Wuwei went on to PhD studies at ETH Zurich
Wuwei Ren graduated from the master’s programme in Medical Imaging (now integrated in the master’s programme in Medical Engineering) in 2012. After he finished his studies, he left Sweden to do his PhD in Switzerland where he now works as a Research Fellow.
Hi Wuwei, tell us about your journey from Zhejiang to now.
In August 2010, when the plane landed at Arlanda Airport in Stockholm, it marked the start of my new life in Europe for the many coming years. At that time, I was studying Biomedical Engineering at Zhejiang University, China and found a ‘STINT’ Scholarship programme between Sweden and China. I applied and was lucky enough to enrol in the Master’s Programme in Medical Imaging (now integrated in the Master’s Programme in Medical Engineering).
After my master’s at KTH, I joined ETH Zurich, Switzerland, where I continued my research in the medical imaging field and achieved my PhD in 2018. Now I am working as a research fellow at University Hospital Zurich and leading a start-up project to develop a portable optical tomographic device for preclinical studies. The project is funded by a BRIDGE fellowship from the Swiss government, which aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry and promotes technology transfer.
What can a regular day look like at your job?
The content of my daily work is quite diverse now. As a researcher, research is still the major part of my life. I also supervise many projects/theses for bachelor’s and master’s students. Writing academic papers and grant proposals is not fun but is an essential part. As a start-up project leader, I have attended entrepreneurship courses and technology transfer events. Happily, our project was selected as one of 11 technology transfer projects for the Swiss Pavilion, Hannover Messe 2019. It was my great honour to present our prototype device in front of the public for the first time!
Why did you choose this programme at KTH?
All the courses are very well organized and designed. The first course I took was about mathematics in image reconstruction, in which I gained fundamental knowledge in my field. I also took courses in X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound and microscopy. Most courses include a practical part. I still have an ultrasound image of my own beating heart. I was deeply enthralled by how fascinating the medical image can be, and still work in this field. There are other courses which are not purely technology and science but, for example, ethics courses and entrepreneurship basic courses, can be very important in the long run.
What were the best aspects of your studies at KTH?
I enjoyed many aspects of my studies at KTH. The campus of KTH is very beautiful and the facility is perfect. However, if it comes to the best part, I would say it was the time spent on my master’s thesis. It was interesting, challenging, and helpful. I would like to thank my supervisor, Prof. Massimiliano Colarieti Tosti (Mamo). The project was about designing a portable gamma camera (or called SPECT) with coded apertures. The idea was different from those that developed more complicated and powerful big imaging devices. The procedure combines physics, mathematics, image processing and a little bit of art, which I really like. It influenced my future career track significantly. Inspired by this master’s thesis, I explored research in the direction of portable fluorescence imaging. Now I am developing my own portable imaging device using optics instead of nuclear methods.
What is your best memory from your time at university?
It was a great memory to have friends from everywhere in the world when I was still very young. I miss the ‘corridor’ culture where I lived, especially dinner time when we shared different types of food.
What are your plans for the future?
Generally speaking, I want to develop new medical devices and transfer them into real clinics. I want to establish my own small company or research group. I am also considering going back to Sweden to work and live.
What would you say to a student thinking of applying for this programme?
If you are majoring in biomedical engineering now, the joint Programme of Biomedical Engineering or Medical Imaging would definitely be a good choice. Many courses emphasize the practical aspects like programming and experimentation which, I believe, Chinese students do not have much experience with. This training will shape you a future in either academia or industry.