The focus of PSIBS training is on the sciences of imaging rather than on a specific imaging application. The training programme offers a real integration between the disciplines within the various individual research projects. The complementary research perspectives and skills brought by the participating academics will uniquely enable training to tackle challenging problems that could not otherwise be satisfactorily addressed and resolved. In this way the research and training are at the cutting-edge, leading to understanding and insights not accessible within a single scientific discipline.
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Work with Diamond synchrotron facility
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Team-building residential courses in the Lake District
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Entrepreneurship talent pool
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Intellectual Property training
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Exhibitions for Birmingham Science Museum, Thinktank
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Practical experience in media contact
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Presentations at international conferences
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Teaching and training from over 75 academics across the University campus
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Commercial exposure to a network of 15 partner companies
First year: taught modules
In the first year students follow an MSc programme that provides the necessary theoretical foundations, laboratory and practical skills for cross-disciplinary research at the Life Sciences Interface. Core material is taught by dedicated DTC staff while detailed applications in various imaging areas are presented as seminars by the relevant specialists including other academic staff and our industrial partners. Our ethos throughout the programme is of individual support starting from year one.
First year: mini-projects
Each student undertakes three different mini-projects within the first year to practise core experimental and research skills. All projects involve three elements: a biological system, one or more imaging technologies or the need to develop an imaging technology, and significant computer analysis of data generated.
PhD project
On attainment of an MSc award the students engage in their individual three-year PhD research projects (often chosen as a development of one of the mini-projects). In the same way as for mini-projects, each project involves a biological system, one or more imaging technologies or the need to develop an imaging technology, and significant computer analysis of data generated.
To ensure the students continue to develop a broad base of expertise, a ‘Buddy Scheme’ pairs each student with another student from different background and on a different project. The students also participate in DTC-wide imaging workshops, and additional training courses (1 module per year) specific to their chosen research area.
All years
The stimulation of novel research is an important part of DTC activity. Seminars and workshops with internal and external academic and industrial speakers allow students to learn about new technologies and concepts at the interface of imaging and biology. PSIBS students automatically become members of the University Graduate School which provides a variety of generic courses such as IT skills and presentation skills.
The continuous advancement in the physical sciences and engineering is constantly enhancing the quality and complexity of imaging tools available to solve key biological challenges. Consequently, biological and biomedical scientists now have at their disposal a wide range of imaging devices at all levels of biological organisation, from molecules to the whole animal. Imaging has the capability to provide an enormous amount of information, hence recent moves to cell based assays in high throughput drug screening and the increasing use of in vivo imaging modalities in diagnostics. In order to fully realise this potential and make new substantial and significant developments in the imaging sciences, leading edge researchers must both understand the physical basis and current limitations of these technologies, and have a sound understanding of key biological questions to be addressed.