Multilevel Modeling of Outcome Predictors Following Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson’s Disease

About this position

Pictus PhD Fellowship Programme

Czech Technical University in Prague – International PhD Programme (PICTUS) will recruit 8 students (see Eligibility criteria below) for a full 48-month employment contract and enroll them in a specific PhD course. Candidates should prepare their own research proposal from the List of topics for the 2nd Call .

Application form should be filled and all required documents uploaded using the dedicated electronic form.

helpdesk: pictus@cvut.cz

Guide for Applicants

Multilevel Modeling of Outcome Predictors Following Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson’s Disease

Description:

PhD position is focused on the development of predictive models for clinical outcomes following Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in Parkinson’s disease. The research will center on identifying robust, interpretable predictors of motor improvement after subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS, integrating preoperative clinical, motor, neuropsychological, and imaging data. Building on recent critiques of overfitted prediction models, the project will implement a structured, multi-tiered analytical framework, comparing classical regression techniques with modern penalized and hierarchical modeling strategies.

The successful candidate will contribute to outcome definition, data analysis, and model development, and will have the opportunity to engage in advanced statistical methods such as dimensionality reduction and Bayesian modeling. This project offers access to a rich, curated clinical dataset and collaboration with leading neurologists, neurosurgeons, and data scientists.

Secondment:

Possible secondments are at University of Minnesota and Max Planck Institute in Leipzig,

Co-supervisor: Dr. Karsten Mueller