Marleen Balvert

Tilburg University is offering a fully funded PhD position in Artificial Intelligence for Detecting Epistasis in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The research focuses on developing new AI and machine learning methods to identify genetic variants that contribute to ALS, a neurodegenerative disease with a genetic foundation. The project leverages the Project MinE dataset, which contains genomic information from over 100,000 individuals, to uncover complex genetic interactions (epistasis) that may lead to ALS. The research is a collaboration between Tilburg University and UMC Utrecht, supported by Stichting ALS Nederland. The PhD researcher will join the Intelligent Systems department and the Deep Learning for Perception Research Unit, working closely with Dr. Marleen Balvert (promotor), Dr. Sharon Ong (co-supervisor), and Prof. Dr. Jan H. Veldink (co-supervisor). The position is embedded within the Tilburg School of Economics and Management and the Tilburg School of Humanities and Digital Sciences. The research center emphasizes innovative, interdisciplinary work at the intersection of cognitive science, artificial intelligence, and computational biology. Key responsibilities include developing and applying classification models to distinguish ALS patients based on genomic data, handling population structure and data sparsity, and creating interpretable models to explain genetic features relevant to ALS. The candidate will publish results in scientific journals and present at international conferences. Applicants should have a Master’s degree in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Mathematics, Operations Research, or a closely related field. Essential skills include programming in Python and R, and experience with machine learning and deep learning. Additional desirable qualifications are a background in biological sciences, knowledge of ALS mechanisms, and experience with biological data analysis (e.g., GWAS, NGS, RNA-seq). Proficiency in English is required. The position offers a gross monthly salary of €3,059–€3,881, a 48-month contract (1 year initially, extendable for 3 years), 8% vacation pay, 8.3% year-end bonus, over 8 weeks of vacation, and various benefits including pension, moving allowance, and support for international employees. Tilburg University provides an inclusive, supportive environment with excellent research infrastructure and career development opportunities. To apply, submit a motivation letter, CV, academic transcripts, a writing sample, and contact details of two academic referees online before 2 March 2026. For more information, contact Dr. Marleen Balvert at [email protected]. The intended start date is 1 April 2026.