PhD in Neuroimaging and Functional MRI for Spinal Cord Injury University of Zurich in Switzerland

PhD position available in neuroimaging with a focus on functional MRI (fMRI) in spinal cord injury at the Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital in Zurich, Switzerland, with registration at the University of Zurich or ETH Zurich.

The project is part of an SNSF-funded grant titled High-Resolution Imaging of Spinal Cord Function After Injury: Advancing Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Treatment Monitoring. The research aims to improve understanding of spinal cord function by developing and applying clinically feasible 3T fMRI protocols combined with peripheral nerve stimulation and advanced data analysis. The work also includes multimodal MRI analysis (functional, structural, and diffusion MRI) and development of image processing and machine-learning methods.

The PhD will be supervised by Dr. Gergely David and Prof. Patrick Freund. The group is described as a multidisciplinary team of neuroscientists, clinicians, physicists, engineers, and biologists, with access to state-of-the-art MRI infrastructure including a 3T Siemens Prisma and 7T Siemens TerraX scanner.

Eligibility highlights include a Master’s degree in neuroscience, engineering, natural sciences, computer science, or a related field; strong interest in neuroimaging, spinal cord research, and translational neuroscience; motivation to work with patients in a clinical research environment; fluency in English and German; and experience with MRI imaging and/or image analysis as an advantage.

The position is fully funded for up to four years according to SNSF PhD salary regulations. The start date is flexible and can be agreed upon.

To apply, send a motivation letter, CV, and contact details of two referees to [email protected].