Ph.D. student in Medical Radiation Physics - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The department of Medical Radiation Physics is engaged in research and education in ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, and its use mainly in medical applications. The major areas are magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), radiation therapy, X-ray physics, and nuclear medicine.

The MR physics research group (www.med.lu.se/klinvetlund/MR_physics), situated in the expanding Öresund region in southern Sweden, is active in the field of medical magnetic resonance, and has its primary focus on development of new techniques for assessment of functional information related to perfusion, diffusion, cortical activation/fMRI and flow. Emerging areas in the group encompass high field-studies using CEST as well as quantitative MRI in the brain and in the musculoskeletal system.

We are looking for a Ph.D. student in Medical Radiation Physics with a focus on MR-Physics.

Description

We intend to use natural sugar (D-glucose) as a biodegradable agent for diagnosing cancer with MRI. D-glucose is a regulatory approved biocompatible substance that is already used in glucose tolerance testing of diabetics in the clinic. Injection of small amounts of glucose will not change conventional MRI contrast. However, we will accomplish detection using a novel approach called CEST (chemical exchange saturation transfer) MRI. Using CEST, the presence of small (millimolar) amounts of glucose can be detected with greatly enhanced sensitivity through the water signal by using its hydroxyl protons as a natural label that exchanges with water protons.

Job Assignment

The main assignment is to develop and apply the glucose CEST (“glucoCEST”) method in healthy volunteers and in patients with brain cancer in order to evaluate its use for the combined imaging of perfusion and permeability in tumours. More specifically, the tasks are to optimize imaging parameters, implement post-processing methods and to develop methods for tracer-kinetic analysis of glucoCEST data.

Eligibility

Students with basic eligibility for third-cycle studies are those who have either completed a second-cycle degree, or completed courses of at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits are from second-cycle courses, or acquired largely equivalent knowledge in some other way, in Sweden or abroad.

Additionally, to be accepted for third-cycle studies in Medical Radiation Physics the applicant must have a MSc degree in Medical Physics (or an equivalent foreign degree), or completed an alternative university education to achieve basic eligibility equivalent to 240 credits, of which courses of at least 60 credits are directly relevant for the doctoral studies announced here, and has completed a research project thesis (MSc thesis, or equivalent) corresponding to at least 30 credits.

Other requirements:

• Ability to communicate well in spoken and written English, to a standard that allows writing of scientific publications in a linguistically acceptable manner
• The holder of this position must have the ability to teach, as part of the departmental assignments.

Evaluation criteria: 

• Very good knowledge of MR physics
• Completed MSc degree project aimed at CEST MRI
• Documented good knowledge of MATLAB programming
• Ability to cooperate with colleagues

Admission to third level (doctoral) studies is based primarily on the evaluated ability of the student to pursue and benefit from such studies.

Type of employment
Limit of tenure, four years according to HF 5 kap 7§.

Application

The application is to be made online. An incomplete application will not be processed.

The application must contain: 

• CV
• A copy of the 30 credit master's degree project thesis (or equivalent)
• Copies of certificates and documents that the applicant wishes to claim.