Description
The Graduate School of Information Science in Health (GSISH) at Technische Universität München is seeking applications from highly motivated candidates for a 3-year funded PhD position.

X-ray phase-contrast is a recently developed x-ray imaging method, which provides better soft-tissue contrast compared to conventional attenuation-based approaches. Up until now several successful proof-of-principle experiments were carried out with conventional laboratory x-ray sources and with highly brilliant synchrotron radiation sources. These experiments demonstrate impressively the high potential of the method for future clinical application.

The next step, and main scientific motivation for this project, is the further development of x-ray phase-contrast imaging in the field of biomedical x-ray diagnostics. The successful candidate will work on the development of adequate system simulation and numerical modelling tools to properly describe the physical processes which give rise to the final phase-contrast image. The main focus will lie on the image quality and breast equivalent dose of phase-contrast imaging for mammography and on the comparison of this entitlement with classical, absorption-based x-ray mammography.

This will require good x-ray physics understanding and advanced programming skills. The successful candidate will be collaborating with a team of experienced scientists from GE Global Research and the Biomedical Physics (Prof Pfeiffer) department at TUM, and get unique access to latest hardware for conducting cutting-edge research.


References
F. Pfeiffer et al, Nature Materials 7, 134-137 (2008); F. Pfeiffer et al, Physical Review
Letters 101, 16810 (2008); F. Pfeiffer et al, Physics in Medicine and Biology 52, 6923-6930 (2007); F. Pfeiffer et al, Nature Physics 2, 258-261 (2006) and www.e17.ph.tum.de.


Qualifications
The applicant should have a Masters degree and a strong background in physics or a related subject. Interest and prior knowledge in x-ray optics is desired.


Our offer
He/She will become part of the highly renowned TUM Graduate School of Information Science in Health (GSISH) and a student member of TUM, one of Germany’s first universities of excel-lence. The GSISH will actively assist the candidate in achieving a Ph.D. degree within the scheduled time of three years. The payment and the conditions of employment follow the specifications of TUM-GSISH position.


Application Details
Applications should include curriculum vitae, certificates and transcript of BA/MA/Diplom or equivalent degree, summary of the previous work, letter of motivation, proof of fluency in English and names of 2 references. Please send your application within one pdf-document to gsish(at)tum.de.


Contact
Dr. Ursula Mühle
(GSISH Managing Director)

TUM Graduate School of Information Science in Health
Boltzmannstr. 11
85748 Garching