Novel medical imaging technology visualizes disease-related impairments, enabling clinicians to diagnose disorders at their earliest stages and to track the success of treatment with a precision never before possible. Hence, medical imaging technology development will save lives and alleviate suffering on a vast scale.
Director's Message
Welcome to the Advanced Imaging Research Center (AIRC) at UT Southwestern!
Biomedical Imaging, a key diagnostic method that visualizes the internal structure, function, and metabolism of the human body, provides essential information about various diseases, as well as their progression and therapy response. In vivo imaging also delivers instrumental information for basic and preclinical research.
AIRC researchers develop innovative imaging technology to push the current boundaries of biomedical imaging with respect to spatial and temporal resolution, functional and metabolic specificity, as well as speed and spatial coverage. In collaboration with clinical and basic science researchers, these novel technologies are evaluated, refined, and finally translated into clinical diagnostic and clinical, pre-clinical, and basic science research.
The AIRC supports the research of more than 120 PIs across the UTSW campus and in the North Texas research community. It allows access to all imaging instrumentation, providing data acquisition and analysis services. Collaborators and core facility users of the AIRC seek to advance basic understanding, diagnostic techniques, and treatments for a wide range of diseases of the brain, body, and musculoskeletal system. Respective research includes cancer, diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, depression, autism, attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), inborn genetic disorders, and diseases of the heart, lung, and liver.
Jobs
Trainees
We are looking for highly talented and motivated Ph.D. students and PostDocs who have educational backgrounds in biomedical and electrical engineering, physics, chemistry, computation, data science, or mathematics.
Opportunities and benefits for AIRC trainees:
Development and application of novel imaging technologies to visualize the unknown, advance clinical imaging standards, and study physiology and pathophysiology.
Access to beyond-state-of-art imaging instrumentation and laboratories in the fields of MRI, CT, PET, ultrasound, and optical imaging.
Education and training in research and non-research skills by mentoring committees of experienced PIs, as well as peer mentoring.
Competitive salaries and benefits with tuition support.
Explore our research, labs and education options, then send your application to the PIs for groups that interest you.
Faculty
We are currently expanding the AIRC primary faculty and have the following job openings.
Postdoctoral position to synthesize isotope labelled molecular imaging contrast agents
One postdoctoral training position is available in the laboratory of Stefan Gloeggler, in the Advanced Imaging Research Center at UT Southwestern Medical Center to investigate the synthesis of new molecular imaging agents with stable isotopes (e.g. 2H, 13C, 15N).
Research project:
Synthesizing isotopically enriched compounds for cancer imaging applications
Collaborating on hyperpolarization studies with parahydrogen
Collaborating on biomedical applications from cells to preclinical in vivo models using the developed contrast agents
Qualifications:
Candidates must hold a Ph.D. degree in synthetic chemistry or related fields. Experience in isotope labelling chemistry and hyperpolarization is desirable.
UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status. To learn more, please visit here.
Postdoctoral position in molecular imaging with stable isotope tracers
One postdoctoral training position is available in the laboratory of Stefan Gloeggler, in the Advanced Imaging Research Center at UT Southwestern Medical Center to investigate new molecular imaging approaches using stables isotopes (e.g. 2H, 13C, 15N). The project includes deuterium MRI as well as hyperpolarized MRI for applications in cancer research.
Research project:
Performing molecular imaging studies using preclinical cancer models with deuterium MRI and hyperpolarized imaging agents
Investigating newly developed molecular imaging agents in disease models
Collaborating on hyperpolarization studies with parahydrogen
Qualifications:
Candidates must hold a Ph.D. degree, preferably in biochemistry, biology, biophysics or a related discipline. Expertise in hyperpolarization or deuterium MRI studies, preclinical studies and experience with writing IACUC applications is desirable.
UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status. To learn more, please visit here.
A postdoctoral training position is available in the laboratory of Dr. Binu Thomas, Ph.D., in the Advanced Imaging Research Center (AIRC) and Department of Radiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center to study risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in older people living with co-morbidities like high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. Our laboratory, Brain Function Imaging Lab, has several exciting projects related to the following:
Diabetes and obesity in aging and effect of weight loss on brain function
Heart failure with preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF) and treatment effect on the brain
Age related hearing loss and effect of hearing aid intervention on risk of Alzheimer’s
Candidates must hold a recent Ph.D. and/or M.D. degree. Experience in the following:
Matlab, Python, other programming and Linux, UNIX OS
ASL perfusion, cerebrovascular reactivity, resting-state fMRI, SWI/QSM, DTI analysis
Scientific peer-reviewed journal article writing
AIRC is a world-renowned imaging center with cutting edge facilities equipped with multiple research-dedicated MR scanners, including three human 3 T (Philips, Siemens and GE), one human 7 T (Philips), an RF engineering lab, etc.
Visit the Postdocs website for information on our postdoctoral training program, benefits, and a virtual tour.
Interested individuals should send a CV, and a brief statement of interests to:
Binu Thomas, Ph.D. UT Southwestern Medical Center 5323 Harry Hines Blvd. Dallas, TX 75390-8568 binu.thomas@utsouthwestern.edu
UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status. To learn more, please visit here.
Postdoctoral positions to advance hyperpolarization with parahydrogen (physics/engineering)
Two postdoctoral training positions are available in the laboratory of Stefan Gloeggler, in the Advanced Imaging Research Center at UT Southwestern Medical Center to investigate the hyperpolarization with parahydrogen and develop new experimental setups for biomedical studies and preclinical applications.
Research project:
Developing a new hyperpolarization device using parahydrogen at low magnetic fields
Develop magnetic resonance sequences for efficient hyperpolarization experiments
Investigate and hyperpolarize new compounds developed by the chemistry team of the Gloeggler lab
Develop biomedical applications from cells to preclinical in vivo models
Qualifications:
Candidates must hold a Ph.D. degree, preferably in physics, engineering or related disciplines. Experience in hardware development including low field magnetic resonance and radiofrequency engineering, spin physics and/or hyperpolarization is desirable.
UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status. To learn more, please visit here.
July 14-15, 2025 Clinical Advances & Technical Challenges
7T Translational Alliance of North America (TANA) 3rd Annual Meeting
Where: T. Boone Pickens Biomedical Building NG3.112 Auditorium
The mission of 7T TANA is to translate the powerful imaging capabilities of 7 Tesla MRI to real-life benefits for patients, healthcare providers, and researchers in North America and worldwide. The meeting will discuss clinical advances and technical challenges to precipitate clinical translation and to facilitate the standardization of imaging protocols and sharing of data and expertise. The event includes poster presentations and opportunities to interact with vendors and industry partners.
We are excited to welcome you to the AIRC Annual Symposium. Please register by clicking "Start now" on the bottom left of the graphic on the registration page.
2024 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) Society Award
Dr. Anke Henning, AIRC Director, received the ISMRM Fellow of the Society distinction for her excellent scientific contributions and training of the next generation of scientists in high and ultra-high field proton and multinuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The Fellowship is conferred on those who have made a significant and substantial contribution to research in a field within the Society's purposes, who have contributed in a significant manner to the development of the Society and/or any of the Predecessor Societies, who have made a significant contribution to education in MR, and/or who contributed to the field in its clinical or scientific development. Congratulations, Dr. Henning!
2022 Harry Fischer Award
A. Dean Sherry, Ph.D., former and inaugural director of AIRC (pictured second from right), received the 2022 Harry Fischer Award. Presented at the Contrast Media Research Symposium held in Annapolis, MD, August 12-15, 2022. The Harry Fischer Award honors a single scholar who has made outstanding research contributions to the field of contrast agents over a career. Congratulations, Dr. Sherry!
AIRC Seminar Series
Every Wednesday in-person at 12 noon in NE 2.5 classroom (floor NE 2.5) and virtual via Zoom. To subscribe to email updates, contact Bryan Guardiola via Bryan.Guardiola@UTSouthwestern.edu.
