Call for applications for a fully financed PhD fellowship at the Department of Nuclear Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital.
This three-year PhD project focuses on developing and evaluating advanced methodologies for quantitative PET perfusion imaging, from cardiac imaging to whole body quantification. The project centers on a rare resource, the OUTCOME AARHUS (NCT04451551) cohort: 5,000+ patients, each with quantitative [¹⁵O]H₂O PET/CT perfusion imaging and long-term clinical follow up. The project consists of 3 parts:
1) Outcome data and software pipelines. Building and testing software pipelines, including AI tools, to extract and quality check outcome data and turn a clinical archive into an analysis ready database. From there, survival analysis tests quantitative perfusion metrics against hard clinical endpoints, revealing which parameters actually predict outcome. The end goal: normal ranges and cutoff values derived from patient outcomes, tailored to each disease and subpopulation.
2) Prototype software. Developing and validating software prototypes on real clinical data: improving image quality through motion correction algorithms and building and testing new tools to extract experimental metrics from dynamic PET scans. This work involves close collaboration with an industry partner to take these prototypes from concept to tools ready for clinical use.
3) Kinetic modelling for total body imaging. Finally, expanding the scope from the heart to all organs by developing and validating quantitative image analysis software for organ and tumor perfusion, and oxygen consumption imaging, using data from our total body PET scanner and combining [¹⁵O]H₂O and [¹⁵O]O₂ PET.
The PhD student will be part of an active and positive research environment at the Department of Nuclear Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, with the opportunity to work for 3 years at the front end of quantitative PET imaging and contribute to advancing future healthcare. There will be strong industrial and international collaborations with leading specialists in the field.
A master's degree in Physics, Biomedical Engineering or a related discipline.
Experience with dynamic PET and kinetic modelling is an advantage.
Proficiency in at least one programming language, e.g. Matlab, Python, is required.
Good verbal and written communication skills in English.
Please submit your application via this link. Application deadline is 28 October 2026 at 23:59 Danish local trime. Preferred starting date is 1 January 2027.
For information about application requirements and mandatory attachments, please see our application guide.
Please contact Associate Professor Lars Poulsen Tolbod, larstolb@clin.au.dk for more information.
All interested candidates are encouraged to apply, regardless of their personal background. Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with applicable collective agreement.
