Summary
This doctoral project, part of the developmental pharmacology research line, is a collaboration between the Department of Development and Regeneration and the Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences (KU Leuven), and the Neonatology Department (UZ Leuven). It aims to enhance understanding of drug effects in critically ill neonates by combining unique clinical datasets, advanced bedside (neuro)monitoring, and state-of-the-art pharmacometric modeling methods.
Doctoral Position in Neonatal Clinical Pharmacology: Modeling Drug Exposure and Effects in Critically Ill Neonates
Designation
Doctoral Researcher (PhD Candidate)
Scholarship Details
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Type of Scholarship | Doctoral Position / PhD Scholarship |
| Duration | 4 years (with evaluation after the first year) |
| Start Date | From end of October 2026 |
| Institution | KU Leuven |
| Departments | Department of Development and Regeneration (Prof. Dr. Anne Smits), Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences (Prof. Dr. Karel Allegaert, Prof. Dr. Pieter Annaert) |
| Collaboration | UZ Leuven, Neonatology Department |
Research Area
The research focuses on neonatal clinical pharmacology, specifically on neuroactive drugs like doxapram, and analgosedation such as fentanyl and dexmedetomidine. It utilizes population-PKPD and/or physiology-based PKPD modeling (PBPK-PD) to characterize exposure-response relationships and support evidence-based dosing in neonates.
Location
KU Leuven, Belgium
Eligibility/Qualification
Required Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Medicine, Drug Development, Bioengineering, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, or a related field.
- Strong interest in clinical pharmacology, pharmacometrics, and translational research.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Affinity with quantitative data analysis and modeling.
- Excellent oral and written English communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Valuable Experience:
- Pharmacometrics
- Population-PK, PKPD, or PBPK modeling
- Experience with software such as NONMEM, OSP Suite, Monolix, Simcyp, nlmixr, or similar platforms.
- Programming skills in R, MATLAB, and/or Python.
- Analysis of physiological or biomedical data.
Scholarship Description
As a doctoral student, you will:
- Analyze existing pharmacokinetic and clinical datasets from neonatal intensive care units.
- Link drug concentrations to pharmacodynamic endpoints and monitoring data, including cerebral oxygenation and brain activity.
- Develop, evaluate, and apply population-PKPD and/or PBPK-PD models.
- Investigate exposure-response relationships and quantify drug effects in neonates.
- Conduct literature reviews on cerebral (developmental) pharmacodynamics, underlying biological mechanisms, and unanswered scientific questions.
- Collaborate with clinicians, pharmacologists, pharmacometrics experts, and engineers within a multidisciplinary research environment.
- Write an FWO PhD fellowship research proposal, with support from the supervisory team.
- Present research results at international conferences and publish in scientific journals.
The position offers a four-year doctoral appointment at KU Leuven within an internationally renowned research group, access to unique neonatal datasets and advanced clinical monitoring infrastructure, training in pharmacometrics, PKPD modeling, and neonatal clinical research, and opportunities for international collaboration and networking.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should apply for this position by uploading a motivation letter and curriculum vitae via the official application portal. For more information, you can contact Prof. Dr. Anne Smits (anne.smits@uzleuven.be) or Prof. Dr. Pieter Annaert (pieter.annaert@kuleuven.be).
Last Date for Apply
Until position filled
Apply Link
