Physics at the Border: Bridging CERN Experiments and Swiss MedTech in Basel

Moving from high-energy particle physics to clinical medical imaging might seem like a leap. At CERN, we deal with subatomic collisions, tracking particles through silicon sensors. In medical shimming and MRI, we study hydrogen protons inside a patient. Yet, the underlying physics is identical.

The Shared Language of Signals

The mathematics of field analysis, Fourier transforms, and neural networks are universal. My transition to the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Basel (Oliver Bieri's lab) opened up new horizons. Here, instead of searching for heavy Higgs-like bosons, I apply the same data processing algorithms to improve human health.

Basel: A Medical Science Hub

Basel is a unique place at the border of Switzerland, France, and Germany. It is a dense hub of pharmaceutical and medical technology. Working alongside clinicians at the University Hospital Basel, we get immediate feedback on whether our physics models make a difference for patient care.

It is highly rewarding to see algorithms that trace particles at the LHC being adapted to reconstruct clear, high-resolution lung MRIs, proving that fundamental physics research always finds its way back to society.