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Silent Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Monitoring Multiple Sclerosis

Start date

1st October 2022

Award(s)

1 fully funded 3-year PhD Fellowship, Multiple Sclerosis Society, Department of Neuroimaging, IoPPN

Project

Conventional wisdom states that MRI scans are loud and long, but conventional wisdom is wrong. By carefully programming the MRI scanner, it is possible to make scans near silent [1], and modern image reconstruction methods are enabling ever faster, more informative scans [2]. Both issues are crucial in monitoring Multiple Sclerosis over long periods of time – quiet, quick, quantitative scans will enable more people living with MS to have more scans more frequently and provide richer information to clinicians. In turn this will enable earlier MS diagnosis and better, more informed prognoses.

This PhD will optimise the acquisition and analysis of silent quantitative Magnetisation Transfer (MT) MRI for use in MS disease course prediction in both the brain and spinal cord. The student will be supervised in the Department of Neuroimaging at King’s College London, a world-renowned imaging centre with access to multiple state-of-the-art MRI scanners. The supervision team includes physicists, clinicians, and international MS experts. Applicants should hold or be about to receive an undergraduate or master’s degree in a relevant subject such as Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics or Computer Science.

Supervisors

Prof. Gareth Barker & Dr Tobias Wood

Entry requirements

Applicants should have a Bachelors degree with 2:1 honours (or Overseas equivalent). A 2:2 degree may be considered only where applicants also offer a Masters with Merit.

Award types and eligibility

Students will be fully funded for three years full time, to include a stipend and fees at the Home rate (funding only covers fees at the Home student level). To be treated as a Home student, candidates must meet be/have one of:

  • A UK national (meeting residency requirements)
  • Settled status
  • Pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements)
  • Indefinite leave to remain or enter

Further information

Findaphd advert: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/silent-mri-for-monitoring-multiple-sclerosis/?p143194

About the IoPPN (link to http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/about/index.aspx)

Studying at the IoPPN (link to http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/study/index.aspx)

MSc programmes at the IoPPN (link to https://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/study/postgraduate-taught

Research degrees at the IoPPN (link to https://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/study/postgraduate-research-programmes)

How to apply

Applicants must complete and submit an online admissions application, via the admissions portal by midnight (23:59 GMT), Thursday 5th May 2022. 

On the ‘Choosing a programme’ page, please select Neuroimaging Research MPhil/PhD (Full-time).

In your application, you will be asked to include:

  •  Academic Transcripts – where applicable, academic transcripts must be submitted with the online admissions application
  • Details of your qualifications (you will need to attach copies)
  • Details of previous employment - please include your CV
  • A personal statement describing your interests and why you wish to apply for this project. Please include this as an attachment rather than using the text box.
  • Academic References – all admissions applications require one supporting reference. If the applicant is relying on thier referees to submit a reference directly to the College after they have submitted thier admissions application, then the applicant must ensure that (1) their chosen referee is made aware of the funding deadline (i.e. 7 days from application deadline) and (2) that the reference needs to be sent from an institutional email address.

In the Funding section, please tick box 5 and include the following reference: NEUROIM-GBTW-APR22

Please note there is no need to complete the Research Proposal section in your application as the project has already been set.

You are welcome to email tobias.wood@kcl.ac.uk (supervisor) for more information regarding the project and studentship.

If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the Education support team at ioppn.pgr@kcl.ac.uk

References must be received by the deadline for the applicant to be eligible.

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

Closing date

 5th May 2022 (23:59 GMT)

Interviews

19th May 2022

 

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