PhD Position in AI-Driven Precision Medicine for Gestational Diabetes

This PhD position focuses on the PRISCILA project, an ERC Starting Grant-funded initiative led by Prof. Katrien Benhalima at KU Leuven. The project aims to revolutionize gestational diabetes (GDM) management by leveraging artificial intelligence to integrate clinical, biochemical, and continuous glucose monitoring data alongside novel biomarkers and polygenic risk scores. The successful candidate will contribute to a large prospective cohort study involving 1,000 GDM patients, assisting with clinical visits, data collection, and database management across multiple Belgian hospitals. Additionally, the role includes secondary analyses of completed studies to deepen understanding of GDM subtypes and long-term metabolic risks. The position offers a unique opportunity to bridge clinical research with AI-driven precision medicine, contributing to evidence-based guidelines for GDM management.

• Assist in the design and execution of a large prospective cohort study involving 1,000 GDM patients across multiple Belgian hospitals.
• Collect clinical and biochemical data, including continuous glucose monitoring, fetal ultrasound scans, and validated indices of insulin sensitivity and β-cell function.
• Manage the project database and coordinate data collection efforts with participating hospitals.
• Perform secondary analyses on completed studies, such as the BEDIP cohort and CORDELIA trial, to evaluate long-term metabolic risks and AI-driven risk algorithms.
• Assist with clinical examinations, administration of questionnaires, and blood sample collection during study visits.
• Integrate clinical, biochemical, and AI-derived data to develop novel risk stratification models for GDM.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, data scientists, and researchers to ensure data quality and clinical relevance.
• Contribute to the development of evidence-based guidelines for GDM management based on project findings.