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We have an exciting new fully funded PhD position available in the tendon research group at QMUL, focused on developing new ultrasound imaging tools to help investigate tendon biomechanics and tendon injury in vivo.
The project brings together a world leading team across tendon biomechanics and ultrasound imaging to address our questions:
Professor Hazel Screen (QMUL; tendon mechanics);
Professor Jeff Bamber (ICR; ultrasound physics);
Dr Laura Slane (KU Leuven; ultrasound imaging of biomechanics);
Professor Peter Clegg (equine vet, musculoskeletal)
Dr Dylan Morrissey (Barts & QMUL; clinical physiotherapy)
Tendons are like ropes of aligned collagen bundles, and in previous studies, we have shown that healthy tendon function requires sliding and recoil between the different collagen bundles making up the whole tendon, during loading. We have shown the sliding is controlled by matrix connecting those bundles, called interfascicular matrix (IFM), and have some data suggesting that stiffening of the IFM with ageing is primarily responsible for the increased risk of injury in tendon. We are now interested in developing methods to measure sliding between collagen bundles in healthy and injured tendons to investigate our hypotheses further, and also to begin looking at ways to help manage and treat tendon injury. Taking in vivo imaging measures of sliding between tissues in vivo is technically very challenging. However, we have begun developing methods based on elastography to for this purpose. We now have funding to build on these methods and begin looking at ways to apply these to investigate tendon mechanics in both humans and horses.
We are looking for a PhD student with a good background in medical physics and experience in ultrasound imaging software and / or hardware processing, who is interested in applying their expertise to the field of connective tissue imaging.
We anticipate this project to be the start of an exciting body of work, developing new diagnostic tools for monitoring connective tissue health and disease. Further details on applying at available at the end of this message.
You can also find further details on our research group at: http://www.tendon.qmul.ac.uk/
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QMUL Research Studentship Details
· Available to Home/EU & International Applicants.
· Full Time programme only
· Applicant required to start in September/October 2017
· The studentship arrangement will cover tuition fees and provide an annual stipend for up to three years (Currently set as £16,296 in 2016/17).
· The minimum requirement for this studentship opportunity is a good Honours degree (minimum 2(i) honours or equivalent) or MSc/MRes in a relevant discipline.
· If English is not your first language then you will require a valid English certificate equivalent to IELTS 6.5+ overall with a minimum score of 5.5 in all sections (Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking).
· International applicants should refer to the following website at http://www.qmul.ac.uk/international/index.html
Supervisor Contact Details:
For informal enquiries about this position, please contact Professor Hazel Screen
Tel: 020 7882 6167
E-mail: h.r.c.screen@qmul.ac.uk
Application Method:
To apply for this studentship and for entry on to the Medical Engineering research programme (Full Time, Semester 1 start) please follow the instructions detailed in section 3 of the following webpage:
Further Guidance available via: http://www.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/a...ees/index.html
Please be sure to include a reference to ‘2016 SEMS QMRS HRCS’ to associate your application with this studentship opportunity.
The project brings together a world leading team across tendon biomechanics and ultrasound imaging to address our questions:
Professor Hazel Screen (QMUL; tendon mechanics);
Professor Jeff Bamber (ICR; ultrasound physics);
Dr Laura Slane (KU Leuven; ultrasound imaging of biomechanics);
Professor Peter Clegg (equine vet, musculoskeletal)
Dr Dylan Morrissey (Barts & QMUL; clinical physiotherapy)
Tendons are like ropes of aligned collagen bundles, and in previous studies, we have shown that healthy tendon function requires sliding and recoil between the different collagen bundles making up the whole tendon, during loading. We have shown the sliding is controlled by matrix connecting those bundles, called interfascicular matrix (IFM), and have some data suggesting that stiffening of the IFM with ageing is primarily responsible for the increased risk of injury in tendon. We are now interested in developing methods to measure sliding between collagen bundles in healthy and injured tendons to investigate our hypotheses further, and also to begin looking at ways to help manage and treat tendon injury. Taking in vivo imaging measures of sliding between tissues in vivo is technically very challenging. However, we have begun developing methods based on elastography to for this purpose. We now have funding to build on these methods and begin looking at ways to apply these to investigate tendon mechanics in both humans and horses.
We are looking for a PhD student with a good background in medical physics and experience in ultrasound imaging software and / or hardware processing, who is interested in applying their expertise to the field of connective tissue imaging.
We anticipate this project to be the start of an exciting body of work, developing new diagnostic tools for monitoring connective tissue health and disease. Further details on applying at available at the end of this message.
You can also find further details on our research group at: http://www.tendon.qmul.ac.uk/
************************************************** ****
QMUL Research Studentship Details
· Available to Home/EU & International Applicants.
· Full Time programme only
· Applicant required to start in September/October 2017
· The studentship arrangement will cover tuition fees and provide an annual stipend for up to three years (Currently set as £16,296 in 2016/17).
· The minimum requirement for this studentship opportunity is a good Honours degree (minimum 2(i) honours or equivalent) or MSc/MRes in a relevant discipline.
· If English is not your first language then you will require a valid English certificate equivalent to IELTS 6.5+ overall with a minimum score of 5.5 in all sections (Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking).
· International applicants should refer to the following website at http://www.qmul.ac.uk/international/index.html
Supervisor Contact Details:
For informal enquiries about this position, please contact Professor Hazel Screen
Tel: 020 7882 6167
E-mail: h.r.c.screen@qmul.ac.uk
Application Method:
To apply for this studentship and for entry on to the Medical Engineering research programme (Full Time, Semester 1 start) please follow the instructions detailed in section 3 of the following webpage:
Further Guidance available via: http://www.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/a...ees/index.html
Please be sure to include a reference to ‘2016 SEMS QMRS HRCS’ to associate your application with this studentship opportunity.