AI for Digital Medical Technologies

Summary

Ulster University School of Computing is offering the following UKRI Future Medicine Institute-FMI PhD Studentship. This studentship is funded via the UKRI Strength in Places Programme and will last three years.

The Future Medicines Institute (FMI) is a £55 million industry-led hub and it aims to advance Northern Ireland's medical devices and precision medicine sector by bringing together academics, clinicians, and leading health-science companies to accelerate the development of products. Although led by QUB , Ulster University are leading a Digital Medical Technology element of the programme and the following PhD will be based at the Ulster University Belfast Campus.

The work supports the Life & Health Sciences and Software/Cyber DfE sectoral priorities and aligns with the Centre for Digital Healthcare Technology, part of the Belfast Regional City Deal.

PhD researchers will join a vibrant research community exploring how AI can transform Digital Medical Technologies, enhance patient safety, and build public trust in emerging digital systems.

We welcome applicants who are interested in the following area:

Secure and Trustworthy AI for Time Series Forecasting in Digital Medical Technologies

Chris Nugent, Rashid Kamal, Shuai Zhang, Sumi Helal (external)

The aim of this project is to investigate secure, trustworthy time series analysis approaches to support the forecasting of trends in Digital Medical Technologies.

Central to the underpinning research will be the development of novel, privacy-preserving, data- and knowledge-driven approaches to forecasting. This will leverage natively fine-tuned large language models to securely analyze data from a range of internal and external sources, ensuring data integrity and confidentiality.

In addition, research will be undertaken to examine the development of robust forecasting approaches capable of withstanding and adapting to externally dependent anomalies and adversarial vulnerabilities, ensuring the resilience of AI-driven medical forecasting.

The School of Computing at Ulster University holds Athena Swan Bronze Award since 2016 and is committed to promote and advance gender equality in Higher Education.  We particularly welcome female applicants, as they are under represented within the school.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

• Work experience relevant to the proposed project
• Track record of peer reviewed publications

Equal Opportunities

The University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community, particularly from those with disabilities.

Appointment will be made on merit.

Funding and eligibility

This project is funded by:

• Future Medicines Institute

Tuition fees will be covered in full and a stipend of £21,805 per annum will be paid for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).

To be eligible for these scholarships, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be a UK National, or
• Have settled status, or
• Have pre-settled status, or
• Have indefinite leave to remain or enter, or
• be an Irish National

Applicants should also meet the residency criteria which requires that they have lived in the EEA, Switzerland, the UK or Gibraltar for at least the three years preceding the start date of the research degree programme.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.