The Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, in collaboration with the University of Bergen, Norway, and the University of Ulm, Germany, is offering a fully funded PhD Research Fellow position in AI-based virtual twins for monitoring, disease classification, and decision support in clinical practice as part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network (ENDOTRAIN DC13). This prestigious opportunity is embedded within a pan-European initiative to advance digital endocrinology, integrating artificial intelligence, sensor technology, omics, and clinical medicine to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of adrenal diseases.

The successful candidate will join the Department of Computer Science at Sapienza University of Rome and be enrolled in its structured PhD programme in Computer Science. The research will focus on developing novel AI-based methods and software to assist physicians in disease classification, treatment decision support, and what-if analyses, with a special emphasis on adrenal disorders. The project is part of Work Package 3 (Trustworthy Data and Models) of the EU Horizon ENDOTRAIN network, aiming to create hybrid data-driven and model-based AI approaches for analyzing clinical time series data from sensors, enriched by human patho-physiology models.

Key research activities include phenotype classification, estimation of disease probability, anomaly detection, and early diagnosis. The candidate will learn and apply a wide range of methods at the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning, numerical simulation, and formal verification. Techniques such as AI-guided simulation of mathematical models, black-box optimization, synthesis of virtual twins, synthetic data generation, statistical model checking, and machine learning-based classification and regression will be central to the project. The candidate will also design and develop new software and prototype models for clinical applications.

Secondments are planned at the University of Bergen (Computational Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, under Prof. Susanna Röblitz) and the University of Ulm (Institute of Biomedical Engineering, under Prof. Walter Karlen), providing exposure to pathophysiological model analysis and clinical data acquisition interface development.

Applicants must hold a master’s degree (or equivalent) in computer science or a related field, possess strong programming and software development skills, and demonstrate proficiency in both symbolic AI and machine learning. Fluency in English is required, and candidates should be highly motivated with a keen interest in interdisciplinary research. Eligibility rules include mobility requirements (not having resided in Italy for more than 12 months in the past 36 months), no prior doctoral degree, and documentation of English proficiency and degree completion.

The position offers an attractive salary package in line with MSCA regulations: a living allowance (€3821.53/month), mobility allowance (€710/month), and family allowance (€660/month if applicable), subject to deductions for social security and taxes. The programme emphasizes diversity and inclusion, encouraging applications from women, individuals with immigrant backgrounds, and people with disabilities.

Applications must be submitted via the Jobbnorge portal, including all mandatory attachments (application form, CV, mobility declaration, motivation letter, and degree documentation). For further details, visit the programme webpage or contact Prof. Toni Mancini ([email protected]).

This is an excellent opportunity for international networking, industry exposure, and career development in a cutting-edge interdisciplinary research environment.