Background

I am an NHS employed clinical scientist working in both clinical magnetic resonance physics and research applications of magnetic resonance imaging. I work between Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle University on various topics related to magnetic resonance imaging.

Areas of expertise

Clinical application of Magnetic Resonance Physical principles to investigate different physiologies & pathologies

Magnetic Resonance Physics

Diffusion Weighted MRI

MRI in Neuromuscular diseases

Qualifications 

PhD NIHR BRC Clinical Doctoral Fellowship - Newcastle University (2018 - 2023)

NHS Scientist Training Programme (Medical Physics) (2015 - 2018): Registered Clinical Scientist - CS20510 (2018 - Present)

MSc Clinical Science - Imaging with non-Ionising Radiation (Magnetic Resonance Physics & Ultrasound Physics) - Newcastle University (2015 - 2018)

BSc (Hons.) Physics - Durham University (2011 - 2014)

Research

Teaching

Lectures

1st Year MSc Clinical Science - Medical Physics (MPY8001): Introduction to MR Safety

2nd Year MSc Clinical Science - Medical Physics (MPY8011): Advanced MR Pulse sequences

3rd Year MSc Clinical Science - Medical Physics (MPY8012): Advanced MR Safety

Other Supervision

I am the work based supervisor of NHS STP trainees for the Magnetic Resonance component of the STP.  

Co-Supervision of BSc and MSc students at Newcastle Magnetic Resonance Centre.

Publications

• Articles

  • Heskamp L, Miller R, Birkbeck MG, Hall J, Schofield I, Blamire A, Whittaker R. In vivo 3D imaging of human motor units in upper and lower limb muscles. Clinical Neurophysiology 2022, 141, 91-100.
  • Birkbeck MG, Blamire AM, Whittaker RG, Sayer AA, Dodds RM. The role of novel motor unit magnetic resonance imaging to investigate motor unit activity in ageing skeletal muscle. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle 2021, 12(1), 17-29.
  • Heskamp L, Birkbeck MG, Whittaker RG, Schofield IS, Blamire AM. The muscle twitch profile assessed with motor unit magnetic resonance imaging. NMR in Biomedicine 2021, 34(3), e4466.
  • Tullo E, Dodds RM, Birkbeck M, Habiballa L, Aihie Sayer A. Paving the translational ageing research pathway—training the next generation of researchers. Age and Ageing 2021, 50(2), 362-365.
  • Birkbeck MG, Heskamp L, Schofield IS, Blamire AM, Whittaker RG. Non-invasive Imaging of Single Human Motor Units. Clinical Neurophysiology 2020, 131(6), 1399-1406.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstract)

  • Birkbeck MG, Hillman S, Hurst C, Granic A, Aspray T, Sayer AA, Dodds RM. Assessing changes in physical activity in community dwelling older adults before and after COVID-19 restrictions in the United Kingdom. In: International Sarcopenia Translational Research Conference 2021. 2021, Virtual: Hylonome Publications.