Dr Ryan Beckerleg

(he/him)

BSc PhD

Publication

• Date
• Type

Teaching

Modules I have helped to deliver include:

PX3155 - Introduction to Magnetic Resonance Imaging - a third-year module for physics students (2021/2022).

PX2134 - Structured Programming - a second-year module for physics students (2018/2019 & 2019/2020).

PX1224 - Computational Skills for Problem Solving - a first-year module for physics students (2018/2019).

Biography

I began my academic career as an undergraduate at Cardiff University, where I pursued a BSc in Medical Physics. During this time, I engaged in my first research project, which centered on investigating graduated compression stockings and their effects on lower limb veins. Utilizing ultrasonic imaging, I measured the diameter and blood flow of both superficial and deep veins.

In October 2018, I began my PhD journey under the guidance of Professor Kevin Murphy. My research focussed on the measurement of cerebrovasucular function. The human brain is made up of a vast network of blood vessels that supply the brain with oxygen and nutrients. As we get older these vessels can stiffen and become less compliant. This can lead to diseases such as stroke, dementia and cerebrovascular disease. My research focused on developing new methods that can be used to acquire measurements of cerebrovascular health with the aim of detecting disease, specifically dementia, earlier. I used advanced MRI methods to investigate cerebrovascular health using measures of blood flow, blood volume and the rate of oxygen consumption in the brain.

My PhD comprised two main projects aimed at developing methods for measuring cerebrovascular function. The first project explored conventional motion correction methods in functional MRI (fMRI) using gas challenges, comparing them with correction using an external motion tracking camera. The second delved into fMRI signals associated with cardiac pulsatility in large resting-state fMRI data from the Human Connectome Project.

Following the completion of my PhD, I transitioned into the role of postdoctoral research associate within the School of Psychology, primarily collaborating with Professor Khalid Hamandi. My current project focuses on using non-invasive measured to understand the epileptic network in individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy.

Honours and awards

• Summa Cum Laude (ISMRM Abstract), 2023. Awarded by the ISMRM programme Comittee
• Mansfield Reseach Innovation Award, 2023. Awarded by BIC-ISMRM & Siemens Healthineers.

Committees and reviewing

I'm currently a member of the CUBRIC ECR forum and the UKRI Public Engagement Early-Career Researcher Forum.