MSCA-DN PhD position: clinical utility LAFOV PET/CT

You will join PREFERENCE, an international Marie Skłodowska-Curie doctoral network dedicated to advancing large axial field of view (LAFOV) PET/CT imaging. PREFERENCE brings together 12 academic institutions and several industrial partners with extensive expertise in quantitative imaging, image analysis and imaging technology.

By conducting research in both academic and industrial settings, PhD candidates within PREFERENCE receive interdisciplinary training and develop a unique combination of scientific, technical and transferable skills. The consortium aims to develop new LAFOV PET/CT methodologies and apply them in clinical studies across different disease areas to generate novel biological insights.

As part of the network-wide training programme, you will collaborate with leading international experts and complete research visits at partner institutes across Europe. This project has received funding from the European Union under the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme.

Within this project, you will develop innovative image analysis methods to improve image quality and enable advanced quantitative analyses of ^89Zr-immunoPET data, including radiomics and artificial intelligence applications. By tracking ^89Zr-labelled cells over extended periods of up to one month, you will investigate immune cell homing and trafficking, generating new insights into disease mechanisms and the potential of cell-based therapies.

In this role, you will develop and validate innovative image analysis techniques for LAFOV PET/CT imaging. You will collaborate with leading researchers and contribute to clinical studies across multiple disease areas.

Your responsibilities include:

• developing quantitative image analysis methods to improve image quality in ^89Zr-immunoPET;
• applying advanced analysis techniques, including radiomics and artificial intelligence;
• studying the biodistribution and trafficking of ^89Zr-labelled cells;
• contributing to clinical LAFOV PET/CT studies within an international consortium;
• collaborating with academic and industrial partners across Europe.

You have a strong interest in medical imaging and quantitative analysis and enjoy working in an international, multidisciplinary environment.

In addition, you have:

• an MSc degree or equivalent in physics, biomedical engineering, computer science or a related field;
• excellent command of the English language; knowledge of Dutch is considered an advantage;
• strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate across disciplines;
• flexibility and willingness to travel internationally;
• an affinity with technical and computational methods.

The following qualifications are considered an advantage:

• experience with medical imaging data;
• technical programming or data analysis skills;
• the physical ability to work in a radiation-controlled area.

Note: Important strict eligibility criteria according to MARIE SKLODOWSKA CURIE programs:

1. You must not already hold a doctoral degree.
2. At the time of the application deadline, you must also have a  Master's degree and must not have resided or carried out your main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the Netherlands for more than 12 months in the three years prior to the contract start date.
3. You will participate in the network-wide training programme of PREFERENCE, including three to four research visits of one month each at partner institutes across Europe.