About the Project
Applications accepted all year round / Awaiting Funding Decision/Possible External Funding
Breast cancer treatment can disrupt lymphatic drainage, resulting in lymphatic dysfunction and, in some individuals, breast cancer-related lymphoedema (BCRL), a chronic condition characterised by swelling of the upper limb. While advances in lymphatic imaging have improved understanding of disease processes, important gaps remain in identifying early imaging biomarkers and developing objective methods to assess disease severity and progression.
In this project, you will investigate how patterns of lymphatic drainage differ between healthy individuals, breast cancer survivors without clinical lymphoedema, and patients with established lymphatic disease. The research will build upon our team's comprehensive spatial atlases of normal lymphatic drainage in healthy volunteers and recently developed atlases of lymphatic dysfunction in BCRL. Working with unique imaging datasets, including lymphoscintigraphy and ICG lymphography collected by leading lymphoedema treatment centres in Australia and Boston, USA, you will apply image processing and quantitative image analysis techniques to characterise patterns of normal and dysfunctional lymphatic drainage.
Using these data, you will quantify the extent and spatial distribution of lymphatic dysfunction, compare drainage patterns across groups, and identify imaging features associated with disease development, progression, and severity. Statistical modelling and machine learning approaches will then be used to develop objective imaging biomarkers for the detection and classification of BCRL, supporting more accurate and reproducible methods for disease assessment and monitoring.
Depending on the student's interests, there is also potential to integrate imaging-derived findings into computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of lymphatic transport. By combining anatomical and functional imaging data, these models could provide new insights into normal and abnormal lymphatic flow and the mechanisms underlying lymphatic dysfunction in BCRL.
Desired skills
This multidisciplinary project is suited to students with interests in medical imaging, anatomy, biomedical engineering, computer science, and clinical research, and offers opportunities for international collaboration and translational impact.
Find out more about this project and other projects on our website here.
The Auckland Bioengineering Institute - breaking boundaries in bioengineering for more than 20 years
At the Auckland Bioengineering Institute (ABI), we apply engineering and technical innovation to advancing medical care, human capability, and understanding of human physiology. Our team of world-renowned researchers are working on everything from artificial intelligence avatars, to implantable devices, to digital models of the human body. Our focus on research excellence and commercialisation adds value to society and to the global economy.
Our research makes a real difference in the world. We’ve designed sensors to diagnose stomach disease without needing invasive surgery; developed a tiny wireless implantable device to measure brain pressure and save the lives of children with hydrocephalus; and we lead the world in building digital models of the human body which will enhance personalised medicine approaches for improved diagnosis and treatment.
Join our team of researchers for a postgraduate degree and together we can make a difference. Our graduates are amongst the most employable in the world - many either continue their career in research, find employment with industry leaders such as Rocket Lab or Fisher & Paykel, or launch their own startup companies.
Our students come from over 50 different countries and a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines, including Engineering, Medicine, Mathematics and Science.
Want to know what our students think about studying at the ABI? Watch this video!
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