PhD Studentship in Specialised MRI in Medically Refractory Epilepsy

£13,726 pa Stipend

Department of Molecular & Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine

Location: University Campus

Ref: PhD-MRI-refractory-epilepsy/WWW

Closing date for receipt of applications: Thu, 07 Nov 2013 17:00:00 GMT

A PhD Studentship is available in the Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine at the University of Liverpool, supervised jointly between Dr. Simon Keller and Professor Tony Marson. This is an exciting project that involves collaboration with the Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust (WCFT), which is a specialist neurosciences NHS hospital providing a high quality, integrated, multidisciplinary neurosciences service to the northwest of England and North Wales. The multidisciplinary Epilepsy Research Group at the University of Liverpool and WCFT has a long-standing international reputation for assessing outcomes in people with epilepsy.

People with medically refractory epilepsy who do not have a discernable brain abnormality on routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pose a significant challenge in the clinical management of their disorder. Neurosurgeons are more hesitant to operate on people without an identifiable structural abnormality, and for people who do undergo surgery, postsurgical outcome is significantly poorer compared to people with a focal brain abnormality (e.g. hippocampal sclerosis). The focus of this project will be to use specialised MRI approaches with sophisticated image analysis techniques for people with refractory epilepsy who were found to be MRI-negative during routine clinical imaging in an attempt to identify brain alterations that may underlie the epilepsy disorder.

You will perform manual and automated quantitative MRI (e.g. high resolution hippocampal measurements, analysis of cortical thickness), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional MRI analyses on data prospectively acquired for people with epilepsy and healthy controls. There is also the opportunity to analyse neuroimaging data that has been previously acquired. You will be expected to present your work at internal departmental meetings, national and international conferences, and as peer-reviewed manuscripts in internationally renowned journals.

Applications are sought from graduates (First or Upper Second) in Neuroscience, Biomedical Science, Psychology, Medicine, or an equivalent discipline. Experience with MRI analysis techniques, particularly in context of a postgraduate qualification, is desirable. This studentship includes PhD tuition fees (UK/EU students only) and is available for three years.

To apply please send a copy of your CV with covering letter to:

Dr. Simon Keller (simon.keller@liv.ac.ukmailto:simon.keller@liv.ac.uk).

-- Dr. Simon S. Keller Lecturer and Senior Scientist Neuroimaging

The Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Institute of Translational Medicine University of Liverpool

2nd Floor, Neurological Science Clinical Sciences Centre Aintree University Hospitals and The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trusts Lower Lane Liverpool L9 7LJ Tel: +44 (0)151 529 5943 Simon.Keller@liverpool.ac.ukmailto:Simon.Keller@liverpool.ac.uk www.liv.ac.uk/translational-medicine/staff/simon-keller/