The evolution of voice technology, audio signal analysis and natural language processing/understanding methods have opened the way to numerous applications of voice tracking and analysis in the field of healthcare. Voice is a rich medium, in which a lot of information can be found, providing that we know how to isolate and make use of it. A vocal biomarker can be defined as a signature, a feature or a combination of features from the audio signal of the voice that is associated with a clinical outcome and can be used to monitor patients, diagnose a condition or grade the severity or the stages of a disease or for drug development. People with mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, or depressive symptoms may have distinct voice features which would enable to predict and monitor such mental health issues based on voice.
Objectives
Our team aims at identifying vocal biomarkers of mental health issues (stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms) based on audio recordings from the large Colive Voice study.
Training and research environment
The “Deep Digital Phenotyping Research Unit” develops a research activity within the Department of Population Health at the frontier between digital epidemiology, digital health and data science, to leverage real-world data to improve population health.
The Master student will directly contribute to the identification of vocal biomarkers for diabetes distress. He/she will lead a project on the analysis of an annotated audio dataset from the Colive Voice study to decompose the audio signals and then apply AI-based algorithms and statistical approaches to identify features associated with diabetes distress. He/She will have to take in charge the literature review, the pre-processing of the data, the data analysis and the preparation of a scientific article. He/she will be supervised by Dr. G. Fagherazzi, Director of the Department of Precision Health, in association with experts in audio signals and artificial intelligence methods.
This internship position may lead to a PhD opportunity in digital epidemiology.
KEY SKILLS, EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
● Master level in Data Science, Bioinformatics, Biostatistics or equivalent required.
● Flexibility, adaptability, autonomy
● Ability to work with different profiles and people from different experiences and cultural backgrounds
● Language skills: Fluency in French and English is an asset, with written skills in both languages. Any other language in use in Luxembourg would also be an asset.
CONTACTS
Scientific contact
Guy Fagherazzi, PhD
1A-B, rue Thomas Edison
L-1445 Strassen
LUXEMBOURG
WHAT WE OFFER AND CONDITIONS
- Students will have the opportunity to work in an interactive and international scientific environment, attend conferences by eminent scientists from abroad, and present their own work during lab meetings.
- They will receive training in digital epidemiology research and data science and will have the opportunity to gain skills in data analysis, AI methods applied to audio data.
- A compensation of 660,58€/month will be paid.
- Applicants should be enrolled in a Master program and the internship should be a mandatory part of the diploma.
- Students from abroad can apply for an Erasmus grant.
IN SHORT…..
- Contract type: 6-month fixed-term contract
- Work hours: Full time- 40h/week
- Location: Luxembourg
- Start date: According to your availabilities
- Ref: JF/INTVOCAMENT0921/GF/DDP
HOW TO APPLY
Applications including a cover letter and a curriculum vitae should be sent before 31 December 2021 through our website via the apply button below. Please apply ONLINE formally through this web page. Applications by email will not be considered.
NEED MORE INFO?
More information about the Department of Population Health can be found here:
https://www.lih.lu/page/departments/doph-department-of-population-health-779
Related references: