PhD Studentship – Image Guided Intervention Supported with Mixed Reality
University of Leeds – School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Leeds, United Kingdom
General Description
The University of Leeds invites applications for a fully funded PhD Studentship as part of the EPSRC Project Proposals 2025/26 within the School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences. This research opportunity focuses on developing advanced technologies for image-guided medical interventions supported by mixed reality.
The project aims to explore and develop cutting-edge artificial intelligence methods and immersive technologies to improve surgical planning and clinical interventions. The successful candidate will conduct research in areas including image registration, anatomy segmentation, and immersive visualization technologies. The work will involve analysing pre-operative medical imaging data such as MRI and CT scans to generate detailed three-dimensional models of organs and anatomical structures, as well as integrating intra-operative surgical video data.
The research will focus on creating innovative tools that enable improved surgical planning and decision-making. A key component of the project involves implementing and integrating these solutions within immersive platforms such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) systems to support surgeons during procedures. These technologies will be designed to assist with real-time visualization and navigation during image-guided interventions.
The doctoral candidate will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team including computational scientists, engineers, and clinical partners, particularly surgeons working in image-guided surgical environments. The research direction may evolve during the programme in consultation with supervisors and clinical collaborators to ensure impactful outcomes and real-world applications in surgical care.
The PhD will be supervised by Dr Sharib Ali, with co-supervision from Dr Rafael Kuffner dos Anjos and clinical collaboration from Dr Shahid Farid. The studentship is full-time with an expected start date of 1 April 2026.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must hold, or expect to obtain, a first-class or upper second-class (2:1) British Bachelor’s Honours degree or equivalent in an appropriate discipline.
Relevant disciplines include computer science, biomedical engineering, medical imaging, or related fields.
Candidates must meet the University of Leeds postgraduate research entry requirements.
This studentship is funded for UK students.
Required Expertise/Skills
Background in computer science, medical imaging, biomedical engineering, or related technical disciplines.
Prior knowledge or experience in deep learning methodologies.
Familiarity with computer graphics, image processing, or 3D visualization techniques is advantageous.
Ability to work with medical imaging datasets such as MRI and CT scans.
Strong programming, analytical, and research skills.
Interest in interdisciplinary collaboration with clinicians and researchers.
Salary Details
The studentship provides full tuition fees together with a tax-free maintenance stipend of £20,780 per year for up to 3.5 years.
Application Deadline
13 February 2026