Dr Atif Shahzad
Application Deadline: 18 October 2024
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Details
Monitoring brain health in the intensive care unit (ICU) is crucial for the care of critically ill patients, especially those at risk of neurological complications. Many patients in the ICU are there due to brain-related issues like traumatic brain injuries, strokes, or infections. In these cases, early detection and treatment of brain injuries are essential to prevent further damage, known as secondary brain injury (SBI). SBI often occurs when the brain doesn’t receive enough blood, so a key focus in ICU monitoring is assessing brain perfusion, which means measuring how well blood is flowing to different parts of the brain.
Current methods for monitoring brain perfusion include brain imaging techniques like CT, MRI, and PET scans, as well as sensor-based devices that measure pressure, flow, or brain activity. However, these methods have limitations. Imaging techniques are not practical for continuous monitoring, and sensor-based devices don’t provide a complete picture of brain perfusion. This often leads doctors to use multiple methods to monitor brain health, which can be expensive and not always available, especially in low-middle-income countries where advanced medical equipment is scarce.
Microwave Sensing (MS) offers a promising alternative for non-invasive brain monitoring. This technology works by detecting changes in the electrical properties, or dielectric properties, of biological tissues. Different types of tissues, like skin, muscle, and bone, respond differently to microwave radiation. Blood, in particular, has high dielectric properties because of its water and electrolyte content. This makes MS useful for detecting changes in blood flow in the brain, which is crucial for assessing brain perfusion.
The goal of this project is to develop a microwave sensing system that can provide continuous, near real-time images of the brain to help doctors better monitor brain perfusion in critically ill patients. The project will tackle several challenges in the field of medical microwave sensing, contributing to advances in both knowledge and technology. One major challenge is achieving high-resolution while maintaining sufficient depth penetration of electromagnetic waves into the brain. Biological tissues tend to absorb microwave signals, which can weaken the signals and distort the images. Additionally, the complex nature of human tissue can cause the signals to scatter, further degrading image quality. Another challenge is developing fast imaging algorithms that can work on low-cost hardware. Current imaging methods require a lot of computational power, which makes real-time imaging difficult, especially in settings with limited resources.
The successful development of this MS system could have a significant impact on patient care and healthcare costs. It would lay the groundwork for new technologies that could be used not only in ICUs but also in other medical applications, such as stroke diagnosis, monitoring brain tumours, and functional brain imaging. The benefits of this project would extend to patients and their families, healthcare professionals, especially in low-middle-income countries, academic researchers in microwave sensing and imaging, and the medical technology industry.
This Joint PhD project will be primarily based at the University of Birmingham with a minimum 12-month stay at the University of Melbourne.
Supervisors
Dr Atif Shahzad (University of Birmingham) and Prof David Grayden (University of Melbourne)
Eligibility Criteria
The entry requirements for the Birmingham/Melbourne Joint PhD are either:
- An upper second-class four-year honours UK undergraduate degree in a relevant subject (or equivalent)
- An MSc/MRes in a relevant subject
How to Apply
Applicants must make their application through the application portal. Applicants are encouraged to contact prospective supervisors informally to discuss the project. Please detail the supervisor and project title under the Research Information section of the application form. This project falls under "Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering"
Please note that applications will close once a suitable candidate is identified. Interested applicants are encouraged to submit their application as early as possible.
Funding Notes
A fully funded studentship, which includes tax-free Doctoral Stipend of £19,237 per annum, is available for this Joint PhD programme between the University of Birmingham and the University of Melbourne for September 2025 start. For students who are to be hosted by the University of Melbourne, the scholarship will be a comparable rate in AUD. The scholarship includes funding for a return trip study period at the partner university (irrespective of whether the student beings their studies in Birmingham or Melbourne). You will be able to spend a minimum of 12 months at the University of Melbourne.
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