Available PhD Position: Multimodal AI-based Diagnosis of ADHD

[Amir Aly]

Dear All

*Apologies for cross-posting*

We are pleased to announce an opportunity for a tax-free fully funded PhD studentship - Multimodal AI-based Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) - at Plymouth University, UK. The closing date for applications is 12 noon on 28th March 2025 (UK time) (The difference in tuition fees between national and international students will be waived for international candidates).

This exciting project aims to transform ADHD diagnosis by developing a multimodal Artificial Intelligence (AI) framework that addresses the significant limitations of current, subjective diagnostic practices. Although AI is emerging in ADHD research, its integration into standard clinical practices remains minimal. This project seeks to enhance diagnostic accuracy through a sophisticated integration of AI-driven insights that complement existing approaches. Some basic questions (among others) that this project will try to explore  are:

1. How can machine learning and deep learning models be tailored to various data types like neuroimaging to uncover distinct ADHD diagnostic patterns?
2. What methods can be used to analyse fMRI data to delineate active brain regions and their connections, and how can these findings be linked to ADHD behaviours and cognitive functions?
3. How can we refine AI models to handle high data dimensionality and heterogeneity and enhance decision-making transparency in clinical settings using Explainable AI (XAI) methods?
4. What are the best practices to assess the robustness of AI models against the variability in ADHD diagnostic data?

This ambitious project will allow the student to engage in a groundbreaking study at the intersection of AI, neuropsychiatry, and healthcare and gain experience in a highly collaborative environment supported by a strong supervisory team and international experts.  

The research leverages our team's extensive background in neuro-developmental disorders like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), where we recently discussed important brain regions related to ASD diagnosis (link). This PhD opportunity offers a deep dive not only into the diagnosis of ADHD using explainable AI but also into other related co-occurring disorders like ASD, providing a holistic perspective on patient care and intervention strategies across the spectrum of these interrelated conditions.

This project is suitable for students from a broad range of disciplines, including computer science and artificial intelligence. More details about the topic and how to apply are available at:  

https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/research-degrees/postgraduate-research-studentships/multimodal-ai-based-diagnosis-of-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me

Regards

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Dr. Amir Aly, PhD, FHEA, SIEEE
Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
Programme Manager of Artificial Intelligence 
UK and Ireland IEEE RAS Chapter Vice Chair
Director of the Centre for Robotics and Neural Systems (CRNS)
School of Engineering, Computing, and Mathematics
Room A307 Portland Square, Drake Circus, PL4 8AA
University of Plymouth, UK