Medical Imaging Science Training Program
The Department of Radiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine offers a unique interdisciplinary training opportunity for graduate students interested in pursuing careers in medical imaging. The program brings together leading Northwestern imaging faculty from Radiology, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the Health Sciences Integrated PhD Program to provide students with the highest level of training to conduct cutting-edge translational research aimed at solving real-world clinical problems.
Students are expected to gain in-depth knowledge in the fundamentals of imaging science, medical physics, physiology, computer science, electrical engineering and/or mathematics. The central goal of this educational program is to train and equip students to develop innovative, advanced medical imaging and computational methods for addressing pressing unmet clinical needs.
Research Topics & Areas
Our program encompasses a wide spectrum of advanced medical imaging topics. These include, but are not limited to, development and applications of imaging technologies, image processing and analysis, fluid dynamics, medical physics, computational and mathematical modeling, and artificial intelligence. The spectrum of applications is broad, extending from cardiovascular and neurovascular imaging to image-guided surgery and cancer diagnosis.
The program emphasizes three research areas:
Medical Imaging
Medical imaging consists of a range of technologies and methodologies dedicated to visualizing the structures and functions of the human body. Research in this area focuses on developing innovative medical imaging techniques that target specific clinical and research applications, such as cardiovascular imaging and neurovascular imaging. The research activities involve advanced MRI pulse sequence programming, sophisticated image reconstruction methods, and multi-modality PET/CT or PET/MRI imaging.
Medical Image Processing, Computational Modeling & Artificial Intelligence (AI)
This research area aims to develop advanced tools and algorithms for analyzing and interpreting medical images as well as extracting quantitative image metrics. Research activities include both conventional and AI-based image post-processing, e.g., denoising, registration, and segmentation, and feature extraction along with computational modeling, such as quantitative hemodynamics and cardiovascular flow mechanics.
Clinical Translation
At Feinberg School of Medicine, strong interdisciplinary collaborations between physicians and scientists facilitate the successful translation of novel advancements in medical imaging acquisition and analysis. Clinical translation efforts span a wide array of medical domains and organs, including neurological, cardiovascular, cancer, interventional, pediatric, body and musculoskeletal (MSK) imaging.
Why Northwestern for Medical Imaging Training?
Clinical Translational Opportunities
Our faculty members have the requisite expertise and experience to translate emerging medical imaging technologies to clinical prototypes. Students interested in clinical translational projects will be mentored by our research and clinical faculty members to learn the requisite skills to conduct bench-to-bedside research.
Industry Collaboration Opportunities
Students can work with leading equipment and software vendors on collaborative projects and use technical approaches, such as concepts in biomedical engineering and computer science, for application in medical imaging research.
World-Class Medical Imaging Equipment
The Center for Translational Imaging, managed by the Department of Radiology, houses cutting-edge medical imaging equipment dedicated to research. Our students gain valuable experience using technology available through the center.
How to Apply
Prospective MS, PhD or MD-PhD students should apply to Biomedical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, or the Health Sciences Integrated Program. Each prospective student should follow the admissions guidelines of the individual school. Interested students are encouraged to contact recruiting faculty members for research projects and/or sponsorship.
If you're a faculty member interested in an exceptional opportunity to mentor graduate students in the interdisciplinary Medical Imaging Science Training Program, please contact us at medical_imaging_training@northwestern.edu.
This program is located at 737 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1600, Chicago.