PhD position in Digital Precision Dosing of Monoclonal Antibodies in Cancer Treatment

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Temporary PhD position

The Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Science, is offering a full-time PhD-position for a duration of three (3) years.

The position is part of the project DikomAb – Digital Precision Dosing of Monoclonal Antibodies in Cancer Treatment, funded by Haukeland University Hospital and the University of Bergen.

About the project/work tasks:

DikomAb will develop and validate methods for individualised dosing of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies in cancer treatment. The project combines measurements of drug concentrations with clinical data and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modelling (PKPD).

Information on treatment effect, adverse effects and treatment burden will be extracted from Norwegian-language patient records, checked for accuracy and linked to drug concentrations. The project will also investigate how digital methods and artificial intelligence can support this work and make model results understandable to clinicians.

The PhD candidate will join an interdisciplinary research environment with expertise in pharmacy, clinical pharmacology, cancer treatment, analytical chemistry, modelling and digital methods. The project involves collaboration between the University of Bergen, hospitals in the Western Norway Regional Health Authority (Helse Vest) and other partners.

Work tasks will include:

• reading and interpreting Norwegian-language patient records in DIPS at Helse Bergen, identifying clinical information, and assessing medical terminology, abbreviations and linguistic nuances
• using Clinical Regex to annotate patient records and verifying annotations and output from large language models (LLMs) against the original text
• structuring and quality-assuring clinical data, including data extracted using digital methods
• processing and analysing drug concentrations and other relevant patient data
• developing and evaluating PKPD models and simulating dosing strategies
• interpreting relationships between drug exposure and clinical outcomes
• collaborating closely with clinicians, pharmacists and other researchers, and communicating results in scientific publications and at conferences

Qualifications and personal qualities:

Applicants must:

• have completed a master’s degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant discipline. A master’s degree in pharmacy will be considered an advantage; applicants with a master’s degree in other relevant disciplines (e.g. molecular biology or medical technology) will also be considered
• have proficiency in Norwegian at a minimum of level C1 under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), both written and spoken, by the application deadline. This requirement is necessary in order to interpret Norwegian-language patient records and quality-assure annotations and extracted data
• if their first language is not Norwegian, document their Norwegian language proficiency by the application deadline by having passed both subtests of Norskprøven C1 – høyere akademisk nivå (Norwegian Language Test C1 – Higher Academic Level). Norwegian language proficiency will also be assessed during the interview
• have good written and spoken English; see the documentation requirements
• be able to work independently and in a structured manner, and have good collaboration skills

The following will be considered an advantage:

• knowledge of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics or other relevant pharmacological principles
• experience in quantitative analysis of biological or pharmacological data, such as concentration-response relationships, kinetic analyses, statistical analyses or model fitting
• experience with analytical methods, laboratory work or the interpretation of quantitative measurements
• experience in research, programming, statistical analysis or modelling, for example using R, NONMEM or similar tools
• experience with clinical data, electronic patient records, health informatics or digital methods

Motivation for DikomAb and for undertaking doctoral research will be given substantial weight in the assessment of qualified applicants. We will particularly consider scientific curiosity, the ability to learn new methods, initiative, sustained effort over time and willingness to participate actively in an interdisciplinary research environment. This is a full-time position, and the doctoral project is expected to be the candidate’s primary work commitment throughout the appointment.

The applicant’s personal suitability for the position is a significant factor in the evaluation.

Applicants whose educational qualifications are from countries other than Norway must provide a certified translation of the diploma and transcript of grades to English or a Scandinavian language, if the original documents are not in any of these languages. It is also required that the applicant submit a review from the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir) to verify whether the education in question (bachelor and master's degree) is of a scope and level that corresponds to the level of a Norwegian master’s degree. Please see https://hkdir.no/en/ for more information about HK-dir’s general recognition. The review process by HK-dir may take some time. Therefore, please submit your application to HK-dir as soon as you decide to apply for the position. If you do not receive a response within the application deadline, you must include documentation from HK-dir confirming receipt of your application. Please note that the automatic recognition offered by HK-dir insufficient and will not be accepted as basis for admission to the PhD programme. Applicants with education from a Nordic country or those with a medical degree from the EEA area and a license to practice medicine in Norway are exempt from the requirement for HK-dir assessment. For more information please refer to the Admission requirements at the Faculty of Medicine | Faculty of Medicine | UiB

Additionally, please review the documentation requirements for language qualifications: http://www.uib.no/en/med/115526/english-language-requirements-phd-admission

About the PhD position (applies to university PhD positions):

Organized research training (PhD program):

The selected candidate will be required to enrol in the University of Bergen’s approved PhD programme, aiming to complete the degree within three years. Admission to the organized research training (PhD program) at the Faculty is essential for this position.

Application for admission to the PhD programme, including a project plan outline for the training plan, must be submitted no later than three months after the date of commencement.

The PhD-position:

PhD-positions are fixed-term appointments. Candidates cannot be employed in a PhD position for more than one fixed-term period at the same institution, nor have held a similar position at any institution within the region.

We can offer:

• Exciting development opportunities as part of your role in a strong professional environment
• Salary NOK 600 000 (code 1017) in the state salary scale. For applicants with at least one year of employment in a position as a General Practitioner or Dentist, salary NOK 615 000 (For applicants who are licensed as medical doctors or dentists, documentation of Norwegian authorization must be submitted with the application.). Medical specialist starts on salary NOK 635 000 (For applicants with specialist training, a certificate of specialist approval from the Norwegian Directorate of Health must also be included.)
• Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Good welfare benefits

Your application must include:

• A brief account of the applicant's research interests and motivation for applying for the position
• The names and contact information for two reference persons. One of these must be the main advisor for the master's thesis or equivalent thesis
• CV
• Transcripts and diplomas showing completion of the bachelor's and master's degrees, or official confirmation that the master's thesis has been submitted
• Relevant certificates/references
• A list of any works of a scientific nature (publication list)
• Any publications in your name
• The application and appendices with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded at Jobbnorge

Life as a PhD candidate at UiB

Marion Claireaux tells about life and work as a PhD candidate at UiB.