Doctoral student in Medical Science - Machine learning for epilepsy treatment

Diary id: PAR 2020/436

Employment level: Fixed term

Location: Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology

Apply by: 2020-05-12

 

The Department of Clinical Neuroscience is located in the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology at the Faculty of Health Care Sciences at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. The department conducts research in neurology, neurosurgery, clinical neurophysiology, ophthalmology, rehabilitation medicine and experimental neuroscience in close collaboration with the Sahlgrenska University Hospital. The department is responsible for courses in the educational programs for prospective physicians, biomedical analysts, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech therapists. We also carry out commissioned educational programs in collaboration with the Department of Neurology at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital. There are around twenty research groups at the department.
Project title: Machine learning for personalized epilepsy treatment

Job assignments

The PhD education in Medical Science comprises carrying out a scientific project and completing at least 30 credits of courses at third-cycle level. The doctoral student must also write a scientific compilation thesis or monograph corresponding to at least 120 credits. For more information about third-cycle studies at Sahlgrenska Academy, see https://medarbetarportalen.gu.se/sahlgrenskaakademin/forskarutbildning/languageId=100001
Project: Approximately 0.5% of the population has epilepsy. Out of all persons with epilepsy, two-thirds become seizure-free with medication. Half of all persons with epilepsy become seizure-free with the first tried antiepileptic drug, a minority of the remainder with the second or third drug. Antiepileptic drugs are today tried mainly on basis of predicted side effect sensitivity, but there is no way of knowing beforehand which patient will respond to which antiepileptic drug.

The aim of the project is to use data from national registers to enable individualized drug selection of antiepileptic drugs. By studying use and retention of antiepileptic drugs in very large patient materials in relation to co-morbidity, age, sex and other factors we will create a tool for prediction of which antiepileptic drug a patient is most likely to continue using. In step one, we will describe use in existing patient cohorts, in step two we will use machine-learning to predict retention rates of different drugs and in step three we will create a self-learning tool capable of incorporating new information. In addition, the project will asses demands on a drug selection tool from practitioners.

The project is a collaboration between reserachers at Sahlgrenska university hospital, Sahlgrenska academy and Chalmers. We have access to big datasets on epilepsy from an epidemiological research program and Chalmers will contribute with technical expertise. The project is based at the research group for acquired epilepsy, led by Johan Zelano, neurologist at Sahlgrenska university hospital. The group belongs to the Institute of neuroscience and physiology at Sahlgrenska academy and Wallenberg Center for Molecular and Translational medicine and has a number of national and international collaborations.
Third-cycle studies are equivalent to four year full-time and lead to a Degree of Doctor. Those appointed to doctoral studentships shall primarily devote themselves to their studies. Those appointed to doctoral studentships may, however, work to a limited extent with educational tasks, research and administration (departmental duties). Before a PhD degree has been awarded, duties of this kind may not comprise more than 20 per cent of a full-time post.

Eligibility

To be eligible for third-cycle studies, the applicant must meet both the general and specific entry requirements.
A person meets the general entry requirements for third-cycle studies if he or she:
1. has been awarded a second-cycle qualification
2. has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second-cycle, or
3. has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad
A person meets the specific entry requirements for third-cycle studies in Medical Science if he or she: has successfully completed the English B/6 course or is considered to have acquired equivalent knowledge through previous studies

Assessment

In selecting between applicants who meet the general and specific entry requirements, their ability to benefit from third-cycle studies shall be taken into account. The assessment shall attach particular importance to documented qualifications for:
- specific knowledge and skills within the subject area and related research fields
- experience of scientific theory and relevant research methodology
- scientific analysis and presentation verified through thesis, degree project, scientific journals or the like.
Documented experience or knowledge on neurology, epilepsy, register-based research, programming, and previous work involving big data sets is a merit. Much emphasis will be put on social skills and capacity for independent work.

Employment

After admission to third-cycle studies you will be appointed to doctoral studentship. Regulations for employment of doctoral students are given in SFS 1993:100. The initial appointment may apply for no longer than one year. An appointment may be renewed for no more than two years at a time. A person may be appointed to a doctoral studentship for a total of eight years. The total employment period may, however, not exceed the time corresponding to full-time third-cycle study for four years.
Location: Sahlgrenska Academy, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience. Extent: 100%. First day of employment: as agreed.
Salaries for doctoral students are regulated in a local agreement at the University.

For further information regarding the position

For more information about the project please contact the principal supervisor,
Johan Zelano, Associate Professor, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, e-mail: johan.zelano@neuro.gu.se
https://www.gu.se/english/about_the_university/job-opportunities/vacancies-details/?id=5833