Thanh Phong Lê

Thanh Phong Lê is a Researcher and MRI Operational Manager at the Center for Biomedical Imaging (CIBM) within the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), specifically in the Pre-Clinical Imaging EPFL Metabolic Imaging Section. He joined CIBM in August 2024 and has served as the 9.4T MRI Operational Manager since April 2025, concurrently holding the position of MR safety officer.

His educational background:

• Bachelor of Science in Physics, EPFL
• Master of Science in Physics, EPFL (2017), specializing in solid-state, biological, and computational physics with a thesis on mitigating RF artefacts in EEG-fMRI under Dr. Joao Jorge and Dr. Ozlem Ipek
• Doctor of Philosophy (2023), HES-SO Genève and EPFL, developing a theranostic approach for ischemic stroke using hyperpolarized metabolic imaging under Prof. Jean-Noël Hyacinthe and Prof. Rolf Gruetter

Dr. Lê's research centers on advancing MR hardware, RF coil design, and computational methods to enhance state-of-the-art MRI and MRSI capabilities. His expertise particularly emphasizes hyperpolarized metabolic imaging via dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), where he demonstrated the biomarker potential of hyperpolarized lactate and pyruvate for ischemic stroke while optimizing DNP methodology and metabolic modeling in preclinical settings.

As a core member of CIBM's Pre-Clinical Imaging team, he manages high-field MRI operations and safety protocols, directly supporting metabolic imaging research at EPFL's Lausanne campus.