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A research team in the Department of Earth Science and Engineering (ESE) at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ – that is adapting geophysics techniques to the practice of improved medical imaging – has received a prestigious internal award for excellence in research.

The innovations, contributions and impact of the Transmission and Reflection UltraSound Tomography (TRUST) team were recognised with the annual Imperial for Outstanding Research Team last year.

This week, during the university’s summer graduation ceremony, TRUST team leader, , Advanced Research Fellow in ESE, received the Medal on behalf of the TRUST team from Imperial President Professor Hugh Brady.

The award was introduced by Vice Provost for Research and Enterprise, Professor Mary Ryan, who commended the team’s cutting-edge work in repurposing techniques that traditionally have their roots in geophysics, to advancing imaging and diagnostics of the brain – holding the potential to better study, detect and treat diseases such as stroke, dementia and cancer.

The President's Medal, together with the continuous support of Imperial and ESE, encourages us to continue exploring frontier ideas that will help a growing population in need of better brain diagnostics and care. Dr Oscar Calderon Agudo Advanced Research Fellow, Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial

“We are very proud to receive the President’s Medal, which recognises the effort, perseverance, creativity and ambition of our research group,” said Dr Calderon Agudo.

“Together with the continuous support of Imperial and ESE, it encourages us to continue exploring frontier ideas that will help a growing population in need of better brain diagnostics and care.”

A new era of brain imaging

TRUST is developing safe, affordable, portable and precise whole-body medical devices. By combining advanced seismic imaging techniques, ultrasound, electric fields and supercomputing, their research aims to overcome the limitations of current medical technology, such as high costs and inaccurate images.

With an interdisciplinary team, bringing together many areas of expertise from Imperial’s Departments of Earth Science and Engineering, and Bioengineering, the TRUST team’s mission focuses on creating devices suitable for use beyond traditional hospitals, to reduce global disparities in access to high-quality medical imaging.

To translate their work into clinical practice, the team has formed a UK spinout company called , which is commercialising their ultrasound tomography and novel brain imaging devices to image and treat neurological conditions.

TRUST team member, , Associate Professor in Seismic and Medical Imaging in ESE, said: “After almost ten years of stubborn curiosity, many dead ends, some great ideas and a few eureka moments, we are honoured to have received such an important acknowledgement of this work from Imperial.

“Our very existence is a reflection of the university’s strategic vision and ability to recognise improbable opportunities: we are pioneering the next generation of brain imaging from an Earth Science department that, at first glance, may seem like it had no business doing it!”