Radiotherapy is an important treatment modality for lung cancer patients, yet they are often faced with toxicities due to radiation damage. These toxicities do not only have a big impact on the quality-of-life of these patients, but can also have a negative impact on their prognosis. This project aims to improve the prediction of treatment related toxicities and tumour response in order to prevent toxicity and (related) fatalities by improved treatment selection (e.g. proton vs photon therapy).

Deep learning techniques have the capacity to select relevant features directly from 3D data itself, which allows for incorporating the three-dimensional radiation damage in and around multiple organs. Current models can only deal with single values to represent the radiation dose to an organ, thus large improvement can be expected with AI. Large cohort sizes with complete data are needed to train DL prediction models: UMCG has an unique dataset of 874 lung cancer patients with complete outcome, toxicity imaging and radiation dose information available for this project.

The PhD candidate for this position will develop their own convolutional neural network (CNN) to predict pneumonitis and survival based on available 3D dose distributions, multi-organ segmentations and imaging.

- Candidates with a master’s degree in physics, mathematics, computer science, technical medicine or related field.
- Experience with deep learning programming, preferably with imaging as input (please state you experience with DL and imaging processing in your application letter).
- Technical proficiency in Python and/or Matlab.
- Excellent communication skills in English.
- Flexible and collaborative attitude.
- Available to start the PhD project this year (aimed start date May-July 2023; total 4 years).

The UMCG has a preventive Hepatitis B policy. The UMCG can provide you with the vaccination, should it be required for your position.
In case of specific professions a ‘Certificate of Good Conduct’ is required.

A fulltime PhD position (36 hours a week). First appointment for one year. If candidate is proven suitable, the appointment will be extended for another 3 years.
Your salary will be a minimum of € 2.789,- gross per month in the first year and a maximum of € 3.536,- gross per month (scale PhD) in the final (4th) year, based on a full-time appointment. In addition, the UMCG will offer you 8% holiday pay, and 8.3% end-of-year bonus. The conditions of employment comply with the Collective Labour Agreement for Medical Centres (CAO-UMC). Minimum of 23 holidays per year in case of fulltime employment.

For questions about the position
Any questions? Do contact us.

- Sanne van Dijk, PhD, e-mail address: l.v.van.dijk@umcg.nl
- Robin Wijsman, medical oncologist, e-mail address: r.wijsman@umcg.nl
- Peter van Ooijen, associate professor Medical Imaging Informatics, e-mail address: p.m.a.van.ooijen@umcg.nl

Radiotherapie

The PhD student will be part of a dynamic, multidisciplinary research team from UMCG including an active group of PhD students, physicians, medical physicists, and other researchers. PhD students are registered within the Graduate School of Medical Sciences in Groningen, and graduate with a PhD degree from the University of Groningen, Faculty of Medicine.

The Department of Radiation Oncology in the UMCG is the first in the Netherlands with an integrated state of the art photon-proton clinic. Currently, radiotherapy is provided for over 4,500 patients annually. The department has the largest prospective follow-up program of systematically collected clinical, toxicity and tumour data of cancer patients in the world. The department is actively involved in patient care, research, education, and training.

The University Medical Centre Groningen, located in the centre of Groningen, is one of the Netherlands’ seven university medical centres and the largest employer in the Northern Netherlands. It has an ambitious, dynamic, international environment with state-of-the-art facilities. More than 13,000 employees provide patient care, are involved in medical education, and perform cutting-edge scientific research, focused on healthy ageing. Data science and large-scale studies are important focal points in Groningen.