Joint PhD position: Predictive models for early childhood obesity

The Department of Development and Regeneration is the home of academics that focus on stem cell and developmental biology, human reproduction, pre-and postnatal development and growth, and the wide scope of developmental and regenerative medicine. We aim to INTEGRATE multi-disciplinary basic, translational and biomedical research and become an effective platform for conducting premier bench to bed and bed to bench research; to BUILD inter- and transdisciplinary research collaborations within and outside of the department aiming for breakthrough science ; to DEVELOP tertiary and investigational health care, to provide patients with innovative therapies including cell-based therapies and tissue engineered solutions; to PROMOTE patient-centered and patient-driven innovative health care within a broad and topical socio-economic context; to TRAIN scientists in developmental and regenerative medicine and offer top education to prepare the next generation of researchers and clinicians for their role in society and the scientific community. The research at the cluster of Woman & Child deals with both basic, translational and clinical science in women’s, fetus’ and children’s health. REALIFE (REproduction And LIFEstyle for healthier families) is an interdisciplinary research group aiming to enhance the health of future generations and reduce the intergenerational burden of maternal obesity. We develop strategies to effectively improve perinatal lifestyle and wellbeing in mothers, fathers and children.The overall goal of REALIFE is to contribute to a better understanding of the impact of physical and psychosocial health before, during, between and after pregnancies on reproductive outcomes, and to develop approaches that could lead to the early prevention of chronic diseases, both mental and physical, in families. We have the ambition to implement our research into real life, taking into account the specific context of expecting families and in collaboration with non-academic stakeholders. Our research methodology includes randomized controlled lifestyle interventions, longitudinal follow-up studies in women of reproductive age and their families, as well as epidemiological studies. We also use a qualitative approach for a more in depth analysis of the women and families, as well as the healthcare providers’ and policymakers’ perspective.

Prof. dr. Annick Bogaerts is associated Professor of Midwifery Sciences and PI of the REALIFE research group. Both her teaching and research focus on perinatal epidemiology related to maternal and childhood obesity, developing & testing app supported lifestyle interventions in randomized controlled trials including longitudinal follow-up studies.
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Project

This vacancy relates to the larger Healthy Adaptation to Pregnancy, Postpartum and Parenthood (HAP 3) project (see www.hap3.eu), an EU funded Marie Curie Joint doctoral network project designed to train ‘PERINATAL CARE INNOVATORS’ who will support couples during the transition from pregnancy, to postpartum and early parenthood. Our international consortium of 5 leading universities and 11 associated partners (including 7 non-academic partners) provides the PhD candidates with a unique opportunity to engage with a diverse academic and professional community, benefit from the expertise and resources of different institutions, and contribute to cutting-edge research in the fields of obesity and mental health during critical reproductive periods. HAP3 provides high-level transdisciplinary training to 11 high achieving and committed doctoral candidates (DCs). Each candidate will work towards a Joint Doctorate from two European Universities. 

This doctoral candidate (DC1) will focus on (1) examining risk and predictive factors of childhood obesity based on existing multi-country register and cohort data, and (2) validating prediction models. The project will mainly rely on data from registers and large established cohorts. This project will lead to a collaborative joint doctorate from KU Leuven (Belgium), where the main supervisory team is based, and with Aarhus University in Denmark as the second university. 

The project will result in (1) a list of key health indicators related to prevention of obesity to offer to Health Information Services in Europe, (2) a validated prediction model for early childhood obesity, (3) 4 scientific papers on 1. prediction of early childhood obesity, 2. impact of interpregnancy maternal weight change on maternal and child outcomes, 3. associations between modifiable risk factors and obesity in women and offspring during early childhood, 4. validation results from cohorts in different countries. In collaboration with 2 other doctoral candidates, a list of significant modifiable riska dn protective factors will be presented. 

Key responsibilities of the PhD candidate are:

• To harmonize and analyze register and longitudinal data to identify modifiable risk factors for childhood obesity;
• To conduct cross- national comparisons (Belgium- Denmark) of modifiable factors for the prevention of childhood obesity;
• To use a combination of traditional prediction models and machine learning approaches for the prediction of childhood obesity;
• Collaborate with DC2 and DC3 to integrate/merge data from multiple registers and cohorts;
• Complete a successful PhD thesis within the project;
• Attend the training workshops, seminars and conferences organized within the HAP3 network;
• Publish in high-impact journals and present findings at conferences.

Internships are foreseen at Sciensano (Belgium) and at Ministery for Health, government Malta to gain experience in health monitoring and translation of research findings.

Profile

We welcome applications from individuals of any nationality and background, provided they meet the following requirements:

• Applicants must possess a MSc or an equivalent degree in a relevant field such as medicine, midwifery, nursing, psychology, public health, epidemiology, social sciences or a related discipline; or you will obtain this degree before September 30, 2024;
• Applicants must not hold a PhD degree or have successfully defended a PhD.
• Applicants must not have lived or conducted their main activities (work, studies, etc.) in Belgium for more than 12 months within the three years immediately preceding the recruitment date. Exceptions include compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and periods spent in the process of obtaining refugee status.
• Applicants must be eligible for enrollment in the PhD program at (KU Leuven) and (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam).
• Applicants must demonstrate a high level of proficiency in both written and spoken English (proof of B2 level or equivalent)
• Applicants must have a strong background in statistical/epidemiolgical analysis (experience with longitudinal data is a plus) and demonstrated proficiency in using statistical software (e.g., SPSS, R);
• Applicants must have good analytical, writing, and presenting skills;
• Applicants must be eager to learn new things, highly conscientious, flexible, and possess a collaborative attitude.
• Willingness to learn Dutch is desirable.

Offer

The appointment will initially be for 1 year. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract will be extended for an additional 3 years (4 years in total). Preferably, the appointment will start on March 1, 2025. Selected candidates will be offered a competitive salary aligned with the MSCA-JD regulations for Doctoral Researchers. The exact net salary will be determined at the time of appointment, taking into account local tax laws, employer costs, social security contributions and whether or not the candidate is eligible for a family allowance. The salary package always includes a living allowance and a mobility allowance. 

Candidates are required to submit their application to the project’s central mail address: info@hap3.eu

Interested?

For more information please contact Mrs. Alice Cavolo, tel.: +32 16 32 36 88, mail: alice.cavolo@kuleuven.be or Prof. dr. Annick Bogaerts, tel.: +32 16 19 31 27, mail: annick.bogaerts@kuleuven.be.

HOW TO APPLY ?

Applicants are required to SEND all of the the following documents TO THE PROJECT'S CENTRAL MAIL ADDRESS: info@hap3.eu

In the subject of their email message and in their motivation letter, applicants should clearly refer to the "DC1 project on predictive models for childhood obesity".

Applicants should provide:

* A photocopy of their ID card, or passport. You can use the kopieid app to prepare the ID copy safely;

* A copy of their academic qualifications, if not awarded in English, a certified translation is required;

* An academic CV;

* A motivation letter;

* A transcript detailing the grades obtained during their Master’s degree;

* The names and email addresses of two academic referees.

The deadline for applications is: 30 September of 2024.

SELECTION PROCESS

The initial phase involves reviewing eligibility and evaluating each candidate’s qualifications, which does not require their presence. Eligible 

candidates will be ranked based on the merit and required skills. Candidates who pass this evaluation will be invited to an online interview. 

Shortlisted candidates based on first interview will be contacted for final online interview on November 21st or 22nd of 2024.

!!!! Please do NOT apply for this vacancy as mentioned below through the central online application tool from KU Leuven as this vacancy is part of a MSCA-JD network. Please apply via info@hap3.eu.

!!!! You can apply for multiple DCs (see www.hap3.eu ). Please clearly indicate 1) what DC or DCs you are applying for and 2) rank them in order of preference.

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KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.