Description of the thesis topic

Thesis Title: Development of a Multimodal Fiber Endomicroscope for Diagnostic Assistance in Oncological Neurosurgery
Context and Scientific Challenges:
This thesis is part of a multidisciplinary scientific project bringing together physicists, physicians, and biologists. The project, entitled "OPerating Atofluorescence Light In Surgery (OPALIS)", is currently under development within the "Multimodal Instrumentation and Tissue Imaging (IMIT)" team of the health physics department at IJCLab, in collaboration with the engineering department and the neurosurgery service of Lariboisière Hospital in Paris, and the CREATIS laboratory.
Oncological surgery, the most common curative treatment for solid tumors, requires precise identification of tumor boundaries for complete resection. In neurosurgery, this precision is hindered by the infiltrative nature of brain tumors, such as gliomas. Accurate identification of these tumors is crucial to minimize recurrences and preserve vital brain functions. Currently, no real-time imaging tool is available for this identification.

Work Context

The Laboratory of Physics of the Two Infinities Irène Joliot-Curie is a laboratory of physics of the two infinities under the supervision of the CNRS, the University of Paris-Saclay, and the University of Paris, created in 2020 from the merger of the five UMRs located on the Orsay university campus: the Center for Nuclear Sciences and Materials Sciences (CSNSM), the Laboratory for Imaging and Modeling in Neurobiology and Cancerology (IMNC), the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Orsay (IPNO), the Linear Accelerator Laboratory (LAL), and the Theoretical Physics Laboratory (LPT).
The research themes of the laboratory are nuclear physics, high-energy physics, astroparticles and cosmology, theoretical physics, particle accelerators and detectors, as well as technical research and development and associated applications for energy, health, and the environment.
The structure has very important technical capabilities (about 280 engineers and technicians) in all major areas required to design, develop, and implement experimental devices necessary for its scientific activity: mechanical, electronic, computer science, instrumentation, acceleration techniques, and biology techniques. These technical strengths represent a major asset for the design, development, and use of the necessary instruments (accelerators and detectors). The presence of research infrastructures and technological platforms gathered on the laboratory site is also a major asset. Finally, about 90 ITAs from administrative and support services work alongside scientists and engineers.

The position is located in a sector under the protection of scientific and technical potential (PPST), and therefore requires, in accordance with the regulations, that your arrival is authorized by the competent authority of the MESR.

Constraints and risks

The thesis project consists of developing a nonlinear fiber endomicroscope with classification performed by artificial intelligence (machine learning and deep learning). It is part of a collaboration with the CREATIS laboratory in LYON, a laboratory specializing in image processing for health. The objectives are to develop the instrument by making it intelligent, using a database to train artificial intelligence, which will then be integrated into the tool to improve its functionalities.

Additional Information

Additional Information: The candidate must hold a degree in engineering and/or a master's degree in Physics/Optics. The position requires strong knowledge in instrumentation and data analysis, good oral and written communication skills (French and English required) to present at conferences and write articles in scientific journals. We are looking for a young researcher who will be involved in his project, curious, with a certain autonomy, and a strong motivation to develop skills in nonlinear optical instrumentation and artificial intelligence classification. In addition, the candidate must be able to work in a team on multidisciplinary projects.