Casting new light on tissue function with phase-based x-ray microscopy

Tissue at the microscopic (single cell) level is studied with light or electron microscopy and with histology. Light/electron microscopy are affected by limitations in penetration depth, which hinders the ability to produce true 3D volumes of extended specimens. Electron microscopy requires significant sample preparation, and staining protocols are used also in light microscopy methods. Histology is destructive and inherently 2D; producing 3D volumes is expensive and time consuming (the entire volume must be sliced and every slice digitised), achieving isotropic resolution is virtually impossible, and tissue cutting leads to distortions and artefacts.

3D x-ray microscopy can solve these issues; however, conventional x-rays have limited soft-tissue contrast, and only a few laboratory-based x-ray microscopy systems exist, which are expensive, cumbersome, require long exposure times and feature extremely small (~100 mm) fields-of-view.

The advent of phase-based x-ray imaging can change all this, as it provides exquisite soft-tissue contrast with no staining agents. One unique such instrument has been developed by the AXIm group, and the student will use it to spearhead a new generation of biomedical studies in which e.g. tumour microenvironment and scaffold-tissue integration are studied in large, hydrated, unstained samples in their native state, in 3D and with single-cell resolution.

Research Aims:

The aims of this project are to improve the performance of the AXIm phase-based x-ray microscope, and to use it to address biomedical questions that are currently unanswered.

Biomedical collaborators are directly involved in the project, with one of them being a co-supervisor: the student will therefore be exposed to a series of areas of investigation, e.g. understanding cell-scaffold interactions in tissue engineering or the development of tumoroids in tissue cultures. The student will be encouraged to seek additional areas of exploration if they so wish and will ultimately choose the targeted areas supported by expert advice from the supervising team.

Person specification & requirements:

A first degree in physics or engineering would be preferred, however candidates from other potentially relevant backgrounds (e.g. biomedical sciences) 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.

• Make a formal application to via the UCL application portal https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/apply . Please select the programme code Medical Imaging TMRMEISING01 and enter Project Code 23013 under ‘Name of Award 1’
• Send an expression of interest and current CV to: [Email Address Removed] and [Email Address Removed]
• Please quote Project Code: 23013 in the email subject line.