Using AI and blood markers of cell ageing to predict kidney function one year in advance

Summary

Chronic kidney disease affects around one in ten adults. Many people worsen without warning. Standard clinic tools, including eGFR and the Kidney Failure Risk Equation, often miss who will decline over the next year.

This PhD will test whether a small panel of blood proteins linked to cellular senescence can predict one-year kidney trajectory more accurately, and in a way clinicians can understand.

The work is synergistic with an awarded Northern Ireland Kidney Research Fund study that is recruiting 100 local CKD patients, measuring a pre-specified senescence protein panel, and recording 12-month renal outcomes.

That study provides the clinical dataset. This PhD asks the extra scientific and translational questions.

The student will determine which senescence proteins drive prediction, whether the signal holds across age, sex and diabetes, and how the model compares with current clinical scores.

They will use explainable AI so a high-risk result can be traced back to biology, not a black box. In parallel, they will develop a clinician-facing prototype concept: a simple software output that could sit on a clinic computer and map a realistic route to non-exclusive licensing or subscription use.

The project is based at Ulster’s Personalised Medicine Centre / C-TRIC and is supervised by experts in senescence biology, computational modelling and clinical nephrology. It will suit a student from biomedical science, bioinformatics or data science.

Coding experience is helpful but not essential. Training will cover proteomic analysis, machine learning, clinical research and the basics of health-tech translation. The aim is both new knowledge and a practical pathway from NI discovery to usable kidney-risk prediction.

Specific skills required of the applicant for this project include:

• Familiarity with R or Python
• Analysis of omics or clinical data, and an interest in machine learning or health-tech translation
• A biomedical, computational or statistical first degree is suitable
• Full training will be provided
• No additional mandatory criteria

Important Information: Applications for more than one PhD studentship are welcome, however if you apply for more than one PhD project within Medicine, your first application on the system will be deemed your first-choice preference and further applications will be ordered based on the sequential time of submission. If you are successfully shortlisted, you will be interviewed only on your first-choice application and ranked accordingly. Those ranked highest will be offered a PhD studentship. In the situation where you are ranked highly and your first-choice project is already allocated to someone who was ranked higher than you, you may be offered your 2nd or 3rd choice project depending on the availability of this project.

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.

• Sound understanding of subject area as evidenced by a comprehensive research proposal detailing background, research questions, aims and methodology
• A comprehensive and articulate personal statement demonstrating interest in the subject area
• Research proposal of 1500 words detailing aims, objectives, milestones and methodology of the project
• Experience using research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain

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.

• Applicants should hold, or expect to hold a First Class Honours Degree in a relevant subject area
• Applicants should hold, or expect to hold a relevant Masters Degree at a level equivalent to commendation or distinction at Ulster
• Work experience relevant to the proposed project
• Track record of peer reviewed publications
• Experience of presentation of research findings

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:

• Department for the Economy (DfE)
• Vice Chancellor's Research Scholarship (VCRS)

PhD scholarships are available for this project to all applicants worldwide, regardless of residency or domicile, and will cover:

• Tuition fees.
• A maintenance allowance of approximately £22,000 (exact rate is to be confirmed) per annum for three years, subject to satisfactory academic performance.
• A Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of approximately £900 per annum.

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, funded from any source, including self-financing students, are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Students in full-time employment are not eligible for an award.

Part-time PhD scholarships may be available at a 0.5 pro rata rate of the full-time scholarship, which would require a six-year registration period.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies.

The University will award a successful candidate one of the following scholarships for the project, depending on the funding available at the time an admissions offer is made:

1. Department for the Economy (DfE) PhD Scholarships
2. Vice Chancellor’s Research Scholarships (VCRS)

Please note that the Terms and Conditions for scholarships are subject to change for 2027/28.