Pieter Libin

A fully funded 4-year PhD position is available at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, under the supervision of Prof Pieter Libin. The project focuses on developing an AI-guided extraction and genomic diagnostic platform for novel respiratory pathogens, as part of the FWO-SBO funded ANTICIPATE project on AI and pandemic preparedness. The successful candidate will work across UZ Brussel, BRIGHTcore sequencing platform, and VUB AI Lab, collaborating with an interdisciplinary consortium of experts in AI, epidemiology, molecular diagnostics, and public health. The position offers access to cutting-edge clinical datasets and hospital infrastructure, with attractive benefits including 35 holidays, telework options, health insurance, and transport reimbursement. Applicants should have a relevant master's degree and a strong interest in the research areas. The application deadline is 31 August 2025. For more information and to apply, visit the provided link or contact Prof Pieter Libin.

The Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Department of Computer Science at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), is offering a funded PhD position in the Artificial Intelligence Lab. The research focuses on reinforcement learning for public health decision support, specifically targeting emerging arbovirus prevention in the European Union. The project is led by Prof. Pieter Libin and involves collaboration with Hasselt University and Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma. Arboviruses such as Zika (ZIKV) and Oropouche (OROV) are expected to pose increasing risks to public health in Europe. This interdisciplinary project aims to develop a novel data-driven framework to assess invasion risk and optimize mitigation and surveillance strategies across the EU. The research combines epidemiological modelling, proxy-data fitting, and reinforcement learning to support public health policy decisions. As the PhD researcher, you will lead the development of new multi-criteria reinforcement learning algorithms for complex decision problems. Your work will include designing methods that exploit the geographical structure of metapopulation models, investigating uncertainty-aware policy learning, and developing explainable RL methods to communicate learned policies to policymakers. You will also collaborate on the epidemiological model, contribute to the study of mitigation and surveillance strategies (including mosquito control, vaccination policies, and surveillance strategies), and publish your results in leading conferences and journals. The position is based at the Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene) of VUB. The doctoral grant provides financial support for the duration of the PhD. Applicants should have a strong background in computer science, artificial intelligence, or related fields. Experience with reinforcement learning, epidemiological modelling, or public health applications is highly desirable. Candidates must be motivated, able to work independently and collaboratively, and have excellent communication skills. No specific language test or GPA requirements are mentioned. To apply, submit your application via the official VUB portal. Prepare your CV and motivation letter, and follow the instructions provided in the application link. For further information, you may contact the Artificial Intelligence Lab at VUB.