanced diagnostics. Recent work, by our team, showed the first demonstration that AI can support and even enhance current diagnostics and risk assessment in endometrial carcinomas. These initial finding warrant follow-up, refinement and extensions into new questions.

We have the unique opportunity to utilize the world's largest tumor tissue bank, comprising endometrial tumors from participants in the PORTEC studies. In this project you may also work on another uterine malignancy called uterine leiomyosarcoma, for which the team has secured a large dataset. The LUMC is equipped with the necessary computers, servers, and storage space to realize the plans of this project.

As a PhD candidate, you will be the linchpin of the AIRMEC project team, receiving support from a software engineer specifically hired for this project. You will develop AI models based on microscopic images to predict molecular changes present in the tumor, anticipate the tumor's response to treatment, and forecast the patient's prognosis.

AIRMEC goes beyond this. You will also assess based on which image properties your developed AI models make predictions. These potentially unknown but significant tumor properties will be further molecularly investigated, contributing to a better understanding of uterine cancer.

The AIRMEC team comprises global experts in the diagnosis and treatment of uterine cancer, providing support for the correct clinical interpretation and eventual implementation of the developed models.

·         A master's degree in (technical) medicine, mathematics, artificial intelligence, computer science, data science, or a related field.

·         Experience in programming and affinity with machine learning and AI-driven computer models.

·         Experience or affinity with oncology, gynecology, pathology, or molecular biology is an advantage.

·         Ability to comprehend clinical issues.

·         Enthusiasm and dedication.

·         Good communication skills.

·         Proactive and inventive mindset.

·         Willingness to contribute to improvements in the diagnostics and treatment of uterine cancer patients over the next four years

Fixed-term contract: duration project.

You will be given an employment contract for the production of a PhD thesis for the duration of the program with a maximum of four years. The salary amounts to € 2,901 gross per month in the first year, up to a maximum of € 3,677 in the last year with fulltime employment (scale Pro, CLA UMC).

LUMC

At the Leiden University Medical Center, we continuously work on improving patient care. We invest in groundbreaking, international research and work with the latest equipment. Together with our team of doctors, medical specialists, teachers, academic researchers and supporting staff, we aim for the best quality in health care, education and international research. And we need you to realize our goals!

Pathology

Your primary workplace will be at the Pathology department of the LUMC, where you will be part of the research group on gynecological tumors. This group consists of one postdoc, four to six PhD candidates, two analysts, and several student interns. In this project, close collaboration will be established with laboratories and international partners in the United States and Switzerland. A potential internship period with one of our partners is also a possibility.