A post-doctoral position on medical imaging is available at the "Nantes University Hospital Center", Nantes, France.
We are currently looking for a postdoctoral researcher to work on a the specialization of a synthetic vascular tree model for intracranial aneurysms detection. The models will be applied to various imaging modalities (MRA-TOF, 3DRA, CTA).
Project
context :
As part of a collaboration between Nantes University Hospital (neuroradiology department) and the Institut du Thorax (ITX, UMR 1087), we are studying the cerebral vascular tree. More specifically, we are proposing automated tools to characterize cerebral arteries, classify arterial bifurcations, and detect intracranial aneurysms using deep learning approaches on MRA-TOF acquisitions. In order to prevent strokes, it is important to study blood flow at the main bifurcations of the cerebral vascular tree (we focus mainly on the arteries forming the circle of Willis).
Within the university hospital, we are therefore looking for a young researcher (PhD required) who would be interested in a postdoctoral position (12 months, with the possibility of extension) in the field of medical imaging and artificial intelligence.
Topic description :
Qualifications :
A PhD degree in computer science, artificial intelligence, image processing or applied mathematics is mandatory.
Prior experience with Deep Learning, 3D meshes and image/signal processing is required.
Good oral and written English skills expected.
Strong programming skills are required (Python mandatory, C/C++ would be appreciated)
Application :
Candidates should send a cover letter along with an extended curriculum vitae to Florent Autrusseau (Florent.Autrusseau@univ-nantes.fr)
Expected starting date : April / May 2026.
The salary depends on the applicant’s experience, and should be at least 2 000 € (gross monthly salary)
As part of a collaboration between Nantes University Hospital (neuroradiology department) and the Institut du Thorax (ITX, UMR 1087), we are studying the cerebral vascular tree. More specifically, we are proposing automated tools to characterize cerebral arteries, classify arterial bifurcations, and detect intracranial aneurysms using deep learning approaches on MRA-TOF acquisitions. In order to prevent strokes, it is important to study blood flow at the main bifurcations of the cerebral vascular tree (we focus mainly on the arteries forming the circle of Willis).
Within the university hospital, we are therefore looking for a young researcher (PhD required) who would be interested in a postdoctoral position (12 months, with the possibility of extension) in the field of medical imaging and artificial intelligence.
Topic description :
The
project focuses on the creation of synthetic vascular models
specifically designed for 3D medical imaging (MRA-TOF, CTA, or
3DRA) in the field of neuroradiology. The main objective of
these synthetic models will be to improve the performance of
neural networks in the automatic detection of intracranial
aneurysms.
The postdoctoral researcher will be employed by the Nantes University Hospital Center for a period of 12 months, within the ITX laboratory. He/she will use an existing set of synthetic vascular models (designed specifically for MRA-TOF) as a starting point and will propose versions more specifically adapted to CTA and 3DRA acquisitions. The synthetic models will ultimately be used to train deep neural networks.
The postdoctoral researcher will therefore work jointly on convolutional neural networks and the synthetic vascular model (involving signal processing and mathematical morphology).
For more information on the synthetic model, see:
http://www.polytech.univ-nantes.fr/autrusseau-f/MedicalImaging/index.html
A substantial image dataset is available: 2,000 Time-of-Flight MR Angiography (MRA-ToF) acquired from more than 60 university hospitals, 1,000 3D Rotational Angiography (3DRA), and hundreds of computed tomography angiography (CTA).
The postdoctoral researcher will be employed by the Nantes University Hospital Center for a period of 12 months, within the ITX laboratory. He/she will use an existing set of synthetic vascular models (designed specifically for MRA-TOF) as a starting point and will propose versions more specifically adapted to CTA and 3DRA acquisitions. The synthetic models will ultimately be used to train deep neural networks.
The postdoctoral researcher will therefore work jointly on convolutional neural networks and the synthetic vascular model (involving signal processing and mathematical morphology).
For more information on the synthetic model, see:
http://www.polytech.univ-nantes.fr/autrusseau-f/MedicalImaging/index.html
A substantial image dataset is available: 2,000 Time-of-Flight MR Angiography (MRA-ToF) acquired from more than 60 university hospitals, 1,000 3D Rotational Angiography (3DRA), and hundreds of computed tomography angiography (CTA).
Qualifications :
A PhD degree in computer science, artificial intelligence, image processing or applied mathematics is mandatory.
Prior experience with Deep Learning, 3D meshes and image/signal processing is required.
Good oral and written English skills expected.
Strong programming skills are required (Python mandatory, C/C++ would be appreciated)
Application :
Candidates should send a cover letter along with an extended curriculum vitae to Florent Autrusseau (Florent.Autrusseau@univ-nantes.fr)
Expected starting date : April / May 2026.
The salary depends on the applicant’s experience, and should be at least 2 000 € (gross monthly salary)
Related works from our team
Patents
- F. Autrusseau and R. Nader, "Method for Recognizing Bifurcations in a Vascular Tree, Associated Methods and Devices" , Patent EP 22305928.8, submitted on June 27th 2022.
- F. Autrusseau, A. Nouri and R. Bourcier, "Methods for Segmenting Digital Images, Devices and Systems for the Same", Patent Eur. 20305143.8, submitted on Feb. 14th 2020.
- A. Nouri, F. Autrusseau and R. Bourcier, "Method for Locating and Characterizing Bifurcations of a Cerebral Vascular Tree, Associated Methods and Devices", Subm. #EP18306612.5, Patent WO/2020/116162, submitted on Dec. 4th, 2019, published on June 11th 2020.
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R. Nader, V. L'Allinec, R. Bourcier, F. Autrusseau, "Two-step Neural Networks for an Automated Cerebrovascular Landmark Detection Along the Circle of Willis", in the IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Helath Informatics, (JBHI), Sept. 2025.
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R. Nader, F. Autrusseau, V. L'Allinec, R. Bourcier, "Building a Synthetic Vascular Model: Evaluation in an Intracranial Aneurysms Detection Scenario", in IEEE Transactions on Medical imaging, Nov 2024.
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A. Missonnier, V. L'Allinec, P. Constant Dit Beaufils, F. Autrusseau, A. Nouri, M. Karakachoff, B. Rozec, R. Bourcier, K. Lakhal, "Effects of Induced Arterial Hypertension for Vasospasm on Unruptured and Unsecured Cerebral Aneurysms (Growth and Rupture) - A Retrospective case-Control Study", in Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, May 2024.
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R. Nader, R. Bourcier, F. Autrusseau, "Using deep learning for an automatic detection and classification of the vascular bifurcations along the Circle of Willis", in Medical Image Analysis, Aug 2023.
- I. Essadik, A. Nouri, R. Touahni, R. Bourcier, F. Autrusseau, "Automatic classification of the cerebral vascular bifurcations using dimensionality reduction and machine learning", in Elsevier Neuroscience Informatics, Sept. 2022.
- J. Boucherit, B. Kerleroux, G. Boulouis, G. Tessier, C. Rodriguez-Regent, P. Sporns, H. Ghannouchi, E. Shotar, F. Gariel, G. Marnat, J. Burel, H. Ifergan, G. Forestier, A. Rouchaud, H. Desal, A. Nouri, F. Autrusseau, G. Loirand, R. Bourcier, V. L’Allinec, "Bifurcation geometry remodelling of vessels in de-novo and growing intracranial aneurysms: A multicenter study", in Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery, 2022.
- A. Nouri, F. Autrusseau, R. Bourcier, A. Gaignard, V. L’Allinec, C. Menguy, J. Veziers, H. Desal, G. Loirand and R. Redon, "Characterization of 3D Bifurcations in Micro-scan and MRA-TOF Images of Cerebral Vasculature for Prediction of Intra-Cranial Aneurysms", in Elsevier Computerized Medical Imaging and Graphics (CMIG), DOI, 14th July 2020.
- V. L’Allinec, S. Chatel, M. Karakachoff, E. Bourcereau, Z. Lamoureux, A. Gaignard, F. Autrusseau, S. Jouan, A.C. Vion, G. Loirand, H. Desal, O. Naggara, R. Redon, M. Edjlali and R. Bourcier, "Prediction of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysm Evolution: The UCAN Project", in Neurosurgery, Oxford University Press, Feb. 2020.
International Conferences
- F. Autrusseau, R. Nader, M. El Hassouni, A. Nouri, N. Mansouri, V. L'Allinec and R. Bourcier, "Synthetic vascular image selection for deep learning based cerebral bifurcation classification", in 47th Intl. Conf. of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), Copenhagen, Denmark, July 2025.
- N. Mansouri, V. L'Allinec, R. Bourcier and F. Autrusseau, "Cerebral Artery Classification: Integrating Synthetic Models with MRA Data", in 47th Intl. Conf. of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), Copenhagen, Denmark, July 2025.
- A. Agarwal, C. Josset, F. Autrusseau, N. Baudin, Y. Favennec, "CUDA-Accelerated LBM Simulation in Cerebral Vasculature using Ray-Casting and Sparse Hashing", 34th International Conference on the Discrete Simulation of Fluid Dynamics (DSFD), Harbin, China, 3-6 Jul. 2025
- F. Autrusseau, R. Nader, A. Nouri, V. L'Allinec, R. Bourcier, "Toward a 3D Arterial Tree Bifurcation Model for Intra-Cranial Aneurysm Detection and Segmentation", in Intl. Conf. on Pattern Recog, ICPR'22, Montreal, Canada, Aug. 21-25 2022.
- I. Essadik, A. Nouri, N. Lauzeral, R. Touahni, R. Bourcier, F. Autrusseau, "Combining machine learning and artery characterization to identify the main bifurcations in 3Dvascular trees", in SPIE Medical Imaging 2022, San Diego, CA USA, 20 - 24 Feb. 2022.
- S. Chater, N. Lauzeral, A. Nouri, Y. El Merabet, F. Autrusseau, "Learning from mouse CT-Scan brain images to detect MRA-TOF human vasculatures", in 43rd International Conf. of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, IEEE EMBC, 1 - 5 Nov. 2021.
- J. Guillou, F. Autrusseau, R. Bourcier, "Brain Vasculature Segmentation based on Human Perception Criteria", in SPIE Medical Imaging 2020, Houston, TX USA, 15 - 20 Feb. 2020.
- A. Nouri, F. Autrusseau, R. Bourcier, A. Gaignard, V. L'Allinec, C. Menguy, J. Veziers, H. Desal, G. Loirand, R. Redon, "3D bifurcations characterization for intra-cranial aneurysms prediction", in SPIE Medical Imaging 2019, San Diego, CA USA, 16 - 21 Feb. 2019.
