[visionlist] PhD Student Position: Robust and Accurate Computer Assisted Treatment Planning System for Intraocular Tumors

[jens.kowal at artorg.unibe.ch]

Robust and Accurate Computer Assisted Treatment Planning System for Intraocular Tumors

A very challenging topic in ophthalmology is the treatment of intraocular tumors by external beam radiation therapy. Ocular anatomy and radiosensitivity provide a unique challenge for intraocular tumor radiotherapy. Several complex forms of external beam radiation therapy, like stereotactic fractionated radiation therapy, have evolved in order to focus a higher radiation dose to the tumor while minimizing radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissues. However, to fully benefit from these technologies it is essential to establish an accurate treatment plan prior to the actual intervention. Generating a patient specific treatment plan from several different image modalities such as MRI or fundus photographs by fusing different modalities into a single, comprehensive, patient-specific eye model is the major focus of this thesis.

In particular this PhD is concerned with:

·      Building a statistical shape model using MRI's for adults as well as for children.
·      Development of an automatic segmentation for patient specific MRI images based on the developed statistical shape model.
·      Integration of the model and the segmentation into an existing treatment planning software framework.
·      Incorporating fundus photographs in the treatment planning software framework.
·      Validation of the developed treatment planning system against state of the art planning procedures.

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate holding a Master’s degree or equivalent in computer science, physics, electrical engineering, or a related field with experience in computer vision and medical image processing.

The ideal candidate has strong analytical skills and programming experience in Matlab, C/C++, or equivalent. For a good working communication, oral and written fluency in English is required. It is essential that the candidate is willing to work in a multidisciplinary and international research team. The project is supported by the Suisse Cancer League for a duration of three years. The working place will be on a time shared basis the CHUV Lausanne and the University of Bern in Bern.

Earliest starting date: November 1st 2012.

Feel free to contact:

Dr. Meritxell Bach Cuadra, M.E.R., PhD, at meritxell.bachcuadra at unil.ch or

Prof. Dr. Jens Kowal, at jens.kowal at artorg.unibe.ch

Please send your complete application via e-mail.


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University of Bern
ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research

Prof Jens Kowal, Ph.D.
Ophthalmic Technologies
Inselspital Bern
Ophthalmology Department