This is an opportunity for an experienced data scientist to conduct original research aimed at discovering associations between the compromised brain haemodynamics observed in small vessel disease (SVD) and retinal vascular phenotypes derived from optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) images, as a key member on a project funded by the British Heart Foundation and Alan Turing Institute. The successful candidate will be able to capitalise on data already acquired in two ongoing longitudinal studies on cerebral SVD and over a decade of experience in retinal image processing in Edinburgh. Co-PIs Prof Joanna Wardlaw and Dr Miguel O. Bernabeu are internationally recognised experts in SVD and cardiovascular mathematical modelling, respectively.
The successful candidate will conduct original research, centred around a) establishing a standard for OCTA image segmentation with particular emphasis on its robustness and applicability to routinely acquired data, b) developing novel metrics to characterise the structure and temporal evolution of microvascular networks based on the principles of Network Science and Machine Learning, c) investigating associations between OCTA-derived retinal microvascular phenotypes and compromised brain haemodynamics (cerebrovascular reactivity, cerebral blood flow, and blood brain barrier leak as well as cross-sectional and longitudinal lesion and diffusion tensor imaging changes).
Informal enquiries can be directed to miguel.bernabeu@ed.ac.uk
For further information see https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/CDI016/research-fellow-c1-acad-researcher
Closing date: 15th January 2021