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Summer School: Global Health and Medical Studies

Discover our Global Health and Medical Studies Summer School modules below, and if you’re unsure what to study, follow our top tips for how to choose a module.

Module information

Choose from a variety of modules:

Session One

• Fundamentals of Medical Imaging with hands-on MRI

  Module code: IS453

  Medical Imaging is an umbrella term encompassing different techniques that depict the human body in order to diagnose and monitor medical conditions. Medical imaging plays a central role in medicine and global healthcare and has become indispensable in assessing and documenting the course of a wide range of diseases and response to treatment. Furthermore, medical imaging provides scientists with the tools necessary to develop, test, and track novel treatments for diseases such as cancer, dementias, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

  Medical imaging is arguably the most multi-disciplinary field in modern science and technology. Development, implementation, and application of imaging methodology requires expertise from engineering, computer scientists, chemists, biologists, clinicians -- to mention a few. Medical imaging is also one of the areas where AI tools may prove crucial in narrowing the healthcare disparities across the globe. This course is designed with this diversity of students’ backgrounds in mind.

  The course will cover the fundamental principles of medical imaging, including the basics of the 4 major medical imaging methods: Ultrasound, X-Ray CT, PET, and MRI. The focus will be on MRI and how it is used to capture both the anatomy and function of the human brain. The course will also provide hands-on experience with acquiring brain images using a 3T MRI scanner. Students will learn how to process and characterize MRI images from healthy volunteers. Functional MRI (fMRI) data will be used to learn the basics of statistical analysis used in neuroscience research.

  Students will have the opportunity to interact with the MRI team and also with clinicians and neuroscientists who use the MRI for research.

  Learning outcomes:

  • Describe the fundamental physical principles that result in the image intensity variations seen in X-Ray, Ultrasound, Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI), Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT)
  • Acquire anatomical images of the brain using a 3T MRI scanner and describe how mathematical concepts such as spatial resolution, signal to noise ratio (SNR), point spread function (PSF), are used to interpret the images. 
  • Design a simple functional MRI paradigm (fMRI) and acquire fMRI images on a 3T scanner.  Describe how spatial and temporal resolution interact in fMRI acquisitions.
  • Apply mathematical tools, such as Fourier transform, and available software to analyse the fMRI images acquired on a 3T scanner.

  Teaching method: Lecture and MRI scanning lab sessions
  Assessment: Take home exam (30%), lab report (30%), presentation (30%), participation and engagement (10%)
  Contact hours: 36 hours
  Credits: 15 Sussex Credits
  Level: 5

Session dates

• Session One: 30 June - 18 July 2025
• Session Two: 21 July - 8 August 2025

Not sure how to choose?

Follow our top tips for choosing your modules. You can also find out about our teaching structure, assessment process and how your credits transfer back to your home institution.

Which school will I study in?

Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) is an equal partnership between the Universities of Sussex and Brighton together with NHS organisations throughout the South East region.

We have purpose-built teaching facilities in all areas.

Our medicine research

The research undertaken at BSMS aims to make a genuine contribution to the evidence and science underpinning clinical practice, and to benefit people and patients in their health and wellbeing.

We have made significant investments in research infrastructure, including:

• a world-class Clinical Imaging Sciences Centre (CISC), housing a 3T and 1.5T MRI and a PET- CT scanner
• a Clinical Investigation and Research Unit (CIRU) dedicated to patient-orientated research and early clinical trials.

Find out more about our medicine research.

You might also be interested in:

• fees and costs
• entry requirements
• how to apply.