Professor Markus Barth
Professor

Markus Barth

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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)

181 - 187 of 187 works

1998

Journal Article

Is MEG superior to EPI FMRI in localizing neuronal activity?

Beisteiner, R., Windischberger, C., Edward, V., Kaindl, Th, Barth, M., Erdler, M. and Moser, E. (1998). Is MEG superior to EPI FMRI in localizing neuronal activity?. NeuroImage, 7 (4 PART II)

Is MEG superior to EPI FMRI in localizing neuronal activity?

1998

Journal Article

256 by 256 single shot EPI at 3 Tesla

Windischberger, C., Barth, M. and Moser, E. (1998). 256 by 256 single shot EPI at 3 Tesla. NeuroImage, 7 (4 PART II), S580.

256 by 256 single shot EPI at 3 Tesla

1997

Journal Article

Proton NMR relaxation times of human blood samples at 1.5 T and implications for functional MRI

Barth, Markus. and Moser, Ewald. (1997). Proton NMR relaxation times of human blood samples at 1.5 T and implications for functional MRI. Cellular and Molecular Biology, 43 (5), 783-791.

Proton NMR relaxation times of human blood samples at 1.5 T and implications for functional MRI

1997

Journal Article

Proton NMR relaxation times of human blood samples at 1.5 T and implications for functional MRI

Barth, Markus and Moser, Ewald (1997). Proton NMR relaxation times of human blood samples at 1.5 T and implications for functional MRI. Cellular and Molecular Biology, 43 (5), 783-91.

Proton NMR relaxation times of human blood samples at 1.5 T and implications for functional MRI

1997

Journal Article

Magnetic resonance imaging on a low-field system (0.2 T): Comparison with a 1.0-T system

Trattnig S., Kontaxis G., Breitenseher M., Czerny Ch., Rand T., Turetschek K., Barth M. and Imhof H. (1997). Magnetic resonance imaging on a low-field system (0.2 T): Comparison with a 1.0-T system. Radiologe, 37 (10), 773-777. doi: 10.1007/s001170050281

Magnetic resonance imaging on a low-field system (0.2 T): Comparison with a 1.0-T system

1997

Journal Article

Modulation of signal changes in gradient-recalled echo functional MRI with increasing echo time correlate with model calculations

Barth, M, Diemling, M and Moser, E (1997). Modulation of signal changes in gradient-recalled echo functional MRI with increasing echo time correlate with model calculations. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 15 (7), 745-752. doi: 10.1016/S0730-725X(97)00043-X

Modulation of signal changes in gradient-recalled echo functional MRI with increasing echo time correlate with model calculations

1997

Journal Article

Quantification of signal changes in gradient recalled echo FMRI

Diemling, M, Barth, M and Moser, E (1997). Quantification of signal changes in gradient recalled echo FMRI. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 15 (7), 753-762. doi: 10.1016/S0730-725X(97)00030-1

Quantification of signal changes in gradient recalled echo FMRI

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

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