PhD opportunity [October 2026 start] on "Intelligent deep learning neuroimaging system for guiding brain tumour treatment"

Feb 7, 2026 2 min read

Applications are invited for a fully funded 1+3 years MRes+PhD or 4 years PhD EPSRC CDT PSI studentship (including tuition fees, annual stipend and consumables) starting in October 2026.

Award details:

Focus: Intelligent deep learning neuroimaging system for guiding brain tumour treatment
First supervisor: Jonathan Shapey
Second supervisor: Tom Vercauteren
Funding type: 4-year fully-funded EPSRC CDT PSI studentship including a stipend, tuition fees, research training and support grant (RTSG), and a travel and conference allowance.
Start date: October 2026

Artificial Intelligence based tool to assist clinicians during multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTMs). A specialist team of clinicians meet to discuss the optimal timing and mode of treatment for patients with brain tumours. This project will develop and evaluate the use of state-of-the-art AI-assisted tools for vestibular schwannoma. The tool will detect and segment the tumours and analyse imaging biomarkers to predict tumour behaviour before and after treatment.

Project description

Vestibular Schwannoma (VS) is a non-cancerous brain tumour that grows from the inner ear, towards the brain. At current rates, approximately 1 in 1000 people will be diagnosed with a VS in their lifetime. Patients with VS require individualized patient management that may include imaging surveillance, radiation treatment or surgery.

This project aims to: 1) optimise deep learning models to automatically detect and segment VS using MRI; 2) integrate the framework into a tool capable of being deployed in the clinic; and 3) conduct a prospective clinical pilot study to evaluate the clinical impact of using AI-based tool in patient management.

Modern learning-based image-registration methods will be utilised to provide robustness and computational efficiency. The clinical pilot study will provide the foundation for a future multicentre interventional study aimed at assessing clinical effectiveness and health economic impact.