Professor Markus Barth
Professor

Markus Barth

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 53970

Background

Markus graduated from the Vienna University of Technology in Technical Physics in 1995 and was awarded his Doctorate in 1999 after which he worked as postdoctoral research associate and then Assistant Professor at the Department of Radiodiagnostics, Medical University Vienna (AT). From 2004 he worked as Senior Researcher at the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour (Radboud University Nijmegen, NL) and at the Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (University Essen-Duisburg, DE). In 2014 he relocated to the University of Queensland to head the Ultra-high Field Human MR Research program at the Centre for Advanced Imaging and was awarded an ARC Future Fellowship. In 2019 he joined the School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering as Full Professor Biomedical Engineering working on MR Physics and Medical Imaging. He served as Imaging, Sensing and Biomedical Engineering Discipline lead until 2020 when he took up service roles as Deputy Head of School – Research, Director for the National Imaging Facility – Queensland Node, as well as a member of the ARC College of Experts.

Availability

Professor Markus Barth is:
Not available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Biomedical engineering Biomedical instrumentation Clinical sciences Engineering Medical devices Neurosciences

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy of Science (Advanced), Technical University Vienna

Research interests

  • Improving MRI

    Markus is investigating how MRI can be improved by using new image contrasts by mapping quantitative tissue parameters and by using increased spatial resolution. For example, very small venous vessels and small bleedings in the brain can be visualised using specific contrasts using the MR phase reflecting magnetic susceptibility (SWI and QSM). This information can be used as a very sensitive disease marker in a range of neurodegenerative diseases (traumatic brain injuries, tumours, dementia). He is also developing faster image acquisition methods such as 3D Echo-Planar-Imaging (EPI) that allows reducing the acquisition time by a factor 5-10 compared to standard techniques while keeping the high image fidelity.

  • Understanding brain activity using functional MRI

    Blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional MRI gives a good picture of neural activation and connectivity in the living human brain non-invasively. Markus is particularly interested to identify small functional units of the brain, such as cortical layers and columns, in order to better understand brain function by developing very fast functional MRI techniques with the highest spatial resolution possible. Recently, he also addressed important neuroscientific questions such as memory consolidation during sleep and decoding measured functional signals (brain reading). He also explored the possibilities of simultaneous acquisition of EEG and fMRI to examine the link between electrophysiology and BOLD task activity and large scale brain networks.

Research impacts

Markus has made significant scientific contributions in the fields of Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuroimaging, and MR methods at (ultra-)high field and key contributions to MRI scanner software packages, which are used in MR labs worldwide. Markus’ main interest is to improve our understanding of brain function and disfunction in cognition, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer by developing new medical imaging techniques. With a focus on human neuroimaging using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at high and ultra-high magnetic field strength, he achieved fast, high resolution mapping of magnetic susceptibility related anatomical and functional information in vivo, including characterisation of blood oxygenation, iron storage in tissue, haemorrhage and calcifications. Recent achievements include the development of accurate detection of layer specific functional activation in the human brain, decoding of brain activity and ultra-fast MRI. His research interests are in the fields of MR method development including applications in neuroimaging and neurological diseases including dementia, motor neurone disease, and cancer.

Search Professor Markus Barth’s works on UQ eSpace

187 works between 1997 and 2026
All (187) Journal Article (147) Other Outputs (5) Conference Publication (32) Book Chapter (3)

21 - 40 of 187 works

2025

Other Outputs

T1-weighted fMRI in mouse visual cortex using an Iron Oxide Nanoparticle contrast agent and Ultrashort Echo Time (UTE) imaging at 9.4 T

Jain, Naman, Bollmann, Saskia, Chuang, Kai-Hsiang, Polimeni, Jonathan R. and Barth, Markus (2025). T1-weighted fMRI in mouse visual cortex using an Iron Oxide Nanoparticle contrast agent and Ultrashort Echo Time (UTE) imaging at 9.4 T. doi: 10.1101/2025.03.17.643844

T1-weighted fMRI in mouse visual cortex using an Iron Oxide Nanoparticle contrast agent and Ultrashort Echo Time (UTE) imaging at 9.4 T

2025

Journal Article

Hippocampal subfield volume alterations and associations with severity measures in long COVID and ME/CFS: A 7T MRI study

Thapaliya, Kiran, Marshall-Gradisnik, Sonya, Eaton-Fitch, Natalie, Barth, Markus, Inderyas, Maira and Barnden, Leighton (2025). Hippocampal subfield volume alterations and associations with severity measures in long COVID and ME/CFS: A 7T MRI study. PLoS One, 20 (1) e0316625, 1-13. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0316625

Hippocampal subfield volume alterations and associations with severity measures in long COVID and ME/CFS: A 7T MRI study

2024

Journal Article

VesselBoost: a Python toolbox for small blood vessel segmentation in human magnetic resonance angiography data

Xu, Marshall, Ribeiro, Fernanda L., Barth, Markus, Bernier, Michaël, Bollmann, Steffen, Chatterjee, Soumick, Cognolato, Francesco, Gulban, Omer F., Itkyal, Vaibhavi, Liu, Siyu, Mattern, Hendrik, Polimeni, Jonathan R., Shaw, Thomas B., Speck, Oliver and Bollmann, Saskia (2024). VesselBoost: a Python toolbox for small blood vessel segmentation in human magnetic resonance angiography data. Aperture Neuro, 4, 1-13. doi: 10.52294/001c.123217

VesselBoost: a Python toolbox for small blood vessel segmentation in human magnetic resonance angiography data

2024

Journal Article

Three-dimensional EPI with shot-selective CAIPIRIHANA for rapid high-resolution quantitative susceptibility mapping at 3 T

Tourell, Monique, Jin, Jin, Bachrata, Beata, Stewart, Ashley, Ropele, Stefan, Enzinger, Christian, Bollmann, Saskia, Bollmann, Steffen, Robinson, Simon Daniel, O'Brien, Kieran and Barth, Markus (2024). Three-dimensional EPI with shot-selective CAIPIRIHANA for rapid high-resolution quantitative susceptibility mapping at 3 T. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 92 (3), 997-1010. doi: 10.1002/mrm.30101

Three-dimensional EPI with shot-selective CAIPIRIHANA for rapid high-resolution quantitative susceptibility mapping at 3 T

2024

Journal Article

Long-term improvement in hippocampal-dependent learning ability in healthy, aged individuals following high intensity interval training

Blackmore, Daniel G., Schaumberg, Mia A., Ziaei, Maryam, Belford, Samuel, To, Xuan Vinh, O’Keeffe, Imogen, Bernard, Anne, Mitchell, Jules, Hume, Emily, Rose, Grace L., Shaw, Thomas, York, Ashley, Barth, Markus, Cooper, Elizabeth J., Skinner, Tina L., Nasrallah, Fatima, Riek, Stephan and Bartlett, Perry F. (2024). Long-term improvement in hippocampal-dependent learning ability in healthy, aged individuals following high intensity interval training. Aging and Disease, 16 (3), 1732-1754. doi: 10.14336/AD.2024.0642

Long-term improvement in hippocampal-dependent learning ability in healthy, aged individuals following high intensity interval training

2024

Journal Article

B1+ inhomogeneity mitigation for diffusion weighted MRI at 7T using TR‐FOCI pulses

Abbasi‐Rad, Shahrokh, Cloos, Martijn A., Jin, Jin, O'Brien, Kieran and Barth, Markus (2024). B1+ inhomogeneity mitigation for diffusion weighted MRI at 7T using TR‐FOCI pulses. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 91 (6), 2508-2518. doi: 10.1002/mrm.30024

B1+ inhomogeneity mitigation for diffusion weighted MRI at 7T using TR‐FOCI pulses

2024

Journal Article

Neurochemical predictors of generalised learning induced by brain stimulation and training

Ehrhardt, Shane E., Wards, Yohan, Rideaux, Reuben, Marjańska, Małgorzata, Jin, Jin, Cloos, Martijn A., Deelchand, Dinesh K., Zöllner, Helge J., Saleh, Muhammad G., Hui, Steve C. N., Ali, Tonima, Shaw, Thomas B., Barth, Markus, Mattingley, Jason B., Filmer, Hannah L. and Dux, Paul E. (2024). Neurochemical predictors of generalised learning induced by brain stimulation and training. The Journal of Neuroscience, 44 (21) e1676232024, 1-15. doi: 10.1523/jneurosci.1676-23.2024

Neurochemical predictors of generalised learning induced by brain stimulation and training

2024

Conference Publication

A data-driven framework for whole-brain network modeling with simultaneous EEG-SEEG data

Lou, Kexin, Li, Jingzhe, Barth, Markus and Liu, Quanying (2024). A data-driven framework for whole-brain network modeling with simultaneous EEG-SEEG data. 13th IFIP TC 12 International Conference, Shenzhen, China, 3-6 May 2024. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Cham. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-57808-3_24

A data-driven framework for whole-brain network modeling with simultaneous EEG-SEEG data

2024

Journal Article

Subcortical and default mode network connectivity is impaired in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

Inderyas, Maira, Thapaliya, Kiran, Marshall-Gradisnik, Sonya, Barth, Markus and Barnden, Leighton (2024). Subcortical and default mode network connectivity is impaired in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 17 1318094, 1318094. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1318094

Subcortical and default mode network connectivity is impaired in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

2024

Conference Publication

T1-weighted fMRI in mouse visual cortex at 0.1 mm resolution using a UTE sequence after iron-oxide contrast injection

Jain, Naman, Bollmann, Saskia, Chuang, Kai-Hsiang, Polimeni, Jonathan and Barth, Markus (2024). T1-weighted fMRI in mouse visual cortex at 0.1 mm resolution using a UTE sequence after iron-oxide contrast injection. 2024 ISMRM & ISMRT Annual Meeting, Singapore, 4-9 May 2024. Concord, CA United States: ISMRM. doi: 10.58530/2024/3410

T1-weighted fMRI in mouse visual cortex at 0.1 mm resolution using a UTE sequence after iron-oxide contrast injection

2024

Conference Publication

Fast, High-resolution Whole Brain SWI and QSM with CAIPIRINHA 3D-EPI and Deep Learning Reconstruction

Jin, Jin, Nickel, Dominik, Pfeuffer, Josef, Tourell, Monique, Stewart, Ashley, Bollmann, Steffen, Bollmann, Saskia, Barth, Markus and O‘Brien, Kieran (2024). Fast, High-resolution Whole Brain SWI and QSM with CAIPIRINHA 3D-EPI and Deep Learning Reconstruction. 2024 ISMRM & ISMRT Annual Meeting, Singapore, 4-9 May 2024. Concord, CA United States: ISMRM. doi: 10.58530/2024/2822

Fast, High-resolution Whole Brain SWI and QSM with CAIPIRINHA 3D-EPI and Deep Learning Reconstruction

2024

Conference Publication

Reliability and reproducibility of neurochemical profiles obtained with sLASER and STEAM at 3T and 7T in lower and upper limb regions

Eftekhari, Zeinab, Shaw, Thomas B., Deelchand, Dinesh, Marjańska, Małgorzata, Bogner, Wolfgang and Barth, Markus (2024). Reliability and reproducibility of neurochemical profiles obtained with sLASER and STEAM at 3T and 7T in lower and upper limb regions. ISMRM Annual Meeting, Singapore, Singapore, 4 - 9 May 2024. Berkeley, CA, United States: International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. doi: 10.58530/2024/1835

Reliability and reproducibility of neurochemical profiles obtained with sLASER and STEAM at 3T and 7T in lower and upper limb regions

2024

Conference Publication

Computationally efficient multi-echo QSM

Eckstein, Korbinian, Dao, Thanh, Stewart, Ashley, Robinson, Simon, Barth, Markus and Bollmann, Steffen (2024). Computationally efficient multi-echo QSM. 2023 ISMRM & ISMRT Annual Meeting & Exhibition, Toronto, ON, Canada, 3-8 June 2023. Berkeley, CA, United States: International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. doi: 10.58530/2023/4184

Computationally efficient multi-echo QSM

2024

Conference Publication

Longitudinal reproducibility of 3D-FID-CRT-MRSI in the human brain at 3T and 7T

Eftekhari, Zeinab, Shaw, Thomas B., Eckstein, Korbinian, Strasser, Bernhard, Niess, Fabian, Hingerl, Lukas, Bogner, Wolfgang and Barth, Markus (2024). Longitudinal reproducibility of 3D-FID-CRT-MRSI in the human brain at 3T and 7T. ISMRM Annual Meeting, Singapore, Singapore, 4 - 9 May 2024. Berkeley, CA, United States: International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. doi: 10.58530/2024/1852

Longitudinal reproducibility of 3D-FID-CRT-MRSI in the human brain at 3T and 7T

2023

Journal Article

Velocity selective spin labeling using parallel transmission

Wu, Chia‐Yin, Jin, Jin, Dixon, Carl, Maillet, Donald, Barth, Markus and Cloos, Martijn A. (2023). Velocity selective spin labeling using parallel transmission. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 91 (4), 1576-1585. doi: 10.1002/mrm.29955

Velocity selective spin labeling using parallel transmission

2023

Journal Article

Super-resolution QSM in little or No Additional Time for Imaging (NATIve) using 2D EPI imaging in 3 orthogonal planes

Bachrata, Beata, Bollmann, Steffen, Jin, Jin, Tourell, Monique, Dal-Bianco, Assunta, Trattnig, Siegfried, Barth, Markus, Ropele, Stefan, Enzinger, Christian and Robinson, Simon Daniel (2023). Super-resolution QSM in little or No Additional Time for Imaging (NATIve) using 2D EPI imaging in 3 orthogonal planes. NeuroImage, 283 120419, 1-17. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120419

Super-resolution QSM in little or No Additional Time for Imaging (NATIve) using 2D EPI imaging in 3 orthogonal planes

2023

Journal Article

Improving portable low-field MRI image quality through image-to-image translation using paired low- and high-field images

Islam, Kh Tohidul, Zhong, Shenjun, Zakavi, Parisa, Chen, Zhifeng, Kavnoudias, Helen, Farquharson, Shawna, Durbridge, Gail, Barth, Markus, McMahon, Katie L., Parizel, Paul M., Dwyer, Andrew, Egan, Gary F., Law, Meng and Chen, Zhaolin (2023). Improving portable low-field MRI image quality through image-to-image translation using paired low- and high-field images. Scientific Reports, 13 (1) 21183, 1-13. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-48438-1

Improving portable low-field MRI image quality through image-to-image translation using paired low- and high-field images

2023

Other Outputs

Deep-learning-enabled differentiation between intraprostatic gold fiducial markers and calcification in quantitative susceptibility mapping

Stewart, Ashley Wilton, Goodwin, Jonathan, Richardson, Matthew, Robinson, Simon Daniel, O’Brien, Kieran, Jin, Jin, Barth, Markus and Bollmann, Steffen (2023). Deep-learning-enabled differentiation between intraprostatic gold fiducial markers and calcification in quantitative susceptibility mapping.

Deep-learning-enabled differentiation between intraprostatic gold fiducial markers and calcification in quantitative susceptibility mapping

2023

Journal Article

Improved dynamic distortion correction for fMRI using single‐echo EPI and a readout‐reversed first image (REFILL)

Robinson, Simon Daniel, Bachrata, Beata, Eckstein, Korbinian, Bollmann, Saskia, Bollmann, Steffen, Dymerska, Barbara, Hodono, Shota, Cloos, Martijn, Tourell, Monique, Jin, Jin, O'Brien, Kieran, Reutens, David C., Trattnig, Siegfried, Enzinger, Christian and Barth, Markus (2023). Improved dynamic distortion correction for fMRI using single‐echo EPI and a readout‐reversed first image (REFILL). Human Brain Mapping, 44 (15), 5095-5112. doi: 10.1002/hbm.26440

Improved dynamic distortion correction for fMRI using single‐echo EPI and a readout‐reversed first image (REFILL)

2023

Journal Article

Altered brain connectivity in Long Covid during cognitive exertion: a pilot study

Barnden, Leighton, Thapaliya, Kiran, Eaton-Fitch, Natalie, Barth, Markus and Marshall-Gradisnik, Sonya (2023). Altered brain connectivity in Long Covid during cognitive exertion: a pilot study. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 17 1182607, 1182607. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1182607

Altered brain connectivity in Long Covid during cognitive exertion: a pilot study

Current funding

  • 2026 - 2029
    Characterising blood oxygenation changes in functional human brain imaging
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2026 - 2029
    Deuterium Metabolic Imaging as a New Window on Glucose Metabolism in Motor Neuron Diseases
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Postdoctoral Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2025 - 2028
    Understanding human brain plasticity and sensory perception
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2025 - 2028
    A quantum exoGarment for unrivalled measurement of muscle function in sport
    Quantum 2032 Challenge Program
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2027
    Predicting functional decline in MND using metabolic body mapping
    Cure for MND Foundation - Impact Grants
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2026
    AMII: Asia-pacific MND Imaging Initiative (2022 FightMND Collaborative Initiatives Grant administered by The University of Sydney)
    University of Sydney
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2027
    Defining Metabolite Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Developing Objective Scalable Neuro-Markers of Cortical Hyperexcitability (NHMRC Ideas Grant administered by The University of Sydney)
    University of Sydney
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2023 - 2025
    Evaluating the utility of high-resolution MRI in defining cranial nerves in the context of large base of skull lesions (Passe & Williams Foundation grant administered by RBWH)
    Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    Robust, valid and interpretable deep learning for quantitative imaging
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    Linking human brain structure to function with ultra-high resolution fMRI
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    National Imaging Facility Queensland Node (RICF Funds)
    Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2024
    ARC Training Centre for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging Technology
    ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centres
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2023
    Improving human fMRI through modeling and imaging microvascular dynamics (NHMRC component of an NHMRC-NIH BRAIN Initiative Collaborative Research Grant)
    NHMRC-NIH BRAIN Initiative Collaborative Research Grants
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    Development of a processing pipeline for dementia using 7 Tesla MRI that is robust to RF inhomogeneities
    Siemens Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2022
    ACRF Facility for Molecular Imaging Agents in Cancer (AFMIAC)
    Australian Cancer Research Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2022
    Improved decoding of human brain activity using advanced functional magnetic resonance imaging at ultra-high field strength
    ARC Future Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2018
    High-resolution brain imaging of basal ganglia function
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2018
    Verifying the safety and image quality of metallic implants at 7T using single and parallel transmit systems
    Siemens Ltd
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Markus Barth is:
Not available for supervision

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Evaluating Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Spectroscopic Imaging Techniques in Motor Neuron Disease at 3T and 7T

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Kieran O'Brien, Dr Thomas Shaw

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Additive manufacturing in the patient specific optimisation of intracavitary brachytherapy

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Scott Crowe

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Improving vascular MRI with deep learning.

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Fernanda Lenita Ribeiro, Dr Saskia Bollmann

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Professor Markus Barth directly for media enquiries about:

  • Biomedical engineering
  • Biomedical Imaging
  • Brain imaging
  • Diffusion imaging
  • fMRI
  • Image analysis
  • Image reconstruction
  • Imaging Processing
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • MR Imaging Techniques
  • MRI
  • Neuroimaging

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au