PROJECT INFORMATION
Host institution: UNIBAS
Country: Switzerland
Supervisory team: Prof. Sabina De Geest (PhD promoter, UNIBAS), Prof. Oriol Solà-Morales (HiTT)
PROJECT DESCRIPTON
Translating personalized medicine innovations from projects like LifeLung into routine clinical practice faces major challenges. Crossing the bridge from trial to real-world settings is essential to reach population effects. This PhD project, using implementation science, will systematically identify and address key translational barriers—such as fragmented stakeholder engagement, limited infrastructure, and overlooked ethical or economic concerns for successful translation. The goal is to optimize research infrastructures, bridge translational gaps, and ensure sustainable integration of personalized medicine in real-world healthcare. By applying robust methodologies, the project aims to reduce research waste, increase the impact of innovations, and improve health outcomes at scale.
Specific project objectives are:
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Scoping Review: Conduct a comprehensive review to identify and classify multilevel translational challenges and effective strategies in the implementation of personalized medicine innovations
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Stakeholder Engagement: Develop and execute a stakeholder involvement strategy, including targeted focus groups with key actors, to explore and prioritize perceived systemic barriers specific to the LifeLung project
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Development of Actionable Recommendations: Synthesize multidisciplinary evidence—including insights from ethics and health economics—and stakeholder perspectives to formulate practical, context-sensitive recommendations
Enrolment in Doctoral School: UNIBAS Interdisciplinary Graduate School (Fac. Med. & Nat. Sciences)
Planned secondments:
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KU Leuven, Belgium: Understanding ethics analysis and findings integrated into the project (months 12- 13)
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Fundació HiTT, Spain: Exploring methods for health economic and policy analysis and integrating findings into the project (months 20-21)
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
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You hold a relevant Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Health Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Public Health, or a closely related discipline (You do not already hold a PhD degree).
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You have a strong interest in translating healthcare innovations into real-world clinical settings.
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You are highly motivated, well-organized, and possess excellent communication skills.
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You are proficient in English (minimum B2 level, both written and spoken).
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You thrive in collaborative, interdisciplinary environments and are open to engaging with diverse research paradigms (e.g., basic science, clinical research, implementation science, and translational methodologies).
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You have a problem-solving mindset, can work independently, and approach your work with a critical and reflective perspective.
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You are enthusiastic and flexible, with a willingness to actively participate in network-wide training events, international mobility, and public engagement activities.
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You are willing and able to travel internationally.
DESIRABLE SKILLS AND EXPERTISE
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Experience with clinical research methodologies (both quantitative and qualitative approaches).
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Foundational knowledge or experience in implementation science.
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Optional but advantageous: Clinical experience or familiarity with personalized medicine and/or transplantation.