PhD position: the PRISCILA project KU Leuven in United Kingdom

PhD opportunity at KU Leuven: the PRISCILA project

This PhD position is part of the PRISCILA project at KU Leuven’s Department of Clinical & Experimental Endocrinology. The project focuses on gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), with particular attention to disease heterogeneity, early pregnancy diagnosis, precision risk stratification, and improved long-term care for mother and child.

The research is embedded in a strong multidisciplinary clinical and academic environment. The supervisory group is led by Prof. Katrien Fouzia Benhalima, an international expert in diabetes and pregnancy, and is linked to a large research team with expertise in clinical care, diabetes education, dietetics, psychology, and basic research.

The PRISCILA project is funded by an ERC Starting Grant and will recruit a large multicenter cohort of 1,000 women with GDM, including at least 40% diagnosed early in pregnancy. Participants will be followed from early pregnancy until one year postpartum across at least 14 Belgian hospitals. Data collection will include clinical and biochemical characteristics, fetal ultrasound data, oral glucose tolerance testing, HbA1c, lipid profile, continuous glucose monitoring, metabolomics, NIPT-based polygenic risk scores, IGFBP1, and validated indices of insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function.

The main analytical focus of the PhD will be on novel biomarkers, polygenic risk scores, metabolomics, and AI-based data integration to identify GDM subtypes and develop improved risk prediction models. The student will also assist with study visits at UZ Leuven, including clinical examination, questionnaires, blood sample collection, database management, and coordination with participating Belgian centers. In addition, there will be opportunities to perform secondary analyses using data from completed studies in the group, including the BEDIP cohort follow-up and the CORDELIA trial.

Eligibility highlights include a Master’s degree in Medicine, Midwifery, or Biomedical Sciences, a strong academic record, and fluent Dutch and English. A clinical profile is preferred, and the candidate should be within one year of graduation to qualify for an FWO grant. A short MLT is required to support blood sampling duties.

This is a full-time doctoral scholarship holder position for 4 years, starting in October 2026. The application deadline is 2026-09-30. Interested candidates should apply through the KU Leuven jobsite and contact Prof. dr. Katrien Fouzia Benhalima for more information.