RESEARCH PROFILE
- Number of academic staff: 11.
- Number of research students: 15.
Neuroimaging at the IoP is world-renowned. The Department is embedded in the Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, a joint venture between the IoP and the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM). The Centre provides, under one roof, an interdisciplinary research environment that combines the development of high resolution structural, functional and metabolic mapping techniques, with expertise in the definition, diagnosis and treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders. The CNS houses dedicated GE Signa HD.x MRI scanners (one 1.5T and two 3T, with direct access to an additional 3T), capable of performing functional, spectroscopic, anatomical and pathological mapping techniques. A 7T pre-clinical MRI system is based at the James Black centre on the Denmark Hill Campus.
Current research projects span neurodegeneration, epilepsy, stroke, pain, psychosis, affective disorders, developmental disorders and normal brain function, using a battery of neuroimaging techniques which include perfusion, diffusion, functional and structural imaging. Complementary research in imaging physics and analysis supports these applications.
Basic scientific research is also performed in models of neuropsychiatric disease, again using a diverse array of neuroimaging techniques, including pharmacological MRI and spectroscopy techniques. In conjunction with non-MR methods such as microscopy and autoradiography, this multifaceted approach enhances our understanding of the patho-physiological mechanisms underlying disease and informs the development of novel therapeutic interventions. In addition, improved understanding of the biological processes that underlie MR signal changes advances the crucial role of MR in non-invasive assessment of neuropsychiatric disease.
Our long-term objective is to translate our on-going pre-clinical developments in neuroimaging to the clinic, improving diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric and neurological diseases.
KEY FACTS
Student destinations
Students can follow a variety of career paths including academic positions as such as postdoctorate researchers, lecturers and above, as well as positions within the NHS and Industry (specifically pharmaceutical industry and equipment manufacturers).
Head of group/division
Professor Steve Williams
Duration
Three years FT; six years PT. Accelerated PT rates available - email
iop.educationsupport@kcl.ac.uk for further information. Registration is carried out at four points in the year: October, January, April and July.
Denmark Hill Campus.
Year of entry 2013
Offered by
Institute of Psychiatry
Department of Neuroimaging
Closing date
January Entry - Application Deadline October. April entry - Application Deadline January; July entry - Application Deadline April; October entry - Application Deadline July.
Intake
No set number.
Fees
CONTACTS
Contact information
Email
Website
RESEARCH DESCRIPTION
In 1994 the Institute of Psychiatry (IoP) and Maudsley Hospital (now both part of King’s Health Partners) joined forces to bring into service their first high performance MRI scanner for both cutting edge research and advanced clinical applications. Sixteen years later, Neuroimaging has grown into one of the most successful groupings at the IoP, with more than a thousand peer-reviewed publications, world-class teams of academic physicists and methodologists at the forefront of new developments, and with a dedicated Wellcome Trust funded state-of-the-art building, the Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences (CNS) shared with the clinical neuroimaging department of South London and Maudsley NHS Trust.
Today the CNS houses a thriving community of academics, clinicians, students and technicians, and is at the heart of the Department of Neuroimaging. We collaborate extensively within King’s College London (KCL), the South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) and King’s Health Partners, with clinical, scientific and industrial collaborators from all over the world. The Department of Neuroimaging also houses the Preclinical Imaging Unit (PIU), comprising state-of-the-art purpose built MR research facilities for preclinical experimental research and fully equipped to study a variety of disease models. The current grant income for the Department of Neuroimaging is in excess of £15 million.
The CNS houses dedicated GE Signa HD.x MRI scanners (one 1.5T and two 3T, with direct access to an additional 3T), capable of performing functional, spectroscopic, anatomical and pathological mapping techniques. A 7T pre-clinical MRI system is based at the James Black centre on the Denmark Hill Campus.
Current research projects span neurodegeneration, psychosis, affective disorders, developmental disorders, epilepsy, stroke and normal brain function using a battery of neuroimaging techniques including perfusion, diffusion, functional and structural imaging. The CNS is also at the forefront of physics and methodological development, including research on new scanning techniques and on new data analysis methods, such as machine learning.
Our overall long-term objective is to translate ongoing clinical research pre-clinical developments in neuroimaging to the clinic, improving diagnosis and treatment.
More information about the CNS, the James Black centre and the Department of Neuroimaging can be found online at
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/iop/depts/neuroimaging/index.aspx
Staff interests associated with the research programme and its research groups
Interests:
Senior Lecturer in Neuroimaging specialising in image registration, analysis and visualisation.
Tel:
020 3228 3043
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Reader in Neuroimaging with a strong interest in physiological imaging such as cerebral blood flow and metabolism.
Tel:
020 3228 3069
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Current research projects span neurodegeneration, epilepsy, stroke, psychosis, affective disorders, developmental disorders, and normal brain function, using a battery of neuroimaging techniques which include perfusion, diffusion, functional and structural imaging. Professor Barker’s personal research interests include the implementation and development of quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques including T1 and T2-mapping, Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), and quantitative Magnetisation Transfer (MT) measurements, along with the application of such techniques.
Tel:
020 3228 3059
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Professor of Neuroimaging specialising in functional neuroimaging analysis and statistics Dr Andy Simmons - Reader in Neuroimaging specialising in neurodegeneration.
Tel:
020 3228 3051
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Senior lecturer in Neuroimaging with a strong interest in drug action on the brain.
Tel:
020 3228 3053
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Lecturer in Neuroimaging with a strong interest in pre-clinical applications and molecular imaging.
Tel:
020 7848 5451
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Head of Neuroimaging Department and Professor of Imaging Sciences with a strong interest in the translation of brain imaging techniques from the bench to the clinic.
Tel:
020 3228 3060
Fax:
020 3228 2116
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Lecturer in Neuroimaging specialising in image data analysis techniques
Tel:
020 3228 3052
Fax:
Email:
Website:
ACADEMIC ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
General entry advice
Applicants should possess a minimum of an upper second class honours degree from a UK university or the overseas equivalent and ideally a MA/MSc with at least a Merit. Applicants whose qualifications have been gained outside the UK will be checked by the Health Schools Admissions Centre to establish equivalency with these standards before an offer is sent and applicants will need to demonstrate at interview that their background and experience, general education and scolarship are appropriate. All applicants need to possess an adequate level of English competence. Please contact iop.educationsupport@kcl.ac.uk for further information.
APPLYING TO KING'S
To apply for graduate study at King's you will need to complete our graduate online application form. Applying online makes applying easier and quicker for you, and means we can receive your application faster and more securely.
King's does not normally accept paper copies of the graduate application form as applications must be made online. However, if you are unable to access the online graduate application form, please contact the relevant admissions/School Office at King's for advice.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Please see
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/iop/research/pgr/apply.aspx for details.
PERSONAL STATEMENT & SUPPORTING INFORMATION
No information required.
FUNDING
For College funding sources see:
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/pg/funding/fees.aspx and check
For Department of Neuroimaging funding opportunities see:
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/iop/depts/neuroimaging/studytraining/funding/index.aspx
Student profiles
Neuroimaging MPhil/PhDThe Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences is an extremely friendly place to study, small enough that I could easily get involved in the academic and social aspects of the department, whilst at the same time having fantastic experimental facilities and opportunities to learn from a large number of specialists with diverse areas of expertise.
My supervisors are incredibly supportive; weekly meetings give me the opportunity to discuss my progress, but perhaps more importantly, talk through the work I have been struggling with. They also support and encourage my participation in the wider academic community, with the department providing the support I needed to present my work at several national and international conferences.
Alongside my formal supervision I have benefited greatly from the advice of other PhD students, post docs and more senior academics from across the department who are always happy to help.