Biography
I completed my PhD at the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences. During this time, I investigated existing techniques for myelin imaging (e.g. mcDESPOT) in MRI and developed new sequences to improve myelin sensitivity and specificity. Our most recent technique is based on a contrast mechanism known as inhomogeneous magnetization transfer (ihMT). Using novel radiofrequency (RF) pulse designs and reconstruction methods, we can simultaneously generate semi-quantitative and quantitative myelin maps of the human brain. As a CME Postdoctoral Fellow, I implemented these quantitative myelin imaging techniques at ultra-high field (7T) to benefit from a superior SNR and resolution, whilst successfully addressing relevant acquisition challenges such as subject motion. In my current role, I aim to tune MR sequences for cheaper hardware. Instead of optimizing scanner performance within hardware and safety constraints, I seek to minimize the performance demands of the scanner while achieving acceptable scan quality. This will be achieved by developing an MRI simulator that can predict image quality given imperfect hardware and then a control system to counteract predicted image artefacts.