Lisanne van Dijk

The University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) is seeking a clinically oriented postdoctoral researcher for the LYMPNODE-PREDICTOR project, focused on improving lymph node management in head and neck cancer using artificial intelligence (AI). This interdisciplinary project operates at the intersection of radiotherapy, ENT, AI, and medical imaging, aiming to develop and implement a personalized workflow that directly impacts patient care. The project addresses the challenge that 20–40% of affected lymph nodes in head and neck cancer patients do not show a complete response to imaging after treatment, often leading to unnecessary and high-morbidity surgeries. The goal is to identify, before treatment, which lymph nodes are at high or low risk of failure after (chemo)radiotherapy, enabling personalized treatment strategies and reducing overtreatment. As a postdoc, you will develop and validate predictive models using machine and deep learning techniques on 3D CT, PET, and MRI images, combined with clinical variables. The focus areas include expanding validated radiomics models, developing 3D deep learning models, implementing explainable AI, and integrating a clinical decision-support tool into the head and neck surgery and radiotherapy workflow. You will work with a unique, curated dataset of over 800 patients and more than 2,000 annotated lymph nodes, with comprehensive imaging and treatment data. Your responsibilities include optimizing predictive models, conducting training and validation, developing clinical protocols, coordinating with radiotherapists, surgeons, physicists, and AI researchers, and contributing to clinical implementation and future trials. You will also supervise master’s and PhD students and participate in international collaborations. The ideal candidate holds a PhD in Technical Medicine, Medicine, Biomedical Technology, Medical Imaging, or a related field, with strong experience in clinical AI applications, predictive modeling, and 3D medical imaging. Proficiency in Python (PyTorch/TensorFlow) and excellent English communication skills are required. The position offers a 4-year contract, a competitive salary up to €5,669 per month, excellent research facilities, and opportunities for clinical development within a large, supportive research group. Application deadline: March 23, 2026. For more information, visit the official vacancy page or contact the supervisors.