PhD Position: Optimising IVF Outcome with a Computational Personalised Medicine Approach in Zürich

100%, Basel, fixed-term

This is an interdisciplinary PhD position that will be jointly supervised by Prof Iber (ETH) and Prof De Geyter (University Hospital Basel), and which is funded by a grant from the Personalised Health and Related Technologies (PHRT) program.

The goal of the project is the development of computational personalized medicine approaches to improve the success rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Given our detailed understanding of ovarian follicle maturation, personalized medicine approaches can go beyond statistical correlation and can be based on a mechanistic understanding of the hormonal control of ovarian follicle maturation.

The PhD student will develop software for clinical use that will provide better image analysis tools for clinicians, as well as data- and model-driven guidance regarding the best IVF treatment schedule. The mathematical models will be based on available and newly generated patient data, and their predictive value will be carefully tested in clinical settings.

We are looking for a PhD student with a strong technical background in scientific computing or related fields. The position will suit someone with a keen interest in software engineering, cutting-edge image processing algorithms, statistical learning methods, and partial differential equation (PDE)-based models. Previous experience with image processing and FEM is a plus, but not required. A background in biomedicine is not required, but a willingness to learn is expected.

The PhD student must be self-motivated and enthusiastic to contribute to the establishment of a strong personalized medicine/personalized health research community in Switzerland, for the eventual benefit of patients and citizens.

The preferred starting date is October 2021; the exact starting date can be negotiated. The are internationally highly competitive.

ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specialising in science and technology. We are renowned for our excellent education, cutting-edge fundamental research and direct transfer of new knowledge into society. Over 30,000 people from more than 120 countries find our university to be a place that promotes independent thinking and an environment that inspires excellence. Located in the heart of Europe, yet forging connections all over the world, we work together to develop solutions for the global challenges of today and tomorrow.