MRI and electrophysiology techniques to investigate contractions in the uterus

The uterus is a highly active organ that is constantly contracting during the menstrual cycle. Uterine dysfunction has a severe impact on the quality of life of a large portion of society, and clinical diagnosis techniques are often extremely invasive, involving surgery. Non-invasive methods of analysing contraction dynamics could aid in the diagnosis of clinical conditions such as endometriosis, adenomyosis and heavy menstrual bleeding.

This project involves the development of specialised clinical measurement techniques to aid in the study and diagnosis of heavy menstrual bleeding. You will collect and analyse MRI of uterine structure and contraction activity from healthy participants, as well as those with suspected or diagnosed clinical conditions. You will use non-invasive abdominal electrodes to make measurements of uterine activity from the body surface and use advanced signal processing techniques to assess changes in electrical contraction signals in the uterus. This project can be adapted to suit the strengths and interests of the right applicant, and has the potential to be a Master's or PhD project.  

An undergraduate degree in engineering, physics or equivalent. Experience with image analysis, signal processing or machine learning is preferred but not essential. Some experience with MATLAB and/or Python is desirable.

This project is eligible for funding but is subject to eligibility criteria & funding availability.

Page expires: 12 March 2026