PhD Student Personalized Breast Cancer Screening
Specifications
| Location | Nijmegen, The Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Function types | PhD positions |
| Scientific fields | Natural Sciences, Health, epidemiology, biomedical sciences, health sciences |
| Hours | 36.0 hours per week |
| Education | University Graduate |
| Translations | en |
| About employer | Radboud University Medical Centre (Radboudumc) |
| Short link | www.academictransfer.com/21484 |
Job description
Project: Breast cancer screening – from one-size-fits-all to a personalized risk-based approach
In virtually all population-based breast cancer screening programmes, the only risk factor – even though the strongest – used to define the target population is age. This ‘one-size-fits-all’ screening approach does not take advantage of the growing ability to predict individual variation in screening benefits and harms and to translate that information into better screening outcomes. In our project, we will model the impact of adapting breast cancer screening policy to a woman’s individual risk by collecting all relevant data on risk factors and obtaining a blood sample from the participants. In addition, we will make an inventory on communication, medico-legal and ethical considerations related to personalized risk-based screening and present a synthesis at an interdisciplinary expert meeting, along with results of the project, in order to discuss implications and recommendations for current vs. personalized risk-based screening policies. This project thus represents an essential first step towards the future, where more individualized approaches to screening are likely to become the new screening paradigm.
The PhD student on this project will collect information on risk factors and biomarkers in a screening cohort, develop a tailor-made risk prediction model and, subsequently, model the impact of adapting breast cancer screening policy to populations at varying levels of risk. In addition, the PhD student will be involved in the assessment of communication, medico-legal and ethical considerations related to personalized risk-based screening. The results will be reported in scientific publications (resulting in a PhD thesis) and presented at (inter)national conferences.
Research setting:
The PRISMA study (Personalized RISk-based Mammascreening) is part of the research group on Cancer Epidemiology at the Department for Health Evidence. The PRISMA study will be performed in collaboration with a consortium of (inter)national partners.
In virtually all population-based breast cancer screening programmes, the only risk factor – even though the strongest – used to define the target population is age. This ‘one-size-fits-all’ screening approach does not take advantage of the growing ability to predict individual variation in screening benefits and harms and to translate that information into better screening outcomes. In our project, we will model the impact of adapting breast cancer screening policy to a woman’s individual risk by collecting all relevant data on risk factors and obtaining a blood sample from the participants. In addition, we will make an inventory on communication, medico-legal and ethical considerations related to personalized risk-based screening and present a synthesis at an interdisciplinary expert meeting, along with results of the project, in order to discuss implications and recommendations for current vs. personalized risk-based screening policies. This project thus represents an essential first step towards the future, where more individualized approaches to screening are likely to become the new screening paradigm.
The PhD student on this project will collect information on risk factors and biomarkers in a screening cohort, develop a tailor-made risk prediction model and, subsequently, model the impact of adapting breast cancer screening policy to populations at varying levels of risk. In addition, the PhD student will be involved in the assessment of communication, medico-legal and ethical considerations related to personalized risk-based screening. The results will be reported in scientific publications (resulting in a PhD thesis) and presented at (inter)national conferences.
Research setting:
The PRISMA study (Personalized RISk-based Mammascreening) is part of the research group on Cancer Epidemiology at the Department for Health Evidence. The PRISMA study will be performed in collaboration with a consortium of (inter)national partners.
Requirements
- A Master’s degree in epidemiology, biomedical sciences or health sciences
- A keen interest in and experience with modelling
- A curious, enterprising and creative mind and excellent analytical skills
- Strong problem-solving skills and a capacity to produce results
- Excellent English proficiency in oral and written communication
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
Conditions of employment
- Scale 10A: max € 38600 gross per year at full employment (incl. vacation bonus and end of year payments)
More info here: https://www.academictransfer.com/employer/UMCR/vacancy/21484/lang/en/
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