I am looking for motivated students to join my research group and work towards their PhD in the area of computational cardiovascular biomechanics. Interested candidates are encouraged to email ankush.aggarwal@glasgow.ac.uk to discuss further. More details of the PhD position are provided below.
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 January 2022, 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_815227_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 or my staff page for more information on our research.