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Master's thesis: Quantitative MRI to investigate microstructural changes and perfusion impairment following traumatic spinal cord injury
The project aims at applying novel qMRI methods to assess microstructural changes and perfusion impairment in the spinal cord of patients after a traumatic spinal cord injury.
Extensive remote structural and blood perfusion changes of the spinal cord occur in the first months following spinal cord injury (SCI), with faster degenerative changes relating to poorer recovery. However, the spatial and temporal patterns of progression along the neuro-axis, and their relation to the clinical course of SCI are still uncertain. We utilize advanced quantitative MRI methods to better reveal the interaction between spinal cord macro- and microstructural changes, to determine a more defined analysis of changes along the whole cord, (i.e., within but also below and above the cord lesion), and to characterize the spinal patterns of changes affecting the myelin and axonal architecture.
Extensive remote structural and blood perfusion changes of the spinal cord occur in the first months following spinal cord injury (SCI), with faster degenerative changes relating to poorer recovery. However, the spatial and temporal patterns of progression along the neuro-axis, and their relation to the clinical course of SCI are still uncertain. We utilize advanced quantitative MRI methods to better reveal the interaction between spinal cord macro- and microstructural changes, to determine a more defined analysis of changes along the whole cord, (i.e., within but also below and above the cord lesion), and to characterize the spinal patterns of changes affecting the myelin and axonal architecture.
The specific aim is to apply novel, cutting edge qMRI methods to assess microstructural changes and perfusion impairment above the lesion in chronic traumatic SCI patients.
**Your tasks**
- To utilize MR technologies to acquire new MR data in traumatic SCI patients.
- To optimise the developed post-processing pipeline for the acquired image data.
- To assist with the recruitment of patients and to be the primary contact person.
**Your profile**
- Enrolment in a master’s program in biomedical engineering, neuroscience, biology or equivalent
- Familiar with MATLAB and statistics software
- Strong interest in medical image processing
- Desire to work and be in contact with SCI patients
- Analytical skills (preferably with some knowledge of statistics and neurobiology)
- Good communication skills – fluent in German – and a good English level
The specific aim is to apply novel, cutting edge qMRI methods to assess microstructural changes and perfusion impairment above the lesion in chronic traumatic SCI patients.
**Your tasks**
- To utilize MR technologies to acquire new MR data in traumatic SCI patients.
- To optimise the developed post-processing pipeline for the acquired image data.
- To assist with the recruitment of patients and to be the primary contact person.
**Your profile**
- Enrolment in a master’s program in biomedical engineering, neuroscience, biology or equivalent
- Familiar with MATLAB and statistics software
- Strong interest in medical image processing
- Desire to work and be in contact with SCI patients
- Analytical skills (preferably with some knowledge of statistics and neurobiology)
- Good communication skills – fluent in German – and a good English level
Anna Lebret, PhD student: anna.lebret@balgrist.ch
If you are interested in this research project or would like additional information, please send us an email with your CV.
The research project will be carried out in the Neuroimaging Group of the Spinal Cord Injury Center at the Balgrist Research Campus (Zurich, Switzerland) and will be under the supervision of Dr. Maryam Seif and MSc Anna Lebret.
Anna Lebret, PhD student: anna.lebret@balgrist.ch
If you are interested in this research project or would like additional information, please send us an email with your CV.
The research project will be carried out in the Neuroimaging Group of the Spinal Cord Injury Center at the Balgrist Research Campus (Zurich, Switzerland) and will be under the supervision of Dr. Maryam Seif and MSc Anna Lebret.