PhD Position in Neonatal Clinical Pharmacology: Drug Exposure-Response Modelling in Critically Ill Neonates

Pharmacological sciences » Clinical pharmacology

Engineering » Biomedical engineering

Medical sciences » Medicine

Pharmacological sciences » Pharmacy

Organisation/Company KU LEUVEN Research Field Pharmacological sciences » Clinical pharmacology Engineering » Biomedical engineering Mathematics » Statistics Mathematics » Applied mathematics Medical sciences » Medicine Pharmacological sciences » Pharmacy Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Application Deadline 28 Sep 2026 - 23:59 (UTC) Country Belgium Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 26 Oct 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Reference Number BAP-2026-581 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Pharmacotherapy in neonatal intensive care remains challenging because the relationship between drug exposure (pharmacokinetics, PK) and drug effects (pharmacodynamics, PD) is often poorly understood. This PhD project aims to improve our understanding of how commonly used medication affects critically ill neonates by combining unique clinical real-world datasets, advanced bedside (neuro)monitoring and state-of-the-art pharmacometric modelling approaches. The research will focus on neuroactive drugs like doxapram, and analgosedatives such as fentanyl and dexmedetomidine, and will apply population PKPD and/or physiologically based PK-PD (PBPK-PD) modelling to characterize exposure-response relationships and support evidence-based dosing in neonates.

What will you do?

As a PhD candidate, you will:

• Analyze existing pharmacokinetic and clinical datasets from neonatal intensive care units
• Integrate drug concentration data with pharmacodynamic endpoints and bedside monitoring data, including cerebral oxygenation and brain activity measurements;
• Develop, evaluate and apply population PKPD and/or PBPK-PD models;
• Investigate exposure-response relationships and quantify drug effects in neonates;
• Explore literature on developmental cerebral PD, its biological mechanisms, and knowledge gaps;
• Collaborate with clinicians, pharmacologists, pharmacometricians and engineers in an interdisciplinary research environment;
• Write a FWO PhD fellowship grant proposal with support of the promotorteam
• Present your findings at international conferences and publish in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with:

• A Master's degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Medicine, Drug Development, Bioengineering, Statistics, Applied Mathematics or a related discipline;
• A strong interest in clinical pharmacology, pharmacometrics and translational research;
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Affinity for quantitative data analysis and modelling;
• Excellent written and spoken English;
• The ability to work independently as well as within an interdisciplinary team

The following qualifications are considered strong assets:

• Experience in pharmacometrics;
• Experience with population PK, PKPD or PBPK modelling;
• Experience with software such as NONMEM, OSP Suite, Monolix, Simcyp, nlmixr or similar platforms;
• Programming skills in R, MATLAB and/or Python;
• Experience with analysis of physiological or biomedical data.

We offer:

• A four-year PhD position at KU Leuven. After the first year an evaluation will be held with the promotor team, to assess progress and to decide on continuation for the full four year term. You will work within the Department of Development and Regeneration (Promotor Prof. dr. Anne Smits), in close collaboration with the Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences (co-promotors Prof. dr. Karel Allegaert and Prof. dr. Pieter Annaert). The PhD trajectory can start from the end of October 2026.
• The opportunity to work within an internationally recognized research team in neonatal clinical pharmacology and pharmacometrics;
• Access to unique neonatal datasets and advanced clinical monitoring infrastructure;
• Training in pharmacometrics, PKPD modelling and neonatal clinical research;
• Opportunities for international collaboration, conference participation and scientific networking;
• A stimulating multidisciplinary research environment at one of Europe's leading universities;
• Dedicated support to develop a competitive FWO PhD fellowship application during the first years of the doctoral trajectory.

Research Field Pharmacological sciences » Clinical pharmacology Years of Research Experience None

Additional Information

We offer:

• A four-year PhD position at KU Leuven. After the first year an evaluation will be held with