2 PhD positions in Biomedical Engineering with focus on mechanobiological modeling @Lund University

Posted on October 21, 2021 by Aurélie Carlier

Mechanobiological modeling of regeneration and degeneration of soft musculoskeletal tissues

General description: The research in the biomechanics group is focused on understanding the link between mechanics and biology in the musculoskeletal system, including related pathologies and repair of skeletal tissues. Experimental studies, tissue characterisation, imaging and computational simulation techniques are used. The research is applied to problems in orthopaedics to develop better methods to understand and improve repair of musculoskeletal tissues.

Soft musculoskeletal tissues (knee joint tissues and tendons) all connect or transmit forces during movement in the body. Despite having specialized mechanical functions and tailored microstructures, they present with a similar gross composition based on a collagen network, small amounts of proteoglycans, and an extensive amount of water. In these projects we are looking to develop adaptive computational models of how the tissues respond and adapt to mechanical loading over time, and specifically how mechanical stimulation affects the tissue’s regenerative capacity after damage and the degenerative degradation in response to injury. We are looking for 2 PhD students to be dedicated to the following projects:

Project 1: Tendons connect muscles to bones and enable energy-efficient locomotion. The Achilles tendon is the largest and the most injured tendon in the human body. Ruptures often occur during recreational sport activities but can also be a result of ageing. Mechanical loading is a prerequisite for tendon healing. Controversial and often unsuccessful treatments of tendon ruptures could be improved by elucidating how loading affects the mechanobiological aspects of tendon healing. This position is within a larger project with the scope to elucidate how mechanical loading affects tendon regeneration.

The aim for PhD student 1 is to investigate how mechanical loading influences healing tendon function, structure and composition. The project includes to further develop and validate an existing adaptive mechanoregulatory model for tendon repair. This will be conducted based on collected experimental data from ongoing studies. The developed computational mechanobiological scheme will be key in the project to elucidate the mechanobiological mechanisms at play.

PhD student 1 would be actively working within the group and with collaborators within the TENDON_MECHBIO project funded by the European Research Council.

Project 2: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disease affecting over 40 million Europeans. The number of patients with OA will increase by over 70% in developed countries during the next 20 years, while direct and indirect costs are estimated to increase by over 300%. The most cost-effective and helpful treatment for the disease would simply be prevention. Since the progression of OA is highly subject-specific, prevention of the disease can only be possible when the progression can be predicted for an individual patient. The position is within a project with the overall aim to develop a tool to predict the onset and progression of osteoarthritis in the knee joint tissues due to daily loading conditions. The consortium will combine patient-specific motion analysis and computational modelling approaches for OA diagnostics, personalized prediction, and optimal treatment.

The goal for PhD student 2 is to develop and implement constitutive material models and mechanobiological adaptive models of knee joint tissues in a finite element based mechanobiological framework of the knee. The framework will be validated against tissue specific experimental and clinical data available within the collaborative network and overall prediction of tissue degeneration during OA.

PhD student 2 would be actively working with international collaborators within the MathKOA project funded by NovoNordisk Foundation.

Approach: Both projects include designing and developing numerical framework, followed by simulations and data analysis. Understanding and utilizing experimentally available data is important.

The full advertisement together with the link for applications is available on:

https://lu.varbi.com/en/what:job/jobID:439902/type:job/where:4/apply:1

PhD position on computer mechanobiology of spinal surgery @Charité

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Aurélie Carlier

A PhD position is available within the Computational Mechanobiology Group at the Julius Wolff Institute (Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin). This position is funded through a research grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG) to investigate the mechanobiology of tissue regeneration following different spinal surgical interventions. The work will be carry out in the framework of a national consortium (DFG funded Research Unit) where clinicians, engineers, material scientists, mathematicians and biologists will be investigating the dynamics of the spine in healthy and pathological conditions and its relation to low back pain. Research goals will be addressed using computer modeling approaches coupled to in vivo and in vitro experimental data that will be provided by consortium partners.

The successful candidate will have a strong background in one or more of the following areas: mechanics, computational biology and/or computational mechanics. Strong programming and computer modelling skills are required. The position is available for three years.

The work will be conducted in a highly interdisciplinary research environment. As a PhD student, you will be associated to the Berlin-Brandenburg School of Regenerative Therapies (www.bsrt.de) and benefit from the interaction with international scientists.

Interested candidates should submit their application including two references by October 1st, 2021. Applications should be sent to: Prof. Sara Checa (sara.checa@charite.de)

PhD position on Computational model of guided growth in immature skeleton for custom-made correction of deformities @Universitat Pompeu Fabra

Posted on July 13, 2021 by Aurélie Carlier

Limb deformities in children motivate frequently pediatric orthopedic consultations, because of angular (genus valgus / varus), torsional (internal / external torsion) or longitudinal (leg length discrepancy) bone growth disorder, or combinations thereof. We currently apply guided growth techniques with implants that temporarily block the physis. These techniques correctly solve genu valgus but are not as effective for genu varus or leg length discrepancy and are not effective for torsional or combined deformities. In addition, these techniques often lead to complications such as the emergence of deformities in other planes or the change of epiphyseal joint shape.

The objective of the present PhD project is to create a computational model of physical growth that allows to customize the treatment of a specific deformity through individualized designs of implant and the ability of the devices to correct the deformity with the greatest efficiency and the shortest time. It is part of a larger scale project that combines the physeal surgery in experimental animal (pig) and computer developments for the simulation model of physial growth, in collaboration with the children Hospital Sant Joan de Deu (SJDD), Barcelona.

The computational model development stands for the core of the proposed PhD thesis at BCN MedTech. It will combine image analysis and mechanobiological theories of epiphyseal bone growth, through finite element modelling, to simulate different growth guidance systems made of plates or screws. The model will be uniquely calibrated and validated against it ability to recreate and correct deformities against the experimental animal model. Eventually, it will be transferred to the physiological characteristics of the human bone, leading to a pipeline of models and simulations to properly plan the surgical correction of growth deformities in patients.

More information can be found here:

PhD-Candidate-Pediatric_Orthopaedics-SJDD-UPF

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Application: Please send: · Full CV · motivation letter · two reference letters · Academic transcripts to jerome.noailly@upf.edu by August 31th, at the latest.

PhD position in sports biomechanics @University of Rostock

Posted on June 14, 2021 by Aurélie Carlier

The University of Rostock offers you a diverse, varied and challenging job in a tradition-conscious, innovative, modern and family-friendly university in a lively city by the sea. At the Faculty of Philosophy, Institute of Sports Sciences, Chair of Biomechanics we are offering the following position, subject to allocation of funds, as of 01.09.2021, for a limited period until 01.09.2024:

Field of activity

– Research on biomechanics and control of the human leg e.g. in rotational movements, lateral movements or also locomotion under perturbations with the aim of scientific qualification.

– Conduct experiments, modeling, and simulations as part of guided and independent research activities.

– Development of study designs and experimental setups in a new laboratory to be established.

– Optional construction of simple bouncing and walking robots to demonstrate theoretical concepts

– Publication of research results – Contribution to third-party funding research proposals

– Scientific teaching in an amount of 3 semester hours in theoretical and/or practical courses with a focus on research-based transfer of knowledge and skills in order to teach students to conduct independent scientific research

– Involvement in academic self-government

Recruitment

– Completed (or soon to be completed) academic studies (state examination, diploma, master’s degree or comparable degree) e.g. sports or exercise science, engineering, physics, mathematics or comparable studies with at least good results

– Experience with mathematical modeling and simulations

– Strong interest in the study of how the musculoskeletal system generates movement

– Confident knowledge of the German and English languages, both written and spoken

– Ability to work in a team, communication skills and interest in working in interdisciplinary work groups

– Personal relation to the field of sports

– Willingness to work seriously and with commitment on a project of one’s own scientific qualification.

More information:

Job_offer_biomechanics_rostock_rode
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Herr Prof. Dr. Christian Rode, christian.rode@uni-rostock.de

Application deadline: 30 June 2021

PhD in computational cardiovascular biomechanics @University of Glasgow

Posted on May 14, 2021 by Aurélie Carlier

I am looking for motivated students to join my research group and work towards their PhD in the area of computational cardiovascular biomechanics.

Project Summary: Almost 30% of all deaths globally are related to cardiovascular diseases. The overall aim of computational cardiovascular biomechanics is to help improve the diagnosis of these diseases (faster, earlier, more precise), provide better surgical outcomes, and design devices that last longer. To achieve that aim, we study the biomechanical properties of tissues and cells comprising the cardiovascular system using a combination of in-vivo imaging, ex-vivo and in-vitro testing, and in-silico modeling. The projects can be divided into model development (at organ and cellular scales) and method development (based on imaging and using data science approaches). A few examples of specific projects are:

1) Multiscale modeling of the heart muscle
2) Modeling of endothelial cells based on in-vitro experiments
3) Developing methods for biomechanical characterisation of tissues from ultrasound images
4) Designing optimal experiments for cardiovascular tissues under uncertainty

During this project, the student will have opportunities to:

Develop skills necessary to work at the interface of engineering and biomedical science
Publish papers in high-quality journals
Present research results at international conferences
Learn about nonlinear finite element analysis, nonlinear mechanics, multiscale modeling, image-based analysis, data science, and other numerical techniques
Learn about experimental and clinical validation
Collaborate with our international academic and industrial partners
Interact within the Glasgow Centre for Computational Engineering with other researchers (GCEC) and across departments with biomedical scientists and clinicians

Eligibility: Candidates must have an undergraduate degree in a relevant field, such as Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Civil Engineering or Mathematics, with a minimum 2.1 or equivalent final grade. A background in mechanics and knowledge of finite element modeling would be necessary. Programming skills will be required for computational modeling.

Application: The deadline for applications is 31 May 2021, and the application process consists of two parts:
1) On-line academic application: Go to https://www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/infrastructureenvironment/ and click on the ‘Apply now’ tab. Applicants should attach relevant documents such as CV, transcripts, references and a research proposal.
2) The scholarship application: Complete the application form found at the following webpage: https://www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_766095_smxx.docx and attach a letter of support from a potential supervisor. Both the application form and supporting letter should be emailed to eng-jws@glasgow.ac.uk

Further information: If you are interested or want more information, please contact me at ankush.aggarwal@glasgow.ac.uk before starting the formal application. Please visit Computational Biomechanics Research Group page for more information on our research.

PhD in health and technology @University of Bologna

Posted on May 10, 2021 by Aurélie Carlier

Are you looking for a PhD in health and technology? What about getting one from the oldest university in the world?

The PhD programme in Health and Technologies of the Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna is a new, interdisciplinary PhD course that offers the opportunity to conduct three-year research projects on developing, applying, and validating innovative technologies in biomedical research and healthcare.

The academic board of the PhD school includes experts in bioengineering, biomaterials science, medical physics, computer science, medicine, biology, psychology, and law. Each project targets applicants with either a degree in biomedical sciences or technical disciplines or both. Regardless, each project is supervised by two supervisors, one active in the biomedical field, one in the technology field.

This year the deadline for applications is May 21st, 2021, and we have a number of scholarships higher than usual.

To submit your application here: https://www.unibo.it/en/teaching/phd/2020-2021/health-and-technologies. For more information you can contact: claudio.borghi@unibo.it.

PhD position on Computer mechanobiology of mandibular reconstruction @Charité

Posted on May 6, 2021 by Aurélie Carlier

A PhD position is available within the Computational Mechanobiology Group (Prof. Sara Checa) at the Julius Wolff Institute (Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin). This position is funded through a research grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG) to investigate the biomechanics of mandibular reconstruction with fibular free flap. The aim is to use computer modeling approaches supported by clinical data to understand the mechanical conditions promoting mandibular repair.

The work will be conducted in an interdisciplinary research environment composed of engineers, biologists and clinicians. As a PhD student, you will be associated to the Berlin-Brandenburg School of Regenerative Therapies (www.bsrt.de) and benefit from the interaction with international scientists.

Interested candidates should submit their curriculum vitae by 1st June, 2021. Applications should be sent to: Prof. Sara Checa (sara.checa@charite.de)

PhD Position in Experimental Micro- and Nanobiomechanics @TUWien

Posted on April 7, 2021 by Aurélie Carlier

We invite applications for a of a PhD position (University Assistant) in experimental micro- and nanobiomechanics. The position is set within a vibrant research group with a main focus on mechanics of individual collagen fibrils and micromechanics of collagen-rich tissues. The research project to be addressed is two-fold:

1) Conducting scientific research on the mechanics of individual collagen-fibrils as well as micro-mechanics of tissue sections as a function of age, pathology or chemical modification. We have a number of ongoing research projects in this context such that this part will be shaped according to the interests of the applicant.

2) Further development of experimental testing devices for micro- and nanomechanical characterization of individual collagen fibrils and microscopic tissue samples. This is based on a mechanical testing device for nanoscale fibres developed by our team.

Further information and link to apply for this position (deadline April 22nd 2021): https://jobs.tuwien.ac.at/Job/148900

For informal discussion please contact Philipp Thurner (Philipp.thurner@tuwien.ac.at)

PhD position on the characterization of anticipatory neuromuscular coordination during explosive movements @ University of Poitiers, France

Posted on March 7, 2021 by Aurélie Carlier

We invite applications for a PhD position at University of Poitiers, France, entitled “Characterization of anticipatory neuromuscular coordination during explosive movements“.

Summary: The objective of this PhD thesis is to characterize anticipatory muscular coordination during iexplosive movements performed by trained female and male athletes. The Ph.D. student will conceive experimental protocols where human participants have to perform explosive dynamic movements. Data will be collected using both human motion analysis (infrared cameras & force sensors) and muscular physiology (electromyography & superfast ultrasound echograph) equipment. Anticipatory neuromuscular coordination recorded during explosive movements will then be analysed using multi-scale and multi-physic models. Joint torques and muscular lengths and activation patterns will be estimated from a personalised musculoskeletal model. Data collected with echographs will help refine the characterization of interactions between muscular and tendinous fibers.

Keywords: Human movement, Biomechanics, Neuromuscular coordination, Motion Analysis, Musculoskeletal Modelling, Experimental studies, Sport.

Supervisors: Dr. Floren COLLOUD & Dr Romain TISSERAND

Calendar:

Applications must be sent by email before April, 20th 2021.

Interview: from May 17th to May 21st 2021.

Project and funding will start October 1st 2021.

Further information: https://www.u-ldevinci.fr/simme/en/2021/03/04/characterisation-of-anticipatory-neuromuscular-coordination-during-explosive-movements/

For informal discussion please contact Floren Colloud (floren.colloud@univ-poitiers.fr)

PhD Position in Experimental Micro- and Nanobiomechanics

Posted on February 14, 2021 by Aurélie Carlier

1) Further development of experimental testing devices for micro- and nanomechanical characterization of individual collagen fibrils and microscopic tissue samples. This is based on a unique mechanical testing device for nanoscale fibres.

2) Conducting scientific research on the mechanics of individual collagen-fibrils as well as micro-mechanics of tissue sections as a function of age, pathology or chemical modification. We have a number of ongoing research projects in this context such that this part will be shaped according to the interests of the applicant.

Further information and link to apply for this position (deadline March 4th 2021): https://jobs.tuwien.ac.at/Job/145238

For informal discussion please contact Philipp Thurner (Philipp.thurner@tuwien.ac.at)