Doctoral student in medical radiation physics with focus on MR 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 (https://www.msf.lu.se/research/mr-physics-group), situated in the expanding Öresund region in southern Sweden, is active in the field of medical magnetic resonance (MR), 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. 

Doctoral project description
We intend to use sugar as a biodegradable agent for diagnosing cancer with MRI. Injection of small amounts of sugar 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.

Assignments
The main assignment is to pursue third-cycle studies, consisting of postgraduate courses and thesis projects related to development, validation and application of the CEST method using sugar as a contrast agent.  More specifically, the projects tasks are to optimize the imaging acquisition and to implement post-processing methods, such as motion correction, in both pre-clinical and clinical settings using different sugars such as glucose, inulin and dextran. The position may also include departmental assignments (maximally 20%), including teaching, research or administrative tasks.

Eligibility
Students with basic eligibility for third-cycle studies are those who- have completed a second-cycle degree- have completed courses of at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits are from second-cycle courses, or- have 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.

The employment of doctoral students is regulated in the Swedish Code of Statues 1998: 80. Only those who are or have been admitted to PhD-studies may be appointed to doctoral studentships. When an appointment to a doctoral studentship is made, the ability of the student to benefit from PhD-studies shall primarily be taken into account. In addition to devoting themselves to their studies, those appointed to doctoral studentships may be required to work with educational tasks, research and administration, in accordance with specific regulations in the ordinance.

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 degree project aimed at CEST or/and MRS and/or motion correction.
• Documented participation in scientific projects in the field of 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.

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

The application must contain: 

• 1 CV
• 2 A copy of the 30 ECTS credits master's degree thesis (or equivalent)
• 3 Copies of certificates and documents that the applicant wishes to claim.

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