PhD position in evaluation methods for multi-disease tests

Healthcare is rapidly introducing so-called multi-disease tests: tests that use a single blood sample or medical image to detect multiple diseases at once. These technologies offer opportunities for earlier diagnosis, even before symptoms develop. At the same time, they can lead to false-positive results and unnecessary follow-up care.

While established methods exist to evaluate single-disease tests, suitable evaluation frameworks for multi-disease tests are still lacking. In the MERIT project, you contribute to the development of new quantitative methods to assess the clinical value, risks and utility of these tests. Your work helps policymakers and healthcare professionals make evidence-based decisions about implementing new diagnostic technologies.

As a PhD candidate, you join the Biomarker and Test Evaluation (BiTE) group within the department of Epidemiology and Data Science at Amsterdam UMC. You collaborate closely with researchers from the University of Twente and Radboudumc. The project focuses on developing methodological frameworks for evaluating multi-disease tests, using liquid biopsies as a practical case study.

Would you like to know more about the different phases within the PhD trajectory? You can read more about this on this page.

As a PhD candidate, you are responsible for the scientific execution of the project and collaborate closely with project partners and the advisory board.

Your work includes:

• conducting a gap analysis of current methodologies together with a collaborating PhD candidate in Enschede;
• performing a systematic review on the diagnostic accuracy of liquid biopsies;
• developing novel quantitative methods to evaluate the clinical performance and utility of multi-disease tests;
• designing in silico trials to study the impact and clinical utility of these tests;
• publishing scientific articles and presenting findings at national and international conferences.

You are an enthusiastic and analytical researcher who enjoys working at the intersection of epidemiology, methodology and healthcare innovation.

You also have:

• a completed or nearly completed master’s degree in Medicine, Epidemiology, Biomedical Sciences, Health Sciences, Biomedical Engineering or a related field;
• affinity with statistical modelling and programming, preferably in R;
• experience with systematic reviews or other evidence-based medicine methodologies;
• strong collaboration and communication skills, and enjoyment of interdisciplinary teamwork;
• an excellent command of spoken and written English. Knowledge of Dutch is an advantage but not required.