NOW CLOSED: Transforming neuronavigational imaging for assisting brain tumour surgery

4-year PhD studentship - Transforming neuronavigational imaging for assisting brain tumour surgery - Deadline 4th April 2023

Primary Supervisor: Professor Ilias Tachtsidis (UCL)

A 4 year funded PhD studentship is available in the UCL Department of Medical Physics and biomedical Engineering Biomedical Optics Research Laboratory and Wellcome / EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences (WEISS)

This PhD is part of the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation programme called Hyperprobe

Funding will be at least the UCL minimum.

The successful candidate will join the UCL CDT in Intelligent, Integrated Imaging in Healthcare (i4health) cohort and benefit from the activities and events organised by the centre.

Background:

In recent years, through the advancement of imaging technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT), clinical localisation of lesions of the central nervous system (CNS) pre-surgery has made possible for neurosurgeons to plan and navigate away from functional brain locations when removing tumours. However, neuronavigation in the surgical management of brain tumours remains a significant challenge, due to the inability to maintain accurate spatial information of lesioned and non-lesioned locations intraoperatively, in addition to poor imaging integration during surgery. To answer this challenge, the Hyperprobe project comprises a team of engineers, physicists, data scientists and neurosurgeons to develop an innovative, all-optical intraoperative imaging system based on (i) hyperspectral imaging (HSI) for rapid, targeted data acquisition, and (ii) artificial intelligence (AI), for tailored image reconstruction and molecular fingerprint recognition.

HyperProbe aims at providing exhaustive, tailored, functional and structural information on biomarkers of interest in vivo that is currently missing during neuro-oncological interventions.

This PhD project forms part of the workpackage 3 (WP3) of Hyperprobe and will focus on the optical and metrological characterisation of a hyperspectral imaging system.

Research Aims:

The objectives of this PhD project are: (1) the metrological characterization and (2) the optimisation of hyperspectral instruments for imaging and spectroscopic parameters. This will be done by developing a digital phantom platform (Light Diffusion Simulator) and new optical phantoms (solid and liquid) that mimic the cortical haemodynamic\metabolic function and structure.

Requirements:

A first degree in physics or engineering (incl computer science) would be preferred, however candidates from other potentially relevant backgrounds (e.g., nature sciences and chemistry) will be considered if they can show the right level of commitment and interest.

A full studentship is available for Home fee applicants.

Overseas fee payers will be considered but they must have secured a separate scholarship that can cover the fee difference between Home Fee and the Overseas fee.

UCL’s fee eligibility criteria can a be found by following this link.

Deadline: 4^th of April 2023

To Apply: 

Please complete the following steps to apply.

• Send an expression of interest and current CV to: Prof Ilias Tachtsidis at i.tachtsidis@ucl.ac.uk and cdtadmin@ucl.ac.uk. Please quote Project Code: 23016 in the email subject line and your UCL Application ID.
• Make a formal application via the UCL Application Portal . Please select the programme code Medical Imaging TMRMEISING01 and enter Project Code 23016 under ‘Name of Award 1’

Application Process:

• After the deadline, all applicants that specified Project 23016 and with a Portico application will be considered for interview.
• Candidates will normally be invited for interview within two-weeks of the deadline. If you have not been contacted within this time-period, you have unfortunately not been successful in being shortlisted.
• The interview panel will normally consist of the supervision team on the project and the CDT Director.
• The interview will normally consist of a short presentation (5-10mins) by the candidate followed by questions from a panel.
• The successful candidate will be informed by email and given a week to confirm whether they wish to accept the PhD place and funding.
• Note that applications without specifying the project they are applying for and/or making a formal Portico application will be automatically rejected.
• Once accepted, a formal UCL offer of admission will be sent to the applicant as well as an offer of studentship funding.