Research Scientist in MRI Physics Modelling

Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (NDCN), OxCIN@FMRIB, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU

We are looking to hire a postdoc with a background in MRI physics/engineering and experience in the majority of the following areas:

• Biophysical modelling, including tissue microstructure
• Measurement and analysis of tissue microstructure, such as diffusion imaging
• Bloch- and EPG-based physics simulation
• Multi-modal quantitative MRI
• MRI experiment and analysis, particularly in neuro imaging
• Experience with neuro imaging tools like Free surfer and FSL

The postholder will join an established team that works closely and with other members of the OxCIN physics group to create an MR physics-based framework for predicting imaging phenotypes from quantitative imaging data.

They will be expected to take an independent and proactive role in managing their own research; establishing and maintaining international collaborations; representing the group and communicating our research; and generating new research and grant opportunities.

The past decade has seen the emergence of population-level brain imaging. For the first time, imaging can provide a rich, multi-faceted description of how an individual's brain deviates from population norms, potentially informing about early pathology or susceptibility to disease. However, the imaging in these new population-health resources reflects specific imaging protocols that may not match acquisitions in novel settings, such as hospital scanners.

We aim to enable clinical imaging to take advantage of population-level health data resources by addressing the deep challenges of information translation. We will achieve this by linking the relevant biology to the physics of the imaging measurement to predict unseen imaging phenotypes. This requires new research across multiple domains, including biophysical modelling, physics-based simulation, development of imaging protocols, quantitative measurement, and non-linear modelling/optimisation.

This research is funded by the Wellcome Trust and is based at the Oxford Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (OxCIN) in Oxford, UK. The project is directed by Professor Karla Miller and overseen by Professor Aaron Hess, in collaboration with other members of the WIN physics team and partner institutions. Professor Miller's research portfolio includes co‑leading brain imaging in the UK Biobank, the world's largest population imaging study, and the translation of MRI markers from microscopy to rodents to humans.

Professor Hess has expertise in contrast simulation, characterisation of B1 fields, and physiological interactions with sequences including blood flow and motion.

This post is full time and fixed term 31 December 2028 in the first instance.

£49,119 to £58,265 per annum. RESEARCH GRADE 8