Working with Shaihan has been absolutely vital for all of the imaging studies that take place in our School, particularly for ensuring that the highest quality images are acquired in the safest way. It is an absolute pleasure to work with Shaihan as it is very rare to find a colleague like him who can combine world-leading expertise in MR physics with a clear vision for how the methods can be applied to benefit science, healthcare, and wider society.
Professor Tomoki Arichi, Head of the Research Department of Early Life Imaging at the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences
11 December 2024
In Conversation with Dr Shaihan Malik
Dr Shaihan Malik is the Head of the Research Department of Imaging Physics and Engineering and a Reader in Medical Imaging at BMEIS. We spoke to him about his journey from undergraduate student to Head of Department, the challenges of ultra-high field MRI, and his efforts to make medical imaging more sustainable and accessible.
Dr Malik joined King’s in 2012 after completing his PhD at Imperial College London. His research focuses on advancing Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technologies, including leading the development of the cutting-edge 7T MRI facility at St Thomas' Hospital. "MRI is a rich and constantly evolving imaging modality," he explains. "It allows us to push boundaries—imaging faster and in greater detail than before. My work is about developing new techniques to maximize what this technology can achieve."
A major area of Shaihan's research involves improving imaging at ultra-high magnetic fields, such as those used in the 7T MRI system. "MRI works by using very strong magnets to detect water molecules in the body. The stronger the magnet, the better the image quality," he says. "However, stronger fields come with unique challenges. For instance, they require higher-frequency radio waves, which don’t penetrate the body as well. A lot of my research is focused on finding ways to overcome these limitations to unlock the potential of ultra-high field imaging."
Dr Malik is also interested in understanding how the MRI signal reflects the underlying structure of biological tissue. "Most MRI focuses on hydrogen nuclei, which are abundant in the water that makes up our bodies. However, the way water looks on an MRI image depends on factors at microscopic and even molecular levels. By enhancing MRI contrast, we can better understand disease processes and even improve how we diagnose and treat illnesses."
When asked why he pursued this area of research, Shaihan reflected, "As an undergraduate, I was captivated by the beauty of the images MRI could create and how it all works using magnets and a loose understanding of quantum mechanics. 20 years later, I’m still hooked!
Recently, Dr Malik has also turned his attention to improving the sustainability and accessibility of MRI. "MRI is expensive and energy-intensive, which limits its availability to a large fraction of the world's population. I’m exploring new ways to engineer scanners that are both more efficient and more affordable," he says. "Another priority for me is reproducibility in research. Complex methods often make it difficult for other researchers to replicate studies, but by sharing data and source code openly, we can make science more transparent and impactful - and research funders agree with this."
Dr Malik also finds value in the collaborative environment at King’s. "The School is a great place to work. We have an amazing critical mass of state-of-the-art facilities, friendly and collaborative scientists and clinicians, located right alongside the patients at St. Thomas’. We can develop a new technology and see it right through to work in the clinic in a short space of time.
"One of the projects I’m most excited about is our work imaging infants on the 7T scanner. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the detailed images of tiny developing brains and know that we’re contributing to a better understanding of early life development."
In this story
Head of the Department of Imaging Physics and Engineering