Research Associate (fixed-term post) (CC6185)

Research Associate in Visual Computing and Machine Learning

We are looking for highly motivated individual to work on an exciting new collaboration using visual computing and machine learning in the context of digital healthcare. The 'RA Flare Profiler' is an Innovate UK funded project between the University of Bath, Royal United Hospitals Foundation Trust and Living With Ltd to provide transformational new capability to Living With’s existing 'Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis' (LWRA) product. Utilising Machine Learning technologies, the proposed flare profiler will provide a very granular view of a patient's RA profile, based largely on data collected from the patient from the convenience of their own home and comparing it to a wider patient population, significantly reducing the need for hospital-based specialist tests.

Flare frequency, duration and severity are key indicators of disease progression in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). While undergoing a flare, patients are exposed to systemic inflammation that can be permanently damaging. Current clinical management of RA is based on either pre-scheduled appointments (e.g. at 6, 12 or 18 month intervals) or emergency clinics, with data collection based around these interactions. There is no regular mapping of fluctuations in disease severity, with the unpredictability of acute flare-ups being a key feature of the disease despite as many as 78% of patients recalling flares monthly or more regularly. As such, it remains very difficult to make informed treatment plans, because of the unpredictability of the disease and patients' fluctuating symptoms.

The Rheumatoid Arthritis Flare Profiler will allow every Rheumatoid Arthritis patient to receive a more intelligent and personalised treatment plan, based on the early and continuous reporting of their flare up data and its comparison against the aggregated RA profiler model. This will reduce some of the costs associated with an unexpected deterioration in health and wellbeing. It will do this by combining new and existing mobile phone based methods of capturing individual disease activity with advanced artificial intelligence technology to provide a profiling model that can inform treatment planning.

You will join the Centre for the Analysis of Motion, Entertainment Research and Applications (CAMERA) is a thriving EPSRC funded research centre based at the University of Bath (Departments of Computer Science and Health). The aim is to create research impact in the areas of Entertainment, Human Performance Enhancement (e.g. Sport and Training) and Assistive Technologies (e.g. Health). CAMERA has several existing world-class partners across Entertainment, Sport and Health, including: The Imaginarium, The Foundy, The Ministry of Defence (MoD), British Maritime Technologies (BMT) and British Skeleton.

This is a fixed-term position with an expected duration of up to 15 months.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Professor Darren Cosker (d.p.cosker@bath.ac.uk) or Matthew Young (m.r.young@bath.ac.uk).

We are working to improve the gender balance within the department’s population and particularly welcome applications from women.

Closing Date: 28 Oct 2018
Type: Education & Research