Development of a Dermatopathology Foundational Model in Manchester

Division of Informatics, Imaging and Data Sciences

Organisation/Company The University of Manchester Department Division of Informatics, Imaging and Data Sciences Research Field Computer science Medical sciences » Cancer research Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 30 Oct 2026 - 17:00 (Europe/London) Country United Kingdom Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 31 Jan 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

About the Project

Horizon Europe MSCA Doctoral Network SPACE-MEL

SPACE-MEL is an EU-funded MSCA Doctoral Network advancing the next generation of spatial single-cell omics technologies for precision medicine. Bringing together leading European universities, technology providers, clinical partners and innovative companies, the programme will address key experimental and computational challenges currently limiting the clinical translation of spatial biology. By integrating multi-omics approaches, enabling the transition from 2D to 3D tissue analysis and developing advanced data interpretation methods, SPACE-MEL aims to unlock deeper insights into cellular organisation and disease mechanisms. The network will train 15 Doctoral Candidates through an interdisciplinary programme spanning spatial imaging technologies, molecular biology, computational biology, pathology and biomarker discovery. Through cross-sectoral secondments, hands‑on research and comprehensive transferable-skills training, SPACE-MEL will equip a new generation of researchers with end‑to‑end expertise in spatial biology and strengthen Europe’s leadership in this rapidly evolving field.

The doctoral candidate will develop a dermatopathology‑specific foundation model for melanoma diagnosis and risk stratification. The project will build a large, harmonised dataset of digitised H&E and IHC images linked to pathology reports, molecular information and spatial omics data. It pursues two integrated objectives: i) train a pathology foundation model adapted to dermatopathology; ii) integrate histology‑derived representations with textual and omics information for diagnostic triage, molecular status prediction and risk stratification.

At the University of Manchester, the candidate will work on computational pathology, visual foundation models and multimodal learning for digital pathology applications. During a first secondment at Erasmus MC, the candidate will support the curation and harmonisation of digitised melanoma images and linked clinical‑pathology data. A second secondment at Intelligent Biodata will focus on integrating model outputs with LLM‑based approaches and pathology reports. Expected outcomes include: (1) a dermatopathology‑specific foundation model; (2) diagnostic triage support; and (3) a combined histology‑omics risk stratification tool.

What SPACE-MEL will offer

• A thorough scientific education in the frame of a doctoral training program.
• The possibility to participate in specific international courses, workshops and conferences.
• A strong involvement in a European research project with high international visibility.
• The possibility to perform research visits to internationally renowned research labs in Europe.
• A prestigious three‑year MSCA Fellowship.

A competitive salary including mobility and family allowances.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must have obtained or be about to obtain a minimum Upper Second class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in a relevant discipline.

• Bachelor or Master’s degree in Computer Science or related fields.
• Applicants must be doctoral candidates, i.e not already in possession of a doctoral degree.
• Mobility rule: researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date.

The application deadline for January entry has now closed on the system, so please apply for April 2027 entry instead. We can then amend the start date manually.

• High level of proficiency in computer programming and software development. Preferred candidates will have experience with numerical and scientific computing with some prior experience in machine learning.
• Excellent understanding and confidence with mathematics and statistics.
• Ability to manage independent projects and meet deliverables.
• Excellent communication skills to work with collaborators across scientific disciplines and the ability to present technical subject matter at an appropriate level to different audiences.
• Proficiency in the English language is required, as well as good communication skills, both oral and written. Successful candidates will need to provide an English test (e.g. IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge English). You may be exempt if you are a national of a majority native-English speaking country, or have qualifications / degree that has been taught and assessed in English. The supervisor may also confirm that a candidate has the required level of English.

Specific Requirements

• Master’s degree in Computer Science or related fields.
• Applicants must be doctoral candidates, i.e not already in possession of a doctoral degree.
• Mobility rule: researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 36 monthsimmediately before their recruitment date .

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