Vacancy: PhD candidate “Patient-related characteristics and outcome in bladder cancer”

This vacancy has been recommended by Radboudumc.

Job description:

We are looking for a PhD candidate who wants to join our epidemiology team and is keen to generate relevant insights into the relation between patient-related characteristics, including germline DNA, and outcome in bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer is in the top ten of most common cancers in the world; in the Netherlands, each year almost 7,000 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer. Our group aims to tackle unmet needs in the treatment of bladder cancer by use of epidemiological research. We are specialized in genetic epidemiological studies but also study non-germline patient-related factors and tumor characteristics and their relation with outcome and therapy response. We also aim to contribute to evaluation and optimization of (genetic) epidemiological analyses and to connect molecular and population-based research.

The PhD candidate will focus on analyses of patient-related factors, including germline DNA variation, for outcome and treatment response and toxicity in muscle-invasive and metastatic bladder cancer. The candidate will be embedded in an academic, multidisciplinary setting and will have access to already available datasets as well as contribute to extending relevant datasets via collaborations and (re-)use of national and international registries and biorepositories. The candidate will contribute to optimized (genetic) epidemiological analyses by investigating collider bias and by facilitating the link to molecular and mechanistic research.

Tasks and responsibilities:

Collection and curation of available bladder cancer datasets with clinical, questionnaire, and biomarker data, including genome-wide germline DNA data.
Collection and curation of additional molecular features for available bladder cancer datasets.
Literature review into patient- and tumor-related factors and outcome in bladder cancer.
Study of methodological challenges in prognostic research (e.g. collider bias) and optimization of related (genetic) epidemiological analyses.
Performing statistical analyses of patient-related factors, including germline DNA variation, in relation to bladder cancer outcome.

Reporting research findings in scientific papers and presentations at meetings.
Writing of PhD thesis.

Profile:

MSc degree with training in epidemiology.
Experience with various statistical techniques, including survival analyses, and software.
Team player, accurate, good communicator, flexibility with regard to collaborations and tasks.
High interest in sharing knowledge and skills via teaching activities within Radboudumc curricula.
Keen to think across multiple disciplines and connect molecular to epidemiological and clinical research.

Naturally, the PhD student will receive support and training throughout the PhD trajectory to allow for development of relevant knowledge, expertise and skills.

Department:

The Department for Health Evidence consists of 90 employees with expertise in biostatistics, health technology assessment, cancer epidemiology, and reproductive epidemiology, offering a multidisciplinary environment for methodological research in medicine. All specializations work in close collaboration with many clinical departments in the Radboudumc. At the department for Health Evidence we aim to improve healthcare and public health by developing, applying and teaching methods for prediction and evaluation research. The Department has three main tasks: research, education, and consultation. The focus of all three is on research methodology and data analysis, in the context of Radboudumc’s research themes. The Department for Health Evidence is currently in a transition phase to Science Department IQ Health, in which the Department for Health Evidence and IQ Healthcare will be merged. The Science Department will have six Research and Education groups, including an Epidemiology group. This group currently consists of 17 senior (post-PhD) epidemiologists.

Terms of employment:

Working at Radboud university medical center means that you are ahead of the curve and working together on the healthcare of the future. And there is more. Our secondary terms of employment are impressive. These are fully tailored to you thanks to our Employment Conditions Selection Model. At Radboud university medical center, you will be given trust, and you will take the responsibility to handle everything together. We provide annual courses, both professional and personal.

A gross monthly salary between € 2.789 and € 3.536 (scale 10A) based on full-time employment.
From 1 November 2023 the wages will increase by 4%.
An annual vacation allowance of 8% and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.
If you work irregular hours, you will receive an allowance.
As a full-time employee (36 hours per week), you are entitled to approximately 168 vacation hours (over 23 days) per year.
Radboud university medical center pays 70% of the pension premium. You pay the rest of the premium with your gross salary.
Discount on your supplementary health insurance. You can make use of two collective health insurance policies: UMC Health Insurance and CZ Collective. They offer many extras to stay vital and healthy, such as a prevention budget, workshops, and apps.

In addition to our terms of employment, we also offer employees various other attractive facilities, such as childcare and sports facilities. Want to learn more? Take a look at the Cao UMC.

Application procedure:

Will you make a difference for our patients? We would like to receive your application before 18 October 2023. We will then contact you shortly. The first interview round takes place on 25 and 26 October 2023. We would appreciate it if you would take this into account.

More information:

For more information about this vacancy, please contact: Dr. Sita Vermeulen, Associate Professor, Department for Health Evidence, Radboudumc, (+31) 6 42081614, Sita.Vermeulen@radboudumc.nl.

Link to the vacancy:

Vacancy – PhD candidate ‘Patient-related characteristics and outcome in bladder cancer’ – Radboudumc

DDate of placement: 10 oktober 2023