Research Themes

AI-enabled Imaging E

Smart Imaging Probes E
Developing novel machine learning and AI techniques for medical imaging pipelines, from acquisition through reconstruction to analysis and interpretation
Modern healthcare professionals must analyse and interpret large amounts of data from a variety of sources such as imaging, clinical records, and other medical or lab examinations. In this context artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to fundamentally transform the future of medicine and healthcare by enabling earlier, faster and more accurate diagnosis, as well as enhanced screening and stratification to optimal treatment. This will lead to better outcomes for patients as well as improved efficiency in healthcare.
Areas of research include:
- AI for image acquisition, reconstruction and analysis
- AI-enabled decision support for diagnosis and prognosis
- Novel methodologies that address the challenges in translating AI solutions into the clinic
Academic theme leads

Bernhard Kainz
Imperial College London

Emma Robinson
King’s College London
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Developing and validating more accurate targeted imaging probes for a variety of modalities
Modern imaging probes enable effective use of multiple modalities. However, their production and use present many challenges. Improving existing probes and producing new ones will expand the potential applications of these tools within the clinical environment.
Research foci include:
- Disease-related redox changes
- Molecular imaging supporting emerging therapies
- Drug resistance in cancer
- Biophysical effects of radionuclide therapy
- Radiochemistry platforms for streamlined synthesis of short half-life tracers
Smart imaging probes can be designed for use in both well-established and emerging modalities including:
- SPECT
- PET
- MRI
- Hybrid PET-MR
- Low-dose CT
- Optical and photo-acoustic molecular imaging
Academic theme leads

Michelle Ma
King’s College London

Phil Miller
Imperial College London
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Emerging Imaging E

Affordable Imaging E
Disrupting medical imaging with new technologies to improve diagnosis, treatment and prognosis
New ways to revolutionise clinicians’ means to acquire, reconstruct, analyse and interpret medical images are being devised. These include novel imaging technologies; development, validation and consolidation of processes for use of multiple existing modalities; and wider applications of current imaging techniques.
Research focuses on modalities including:
- Multinuclear MRI
- Interventional XMR
- Multi-transmission technology
- Ultra-high field 7T MR
- PET-MR hybrid imaging
- Novel MR, PET and PET-MR acquisition and reconstruction methods
Using existing modalities, research also addresses imaging
approaches to:
- Simultaneous tissue characterisation
- Anato-metabolic assessment
Academic theme leads

Claudia Prieto
King’s College London

Po-Wah So
King’s College London
Pioneering low-cost portable imaging technologies and wearable sensors suited to front-line carers in both the developed and developing worlds
Healthcare providers and purchasers around the world are facing enormous financial pressure. Our solutions help to address aspects such as long-term sustainability of healthcare systems and more equitable access to care.
Affordable imaging challenges and solutions we are looking into include:
- Automated gestational age estimation with low-cost 2D ultrasound screening systems to assess the role that pre-term birth plays in neonatal mortality in the developing world
- Obstetric and other applications of scan guidance systems and automatic report generation
- Empowering non-expert ultrasound users to carry out crucial biometric evaluation
- Detection and characterisation of lesions using super-resolution ultrasound imaging
- Addressing the challenges of obesity in relation to medical imaging
- Simpler, more accessible and cost-effective radiotracer synthesis for molecular imaging by PET, SPECT and molecular radiotherapy
Academic theme leads

Kirsten Christensen-Jeffries
King’s College London

Mengxing Tang
Imperial College London
Available Projects
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- Synergistic theragnostic PET and SPECT image reconstruction for molecular radiotherapy of prostate cancer
Project ID: 2023_012
- Physically-informed learning-based beamforming for multi-transducer ultrasound imaging
Project ID: 2023_020
- Generative Deep Learning Models for Automated Craniofacial Surgical Planning
Project ID: 2023_047
Current Projects
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- New Chelators for Less-Developed and ‘Heavy’ Radioactive Metal Isotopes
Project ID:
- Engineering simultaneous EEG-fMRI for image guided modulation of brain dynamics
Project ID:
- Multi-functional Metal-containing Probes for Brain Imaging
Project ID:
- Noninvasive molecular biopsy: focused ultrasound delivery of targeted contrast agents and detection by magnetic resonance imaging
Project ID: 2015_102
- Sparse and synergistic multiparametric PET-MR image reconstruction for imaging brain disorders
Project ID: 2015_108
- Super-resolution ultrasound imaging
Project ID: 2015_115
- Developing new targeted molecular contrast agents for imaging inflammation of vulnerable plaques
Project ID: 2015_204
- Novel theranostic targeted anti-cancer probe for multi-modal imaging on multiple scales
Project ID: 2015_205
- New routes to carbon-11 based molecular imaging agents for in vivo PET imaging
Project ID: 2015_206
- Imaging glycogenesis as a novel biomarker of drug-induced quiescence and senescence
Project ID: 2015_207
- Cell and liposome tracking by PET with zirconium-89
Project ID: 2015_214
- Imaging and computational tools for catheter ablation treatment of atrial fibrillation
Project ID: 2015_304
- Non-invasive proximal blood pressure estimation by combining MR imaging with one-dimensional flow modelling
Project ID: 2015_307
- Computational modelling of dynamic brain connecting networks for disease prediction
Project ID: 2015_310
- Biologically interpretable models for brain disorders
Project ID: 2015_311
- Automated quality control and semantic parsing in multi-modal imaging
Project ID: 2015_XXX
- Tissue characterisation for the management of cardiac arrhythmia
Project ID: 2015_XXY
- iDWI: a novel approach to diffusion-weighted imaging in MRI
Project ID: 2016_104
- Integrating myelin imaging with diffusion MRI for microstructure modelling
Project ID: 2016_108
- Simultaneous whole-heart coronary lumen/plaque and myocardial tissue characterization
Project ID: 2016_109
- A simple “push-button” PET-MR footprinting method for multi-modality prostate cancer imaging
Project ID: 2016_110
- Advanced and generalised resolution modelling with artefact reduction for high-resolution positron emission tomography
Project ID: 2016_112
- New platforms for 99mTc-labelled multimeric molecular SPECT imaging agents: bifunctional dithiocarbamate and diphosphine chelators
Project ID: 2016_201
- Novel nanoscopic multimodal imaging agents and their applications – Optical, CT, PET/SPECT and MRI active nanoparticles
Project ID: 2016_206
- Simplification of radiopharmaceutical formulation through structural modification: comparing multidentate ligand topologies for new 99mTc and 188Re imaging agents
Project ID: 2016_209
- Innovative multimodality short and long term in vivo cell tracking platform for cellular therapy applications
Project ID: 2016_211
- Novel Ga-68/67 complexes based on tris(hydroxypyridinone) (THP) conjugates for PET imaging and radionuclide therapy
Project ID: 2016_214
- Functionalised nanoparticles for theranostics
Project ID: 2016_215
- Advanced analysis of stress perfusion CMR
Project ID: 2016_306
- Computational analysis of chronotropic modulation in the congenital heart
Project ID: 2016_313
- Towards understanding 4-chamber pressures in heart failure and resynchronization
Project ID: 2016_322
- Advanced cardiac magnetic resonance perfusion imaging
Project ID: 2017_100
- High resolution and high contrast imaging and quantification of cardiac macro- and micro- blood flow based on ultrafast ultrasound acquisition and signal processing
Project ID: 2017_101
- Fetal quantitative flow measurement by MRI
Project ID: 2017_102
- Cardiac multiparametric magnetic resonance fingerprinting
Project ID: 2017_107
- High resolution imaging of tissue properties with optimized precision using Ultra High Field MRI
Project ID: 2017_110
- Development of tracers for in vivo trafficking of essential trace metals in health and disease using PET imaging
Project ID: 2017_201
- Imaging and sensing in living cells using dual modality fluorescent PET imaging agents
Project ID: 2017_202
- Nanoscale microfluidic reactions: near-stoichiometric™ radiolabeling for PET
Project ID: 2017_203
- Increasing radioactive payload at peptide receptors in diseased tissue: bifunctional dendritic chelators for complexing radioactive metal ions
Project ID: 2017_205
- Macrophage cell tracking with PET using zirconium-89
Project ID: 2017_212
- Radiobiological assessment of radionuclide pairs used in theranostic (imaging and therapy) approaches
Project ID: 2017_214
- Novel 11C-methylation strategies and their application in CNS receptor imaging
Project ID: 2017_215
- Real-time assessment of coronary haemodynamics via hybrid fluid dynamics & machine learning approach
Project ID: 2017_303
- Learning optimal image representations for MRI reconstruction, synthesis and analysis
Project ID: 2017_305
- Automated assessment of fetal movements as an indicator of postnatal neurological health and function
Project ID: 2017_313
- Deep learning for early detection of lung cancer in patients at risk
Project ID: 2017_314
- Development of novel visualization techniques for medical images using a holographic volumetric display
Project ID: 2017_319
- Comprehensive CRT CT imaging (3CI)
Project ID: 2017_320
- Learning the signature of disease in echocardiography
Project ID: 2017_321
- A service-oriented architecture approach for collaborative and quality assured analysis of medical image data
Project ID: 2017_322
- High-resolution contrast-enhanced ultrasound elastography
Project ID: 2017_XXX
- Novel biomarkers for liver imaging in the monitoring of cancer therapy
Project ID: 2017_XXY
- A simultaneous multicontrast PET-MR sequence for comprehensive coronary plaque characterization
Project ID: 2018_104
- A machine-learning approach to solving the SAR problem for ultrahigh field MRI
Project ID: 2018_105
- Multiparametric low-dose PET-MR for single-scan diagnostic imaging of memory clinic patients
Project ID: 2018_106
- Photoacoustics and ultrasound computed tomography
Project ID: 2018_113
- AIM: advanced imaging of bone marrow in myeloma with CT & MRI
Project ID: 2018_116
- Ultra-bright magnetic organic semiconductor nanoparticles for multimodal imaging
Project ID: 2018_203
- How do medical imaging radioisotopes used for diagnostic imaging and cell tracking affect cancer and immune cells?
Project ID: 2018_206
- New chelators for versatile coordination of PET, SPECT and radiotherapeutic isotopes
Project ID: 2018_214
- Molecular imaging tools to identify evolving cardiac injury caused by cancer therapy
Project ID: 2018_215
- Development of a decision support tool for neuroimaging using explainable ML
Project ID: 2018_307
- Addressing the brain correspondence problem: predicting robust and accurate mappings between multi-modal feature sets through use of deep learning
Project ID: 2018_308
- Automated detection of cardiac arrhythmia locations to optimise treatments using a combined physics and machine-learning approach
Project ID: 2018_315
- Individualised clinical neuroimaging in the developing brain: Learning cortical development
Project ID: 2018_D02
- Engineering big data solutions to mining imaging genetics data through deep learning
Project ID: 2018_D03
- Optimising repair of the thoracic wall following thoracic surgery
Project ID: 2018_D04
- Novel imaging biomarkers for prognosis of developmental outcomes in babies born preterm using machine-learning
Project ID: 2018_D06
- Deformable 3D reconstruction of endoluminal anatomy by miniature steerable chip-on-tip endoscopy
Project ID: 2018_D10
- An indirect labelling approach to track the therapeutic CAR T-cells with dual PET and fluorescence imaging
Project ID: 2018_D11
- Imaging nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2: the master regulator of the tumour antioxidant response
Project ID: 2018_D16
- Quantitative mapping of developing fetal organs using dynamic MRI and artificial neural networks
Project ID: 2019_006
- Automated 4D function of the heart
Project ID: 2019_010
- Building sensitive models of cognition using interpretable Deep Learning
Project ID: 2019_014
- Smart manganese-based dual-modal PET-MRI probes
Project ID: 2019_016
- A smart, multi-radionuclide imaging approach for improved personalised targeted radionuclide therapy
Project ID: 2019_018
- Synergistic joint variational neural networks for PET-MR image reconstruction with generative modelling priors
Project ID: 2019_019
- Imaging the Warburg effect with 23Na MRI and 82Rb positron emission tomography
Project ID: 2019_024
- Early detection and diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration AMD using machine learning
Project ID: 2019_025
- Resolving the cortex with ultra-high resolution MRI to detect epileptic lesions
Project ID: 2019_026
- Enhanced neonatal brain development MRI at ultra-high field
Project ID: 2019_031
- Enabling immunotherapy through the detection and sequestration of CO by fluorogenic probes
Project ID: 2019_035
- A generative model of the diseased human brain
Project ID: 2019_037
- Imaging cancer response and resistance to therapy using the chick CAM and isolated perfused tumour
Project ID: 2019_050
- Mining for iron in the brain: a deep learning approach
Project ID: 2019_062
- One-step, site-specific labelling of His-tagged proteins with technetium-99m and rhenium-188 for cancer imaging and therapy
Project ID: 2020_002
- High resolution optimal precision quantitative MRI at Ultrahigh Field
Project ID: 2020_003
- General purpose abnormality detection in whole body PET
Project ID: 2020_004
- Machine Learning for Automated Heart Strain and Motion from DENSE
Project ID: 2020_005
- AI enabled motion corrected quantitative MRI of the fetal brain
Project ID: 2020_006
- Deep-learning PET-MR longitudinal reconstruction for lower-dose antibody-imaging in the understanding and treatment of cancer
Project ID: 2020_007
- Smart cell nuclear-localising 125/131I-labelled octreotates for sandwiched β- and Auger-particle therapy of metastatic neuroendocrine tumours
Project ID: 2020_008
- Explainable AI for diagnosing and treating cardiovascular disease
Project ID: 2020_012
- Deep learning for diagnosis of congenital heart disease in fetus using MRI and ultrasound.
Project ID: 2020_019
- New imaging methodologies for receptor-targeted therapies
Project ID: 2020_027
- Active and continual learning strategies for deep learning assisted interactive segmentation of new databases
Project ID: 2020_028
- Reading minds with Deep Learning: predicting behavioural states from functional imaging data
Project ID: 2020_032
- An acoustic wavelet technology for delivering smart imaging probes to the brain
Project ID: 2020_037
- Engineering high quality simultaneous EEG/MRI 7T to study patients with epilepsy
Project ID: 2020_040
- Integrating imaging and drug delivery systems to improve radiotherapy
Project ID: 2020_041
- Multiparametric diagnosis of fatty liver disease with magnetic resonance fingerprinting
Project ID: 2020_042
- Next generation of ultrasound imaging using ultrafast acquisition and machine learning
Project ID: 2020_051
- The right ventricle’s role in risk prediction following mitral valve replacement: a combined imaging-modelling study
Project ID: 2021_002
- AI enabled 3-fold accelerated in vivo Whole-Heart Diffusion Tensor Cardiac MR
Project ID: 2021_003
- Imaging-guided Development of Polysarcosine-based Drug-delivery Systems
Project ID: 2021_005
- Robust quality-controlled quantitative stress perfusion cardiac MRI
Project ID: 2021_007
- Concurrent multi-task learning-based deep convolutional neural networks for high resolution assessment of in-vivo cardiac microstructure
Project ID: 2021_008
- Synergistic Representation Learning for Pancreatic Image Analysis
Project ID: 2021_009
- Predicting autism spectrum phenotypes from neonatal brain connectivity
Project ID: 2021_011
- Dual labelled phase change nanodroplets for ultrasound guided drug therapies
Project ID: 2021_018
- Luminescent/PET-active quantum dots for multimodal imaging of prostate cancer
Project ID: 2021_019
- Fetal vascular ultrasound assessment to identify growth restriction and reduce stillbirth
Project ID: 2021_022
- High spatial and temporal resolution imaging of gut structure and microcirculation in response to nutrition intake and to therapeutics
Project ID: 2021_028
- Semi-supervised detection and tracking of instruments for robotic surgery guidance
Project ID: 2021_029
- Translating brain magnetic resonance imaging signals to iron and myelin to appraise Alzheimer’s disease
Project ID: 2021_030
- Predicting premature birth from MRI using deep learning
Project ID: 2021_033
- Synthesis of multimeric nanoparticle-based MRI agents for detecting the role of platelets in Atherosclerosis
Project ID: 2021_035
- Synergistic image analysis of longitudinal cardiac MRI
Project ID: 2022_001
- Development of Zero TE MRI to visualise cranial bones, nerves and vessels
Project ID: 2022_002
- Development, radiobiological assessment and dosimetry of radiopharmaceuticals emitting alpha and beta particles
Project ID: 2022_003
- DORMOUSE: Detection Of Reflected Microscopic Optical UltraSound Emission
Project ID: 2022_007
- AI-Enabled Assessment of Cardiac Function from Echocardiography
Project ID: 2022_011
- Application of Deep Reinforcement Learning to Predict Ablation Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation from Imaging Data
Project ID: 2022_015
- Machine learning for improved clinical decision making ahead of epilepsy surgery
Project ID: 2022_019
- New chelators for diagnostic and therapeutic pairs of radioactive metal isotopes
Project ID: 2022_027
- Exploiting multi-task learning for endoscopic vision in robotic surgery
Project ID: 2022_031
- Deep Generative Models of Fetal Brain Development: forward modelling of the mechanisms of neurodevelopmental impairment
Project ID: 2022_033
- Exploring early fetal brain development: a deep learning approach
Project ID: 2022_037
- Intra-procedural updating of cardiac digital-twins for automated arrhythmia ablation target guidance using novel electroanatomical system
Project ID: 2022_043
- MultiHeart: Fusing CT and MRI with Space-Time Transformation Networks
Project ID: 2022_044
- Inorganic nanoparticles for radiolabelling with 223Ra / 212Pb, for multimodal imaging and therapy in cancer.
Project ID: 2022_045
- Modelling blood flow in the shared placenta in twin pregnancies
Project ID: 2023_006
- 2D to 3D reconstruction of coronary angiograms for real-time applications
Project ID: 2023_007
- Discovering early biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease using genetic and physics-informed networks
Project ID: 2023_009
- Unveiling the stiffening trajectories of the heart by physics informed machine learning
Project ID: 2023_010
- Artificial intelligence-driven radiosurgery planning for brain metastases
Project ID: 2023_011
- Incorporating Expert-consistent Spatial Structure Relationships in Learning-based Brain Parcellation
Project ID: 2023_013
- Foundation models for Ultrasound Imaging with applications in prenatal congenital heart disease
Project ID: 2023_014
- Affordable light source based photoacoustic endoscopy probes for guiding neurosurgical procedures
Project ID: 2023_015
- Lighting up tau – acoustically-mediated delivery of radiolabelled antibodies for Alzheimer’s disease theranostics
Project ID: 2023_016
- Multifunctional Upconversion Nanogels for Beta-cell Imaging
Project ID: 2023_017
- Novel chelators for Scandium-44 in PET imaging of prostate cancer
Project ID: 2023_018
- Measuring brain growth and maturation over the first year of life: a deep learning approach
Project ID: 2023_019
- Geometric Deep Learning for Cardiac Motion Analysis
Project ID: 2023_021
- Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting for Latest Generation 0.55T MRI Scanner
Project ID: 2023_022
- Radiobiological assessment and novel radiochemistry for treating and imaging cancer using thallium-201
Project ID: 2023_024
- Personalising Cardiac Electrotherapy from Implanted Electronic Devices using Digital Twin Technology
Project ID: 2023_025
- AI-driven machine independent quantitative MRI
Project ID: 2023_026
- Radionuclide particle tracking for biomedical applications
Project ID: 2023_027
- First, do no harm: Developing fair AI techniques for medical imaging
Project ID: 2023_028
- Probing brain grey matter microstructure with diffusion-MRI in Alzheimer’s Disease
Project ID: 2023_029
- Towards widespread use of cardiac MRI using new affordable low magnetic field (0.55T) MRI scanner and AI
Project ID: 2023_030
- Deep Learning and Shape Analysis for Deep Brain Structures
Project ID: 2023_031
- New mass spectrometric imaging methods for understanding receptor-targeted therapies
Project ID: 2023_034
- Accurate automated quantification of spine evolution — it’s about time!
Project ID: 2023_036
- Theranostic Anticancer Nanoparticles
Project ID: 2023_037
- Gadolinium/conjugated polymer nanoparticles for multimodal IR-imaging
Project ID: 2023_038
- Flights of fancy in ultra-high magnetic fields: matching virtual scenes to phantom motion perceptions
Project ID: 2023_039
- Better localisation for epilepsy surgery treatment by optimising simultaneous EEG and functional MRI recordings at 7T
Project ID: 2023_042
- High-performance clinical structural and metabolic MRI using advanced neuroimaging engineering methods
Project ID: 2023_043
- Real-Time Pixel-Level Semantic Tracking in Retinal Microsurgery
Project ID: 2023_044
- Creating technology for VR-based functional MRI to enable a new generation of studies for exploring higher cognitive brain function
Project ID: 2023_046
- Synthetic Humans: A joint whole-body generative diffusion-based model of human anatomy and disease
Project ID: 2023_048
- A new radiolabelling paradigm for the preparation of 11C-labelled amino acids
Project ID: 2023_049
Previous Projects
Filter by
- High-resolution whole-heart parameter mapping using image-based respiratory navigation and compressed sensing.
Project ID: 2014_104
- Rebalancing MRI encoding schemes – an exploration of combined transmit and receive parallel imaging approaches
Project ID: 2014_109
- Multi-parametric PET-MR imaging
Project ID: 2014_112
- Multi-dataset PET/MR direct parametric image reconstruction for longitudinal studies and atlas building
Project ID: 2014_117
- New gallium chelates for imaging apoptosis and the mitochondria
Project ID: 2014_201
- Bifunctional chelator design for rapid in vitro and in vivo labelling of targeting biomolecules with short half life radiometals
Project ID: 2014_204
- The use of bisphosphonates as phase transfer reagents for bioactive fluorescence and near-infrared emitting quantum dots
Project ID: 2014_207
- Imaging therapy for cancer treatment: strain-induced cell death via MRI focused shear waves
Project ID: 2014_209
- Imaging anatomical variation in uptake of plasma macromolecules by the coronary artery wall
Project ID: 2014_218
- An imaging investigation of the central effects of insulin via intra-nasal administration
Project ID: 2014_310
- Machine learning for differential diagnosis of dementia from multi-modality MR and PET imaging
Project ID: 2014_315
- Fighting fibrosis: a complementary biomechanical approach to characterize and distinguish fibrosis from inflammation in chronic diseases of the liver and heart
Project ID: 2014_319
- Multimodal analysis of cardiac motion and deformation
Project ID: 2014_321
- Molecular imaging of inflammation and extracellular matrix remodelling after Ml
Project ID: 2014_XXX