Description
The SMILE Lab at Vanderbilt University is recruiting motivated PhD students and postdoctoral fellows to conduct interdisciplinary research at the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning, neuroscience, and medicine. The positions are fully funded, offering researchers access to advanced computational resources and extensive interdisciplinary networks.
The SMILE Lab focuses on developing intelligent systems to advance human health. Researchers in the lab work across domain boundaries to apply machine learning models to complex biomedical and clinical problems.
Primary research areas include:
- Medical Foundation Models
- Agentic Medical AI
- Human-AI Collaboration & Metacognition
- Brain-Inspired AI
- Precision Brain Health
- Generative AI for Emotion & Brain Science
Selected candidates gain access to significant research resources, including major AI supercomputing infrastructure and multimodal clinical datasets. The lab collaborates actively with institutions such as Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Harvard, Stanford, NVIDIA, Sakana AI, Massachusetts General Brigham, Indiana University, NYU, and the University of Florida. Former lab members have moved into roles at organizations including Amazon, Microsoft, Tencent, Canva, Eli Lilly, Mayo Clinic, as well as various academic and medical institutions.
Responsibilities
Appointed PhD students and postdoctoral fellows are expected to design, execute, and disseminate interdisciplinary research. Key responsibilities include:
- Developing machine learning algorithms and AI models tailored to medical, genomic, or brain science applications.
- Analyzing large-scale multimodal clinical and biomedical datasets using advanced computational infrastructure.
- Collaborating with cross-institutional teams of computer scientists, engineers, and clinical researchers. Publishing research outcomes in academic venues and presenting findings across the broader research community.
Qualification
Candidate Profile
Applicants should possess an academic background in a quantitative, computational, or engineering discipline.
Targeted fields of study include:
- Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning
- Computer Science or Electrical Engineering
- Computer Vision Medical Imaging or Biomedical Engineering
- Neuroscience or related fields
Candidates are expected to demonstrate strong analytical skills, research motivation, and a commitment to advancing AI technologies in healthcare.
Funding Coverage & Benefits
These positions provide full financial support for both PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows.
- Tuition & Stipend: Full financial coverage, including tuition waivers and living stipends for PhD students, as well as competitive salaries for postdoctoral fellows.
- Resource Access: Direct access to large-scale AI supercomputing systems and extensive biomedical datasets.
- Institutional Network: Formal collaboration opportunities across leading academic institutions, medical centers, and technology companies.
Target Audience
This opportunity is intended for:
- Prospective PhD students seeking full-time doctoral research training in AI for healthcare.
- Postdoctoral researchers seeking advanced research positions in machine learning, medical imaging, and computational neuroscience.
Application Process
Interested candidates should apply directly via email to the lab leadership.
- Prepare Application Materials: Update your Curriculum Vitae (CV) to reflect your educational background, technical skill set, and research experience. Include a list of academic publications if applicable.
- Submit via Email: Send your CV and supporting materials to smilefanglab@gmail.com.
- Review Process: Applications are evaluated based on academic preparation, technical expertise, and alignment with the SMILE Lab's active research directions.
