Opportunities
Development of a Cardiac Assist Device
Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Award For International Scholars
PhD Studentship
Number of Awards: 1
Supervisors: Dr Peter Walker, Professor Martin Levesley
Closing date: 30/04/2008
Applications are invited for a 3 year DHA funded PhD research studentship to work with a team of engineers and surgeons to develop a novel heart assist device. The project is under the supervision of Dr Peter Walker and Professor Martin Levesley and is funded via a Dorothy Hodgkin Award. The Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Awards are a national initiative to bring outstanding students from India, Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Russia, South Africa and the developing world to the UK to study for PhD degrees in top-rated research environments. The eligible countries are those listed in Part 1 on the OECD website: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/35/9/2488552.pdf
The aims of this multidisciplinary project are to develop an artificial muscle which supports the failing heart by aiding the heart in its contraction. There are a number of areas for PhD work including computational modelling (FEA and CFD), mechatronics and robotics. The work is a collaboration between the School of Mechanical Engineering and local cardiac surgeons.
Entry Requirements: A very good first degree (equivalent to a UK first class honours degree) from a prestigious institution in a relevant discipline such as Engineering, Mathematics or Physics. (a lower rated BSc with a Masters will not normally be accepted as the equivalent of a UK first class honours degree). Candidates must also meet the University's English language requirements.
This PhD Research Scholarship is available for a start this year and consists of a Maintenance Stipend for a maximum period of 3 years (£12,940 for Session 2008/09), full overseas rate fees and a Research Training Support Grant.
Interested students should in the first instance contact:
Professor Martin Levesley
School of Mechanical Engineering
University of Leeds
Leeds, LS2 9JT
UK
email: Martin Levesley
tel: 0113 343 2110
Further details about the research carried out in the School Mechanical Engineering can be found at http://www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk/mech/research/
Modelling The Longer Term Effects of New Spinal Fracture Treatments
PhD Studentship
Number of Awards: 1
Supervisors: Dr Ruth Wilcox, Prof David Barton
Closing date: 01/05/2008
Applications are invited for a PhD studentship in the School of Mechanical Engineering to work on a major collaborative initiative with Queen’s University Belfast. The project is part of an EPSRC-funded grant to explore novel injectable medical materials for use in spinal fracture repair.
Burst fractures account for about 15% of all spinal injuries; they occur as a result of falls from height and road traffic accidents and as such are most common in the younger population. A new technique called vertebroplasty has recently been developed for the treatment of spinal fractures, which involves the injection of cement into the damaged vertebra to stabilise the fracture site. The technique is less invasive than traditional surgery, but it has not yet been optimised for the treatment burst fractures. There is an urgent need to develop materials that are both injectable and mechanically appropriate for this application. The study will address these issues.
During the project, the candidate will develop sophisticated finite element models to predict the longer term performance of the spine following the medical procedure. The candidate will also undertake experimental work to validate the computational models by testing the treated spine in the laboratory. The computational models will be generated from medical images using novel techniques developed at Leeds. The key focus of this project is to evaluate the longer term performance of the treatments by incorporating time-dependent biological as well as mechanical processes into the simulation. The candidate will work closely with colleagues from Queen’s University Belfast who are undertaking in vitro and in vivo tests on candidate materials.
The project offers the candidate the unique opportunity to work in an exciting multidisciplinary field. The results of the project will have many potential benefits for both the orthopaedics industry and clinical practice. Funding is available for the student to make visits to the collaborating research group at Queens University Belfast during the project and there will also be the opportunity to attend international conferences.
Graduates who hold or expect to obtain at least an upper second class degree in Mechanical Engineering, Medical Engineering or a related discipline are encouraged to apply.
Whom should interested students contact:
Dr Ruth Wilcox, School of Mechanical Engineering
Tel: +44 (0) 113 343 7980
Email: Ruth Wilcox
Who do they apply to:
Graduate Office
Faculty of Engineering
University of Leeds
Leeds
LS2 9JT
Tel: +44 (0) 113 343 8000
Email: Engineering Graduate Office
Doctorate in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
The Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York have been awarded £6M to fund a 5-year Doctoral Training Centre in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. As a result between 2008 and 2012 we have 50 EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) funded studentships UK and EU students. The studentships offer basic research, clinical and industrial training in an multidisciplinary engineering and biological environment.
Further details are available at http://www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk/pg/research/DTC.shtml