PhD position in Medical imaging & Image Processing

In this position you will carry out research in the new field of small animal precision radiotherapy. You will operate in a multidisciplinary team of physicists, biologists, engineers and physicians who share great enthusiasm for small animal research to improve radiotherapy knowledge. The project focusses on the development and integration of imaging techniques such as CT, dual-energy CT, PET and optical imaging with the precision irradiator.The imaging modalities will be used to quantify the anatomy and physiology of tumors and their surrounding tissues, e.g. by determining the level of hypoxia in tumors. MAASTRO is developing a unique treatment planning system in collaboration with the manufacturer of the small animal irradiator.

We are looking for a candidate with a Masters degree (or equivalent) in Physics, Biomedical Engineering or similar, with a strong interest in biology. Training in working with small animals will be provided. We expect you to have a GPA of at least 3.5/4 for your Masters degree. Experience with image processing is highly valued, and experience with radiotherapy is a plus. The enthusiastic candidate that we are looking for must be fluent in English. The position involves no or minimal teaching duties. You must provide two letters of reference upon selection. PhD candidates at the University of Maastricht are expected to author at least 4 papers in 4 years.

We offer an exciting project in a new research field in radiotherapy, a pleasant working environment in a multidisciplinary team, with many learning opportunities. Conditions of Employment and salary are based on the Dutch Collective Labour Agreement for Hospitals (CAO-Ziekenhuizen). You will receive a fulltime contract (36 hours/week) for an initial period of one year, with the intention for extension up to 4 years. Your salary will be according to the scale of scientific researcher 4 of MAASTRO CLINIC (with a minimum of € 2.110,- gross/month), and is depending on your relevant experience. Furthermore the Collective Labour Agreement offers an extended package of secondary conditions, among others an 8%- holiday bonus, a yearly bonus and excellent pension arrangements and health insurance arrangements.

The radiotherapy institute MAASTRO CLINIC provides cancer care to patients in the Central and South Limburg region of the Netherlands. In June 2012, a satellite will be opened at the location of VieCuri Venlo, medical centre for the North Limburg region. MAASTRO CLINIC works closely with the radiotherapy department of the University Hospital Maastricht (MUMC+) in the fields of education, clinical and pre-clinical research. MAASTRO’s strategic goal is to deliver “individualized medicine”: By applying advanced medical technology and scientific research the cancer treatment will be tailored to the clinical, biological and genetic characteristics of an individual patient so that the best outcome can be achieved.

MAASTRO CLINIC is a radiotherapy treatment and research facility embedded within the GROW research institute of the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences at Maastricht University. Research carried out in the past has focused on molecular PET/CT imaging, computer aided theragnostics and dose guided radiotherapy (DGRT). Recently we expanded our research activities in a new, developing branch of radiotherapy; small animal precision radiotherapy. MAASTRO plays a leading role in Europe to develop new technology to precisely irradiate small animals, coupled to several imaging modalities such as CT, PET and optical imaging. This new research field creates opportunities to discover new therapies (e.g. synergies between radiation and drugs), and elucidate cancer development pathways.

The Clinic has seven permanent physicists, several technicians, informaticians, and 25PhD students/postdocs and is fully equipped with linear accelerators, verification imaging devices, a brachytherapy suite, a PET-CT scanner, a wide bore CT scanner, many treatment planning stations etc. Together with the Lab we installed a fully equipped small animal irradiation/imaging facility. MAASTRO collaborates with TU/Eindhoven, University of Toronto, the McGill University of Montreal, the University of Leuven, the Netherlands Cancer Institute, and we host a large international in- silico trial on particle therapy.

Further information may be obtained from frank.verhaegen@maastro.nl, Head of Physics Research or by calling +31-(0)88-4455792.Please also visit www.maastro.nl and www.grow-um.nl.