The position

Have you lost your heart to Physics or Technical Medicine? Use your Master’s degree for this PhD position and contribute to cardiovascular research with your knowledge of medical imaging. Supervised by a postdoctoral researcher you will develop new methods for MRI acquisition and analysis, using state-of-the-art patient scanners of the Radiology department. You will publish your results in scientific journals and present them at international conferences.

 The project

The RADAR-study aims at earlier recognition of aortic dissection and aneurysm rupture. By developing innovative magnetic resonance imaging methods and image analysis approaches that make use of computational fluid dynamics, the RADAR-Study expects to unravel hemodynamic and mechanical aspects associated with the development of aortic aneurysms. An aortic aneurysm is life-threatening as it can lead to dissection and rupture. Aneurysms often remain undetected until a fatal event occurs. Aberrant blood flow patterns provoke changes in local mechanical wall properties due to abnormal stresses on the aortic vessel wall. A new non-invasive imaging approach that combines structural information of the aortic vessel wall as well as hemodynamic information from blood flow and transmural blood pressure, may establish new biomarkers that are indicative for earlier aneurysm detection, preferably before growth, and ultimately can prevent dissection and fatal rupture.

You have obtained a MSC degree in Physics, Biomedical Engineering, Technical Medicine or a related displine. In addition, you have experience with medical image analysis and software development and are motivated to learn MRI physics. You are highly motivated, and able to work independently as well as in a multidisciplinary team. You should be able to communicate effectively across different discipline. 

Fixed-term contract: PhD thesis.

You will be employed on the basis of a 36-hour week. Your appointment should lead to a PhD thesis. Your salary  is € 2,279 gross per month in the first year, progressing to € 2,919 gross per month in the fourth year based on a full-time position (scale PhD students of the Collective Labor Agreement for University Hospitals).

The terms of employment offered by the LUMC are highly favorable. For example, you will receive 8% holiday remuneration, a year-end bonus, and a pension arrangement with the National Civil Pension Fund. Also, as employee of one of the University Hospitals in the Netherlands, you can benefit from our collective health insurance policy.

Moreover, the LUMC offers excellent facilities in the area of education, child-care center, and career advice.

The LUMC is a center for medical innovation that aims to improve patient care through leading international research. So as to also provide our patients with a safe and friendly environment, we need doctors, medical care specialists, support staff and academic researchers. 

As PhD student you will join the research team of the Radiology department that leads this RADAR-study. RADAR is a CVON project and is financed by the Dutch Heart Foundation. The project is a collaborative initiative from Leiden University Medical Center, Delft University of Technology and Maastricht University Medical Center. Within the LUMC, the Radiology department closely collaborates with the departments of Cardiology and Thoracic Surgery.