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Prof N Roberts
Prof E van Beek
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
Applications are invited for a new PhD studentship in Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE) to be based at the Clinical Research Imaging Centre (CRIC) within the Edinburgh Imaging consortium.
Seeing is one thing; touching is another. Whereas conventional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) allows us to see anatomy and pathology, MRE allows us to non-invasively ‘feel’ inside the living body, measure its mechanical properties and objectively provide descriptions such as hard, soft, elastic, viscous, etc. Presently, however, there are only a few MRE research groups worldwide and application of MRE to study the human brain only began in earnest in 2008. The new PhD studentship will be the first time MRE has been applied to study the new born and developing brain.
The MRE research group in Edinburgh was established in 2009 with the aim of developing MRE as an imaging modality with sufficiently high resolution to be conveniently and routinely employed in Clinical Radiology reporting. We have assembled state of the art facilities including the pneumatic Resoundant system offered commercially for performing liver MRE, and a research-based mechanical actuator system provided via collaboration with Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany and which we have applied extensively in multi-frequency MRE studies of muscle function and recovery from muscle injury. These systems are complemented by the development in Edinburgh of state of the art image processing software for analysis of multi-frequency MRE data including patented algorithms for performing Super-resolution MRE.
A previous PhD studentship has focused on optimizing the application of the above resources to provide early diagnosis and prognosis of dementia and has incorporated use of a head pillow and spiral MRE pulse sequence for acquisition of high resolution brain MRE data, via respective collaborations with Mayo Clinic, Minnesota, USA and Beckman Institute, University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, USA.
The aim of the new PhD studentship is to pioneer the application of MRE to study the neonatal brain. Initially, via theoretical studies and investigations of test objects and phantoms we will develop protocols that will be completely safe to apply in the study of the developing brain. Subsequently, we will apply the new Super-resolution MRE technique with a particular focus on providing detailed quantification of the effects of preterm birth on brain mechanical properties. In collaboration between Neonatology, Radiology, Physics and Imaging Science this information will be used to support the development of therapeutic interventions to promote healthy growth and full attainment of potential.
Seeing is one thing; touching is another. Whereas conventional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) allows us to see anatomy and pathology, MRE allows us to non-invasively ‘feel’ inside the living body, measure its mechanical properties and objectively provide descriptions such as hard, soft, elastic, viscous, etc. Presently, however, there are only a few MRE research groups worldwide and application of MRE to study the human brain only began in earnest in 2008. The new PhD studentship will be the first time MRE has been applied to study the new born and developing brain.
The MRE research group in Edinburgh was established in 2009 with the aim of developing MRE as an imaging modality with sufficiently high resolution to be conveniently and routinely employed in Clinical Radiology reporting. We have assembled state of the art facilities including the pneumatic Resoundant system offered commercially for performing liver MRE, and a research-based mechanical actuator system provided via collaboration with Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany and which we have applied extensively in multi-frequency MRE studies of muscle function and recovery from muscle injury. These systems are complemented by the development in Edinburgh of state of the art image processing software for analysis of multi-frequency MRE data including patented algorithms for performing Super-resolution MRE.
A previous PhD studentship has focused on optimizing the application of the above resources to provide early diagnosis and prognosis of dementia and has incorporated use of a head pillow and spiral MRE pulse sequence for acquisition of high resolution brain MRE data, via respective collaborations with Mayo Clinic, Minnesota, USA and Beckman Institute, University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, USA.
The aim of the new PhD studentship is to pioneer the application of MRE to study the neonatal brain. Initially, via theoretical studies and investigations of test objects and phantoms we will develop protocols that will be completely safe to apply in the study of the developing brain. Subsequently, we will apply the new Super-resolution MRE technique with a particular focus on providing detailed quantification of the effects of preterm birth on brain mechanical properties. In collaboration between Neonatology, Radiology, Physics and Imaging Science this information will be used to support the development of therapeutic interventions to promote healthy growth and full attainment of potential.
Project supervisors
Career overview
Professor Neil Roberts graduated in Physics from the University of Liverpool and was awarded a Personal Fellowship from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). He then moved to the USA to work as a Research Associate at the University of California in Santa Barbara (UCSB). Upon returning to the UK, Professor Roberts was appointed Lecturer at the University of Liverpool, where he established an Image Analysis Laboratory at the Magnetic Resonance and Image Analysis Research Centre (MARIARC), which housed the UK’s first commercial Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system. He later became the Director of this centre. In 2009, he was appointed Chair of Medical Physics and Imaging Science at the University of Edinburgh, where he is based in the Centre for Reproductive Health (CRH) within the Institute for Regeneration and Repair (IRR).
Research interests
Professor Neil Roberts' research focuses on quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (qMRI), with a particular emphasis on Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE). They have published over 200 peer-reviewed scientific articles on various MRI techniques, including structural MRI, DTI, fMRI, and MRS, particularly in clinical and cognitive neuroscience. Their work involves the non-invasive measurement of tissue mechanical properties and the application of MRE in studies related to the uterus, brain, and muscle, collaborating with various international researchers. Current projects include investigating the role of MRE in diagnosing adenomyosis, supporting diagnosis and pre-surgical planning for brain tumours, and comparing the effects of Thai Traditional Massage and Physical Therapy on muscle health.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Magnetic Resonance Elastography
Quantitative MRI
Clinical Research
Cognitive Neuroscience
Tissue Mechanical Properties
Uterine Disorders
Adenomyosis
International Collaboration
Health and Well-being
Randomised Control Trials
Facial Tissue Analysis
Non-invasive Measurement
Acoustic Waves
Inversion Techniques
MRI Techniques
Prof E van Beek's profile is coming soon
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