About the project
Do a PhD as part of the CRUK Cancer Data-Driven Detection (CD3) project, developing advanced AI models that integrate clinical and omic data to improve cancer risk prediction.
This PhD program offers training in machine learning, health data science, and multimodal analytics, working closely with clinicians and data scientists to develop next-generation, equitable risk-prediction tools.
This PhD offers an exceptional opportunity to join the Cancer Data-Driven Detection (CD3) programme, a multi-million-pound flagship investment funded through a strategic programme award by Cancer Research UK, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and the Peter Sowerby Foundation; in partnership with Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) and the Economic and Social Research Council’s Administrative Data Research UK programme (ADR UK).
CD3 brings together clinicians, data scientists, statisticians, and biomedical researchers to transform the way we predict cancer risk and enable earlier interception. Early diagnosis is critical: patients detected at stage 1 or 2 have far better chances of curative treatment, yet only around half of cancers in England are currently identified early.
CD3 aims to change this by developing next-generation, data-driven tools that can improve risk prediction, early detection, and diagnostic pathways across the population.
In this project, you will develop advanced AI and machine-learning approaches that integrate clinical records, longitudinal health data, molecular and multi-omic measurements, and lifestyle information to model individual and population-level cancer risk.
You will have the opportunity to work directly with major national biomedical data resources, including datasets available through SAIL, UK Biobank, and related trusted research environments, gaining valuable experience with large-scale, real-world health data.
You will learn to build:
- multimodal data representations
- develop robust predictive models
- assess bias and uncertainty
- create explainable tools suitable for clinical and public health use.
You will also contribute to shared national analytical frameworks within CD3.
Training
The PhD provides outstanding interdisciplinary training and the chance to contribute to a national-scale infrastructure that will shape the future of cancer early detection.
You will collaborate across multiple institutions, engage directly with clinical and data experts, and help design tools with genuine potential for patient benefit.
By the end of the project, you will be equipped with a uniquely powerful skillset spanning AI, health data science, and translational impact, preparing you for leadership roles in academia, healthcare, industry, or AI-driven biotech.
