University of Exeter
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PhD in Explainable AI for Early Dementia Detection and Deployment University of Exeter in United Kingdom
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Computer Science
Funding
Available
Deadline
Dec 8, 2026
Country
United Kingdom
University
University of Exeter
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About this position
PhD studentship at the University of Exeter on Explainable AI for Early Dementia Detection and Deployment.
The project develops explainable, trustworthy machine-learning methods for the early detection of cognitive decline and dementia. It brings together multimodal data including cognitive assessments, neuroimaging (such as MRI and PET), genetics, lifestyle factors, comorbidities, blood biomarkers, and clinical notes. Data sources mentioned include partner cohorts such as PROTECT, Evergreen Life, and ADNI.
Research themes include longitudinal prediction modelling, latent knowledge-enhanced learning, neural entity embeddings, biomedical knowledge graphs, agentic AI frameworks, vision-language explanations, fairness and bias analysis, and uncertainty quantification. The project aims to build AI tools that can forecast individual risk trajectories with high accuracy and transparency so clinicians can identify high-risk patients earlier and trust the recommendations.
The work is strongly oriented toward clinical interpretability and validation. Explanations will be evaluated by clinicians for trustworthiness and bias, including tests with counterfactual or perturbed demographic data. Visual-concept rationales will also be assessed with fairness-oriented metrics, and the system will be validated through an integrated longitudinal multimodal prediction-and-explanation pipeline. Outcomes and explanations will be presented to clinicians and patients during PPIE.
Funding: the studentship provides fees plus a stipend of £21,805 per annum for 2026/7.
Location: University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, United Kingdom.
Deadline: 8 December 2026.
Applications should be submitted through the official Exeter funding page using the link provided in the advert.
Funding details
Available
How to apply
Apply via the funding/application link provided on the University of Exeter studentship page. Review the project details and submit the required application materials before the deadline. Use the official application page for full instructions.
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Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the university.
Make your next move.
Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the university.