Opportunities
Opportunities
MEG is a well developed technique internationally (see: http://megcommunity.org); it involves SQUID based non-contact and non-invasive measurement of extremely weak magnetic fields associated with the physiological activities of the human brain. It is suited for studying the human brain as a network of interacting brain areas during performance of various tasks. The main applications of MEG are clinical investigations and cognitive neuroscience research.
The MEG programme at IGCAR sponsored by the Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India, established the first such facilities in India. Also, the MEG is the only brain imaging technique among the several in vogue and in use in India to have been indigenously developed. With the same infrastructure, IGCAR has also established Magnetocardiography (MCG), for the non -invasive studies of the activities of the human heart. With a good spatial resolution and unmatched temporal resolution, MCG/MEG offer wide scope in the pursuit of cardiac and neuro sciences and in the non invasive clinical diagnostics in these areas.
A 13 channel flat bottom MCG/MEG system is in regular operation and a few cardiac studies have been made, including the non invasive tracking of His bundle elctrogram in healthy subjects. On the MEG front, the spontaneous brain rhythms as well as auditory evoked fields have been tracked.
Augmentation of the facilities are underway and the the following configurations are expected to be available in the time frame indicated:
1. A 37 channel flat bottom MCG system for cardiac studies - (May-June, 2011)
2. A whole head, concave bottom MEG system - the system will have 86 channels distributed over the different lobes of the brain. Accessing of the data from these channels will be progressively upgraded. (50 channels by Dec 2011 (it is possible to access signals from both sides of the brain); all the 86 channels by Dec 2012).
The assembly of the whole Head, MEG system is covered by a DST project sanction (20011-2014); an important component of this project is the collaboration from Sri Chita Tirunal Institute of Medical Science and Technology (SCTIMST, Tiruvananthapuram) for conducting clinical studies on epilepsy.
Under this DST project, positions are open for Research Associates (2011-2014) for the following areas:
1. Development of necessary software tools for treatment and analysis of the MEG data and to develop source localisation methods and imaging -- to work at IGCAR.
2. Carrying out exploratory studies for validation of the MEG system for clinical trials and to carry out clinical trials - to work with neurologists at SCTIMST.
As indicated earlier, the programme offers challenges and calls for multifarious skills in disciplines like cryogenics, low temperature physics, development of specialized mathematical algorithms for data analysis, inversion and imaging techniques, extremely low noise analog electronics circuits and system integration. Necessary hardware tools and software protocols for presentation of stimuli for the study of evoked responses have to be established. There are possibilities for collaboration from interested scientists, engineers and medical professionals in the country for carrying out a wide range of scientific investigations and for conducting clinical trials, both in the areas of cardiology and neurology. Possibilities exist for the support of students and associates of scientists and researchers who have proposals for collaborative work. There are also opportunities to work as Post Doctoral Visiting Scientists in the programme at IGCAR.
For details, please contact:
M.P.Janawadkar; Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.