PHYSICS 780 : Advanced Imaging Technologies

Science

2020 Semester One (1203) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Covers the physical basis and use of new imaging technologies and data processing in medicine, biomedicine and biotechnology. Makes use of practical examples from techniques such as computer assisted tomgraphy, nonlinear microscopy, optical coherence tomography, fluorescence or microarray analysis. No formal prerequisite, but an understanding of material to at least a B grade standard in PHYSICS 244, 340, and 15 points from PHYSICS 211, MATHS 253, 260, ENGSCI 211 is recommended.

Course Overview

Description
The physical basis and use of new imaging technologies in medicine, biomedicine and biotechnology, including electron microscopy, ultrasonic imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, CAT scanning, spectroscopic imaging and PET imaging. Biological applications of fluorescence and other areas of biophotonics, microarray analysis.

Aims
For most parts, the course will be research-oriented, i.e., will deal with subjects closely related to current research topics of the Biophotonics research laboratory of the Department. Students will also actively contribute to the course content through the preparation of oral presentations on cutting-edge imaging techniques and biosensors (see below). By the end of this course you should have a good idea of biomedical imaging and biophotonics as well as some of the most advanced imaging technologies that are currently under development worldwide. The course assignments will also develop your presentation and numerical modelling skills.

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Be able to present a research topic in a short presentation (Capability 1, 2, 4 and 5)
  2. Be able to analyse data in a scientific manner (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 5)
  3. Be able to write codes to analyse data (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 5)
  4. Gain a good understanding of optical imaging (Capability 1)
  5. Gain a good understanding of the mathematical skills to understand the above (Capability 1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments 10% Individual Coursework
Presentation 20% Individual Coursework
Final Exam 70% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Assignments
Presentation
Final Exam

Plussage will apply

Key Topics

Current research in medical physics and imaging
• Tomography
• Fluorescence imaging
• Nonlinear imaging techniques
• Vibrational spectroscopic imaging
• Data processing: machine learning
• Super-resolution imaging (structured illumination, ptychography, STED, PALM/STORM etc.)
• Quantum and quantum-enhanced imaging
• Optical imaging enabled by novel biochemical techniques (GFP, CLARITY etc.) and contrast mechanisms (photoacoustic tomography, diffuse optical imaging)
Optical Coherence Tomography
• Elements of the coherence theory of light
• Principle of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)
• Wiener–Khinchin theorem and the calculation of the point-spread-function
• Time and Fourier Domain OCT
• Some advanced topics, e.g., Dispersion compensation and mapping or polarisation-sensitive OCT

Learning Resources

There is no formal textbook. Appropriate references will be suggested by each lecturer.

Special Requirements

Must complete the assignment and presentation.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 16 hours of lectures, 8 x 1 hour tutorial, 1.5 hours per week of reading and thinking about the content and 60 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.

You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

During the course Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the staff responsible for the course and staff-student consultative committees.

At the end of the course students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback.

Your feedback helps to improve the course and its delivery for all students.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 17/09/2025 01:22 p.m.