Magnetic Resonance Imaging Assessment of Tumour MicroStructure in Glioblastoma

This PhD project is perfect for students who want to develop skills in programming, computational modeling, physics, and mathematics to characterize structural changes in biological tissue. It’s ideal for graduates in physics, engineering, mathematics, or computer science with a passion for neuroscience and brain physiology, as well as neuroscientists with strong computational interests.

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive brain cancer in adults and one of the most aggressive forms of solid tumour. It has no known cure and an average survival of 12-15 months from diagnosis. There is an urgent need to improve our understanding and treatment of GBM. Key to improving this understanding and developing new treatments for GBM lies in the way it manipulates the surrounding normal brain into helping it become more aggressive.

This project builds on the well-established collaboration between Velindre Cancer Centre neuro-oncology team and Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC). We will exploit the world-leading expertise and imaging tools available at CUBRIC and apply this most advanced imaging to patients with GBM. This will allow us to understand and predict how patient’s tumours change in response to treatment and importantly, to recognise when treatment works and when the tumour is resistant.

At CUBRIC, we’re pioneering new MRI methodologies with one of only four ultra-strong gradient MRI systems in the world. This technology significantly enhances the performance of diffusion-weighted MRI (dMRI), a crucial tool for studying tissue microstructure in health and disease. Our research focuses on combining multiple MRI modalities to gain a comprehensive understanding of tissue physiology. By developing multi-modal MRI protocols, we can correlate physical and chemical tissue properties, providing detailed insights into tissue compartments and their characteristics. This approach is vital for accurately characterizing diseases where tissue components are unknown.

This Cancer Research Wales funded PhD project aims to develop a multi-contrast MRI framework for detailed microstructure characterization of GBM tumor microenvironment (TME). With the rise of targeted cancer therapies, early and precise identification of treatment response is crucial. Current methods are often inadequate, highlighting the need for better in-vivo markers of TME change. Multi-contrast MRI offers new ways to probe diffusion and relaxation simultaneously, enhancing tissue classification and tumor grading.

The project will involve numerical simulations, biophysical and computational modelling, and a proof-of-concept study in collaboration with the Velindre Cancer Centre.

The successful candidate will be based at CUBRIC (https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/cardiff-university-brain-research-imaging-centre) and a member of the microTeam group in CUBRIC and the Medical Image Computing group (https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/research/explore/research-units/medical-image-computing) in the School of Computer Science and Informatics. These house people with a wide range of backgrounds from physicists, computer scientists and engineers to neuroscientists, psychologists and clinicians. He/she will have access to state-of-the-art MRI scanners (7T, 3T Connectom) and high-performance computing clusters. He/she will get hands-on experience with biophysical and computational modelling, machine learning and signal processing, preparing him/her for an exciting career in research or industry; and have free access to over 350 training courses provided by Doctoral Academy to develop himself/herself professionally and personally. He/she will be part of the neuro-oncology team in Cardiff and will attend the quarterly brain tumour multi-disciplinary research group (MDRG) in Cardiff.

Join us in advancing MRI technology to transform cancer diagnosis and treatment, making a significant impact on healthcare!

The studentship will commence in October 2024 and will cover your tuition fees (at UK level) as well as a maintenance grant. In 2024 the maintenance grant for full-time students was £17,688 per annum. As well as tuition fees and a maintenance grant, all School of Psychology students receive access to courses offered by the University’s Doctoral Academy and become members of the University Doctoral Academy.

As only one studentship is available and a very high standard of applications is typically received, the successful applicant is likely to have a very good first degree (a First or Upper Second-class BSc Honours or equivalent) and/or be distinguished by having relevant research experience.

How to apply:

You can apply online – consideration is automatic on applying for a PhD in Psychology, with an October 2024 start date (programme code RFPDPSYA).

Please use our online application service at

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/applying

and specify in the funding section that you wish to be considered for School funding.

Please specify that you are applying for this particular project and the supervisor.

2 reference letters are required

Application deadline: 12^th August 2024 with interviews being held on or around 26^th August 2024 and decisions being made by 1^st September 2024.

Email: palombom@cardiff.ac.uk

Phone Number: +44 29208 70358

The School of Psychology is one of the largest and most successful in the UK and we are dedicated to providing a dynamic and stimulating learning environment informed by our leading research in psychology and neuroscience – (http://www.cf.ac.uk/psych/). 

The School’s excellent standard of research and teaching has been recognised in every Research Excellence Framework. Our facilities offer unique opportunities for complementary and collaborative studies across methodologies to address novel research questions – https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/psychology/research/facilities.

Clinical Neuroscience – Our research labs are equipped with the state-of-the-art facilities to address key questions of basic and clinical neuroscience https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/neuroscience-mental-health/research/facilities  

Brain Imaging (CUBRIC) – Our research facilities include one of Europe’s most powerful brain scanners, as well as a purpose-built environment for patients and volunteers taking part in medical research and clinical trials https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/cardiff-university-brain-research-imaging-centre/facilities 

Velindre Cancer Centre – Velindre Cancer Centre (VCC) provides non-surgical cancer care for residents of South East Wales and provides a centralised regional service for some specialised treatments such as stereotactic radiosurgery. The neuro-oncology unit at VCC is a designated national Tessa Jowell Brain Tumour Cerntre of Excellence.

https://velindre.nhs.wales/velindrecc/